March 2013 T h e m o n t h l y n e w s l e t t e r o f t h e K e n t W o o d l a n d s P r o p e r t y O w n e r s A s s o c i a t i o n

Newsletter #209

President’s Notes If you have been reading this newslet-ter, or if you attended the KWPOA Annual Meeting, you know that our sylvan tranquil-ity is about to be tested with several prongs of local construction. Closest to home, and starting the first of June, is the construction of the College of Marin’s

New Academic Center. The demolition of existing build-ings (June 3rd through July 15th, approximately) will in-volve 15-20 trucks a day entering and exiting the building site. After that, the site work will involve grading (2 months); foundation work (3 months); and actual building (10 months). Fortunately, for Kent Woodlands residents, the heaviest truck activity will be in the summer months, when we do not have regular school at Kent Middle School, and when there is lighter attendance at the Col-lege itself. I have been attending meetings involving Col-lege officials, Department of Public Works department heads, and representatives of other Kentfield neighbor-hoods, as the College grapples with the least disruptive way to demolish and build this Center. Your vice-president, Mimi Willard, and I called on the College presi-dent, David Coon, to voice our concerns about traffic im-pacts, and safety considerations, principally involving our Kent Middle School students and their parents trying to navigate construction at that busy intersection of College and Sr. Francis Drake….come September. President Coon wants to keep Kent Woodlands informed, and the College itself is working closely with Kentfield residents and DPW to create a temporary entrance off of Sr. Fran-cis Drake into the site. That said, we will all need patience. There are con-cerns about traffic back-ups, staging areas for trucks, and the actual timing of construction (now slated for 7AM-5 PM). As your president, I plan communicating with the principals, and making certain that Kent Woodlands is considered when decisions are made affecting us. In the end, the College AND the community will have modern, effective, new buildings and that is the stated goal.. We all just want to make it as painless as possible. The second tranquility test is not truly in our back-yard, but greatly affects us. This is the Highway 101 Greenbrae/Twin Cities Corridor Improvement Project. As a major corridor for our Ross Valley, this clearly af-

fects Woodlands residents as they drive, take buses, or walk along the route on a daily basis. The Kentfield Plan-ning and Advisory Board has studied this plan extensively and has shared their comments with KWPOA in the form of a letter to Caltrans District 4. This letter is available in our Association office for any KWPOA member who wishes to read it in its entirety. Quite a few issues need to be clarified, including the construction itself (to be built in phases as funds become available..). Needed is a timeta-ble of the work to be done, along with a description (so says KPAB) of any roadway closures and redirection of traffic. Needed are graphics of on-ramps and flyovers. Impacts of merging East Bay traffic have not been thor-oughly analyzed. How does this project impact the Lark-spur Landing/ Ferry Terminal intersection? Metering lights may be proposed. How would these impact drivers com-ing from Ross Valley, who may be delayed by metering? Many questions, and all of you should be aware of this proposal. We will bring you information as we get it. Or go to our website link to this subject. There is more, much more happening in KWPOA-land, including changes in statutory law governing home-owner associations, meetings with Katie Rice about our Kent Woodlands and County roads, incipient plans for our next fire evacuation, and constant AC activity. But for now, please go out and enjoy our suddenly and, strangely, beautiful end-of-February weather ---and hope that March is not the proverbial LION it can be! We really don’t want to batten down the hatches!

— Kathy Goldsmith, President LINKS:

Hwy 101 Greenbrae/Twin Cities Corridor Project (video and animated simulation): www.tam.ca.gov/index.aspx?page=164

Stream Conservation Area Ordinance: www.co.marin.ca.us/sca

Public Workshop on County’s Development Review (Planning) Process and Customer Service: www.marincounty.org/RIAC

These links are also available on our web site at www.kwpoa.com/local-issues

Past Presidents: Mike Fowler Mike Fowler served the KWPOA Board as President for four years, from 2002 to 2006. He joined the Board in 2000 and Chaired the Ad Hoc Committee formed in February 2000 as a response to the community concerns regarding "Rule 17." (discussed in last month's Past President Barry Evergettis article.) Mike notes that Bob Danielson was one of the members of the Ad Hoc Committee. Bob was the late husband of Nancy Kent Danielson, granddaughter of philanthropist and conservationist, Wil-liam Kent and his wife Elizabeth, great granddaughter of Albert and Adaline Kent. According to Mike, Bob Danielson was "eloquent in expressing his views and praise for the heritage we all share." Nancy Danielson told me "Bob wanted people to be connected to the past and to believe in the future." "That's what I want, too," she added. Mike and Suzanne were concerned "Rule 17 would restrict our ability to rebuild should anything happen to the existing house." That concern brought him onto the KWPOA Ad Hoc Committee in 2000 and then the Board. Mike's "President's Corner" messages in the KWPOA Newsletters during his years as president highlight an overarching theme of his administration; outreach and accessibility ordered every important decision the Board made. Examples of this are evident not only in the directing of the Ad Hoc Committee, but also in the adoption of clearly defined Architectural Design Review Criteria. In March 2002, Marin County advised all Marin County neighborhood associations to develop "clear objective rules" to guide the Planning Commission in their efforts to support those communities. The KWPOA Architectural Committee, working with a County consultant pro-duced a draft of eight proposed rules. Those eight rules were presented to the Board in February 2003. The March 2003 Newsletter requested comments from community members and the March Board meeting was de-voted to a community airing and discussion of the proposed rules. Following the meeting, Mike stated "the Board will not implement the current proposal or any variation of it, until it has a full sense of the membership and an assurance that any new rule is within the scope of the KWPOA CC&Rs". Between March 2002 and August 2004, two surveys published results in KWPOA Newsletters. There were two workshops, reviews, and revisions based on comments from the community surveys and workshops; the newsletter continued soliciting requests for comments. KWPOA Architectural Design Review Criteria were finally introduced twice, May 23, 2004 and August 11, 2004; each time followed by a thirty day comment period and a revision. The Board adopted the KWPOA Design Review Guidelines on August 11,2004. This long two and one half years process accommodated the concerns and opinions of our entire property owner community, association members and nonmembers alike. The KWPOA Board focused on four special tasks during Mike's administration : " Improving our relation-ship with the County Planning Commission... Encouraging non-member properties to become member proper-ties, or at least to participate in our design review process on a non binding basis....Involving our membership in making global decisions regarding land use in Kent Woodlands...and Improving our own Association processes for elections, community involvement, and transparency." Fire Safety was an important goal of Mike's Administration. The Board mailed all residents of the Woodlands an evacuation plan, and organized periodic "Chipper Days" with broom and flammable brush pick up days sched-uled periodically. "Fire Safety was to become a standing committee of the Board." Other goals were "Neighborhood Safety and Controlled Modernization." In the meantime during those four years, the KWPOA Social Committee offered us all many opportunities to enjoy a rich Kent Woodlands social calendar with a Woodlands Goes Western party, a Polynesian Pool Party, and a Mexican Fiesta all held at Elena Mandin's gorgeous home. Our annual Holiday Party and KWPOA & Woodlands Market Tree Lighting Ceremony were lovely winter fare as were small Wine Tasting Dinners in immediate neighborhoods. A Night at the Theater and a Neighborhood Party in the Park in the spring, and the autumn Oktoberfest celebration and Halloween Parade, rounded out the happy occasions for convivial gatherings. Mike is assured that families will always aspire to move into Kent Woodlands in our future "because those of us who are here had the wisdom and forethought to preserve Kent Woodlands, its character and beauty. We did it together."

— Daly Schreck

Sheriff’s Department Telephone Emergency Notification Upgrade The Marin County Sheriff’s Department has an emergency telephone notification system (TENS) to provide information and instructions to Marin residents of emergency situations involving risks to prop-erty or lives. It was used on a test basis in connection with the fire evacuation drill held in a section of the Woodlands last October. Until now, TENS has only been able to access land line phones, and requires no registration with the County for listed and unlisted/blocked land line numbers. Now, the system can also send emergency mes-sages to cell phones, and by text, email and voice communication over the Internet (VolP), but only if you register your number and address with the County. To register, go to www.alertmarin.org on your computer. If you don’t have a computer, go to any library for free computer use. Subject to certain limitations, you can register more than one cell phone and more than one street address in Marin County. You must be at least 18 to register, but a parent can make a cell phone available to a child for notification of emergencies in the County – parental discretion should be used, of course. Where the registration form asks you to repeat your name, put in your email address rather than your name. If you have only a land line phone, there is no need to do anything. But whether or not you have a land line phone, if you do have a cell phone, we urge you to register the cell. In an emergency you may not be home or close to your land line phone, and an emergency alert call may make all the difference. This information is a summary of information provided by the Sheriffs Department of Emergency Services. If you have any questions, please contact TENS SRPAlert@marinsheriff.org. or call (415) 473 6584.

— YOUR FIRE SAFETY COMMITTEE

On Feb. 13th, Bill Riley (AC member and resident of Evergreen Drive) and I met with our Supervisor, Katie Rice, and talked about the condition of our roads. While this Board of Supervisors recently adopted a policy to commit 50% of all yearly budget overages to its roads funds, KWPOA recognizes this is still a drop in the bucket. The County estimates it needs $250 million to resurface and repair all County roads. We believe the County has the responsibility to keep County roads in excellent condition, including OUR roads. We asked Katie to avidly look for other sources of money to fund our roads. We ask that the County not fund discretionary

or less vital matters,* while Marin’s roads buckle and crumble. We suggested that Marin, alone or with other counties, approach the state to contribute more monies from gasoline taxes and other funds for road construction; submit to the federal government an application for federal funds for roads; obtain funds from TAM (Transportation Authority of Marin). Katie promised us that she would begin by getting us the current total budget for roads, and that she would obtain a run-down on what monies the County is presently seeking from other sources to repair our roads. We thank Katie in advance for her efforts on our behalf. KEEP POSTED. - KATHY *Such as: $600,000 for a consultant for a new computer system…

Roads, Roads, Roads

Kentfield-Greenbrae Historical Society Annual Meeting:

7:00 P.M., Thursday, March 14th, at Jason’s restaurant Community Room (Greenbrae). You are welcome to attend. Author Dewey Livingston will review progress to date on the book: In the Heart of Marin; History of Kentfield and Greenbrae. Ques-tions? Go to kghsinfo.org or call 722-5190.

Kentfield-Greenbrae Historical Society

Coyotes have been recently sighted on Woodlands streets. In the weekend of the Presi-dent’s Day holiday, two coyo-tes were seen on Laurel Way. Another coyote-and then another coyote- were seen on South Ridgewood, heading to-ward Woodland Road. The Humane Soci-ety advises, “The best way to minimize risk to your pets is not to leave them outside unattended.”

Attention!

Annual Assessments Home Fire Safety Tip

How many times while cooking you became distracted and alas, a pot on the stove is burning or is actually on fire! What should you do! Put a lid on it! It will immediately snuff the fire out! Never, never, never throw water on it, as that will cause a huge fire ball in your kitchen, possibly burning you or someone close by. Additionally, you will smoke out your house, get soot on the ceiling and drapes, and set off all your smoke alarms! So let’s start over, you have a fire on the stove! First turn off the burner! Second put a lid on it! If no lid is available, third throw baking soda on it, or fourth use a fire extinguisher, or fifth move the burning pot outside! All in that order. But never, never, never throw water on it! Follow those rules and all will end well! The least problem is scrubbing out the pot and start-ing over! The worst problem is a house fire and you or your loved ones going to the hospital burn unit! So remember to PUT A LID ON IT!

— Your Fire Safety Committee

Here is your safety tip for the month:

PUT A LID ON IT! Many thanks to those of you who have paid your annual assessment on time! Unfortunately, we are still waiting for checks from about 10% of our members. If you have not yet made your payment, the amount now due is $357.50 if paid by March 31st. If not paid, additional interest will accrue at 1% per month and will be subject to collection action, including initiating a lien against your property. Please remember that the Board is obligated by the CC&R’s to collect assessments from each and every member, and must take action on delinquent accounts. Please send your assessment payment to: KWPOA PO Box 404 Kentfield, CA 94914-0404 If you did not receive your assessment notice, or if you have questions, please contact the of-fice at 415-721-7429.

Architectural Applications: March 2013

Please note: This newsletter is your official notice from the KWPOA regarding property improvements submitted for approval by the Architectural Committee. Please review this section very carefully as some planned development may affect you. Note that Architectural Committee actions are not final until ratified by the Board of Directors.

Applicant Property Address Category/Project Description

ARCHITECTURAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS: Jim Schafer (Chair), Bill Riley, Anne Barr COORDINATOR: Kathleen Slattery MEETINGS: Held at the KWPOA office at 1010 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., #200, Kentfield, CA on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. To be noticed in the Newsletter and placed on the agenda, COMPLETE applications must be received by the 21st of the preceding month (or the Friday prior if the 21st falls on a weekend or holiday). All calls concerning Architectural Committee matters should be directed to the KWPOA office at 721-7429. Materials and applications may be mailed to P.O. Box 404, Kentfield 94914, or delivered to the office by appointment only.

New Applications Schultz/May 135 Crown Road C7: Change to Approved Plans - New Door

Willson 665 Goodhill Road C4: Significant Changes - Second Story Addition

Solomon 432 Woodland Road C2: Minor Addition - Landscape Planting and Pool Renovation Bronshvag 330 Goodhill Road C4: Signficant Changes in Appearance - Breakfast Room Addi-

tion, Awning, New Deck Material

Musick 31 Turnagain Road C2: Minor Addition - Landscape planting

Springfield 90 Upland Road C2: Minor Addition: Patio door, Landscaping: patio, site walls, artificial lawn, plantings

Killebrew 619 Goodhill Road C13: Enforcement - Landscaping: retaining walls, patio, deck, planting, lighting, irrigation

Salama 333 Crown Road C13: Enforcement - Fence

Matheison 11 Evergreen C4: Significant Changes in Appearance - Enclose Carport

Applications Approved Whistler 67 Ridgecrest Road C7: Changes to Approved Plans - Door and Window Changes,

Addition

Morgan 111 Woodland Road C7: Change to Approved Plans - Front Wall and Landscaping Calvani 237 Evergreen Drive Tree Removal

Applications Denied Friedman 21 Rancheria Road C6: Teardown and New Two Story Residence

Open Enforcements 124 Rancheria Road Unauthorized Construction: Decks

40 Diablo Unauthorized Construction: Chicken Coop

333 Crown Road Unauthorized Construction: Fence

619 Goodhill Road Unauthorized Construction: Retaining Walls

Board Meeting Agenda

Kent Woodlands Property Owners Association PO Box 404 Kentfield, CA 94914

Date: Thursday, March 28, 2013, 5:30 pm Location: 1010 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. #200

Agenda: • Call to Order • Public Comment • Approval of February minutes • AC Report and Ratifications • Officer Reports • County Update • Administrator's Report • Fire Safety Committee Report • Next Meeting Agenda • Adjourn and Reconvene in Executive Committee Executive Session Agenda: • Approval of February minutes • 40 Diablo • 124 Rancheria • Personnel

Please note that THIS IS A PRELIMINARY AGENDA. Final agendas will be posted at the KWPOA office at 1010 Sir Fran-cis Drake Blvd. Suite 200 no later than 96 hours prior to the meeting.

KWPOA Contact Information PO Box 404, Kentfield 94914

1010 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. #200 415-721-7429 415-532-1487

www.kwpoa.com info@kwpoa.com

Mon - Thur, 9:00am - 2:00pm

Mailing address: Physical address: Phone: Fax: Web Site: Email: Office Hours:

kgoldsmith@kwpoa.com mwillard@kwpoa.com cpolesky@kwpoa.com

abarr@kwpoa.com bevergettis@kwpoa.com

kbelzer@kwpoa.com ehansen@kwpoa.com jwilliams@kwpoa.com kslattery@kwpoa.com

Board Members and Staff Kathy Goldsmith, President Mimi Willard, Vice President Carl Polesky, Secretary/Treasurer Anne Barr, Director/Arch. Comm. Barry Evergettis, Director Kathleen Belzer, Director Betty Hansen, Director Jeanne Williams, Administrator Kathleen Slattery, AC Coordinator

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Dear Members - The board is including this Architectural Committee Fee Schedule, as the AC often receives fee questions. The Fee Schedule is also available on our website at www.kwpoa.com.

Project Types and Fees 

 

All projects described herein require the submission of a written application to the KWPOA Architectural Committee. The Application Fee, plus a Reserve Fee, is due at the time the application is submitted.  Staff fees for project review are charged at the rate of $100/hour.  The Architectural Committee reserves the right to invade the Reserve Fee when the estimated hourly fee cost of the consultant for project review exceeds the Application Fee for the given category.  The Application Fee will be earned in full upon application submittal, any unapplied Reserve Fees will be returned to the applicant at the conclusion of the review process.  In the event that staff cost exceeds Application plus Reserve Fees, the applicant shall pay such additional costs prior to completion of project review.  No Charge  Removal of dead or diseased trees (with arborist’s report);  projects involving no exterior changes to house, landscaping, etc.  This includes repainting with same colors, re‐roofing with same materials, rebuilding decks, fencing, bulkheads etc. in same location/height. If drainage, structures or landscaping are altered in any way, the project is not of this category.  C1: Project Category 1 • MINOR CHANGES • $300 Application Fee: $100; Reserve Fee: $200 (estimated 3 hours staff time) Minor changes to existing development including the installation of solar panels, re‐painting or re‐roofing with different color or materials, significant tree trimming or removal.   C2: Project Category 2 • MINOR ADDITIONS • $600 Application Fee:  $350; Reserve Fee: $250 (estimated 6 hours staff time) Minor additions (less than 100 sq ft), window changes, new or different fencing, addition of small decks, change in exterior lighting , and/or significant plantings or landscaping, etc.  C3: Project Category 3 • PRELIMINARY REVIEW • $1,000 Application Fee: $200; Reserve Fee: $800 (estimated 10 hours staff time) Applicants must request preliminary review of Type 4, 5 and 6 projects. Preliminary review must precede submission of a complete application. The applicant must provide information for the Committee and its staff to thoroughly understand the proposal e.g. sketches and drawings, site photographs, a site plan, and elevations. The Committee will consider such and will provide the applicant with its preliminary opinions about the proposal with an eye to sparing the applicant the cost of unapprovable drawings. If additional meetings are required to produce an approvable project, fees may be increased commensurate to planning consultant costs. Preliminary review shall be NOT be considered an approval of all or any portion of the proposed project.  C4: Project Category 4 • SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN APPEARANCE • $1,200 Application Fee $600; Reserve Fee: $600 (estimated 12 hours staff time) Significant change to appearance, e.g. addition of second stories, enlargement of existing house, new out‐buildings, cabana, guesthouse, garage, pools, etc.  Any new gross construction up to 1,000 square feet.  C5: Project Category 5 • SUBSTANTIAL REMODELS • $5,000 Application Fee: $3000; Reserve Fee: $2000 (estimated 50 hours staff time) All remodels and additions exceeding 1,000 square feet.  C6: Project Category 6 • TEARDOWNS • $6,000 Application Fee: $4000; Reserve Fee: $2000 (estimated 60 hours staff time) Removal of existing structure(s) and new construction.  

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  C7: Project Category 7 • CHANGES TO APPROVED PROJECTS • $850 Application Fee: $100 per item; Reserve Fee: $750 (estimated 1 hour staff time per occurrence) All changes to approved projects must be submitted to the Committee for approval.    C8: Project Category 8 • VIEW RESTORATION • $500 Application Fee: $100; Reserve Fee: $400 (estimated 5 hours staff time) View Restoration (see Architectural Rule #35, Views and Trees Guideline, adopted January 25, 2007)       C9: Project Category 9 • APPEALS • $1,500 Application Fee: $1000; Reserve Fee: $500 (estimated 15 hours staff time) Any decision of the Architectural Committee may be appealed to the KWPOA Board of Directors.  Such appeals must comply with established appeal procedures, including time limits for filing such appeals, set forth by the Board.  C10: Project Category 10 • CHANGES IN ROOF FORM • $400 Application Fee: $250; Reserve Fee: $150 (estimated 4 hours staff time) Significant changes in roof form, style or height.  C11: Project Category 11 • SLIDE REMEDIATION • $4,000 Application Fee: $3000; Reserve Fee: $1000 (estimated 40 hours staff time) Slide remediation including retaining walls, bulkheads, debris containment walls and slide face replanting.  C12: Project Category 12 • TIME EXTENSIONS  Application Fee:  25% of prior fee plus Reserve Fee: $1000 Construction of projects approved by the Committee must begin no later than 24 months after approval.  If an applicant does not begin construction within that time, approval is void unless written application for extension (up to 12 additional months) is submitted at least 30 DAYS PRIOR to the expiration of the existing approval period.  Projects seeking extension may be subject to modification of plans as requested by the Committee.  Up to two extensions may be granted.  After two extensions, a complete, new application (including payment of the then current fees) must be submitted for any project.  C13: Project Category 13 • APPLICATIONS RESULTING FROM ENFORCEMENT ACTION Application Fee:  Four times the Application Fee, and one time the Reserve Fee for Project Category on this schedule Kent Woodlands property owners are required to obtain approval of any construction project PRIOR to its construction.  If a property owner undertakes an Improvement or modification to an approved plan without prior approval, the property owner must subsequently submit a complete application for the project to the Committee for its approval and pay the requisite fees.  The requirement for submission of this late application does not imply that the Committee will approve the project as built or modified.  The Committee may require modification or removal of the as‐built improvements.  C14:  Project Category 14 • ITEMS NOT COVERED BY ABOVE FEES TO BE SET BY THE ARCHITECTURAL COMMITTEE If you are not sure what category might include your project, or whether your project requires an application, please contact the Committee.  It will determine the application requirements and fees for any type of project not covered by this schedule. The Architectural Committee reserves the right in the case of significant additional complexity to assess additional monies in order to meet additional costs incurred in assessing applications. 

 PLEASE NOTE:  Once work on an application has begun, Application Fees are non‐refundable.