November 2014

 

Happy Holiday season!

 

Year-end will quickly be upon us and, as a result, we have been wrapping up several major items to propel our neighborhood into another successful new year. We had a tremendous turnout for the November 5 board meeting so thanks to all who came! 


First, the recent hailstorm accelerated a much-needed review and refresh to our Approved Roofing Materials list. Extensive details of this process are in the newsletter in a separate article below. We learned a lot and surely won't please everyone, but the team is confident we've chosen proven and aesthetically consistent materials for the long-term betterment of the neighborhood. As perfectly stated by C.S. Lewis, the great novelist and academic, "We all want progress, but if you're on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive." Due to the hard work of so many homeowners, ACC/Board members, and industry experts, we are on the right road.

 

After multiple years of annual assessments remaining flat, and in response to continually rising inflation, contract costs, and capital improvements, we have decided to raise dues for 2015. Our reserves remain very healthy and we intend to keep them that way. The 2015 annual assessment will be $420 per household plus a one-time special assessment of $50 will be charged to cover multiple capital improvements over the past few years. This includes trimming of all trees from Colorado to Holly streets, upgrading much needed lighting, enhancements at the common areas, added landscaping, and enhanced services from our most valued vendors to keep HG beautiful. The combined total this year will be $470 per household. BUT...WAIT THERE"S MORE!

 

In an effort to ensure your HOA's activities and spending are aligned with the needs of the neighborhood, we prepared a comprehensive survey to provide all 578 homeowners the opportunity to be heard. If there is something you like, dislike, or want to see added, this is your chance! Please take advantage of this opportunity and help us continue to improve through constructive feedback. We want a high rate of participation and are offering a $50 discount on your 2015 Homeowner's Assessments when you go online and complete this survey by November 26. It should take less than 10 minutes! That means you only pay $420 if you take the survey. It's a win/win for all. Click here to take the survey.

 

I'll end with a few key reminders. Please don't forget to buy tickets and wear your Gator Green attire to the Missy Franklin film on November 15. Buy your luminaries to keep up the tradition of a beautiful Heritage Greens on December 24 and get ready to go big on the holiday house lighting contest for a chance to win one of several cash prizes.

 

We hope to see you all at the year-end celebratory meeting at the clubhouse on Wednesday, December 3 starting at 6 pm with food and beverages. Come thank a volunteer and mingle with your neighbors.

 

HOA President
303-570-8291

We Want to Hear From You!!
 

The Heritage Greens Homeowner survey is ready for your feedback! It should take less than 10 minutes to complete.

 

If you complete the survey by November 26, you will receive a $50 discount on your 2015 Annual Assessments. Your opinion matters and we want to hear from you!

 

 

Remember to click on the advertisements you see in this newsletter to visit the advertisers' websites. Please support those companies that support Heritage Greens! (Advertisers are not endorsed by Heritage Greens HOA) 

New Roofing Materials List

The new 2015 Approved Roofing Materials list was compiled from extensive research by the Heritage Greens Board and Architectural Control Committee in collaboration with industry experts and fellow homeowners and became effective as of November 10, 2014.  

 

While the list is extensive to offer homeowners a spectrum of pricing alternatives, the primary goal of this covenant controlled and required list is to maintain the desired aesthetics of our neighborhood, which enhances the property values of all homeowners. There were materials excluded from this list from a variety of areas as we listened to the input of all homeowners and consultants. Excluded materials included less expensive roofs, roofs that were much more expensive, and some with claims of Impact Resistance offering insurance discounts. However, all were judged equally and fairly based on aesthetics and performance in the extreme 2014 hailstorm. Cost and/or mere data sheet claims were not the basis of our decisions.

 

It is also important to share with homeowners that the unanimously preferred materials of the non-HOA expert consultants we surveyed when asked what they would place on their own homes, were Steel and Concrete roofs. These materials appeared to have been the most resilient in the 2014 hailstorm and have also been in the neighborhood for an extensive time period and maintain a similar look and dynamic to wood shake while enhancing property values for all.

 

Be sure to note that the materials are listed by Manufacturer Name, Product Name and Color to be used. Homeowners may not at any time alter any combination or variation between approved materials or colors at their own discretion. Begin the process by showing this list to your potential roofing company. If they do not carry the products as listed, you'll need to find a different roofer.

 

While this approved list is compiled of what we believe to be the best materials in their respective categories at this time, the HOA is not guaranteeing any material and homeowners should recognize that natural events of extreme nature can cause damage to any roof regardless of Rating, Naming or Insurance Incentives. 

 

Selecting a reputable roofing company is also an essential part of the process and is up to the homeowner. Thus, when you are making such a significant investment in your home and our neighborhood, please consider the following key factors before making your decision:

  1. How many other homes in the neighborhood have used this material that match my desired appearance for my home?
  2. What is the warranty I am being offered from the manufacturer to help protect against damage (which can occur for anyone) and avoid unsightly appearance in the future?
  3. Has my potential roofing company worked on other homes in the neighborhood and how many?
  4. Have I considered the true Return on Investment over the long term in making my decision on how much to spend versus solely the upfront cost (least amount of replacements, quality, appearance, resale value vs. other comparable homes, warranty, etc.).
  5. Have I consulted with neighbors, the ACC, and Board members for recommendations or questions based on past experience?
  6. Have I spoken to my insurance provider to review the list of materials and tradeoffs as it relates to my policy?
  7. Have I formally submitted my request to the Architectural Control Committee for approval and/or feedback?

 

By following these steps, both the homeowners and neighborhood will benefit for years to come. Thank you for your continued adherence to our covenants and this approved roofing materials list. Please ensure all requests are approved by the Architectural Control Committee before making any changes to your roof. It is a requirement in our governing documents and enforced uniformly for the protection of all homeowners.  

 

Heritage Greens Board of Directors

Heritage Greens Architectural Control Committee

 

More Information: 

Guidelines and Other Information on Our Website.
Covenant Corner: Hail Damage

What an exciting month September was, especially on September 29 when, pardon the expression, "ALL HAIL BROKE LOOSE!" Every home in Heritage Greens suffered some sort of exterior damage.
 
Just a reminder, per the HG Covenants, Bylaws and Amendments, Article V, Architectural Control, Section 2.

APPROVAL REQUIRED: No building, fence, wall, residence, structure, permanent outdoor fixture or projection from any of the foregoing, shall be commenced, erected, maintained, improved or altered, nor shall any change of exterior color or other work which, in any way, alters the exterior appearance of a property to be done without written approval of the Committee.
 
In layman's terms, if you intend to do any exterior work/repairs to your home, you need to submit to the ACC a request for approval to your plan. Let's all try to keep Heritage Greens the PREMIER community that it is!

 

John Nielsen, ACC 

JNIEL10632@aol.com 


Lighting of the Luminaries

luminarias Nothing feels more like the holiday season than the annual Heritage Greens Lighting of the Luminaries!  

 

Please join your friends and neighbors in participating in the long standing Heritage Greens tradition on December 24. Not only has this been a wonderful community tradition, it is a significant fundraiser for the Heritage Greens Swim Team.

 

Make your holidays extra sweet! Back by popular demand, we are selling a variety of delicious Butter Braid pastries and this year we are also offering Duffy Rolls!

 

Order your Luminaries, Butter Braids and Duffy Rolls all at once. Pick up your complete order at the pool clubhouse on Sunday Dec 14 or Saturday Dec 20.  

 

Please order by December 1st. Click below to access the order form:

Order Form in Word  

Order Form in PDF 

 

For more information, please contact

Suzette Loving, suzetteloving@gmail.com   

Molly Brandsma, molly_brandsma4@msn.com  

Gators Swim Team

 

Heritage Greens has such rich traditions and so many wonderful people who make these traditions special. Please thank Suzette Loving and Molly Brandsma for all of their help in continuing the tradition of the Lighting of the Luminaries. You will find the order form for both the luminaries and the butter braids in this Newsletter.  

 

Also thank you to Stafie Parker and Holly Malcolm for the new tradition of the Sleigh Ride on December 22. Detailed information will be in the December newsletter. We are so grateful that so many people in our neighborhood celebrate with these continued traditions.

 

Interested in being a swim coach for next summer? We are looking to put together a strong team of coaches this year. If you are interested please contact Nancy Seavall or Kristen Dimig at hggators@gmail.com.

 


Moms, Pops & Tots - Save the Dates

 
santa-with-cookie.jpg Breakfast with Santa
Saturday, December 6 - 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Join the Heritage Green's Moms, Pops and Tots group for an exciting Breakfast with Santa event in the clubhouse.  We will have warm breakfast items, a few treats, coffee and juice.  The kids can make Christmas crafts while they wait for Santa to arrive.  This morning is a great time to visit with neighbors, get into the holiday spirit and take great photos of your child with Santa! Look for an Evite as the date gets closer.

Cookie Exchange
Friday, December 19 - 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Save this Date for a fun, family friendly Cookie Exchange.  We will meet for a potluck happy hour and cookie exchange to kick off Winter Break!  More details will be sent in the HG December newsletter.

We hope to see you at these two upcoming Heritage Greens events!  If you are new the neighborhood and would like to be included in Moms, Pops & Tots, please send us an email.

Alison Rank, alisonjrank@comcast.net, 303.517.1090
Ann O'Connor, ann_anthes@hotmail.com, 303.693.2016
Leslie Suh, millerlk44@hotmail.com, 303.741.4092

Untangle Those Holiday Lights!

 
It is almost time to untangle your holiday lights and decorate your house and trees. We will continue the yearly tradition of the Heritage Greens holiday lights contest, but this year we'll have even more prizes!! Be sure you have your lights up and looking great by mid December so that you be part of the contest. More details in the next newsletter!!

  
Tennis Leagues for Next Season

tennis League tennis has been over for just a month and we have to think about next year already!

I would suggest that everyone read the tennis league rules which are available here or on the website. This includes current league players and anyone new to the neighborhood or who may be interested in playing in a league. Captains should also review the procedures required when requesting team numbers.

There are certain procedures that need to be followed especially in the following circumstances:
  • Anyone wanting to play on an HG team that has never played on one before must send in a request.
  • Anyone moving up or down a level and wanting to be on a new team must send in a request.
  • Anyone wanting to play on a team that is above their rating level must send in a request even if they were on that team in the past.  
When making requests, please list the specific leagues you would like to be considered for. Just saying "any 3.0 team" is not enough information. There are multiple leagues throughout the year playing at different days and times. USTA.com and coloradotennis.com will have all the league days and times listed. Here is information for 2014:
A few upcoming deadlines:
  • Next year's ratings usually come out in late November - check tennislink.com 
  • Captains may request team numbers starting December 1. Teams who had a spot last year have priority. Rosters must accompany any request.
  • Residents who wish to join a team may submit their names and requested leagues from Dec 5-15 via email.
In order to keep a level playing field, there are timelines when requests can be made. Any request made prior to the starting date will not be considered.   
This will be the last newsletter prior to the start time that requests can be made so please make sure you are familiar with the procedures. If you have any questions at all after reading the rules please feel free to email me.

Thank you-
Marty Smith, League Coordinator, mlsmiff@msn.com, 303-507-9605
 

Neighbors and Nonprofits: St. Thomas More 


christmas-present-boy.jpg Dear Heritage Greens Residents,

 

St Thomas More Catholic Church and its Youth Group will be hosting 600 four- and five-year-olds for the annual Project 600 Christmas Party on December 9.  

 

These children come from Denver's inner city schools. The youth group showers these children with enthusiasm, kindness, and love during a party just for them. These children will enjoy many activities, such as face painting, a magic show, lunch, a puppet show, treats, and of course, a visit with Santa and a gift to take with them. For many children, this may be their only gift for Christmas.  

 

Heritage Greens' residents have been a part of this yearly party for over twenty years. Our goal every year is to give $25 worth of toys to each child that attends.  

 

Please consider donating to this worthwhile event. We need donations of money, toys, cookies, or your help on the day of the party, especially adult help. Please send any monetary donations to David Tschumper, Youth Director St. Thomas More, 8035 South Quebec Street, Centennial, 80112. If you have any questions, please contact David Tschumper at youth@stmcatholic.org. Thank you for your continued support.

 

HG Resident

Shari Lamb

720-231-2217


Safety Update

Many homes in Heritage Greens were without power for several hours on Saturday, October 25. It's a good reminder to be prepared for the unexpected, know where our flashlights, batteries, candles and matches are kept and have a  game plan for extended blackouts, including water and food. Perhaps even create a family plan in the event an unexpected catastrophes.
 
In the event someone is knocking on your door, be sure you feel comfortable with who it is before opening the door, and don't forget to keep phone batteries charged at all times. Garage doors will not open during a blackout, however all should have a manual operations. Learn to be self-sufficient. As good neighbors let's all check on those not able to care for themselves.
 
Rick Johnson
Safety Guy 
Centennial Tests Arctic Shark

Centennial is trying a new piece of ice removal equipment this winter to help tackle a reoccurring problem in the city.

 

The Arctic Shark has metal "teeth" that rotate and cut into the ice. The machine will be used for six weeks this winter, once ice begins to form, but will only go streets that have received complaints of ice build-up that disrupts traffic, or if there is significant ice build-up on a sidewalk making it unsafe.


 Read more from the Denver Post article.

Be sure to complain about any ice build up in the neighborhood!
  
Lois Lenski Elementary - A Top Elementary School

In the November issue of 5280 Magazine there is an article about elementary schools in the seven county Denver area. There were 514 schools that were looked at, and the top 52 schools were noted for being in the top 15% of this pool. The pool was reviewed for proficiency in three subject areas: Math, Reading and Writing. Lois Lenski Elementary was in this top pool with "exceptional growth" in Math and very high in Reading and Writing.

One of the reasons that Heritage Greens is a popular area is the oustanding public school system.
 
Click here to read the article, and scroll to the bottom to see the list of the top elementary schools in the state. 
   
"Touch the Wall" Film Premiere

Join your neighbors and support our former Gator turned Olympian by attending "Touch the Wall," a documentary film featuring Missy Franklin's and Lara Lynn Joyce's journey to the 2012 London Olympics. 

The film will premiere on Saturday, November 15, at 2 p.m. at Denver's Buell Theatre.  Filmmakers Grant Berbeito and Christo Brock will be present along with Gold-medalist Missy Franklin and Silver-medalist Kara Lynn Joyce, for a red carpet presentation and an on-stage Q&A.  

Get more information by clicking here.
Heritage Greens Website
One Account Per Household
Each household has one account (that means you have to share your log in information with your wife/husband/partner). The user name is the email associated with the address. If we have two emails for your household, only one of them will be the user name. The password is a random set of letters and numbers. If you lost your log in information please contact me at HGNewsWeb@gmail.com.

Features
  • Click on Tennis, VB & Community Room Reservations to see when these amenities are available, as well as make reservations for tennis or volleyball courts.
  • Under Community Room you will find instructions and information on how to reserve the community room for an event.  
  • Check out Teen Services to see what services teens are offering around the neighborhood.
  • There is also the Find a Sitter page where baby and pet sitters can post their information.  
  • The Message Board allows you to post your own message to the neighborhood. Be sure to click My Subscriptions at the top to choose the topics that interest you.
  • There is a Classifieds page so feel free to post what you want to sell with a photo. 
  • Under HOA Documents you can find all the information you need before making changes to your home, as well as minutes from the board meetings and financials. 
  • And don't forget all the information in the Resident Directory. You can search for friends and neighbors by their name or address.
If you have any questions, problems or concerns, feel free to contact me directly.
 
Heidi Elliott, HG News & Website
P.S. Don't forget to like our page on Facebook. We use Facebook to get the word out on lost pets and found items as well as social event and other activities. Please LIKE us today!
 
South Suburban Events - October
 
Adventure Day Camp, Family Sports Center,  6901 S. Peoria St., Centennial.
No School? No Problem! The following Day Camps are  offered  in November:
Friday, November 14,  Wednesday, November 26,  Friday, November 28
 We keep kids ages 6-13 busy from 7 am - 6 pm with activities such as the eXerGame zone, ice skating, sports in the dome, rock climbing, laser tag, inflatable obstacle course, bumper cars, and more!  Morning and afternoon snacks, and lunch included in fee.   Register online at www.sspr.org or contact the Program Coordinator, Christina Ibarra at 303-754-0552 or christinai@sspr.org.
 
Let's Talk Turkey, Friday, November 21, 6:30-8:00 pm, Carson Nature Center, 3000 W Carson Dr., Littleton.
Join us for a relaxing evening as we talk turkey!  We'll have a short program on wild turkeys, and then present a free, award-winning documentary:  My Life as a Turkey. Refreshments included!  For further information, please contact victorias@sspr.org.
 
Turkey Burner Fitness Jam, Thursday, November 27, 8:30 am - 10 am
·         Douglas H. Buck Recreation Center , 2004 W. Powers Ave.,  Littleton
·         Goodson Recreation Center, 6315 S. University Blvd, Centennial
·         Lone Tree Recreation Center, 10249 Ridgegate Circle, Lone Tree.
Burn off those calories before your Thanksgiving Feast! Drop-in fees apply; regularly scheduled drop-in fitness classes are cancelled. For more information, contact kelseyw@sspr.org.
 
Black Friday Fun Run 5K, Friday, November 28, 10 am, deKoevend Park, 6301 S. University Blvd, Centennial.
This is the last event of the 2014 South Suburban Race Series. See current race series standings.
All ages and abilities are welcome.  Family oriented games and activities also offered. Pre-registration fee is $25, $15, for ages 14-under, (day of race $30/$20) and includes race T-shirt and goodies.  Children 6 and under are free (no shirt included).  Register by Friday, November 14 to guarantee T-shirt size.  Weather hotline 303-794-3338 will be updated after 6 am on race day.  Register online: http://www.runningguru.com/Event/BlackFriday. For more information or to sponsor this race, please contact reedd@sspr.org.