Category: Presidents Corner

Greetings Scofield Farms Homeowners,

Spring is here! As I travel through the neighborhood, I’m so pleased to see many residents enjoying the warm weather and all that Scofield Farms has to offer. Here is the latest update from the Scofield Residential Owners’ Association (ROA):

1. Annual Meeting: We are nearing the time for our next Annual Meeting of the ROA. This year’s meeting will be held at the Frank Fickett Scout Center, 12500 North I-35, on Tuesday, May 19 at 7 pm. Registration will begin at 6:30 pm. Please refer to the Annual Meeting Notice included in this mailing for additional information. Please attend if at all possible, or be sure to submit a proxy form if you are unable to attend. It’s essential that 10% of homeowners’ votes are recorded in person or by proxy to avoid having to reschedule the meeting. This year, we will be voting to fill one open board position; please complete the attached nomination form if you are interested in being considered for the position.

2. Pool Season: The pool opened for the season on Saturday, April 4. Hours are 5 pm to 10 pm Mondays and 6 am to 10 pm Tuesdays – Sundays. Lifeguards will be on duty during selected hours starting Memorial Day weekend. Please see the “Pool Documents/Forms” menu on the scofieldfarms.org website for details regarding pool rules, specific lifeguard hours, and pool party policies.

3. Landscaping: We have continued to add more drought-tolerant landscaping to public areas, installing newly updated landscaping at the neighborhood entrances at Foal Lane and Cutting Horse Lane in March. As part of this work, all irrigation for the beds in those areas was also converted to drip irrigation.

4. Social Events: Many thanks to Debra Wissman for her hard work on a successful Easter Egg Hunt on April 4! Despite the cool weather, the event was a big success. We also appreciate the assistance of The Fellowship at Scofield Farms church with the event. Our next event is the Movie at the Pool, scheduled for Saturday, June 6 at sunset. Join us to celebrate the beginning of summer with the movie “Big Hero 6”! Thanks to University Federal Credit Union for their continued financial support of this event.

5. Online Resources: Our website, scofieldfarms.org, continues to be the main source for news and information about the ROA. Here, you can also sign up for our email newsletter as well as join the scofieldfarms.org discussion forum. Also, our Scofield Farms Instant Communicator emergency messaging system is an additional resource for receiving urgent messages (such as severe weather warnings, crimes in progress, etc.). Please email [email protected] if you wish to join the Instant Communicator group, or have any other technical questions.

6. Contact Information: Please remember that the fastest way to get a response to most common questions regarding the ROA is to call Certified Management of Austin at 512-339-6962, or email [email protected]. However, you may also contact the Board of Directors for assistance at [email protected].

7. School News: The Kindergarten Round-Up for new kindergarten students is scheduled to take place on Thursday, May 7 from 9 am to 6 pm in the Parmer Lane Elementary office. Please call Parmer Lane Elementary at 512-594-4000 for more details, or visit the Pflugerville ISD website at pfisd.net.

8. Deed Restrictions: During the spring growing season, please continue to be vigilant to keep grass cut and edged regularly and control weeds. Trees and shrubs should also be trimmed as necessary. Also, any fences that have broken or missing pickets should be repaired or replaced. Please note that fencing can be no more than 6 feet tall with a picket size of 3.5 to 4 inches. Taller or wider fences will result in a violation notice. We appreciate your cooperation in continuing to keep our property values high through proper maintenance of our homes and yards!

9. Architectural Control Committee: Just a reminder – Architectural Control Committee approval is required for changes to your property such as a new painting scheme, installation of a deck or playscape, and major landscaping changes. Xeriscaped lawns (containing 25%+ turf) are also possible with Architectural Control Committee approval. Please contact our HOA management company, Certified Management of Austin, at 512-339-6962 with any questions or to start the review process.

I will be finishing my term on the ROA board this May, and wanted to let everyone know how much I have appreciated all your support and kindness during the past three years. I urge everyone to learn more about the ROA and get involved wherever possible. You won’t regret it! Best wishes to all for a wonderful spring and summer season —

Sincerely,

Debbie Southerland

President

October 2014

Greetings Scofield Farms Homeowners,

I hope this letter finds you well! It’s shaping up to be a great Fall here in Scofield Farms. I’d like to take this opportunity to bring you up to date on the activities of your Scofield Residential Owners’ Association (ROA) during the past few months:

1. Annual Meeting: We had a productive ROA annual meeting on May 20, with many residents in attendance. At this meeting, we welcomed 2 new members to the Board of Directors and also appointed new officers. The Scofield ROA officers for 2014-15 are as follows: President: Debbie Southerland, Vice President: Barton Layne, Treasurer: Dan Frasier, Secretary: Pete Patterson, and Member at Large: Paul Maine.

2. Pool Season: We are nearing the end of another successful pool season. This year we implemented a new gate guard system at popular hours, to ensure that only Scofield Farms residents and guests are able to enter the pool area. This was also the first full year for us to enjoy the renovations to the pool entrance and restrooms that occurred in 2013.

3. Landscaping: You may have noticed the new drought-tolerant landscaping that was installed at the pool area and the main Metric entrance to the neighborhood earlier this year. As city of Austin water restrictions continue to be enforced and expanded, we plan to move forward with more of this type of landscaping at the other neighborhood entrances, as well as continuing to convert to drip irrigation where possible.

4. Social Events: In 2014, we continued our tradition of social activity with an Easter Egg Hunt, 4th of July Party, and Reptile Show as well as several live music events. However, we need volunteers to continue this effort! Please consider getting involved as part of our Social Committee. Contact the board of directors at [email protected] for more information.

5. Neighborhood Night Out: Enclosed you will find a flyer for our upcoming Neighborhood Night Out event on Saturday, October 25. The event will be held at the pool from 6 pm to 9 pm. Along with live music from Manteca Beat, we will have pizza and other refreshments, door prizes, and a moonwalk and crafts for the children. Austin Fire Department is also scheduled to bring a fire truck to the event. Don’t miss the fun!

6. Online Resources: Our website, scofieldfarms.org, continues to be your premier source for news and information about the ROA. Here, you can also sign up for our email newsletter as well as join the scofieldfarms.org discussion forum. Also, our Scofield Farms Instant Communicator emergency messaging system is an additional resource for receiving urgent messages (such as severe weather warnings, crimes in progress, etc.). Please email [email protected] if you wish to join the Instant Communicator group, or have any other technical questions.

7. Contact Information: Please remember that the fastest way to get a response to most common questions regarding the ROA is to call Certified Management of Austin at 512-339-6962, or email [email protected]. However, you may also contact the Board of Directors for assistance at [email protected].

8. School News: Our local elementary school, Parmer Lane Elementary, and middle school, Westview Middle School, both received every STAAR distinction possible from the Texas Education Agency (Parmer Lane – 6 distinctions and Westview – 7 distinctions). Please see the Pflugerville ISD website at www.pfisd.net for more details.

9. Deed Restrictions: Scofield Farms is a great place to live, and our observance of deed restrictions helps keep it that way! Please be vigilant to keep grass and trees trimmed regularly and to store trash cans after pickup on Wednesdays. Xeriscaped lawns (containing 25%+ turf) are also possible with Architectural Control Committee approval.

10. Architectural Control Committee: In order to maintain property values, Architectural Control Committee approval is required for changes to your property such as a new painting scheme, installation of a deck or playscape, and major landscaping changes. Please contact our HOA management company, Certified Management of Austin, at 512-339-6962 with any questions or to start the review process.

11. Courtesy Reminders: Finally, a couple of “good neighbor” reminders:
a. Please refrain from parking across sidewalks, as it impairs mobility for those using our sidewalks.
b. Please pick up mail promptly from mail and parcel boxes and do not use them as storage facilities for your mail. We have been warned by the Post Office that security issues can arise when mail and packages are left in the boxes.

In closing, I wish everyone a very happy remainder of 2014! Thank you for your participation in the life of this community. Without a doubt, our residents are what make Scofield Farms a wonderful place to call home!

Sincerely,

Debbie Southerland
President

We are off to a new and exciting year. I look forward to a wonderful 2014 in our community!

Once again, we are approaching our annual Residential Owners Association (ROA) meeting in May and we anticipate there will be some Board of Directors openings that need to be filled. If you would like to learn more about serving our community as a board member please contact us and we will schedule a time to meet with you and explain the duties of a board member and to answer your questions.

Thank you,

Paul Maine

President Scofield Farms ROA

President Scofield ROA

Dear Scofield Farms Homeowner,

Here we are in the midst of another Texas summer! Your Scofield Residential Owners Association (ROA) board of directors and volunteers have been working hard to maintain and enhance our neighborhood community!
Part of the board’s mission is to enhance the quality of life for our residents and more specifically by “Fostering a sense of community between our residents”. To that end, the board will be promoting a very active social events calendar through the remainder of the year. Here are the scheduled events at the time of this writing:

• Super Saturday at the Pool: Ms Lisa Baker Puppet Show: August 31, 10-11 AM
• Super Saturday at the Pool: Ethereal Spectrum (Live Band featuring Sarah Jane Hargis on Flute): 7 September, 6:30-9:30 PM
• National Night Out: Live Band, Food, Local Law Enforcement, Prizes: 1 October, 6 – 9 PM

Stay tuned to our website for additional details and other news.
Below are specific items we are working on to sustain your property values through our joint community property within the neighborhood. We ask for your assistance on some of these items. Please do your part by maintaining your own property so we can all live in a safe and appealing environment.

1. Pool Restroom Remodel: A contractor has begun to remodel the restrooms at the pool. An outside shower and resurfacing the pool entry surface is also included in the project. Construction is scheduled to be completed by October 1st.
2. Homeless/Transients: The ROA is working on removing the homeless people that are frequenting the corner of Parmer and Metric  (behind the short tower ) and also from adjacent vacant property.
3. Updated Pool Rules: Please see the attached abbreviated version of the updated pool rules. Don’t let anyone into the pool area if they don’t have a pool card. The pool rules in their entirety are posted at the pool and also on this website.
4. Tree Trimming: Be sure to keep the trees trimmed on your property. Many properties have trouble growing grass because their trees need to be thinned out.
5. Fence Policy/Fence repair/replacement: The ROA has asked our attorney to create a new fence policy relating to the responsibility of each neighbor to assist in the repair/replacement of joint fencing. Per the new policy, “when a fence acts as a boundary fence that separates two owners’ yards, the owners share a joint duty to maintain, replace, and repair the fence such that it remains in good, neat, and attractive condition, and such owners are equally responsible for all costs of maintenance. Any fence separating two owners’ yards is presumed to be a boundary fence unless acceptable proof (in the form of a survey) is submitted and confirmed by the board that the fence is wholly situated on only one lot.” This new policy has been put in place to help homeowners understand their legal responsibilities relating to joint fencing. The ROA management company will enforce fence issues by working individually with the homeowners affected.
6. Neighborhood Watch: The ROA is still looking for a volunteer to lead our neighborhood watch program. If interested, please contact me at the email address at the bottom of this letter. Please take the time to meet your neighbors and be on the lookout for suspicious activities. When you see something suspicious call the police. The Scofield Farms Instant Communicator group is ready for your participation and input! The Instant Communicator, created in 2012, is a means of quickly disseminating important news regarding situations currently occurring (such as crimes in progress, suspicious activity, or severe weather warnings) to our community via a smart phone app or text message. Please visit “General Info/FAQ” on the scofieldfarms.org forum for additional information about joining the Instant Communicator group.
7. Community website, Forum and SF Instant Communicator –The scofieldfarms.org website, the official online communication channel of the Scofield Farms ROA, continues to be improved and expanded to better serve residents. Check out the website to find out the latest news about current events in the neighborhood, as well as access important documents and information.
8. Architectural Control Committee (ACC) approvals – Your property covenants require you to have written approval from the ROA’s ACC prior to modifications to your property. Examples of items you need ACC approval for include, but are not limited to, building a shed, deck, redesigning landscape or installing nonstandard fencing, and changing the color of your home’s exterior paint. The process is fast and easy to submit for review. There is no valid reason not to comply. This is another way to make sure the neighborhood is kept nice. In several recent cases, our ACC volunteers have used their expertise to alert applicants to problems in their contractor’s proposal. When in doubt – please ask for guidance from our property manager, Sarah DeMattos at CMA, 512-339-6962, or [email protected] to avoid enforcement and fines.
9. Board Update – As a reminder to the neighborhood residents, the officers for 2013-14 are as follows: President – Paul Maine, Vice President – Deborah Southerland, Secretary – Barton Layne, Treasurer – Mimi Rhea, Director-at-Large – Emmett Bills.

The Scofield Farms ROA email newsletter is used several times a year to distribute information about Board of Directors meetings and agendas. To be added to the list, either join the scofieldfarms.org forum or sign up for the newsletter using the “Sign up for our Email Newsletter” form on the scofieldfarms.org website. Please feel free to email [email protected] with any questions.

In closing, I wish to commend our many volunteers for helping make our community a nice place to live. We look forward to working with you to improve our community.   Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Paul Maine, President

[email protected]

The annual Scofield Farms ROA  “Movie In The Park” took place on Saturday June 22.  The event was well attended and was a wonderful success. Special thanks to Sue Jahn for planning and coordinating the event. Dan Frazier made sure the City of Austin mowed the grass prior to the event. We also want to thank University Federal Credit Union for underwriting the majority of the costs for the event and they even provided cupcakes!

We look forward to many more fun community events!

Paul Maine, President

Dear Scofield Farms Homeowner,

Spring is just around the corner and your Scofield Farms ROA board members and volunteers have a few springtime activities to get you on your way to a productive and enjoyable season.

Spring is the time of year to begin making improvements to your yard and property to maintain our neighborhood. In general, overall street appearance like nicely manicured lawns, attractive bushes, and accent lighting will send a message to criminals that the homeowners care about their property and keep an eye on it and might have security systems. Likewise, unkempt lawns and neglected trees and shrubs, are a sign that there may be other aspects of the home that the owner lacks attention to, like doors, window locks and overall security of the home. The Residential Homeowners Association (ROA) board has been doing its part to maintain the neighborhood integrity. Below are specific items we are working on to sustain your property values through our joint community property within the neighborhood. Please do your part by maintaining your own property so we can all live in a safe and appealing environment.

Below are items your neighborhood ROA has been working on to improve the property as well as updates from your neighborhood ROA board:

1. Pool construction: The ROA has been working to improve the pool area by incorporating additional shade/entertainment areas and providing new gates for pool restroom use year-round. In addition, we will be installing a gate around the playground so little ones cannot wander off into the parking lot while playing at the playground. Lighting will be placed in the mailbox area in the pool/playground parking lot. Lastly, we will be resurfacing and re-striping the parking lot at the pool. We expect each of these projects to be completed by the pool opening on April 1. However, we have been experiencing unforeseen delays with the city permitting process. You can expect to see a great deal of progress being made in this area as we move closer to April.

The ROA has also approved and installed a number of cameras around the pool area to be able to monitor should crime or vandalism occur. We have established a formal rule for the neighborhood so all of the neighbors understand the purpose of the cameras in place at the pool area. In short, it says, “These cameras may be unmonitored and/or non-functional at any time. No surveillance system should be relied upon to ensure a resident’s safety—personal safety is the responsibility of the individual and law enforcement.”

2. Community website, Forum and SF Instant Communicator –The scofieldfarms.org website, the official online communication channel of the Scofield Farms ROA, continues to be improved and expanded to better serve residents. Check out the website to find out the latest news about current events in the neighborhood, as well as access important documents and information. Calendar events noted soon include the “It’s My Park” cleanup event on March 2, the Easter Egg Hunt on March 30, and the neighborhood garage sale on April 6.

You can also sign up for the scofieldfarms.org forum as well as the Scofield Farms ROA email newsletter via the website.  The scofieldfarms.org forum is a moderated discussion board whose primary focus is the Scofield Farms Residential Owners Association (ROA) and community. Some topics covered on the forum include ROA projects, contractor and professional suggestions, children, pets, security and items for sale. In order to post content on the forum and to read member private forums, you must register. To register, visit https://scofieldfarms.org/forum/ and select “Register”. Please note that we have recently modified the registration requirements for the forum, and pool card number verification is no longer required.

The Scofield Farms ROA email newsletter is used several times a year to distribute information about Board of Directors meetings and agendas. To be added to the list, either join the scofieldfarms.org forum or sign up for the newsletter using the “Sign up for our Email Newsletter” form on the scofieldfarms.org website.

The Scofield Farms Instant Communicator group is ready for your participation and input! The Instant Communicator, created in 2012, is a means of quickly disseminating important news regarding situations currently occurring (such as crimes in progress, suspicious activity, or severe weather warnings) to our community via a smart phone app or text message. Please visit “General Info/FAQ” on the scofieldfarms.org forum for additional information about joining the Instant Communicator group.

Please feel free to email [email protected] with any questions.

3. Architectural Control Committee: Last year a number of our neighbors replaced landscaping and grass with more drought resistant materials. Other neighbors will be entering the 2013 Spring season with dead grass, trees, shrubs, etc. If you have yet to update your yard, the Spring season is the perfect time to plant new grass and drought-resistant plants. You are encouraged to survey your property and take appropriate action to replace dead grass, trees, shrubs, etc. If you are doing more than simple replacement of damaged landscaping such as redesigning your landscape, please submit an ACC approval request form. If your lawn is in sad shape please take care of the required maintenance without the added expense of an ROA enforcement case against you. CMA, our property management company, will be in touch if you are out of compliance and to help you establish a plan and timeline for re-establishing your yard, if necessary. Please note that the ROA board is very supportive of xeriscaped yards IF they are installed following an ACC approved plan. Guidelines are available on the neighborhood website, scofieldfarms.org.

4. Fence Policy/Fence repair/replacement- The ROA has asked our attorney to create a new fence policy relating to the responsibility of each neighbor to assist in the repair/replacement of joint fencing. Per the new policy, “when a fence acts as a boundary fence that separates two owners’ yards, the owners share a joint duty to maintain, replace, and repair the fence such that it remains in good, neat, and attractive condition, and such owners are equally responsible for all costs of maintenance. Any fence separating two owners’ yards is presumed to be a boundary fence unless acceptable proof (in the form of a survey) is submitted and confirmed by the board that the fence is wholly situated on only one lot.” This new policy has been put in place to help homeowners understand their legal responsibilities relating to joint fencing. The ROA management company will enforce fence issues by working individually with the homeowners affected.

In addition, many of our ROA’s homes still have very deteriorated cedar privacy fences (rotted posts, pickets and gates). You are encouraged to survey your fence and take appropriate action. In many cases full replacement is warranted. Please collaborate with your neighbors on shared fence replacement/repair. Please note that our ROA guidelines require 1×4 Western Red Cedar pickets. Please specify only these type pickets when you purchase materials or talk to a contractor. Any deviations from the guidelines will require ACC approval. Review the new ROA website for the guidelines and to establish a list of contractors some of your neighbors have used to replace their fence.

5. Community Pool – The pool committee continues to offer excellence in attention to detail by maintaining our neighborhood pool. The committee is made up exclusively of neighborhood volunteers who help assure our pool is clean and in good working order. The community pool will open April 1. We will have a pool opening celebration on Sunday April 14 from 3pm-6pm. The celebration will include an ice cream social, complete with a Rhythm and Blues band to welcome everyone to the 2013 pool season. We look forward to seeing everyone there to enjoy the festivities. In addition, do not forget to review the new website to view the lifeguard schedule for the 2013 pool season.

6. Oak wilt information – Scofield Farms has a number of trees with Oak Wilt. While the fungus seems to be under control at the moment, it is important to know how and when to prune your trees properly. This can help you prevent oak wilt from spreading to other trees in your own yard or in the neighborhood. Please see the information and consider the recommendations prior to pruning your trees.

7. Architectural Control Committee (ACC) approvals – Your property covenants require you to have written approval from the ROA’s ACC prior to modifications to your property. Examples of items you need ACC approval for include, but are not limited to, building a shed, deck, redesigning landscape or installing nonstandard fencing, and changing the color of your home’s exterior paint. The process is fast and easy to submit for review. There is no valid reason not to comply. This is another way to make sure the neighborhood is kept nice. In several recent cases, our ACC volunteers have used their expertise to alert applicants to problems in their contractor’s proposal. When in doubt – please ask for guidance from our property manager, Jennifer English at CMA, 512-339-6962, or [email protected] to avoid enforcement and fines.

8. New billing process – The ROA and the management company are working to ensure everyone is sent proper reminders for payment for the neighborhood dues. These dues cover the management of our neighborhood and help maintain all of the common areas within the neighborhood, including the pool, playground and entrances to the neighborhood. This year, if you did not pay in full at the beginning of the year, you will receive monthly statements to help you stay on track with your payments. An added bonus to this process is that the cost for mailing monthly statements versus annual payment books is less for the neighborhood.

9. Upcoming events—The neighborhood ROA and a number of volunteers in the neighborhood are assisting with a number of upcoming, exciting events.

1. It’s My Park Day: Please mark your calendars for the It’s My Park Day scheduled for Saturday, March 2^nd from 9:00am to 12:00pm. It’s My Park Day is a citywide event for park improvement projects with the help of volunteers like you and your family. This year, the Scofield Farms Park Beautification Project will include trash pickup, moving mulch, removing limbs and brush from along trails, and clearing invasive plants like China Berry trees. We will have breakfast tacos available to get you started in the morning. Meet under the covered park cabana at 9am to get started.
2. Easter Egg Hunt: The Easter Egg hunt will be held March 30, 2013 from 10:30am-noon. The event will include the official hunt for eggs, a petting zoo, snacks, and other fun activities for the kids in the neighborhood. If you have a child who will participate, please provide a dozen plastic eggs filled with individually wrapped candy or small toys *per participating child*. Please deliver to Laura Nattinger’s, 1416 Braided Rope Drive, no later than March 23. We’d also like for parents/grandparents to add a note listing their kids’ ages to the bag of eggs they drop off, so we can better distribute the eggs into the appropriate age groups (Ages 3 & Under, Ages 4-6, and Ages 7 & Up).
3. Neighborhood garage sale: The annual neighborhood garage sale will be held on April 6, 2013 from 8am-noon. Our neighbor Jenney Leone will coordinate a list of homes participating this year. She has also offered to promote the event for the neighborhood. Please send confirmation of attendance to Jenney at [email protected] no later than March 24 if you would like your home promoted in the advertisements for the garage sale. Jenney will be posting reminders as well.
4. Live Rhythm and Blues Band at the Pool/Pool opening celebration: The neighborhood will host a pool opening/live band at the pool event on Sunday, April 14 from 3pm-6pm. Ice cream and entertainment will be provided for the event.
5. Annual meeting: May 16 from 7pm-9pm, registration to begin at 6:30, (see details below).
6. July 4^th party at the pool, July 4. Be on the lookout for details as the event gets closer.

10. Board Update – As a reminder to the neighborhood residents, the officers for 2012-13 are as follows: President – Shelley Karn, Vice President – David Negrete, Secretary –Deborah Southerland, Treasurer – Emmett Bills, Director-at-Large – Paul Maine.

We welcome interested individuals to become involved in the Scofield Farms ROA. Shelley Karn and David Negrete will complete their respective terms this year therefore two spots will need to be filled. If you are interested in joining the board, please feel free to discuss this interest with the current board members. We are willing to communicate with you on the process prior to the board meeting.

11. Annual meeting: Save the date– The ROA annual meeting will be held Thursday, May 16 from 7-9 (registration will begin at 6:30) at the Frank Fickett Boy Scout Training and Service Center, 12500 IH 35, Austin, TX 78753.  Please join us in a review of activities and a discussion about the future of our community.

In closing, I wish to commend our many volunteers for helping make our community a nice place to live. We look forward to working with you to improve our community.   Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Shelley Karn, President

[email protected]

Dear Scofield Farms Homeowner,

I hope you enjoyed your summer and are off to an exciting Fall. The board has seen some nice improvements to the look of our neighborhood since the spring planting season. The Residential Homeowners Association (ROA) board has been doing its part to maintain the neighborhood integrity by working with homeowners to make improvements to their properties. Through this effort, we hope to continue to improve the overall look of the neighborhood. This adds appeal and value to all of our homes. Below are specific items we are working on to sustain your property values through our shared community space within the neighborhood. Please do your part by maintaining your own property so we can all live in a safe and appealing environment.

Below are items your neighborhood ROA has been working on to improve the property as well as updates from your neighborhood ROA board:

1. Neighborhood Night Out: The neighborhood volunteers are hosting a neighborhood night out celebration on Friday. October 12, from 6 pm – 9 pm. The event will include live music, food, drinks, games, a bounce house for the kids and much more. Join us at the pool, meet your neighbors and enjoy the festivities.

2. New playground equipment: Since our last communication, the playground has been completed. This has been a nice place for children in the neighborhood. The canopy has helped to keep the space a bit more manageable in the heat of summer. With the cooler days coming up very soon, we expect this space to be used even more by the children in the neighborhood.

3. Website and Community Forum: The scofieldfarms.org website, the official online communication channel of the Scofield Farms ROA, continues to be improved and expanded to better serve residents. Check out the website to find out the latest news about current events in the neighborhood, as well as access important documents and information.   Calendar events noted soon include the neighborhood night out event on October 12. Please see the “Events calendar” for details.

You can also sign up for the scofieldfarms.org forum as well as the Scofield Farms ROA email newsletter via the website.   The scofieldfarms.org forum is a moderated discussion board whose primary focus is the Scofield Farms Residential Owners Association (ROA) and community.  Some topics covered on the forum include ROA projects, contractor and professional suggestions, children, pets, security and items for sale.  In order to post content on the forum and to read member private forums, you must register and be validated to be a member of the Scofield Farms community.  To register, visit https://scofieldfarms.org/forum/ and select “Register”.  The Scofield Farms ROA email newsletter is used several times a year to distribute information about Board of Directors meetings and agendas.  To be added to the list, either join the scofieldfarms.org forum or sign up for the newsletter using the “Sign up for our Email Newsletter” form on the scofieldfarms.org website.

Please feel free to email [email protected] with any questions.

4. SF Instant Communicator: The Scofield Farms Instant Communicator group is ready for your participation and input! The Instant Communicator, created earlier this year, is a means of quickly disseminating important news regarding situations currently occurring (such as crimes in progress, suspicious activity, or severe weather warnings) to our community via a smart phone app or text message. Please visit “General Info/FAQ” on the scofieldfarms.org forum for additional information about joining the Instant Communicator group (forum registration not required to access this data).

5. Architectural Control Committee: There are still some yards in the neighborhood that need attention. You are encouraged to survey your property and take appropriate action to replace dead grass, trees, shrubs, etc. If you are doing more than simple replacement of damaged landscaping such as redesigning your landscape, please submit an ACC approval request form. If your lawn is in sad shape, please take care of the required maintenance without the added expense of an ROA enforcement case against you. Do your part to keep our neighborhood looking nice. CMA, our property management company will be in touch if you are out of compliance and to help you establish a plan and timeline for re-establishing your yard, if necessary. Please note that the ROA board is very supportive of xeriscaped yards IF they are installed following an ACC approved plan.

6. Architectural Control Committee (ACC) approvals – Your property covenants require you to have written approval from the ROA’s ACC prior to modifications to your property. Examples of items you need ACC approval for include but are not limited to: building a shed, deck, redesigning landscape or installing nonstandard fencing, and changing the color of your home’s exterior paint. We have a very fast and easy submittal and review process. There is no valid reason not to comply. In several recent cases, our ACC volunteers have used their expertise to alert applicants to problems in their contractor’s proposal. When in doubt – please ask for guidance from our property manager, Jennifer English at CMA, 512-339-6962, or [email protected] to avoid enforcement and fines.

7. Fence repair/replacement – As mentioned in the past two newsletters to the community, many of our ROA’s homes have very deteriorated cedar privacy fences (rotted posts, pickets and gates). You are encouraged to survey your fence and take appropriate action. In many cases full replacement is warranted. Please collaborate with your neighbors on shared fence replacement/repair. Please note that our ROA guidelines require 1×4 Western Red Cedar pickets. Please specify only these type pickets when you purchase materials or talk to a contractor. Any deviations from the guidelines will require ACC approval. Review the new ROA website for the guidelines and to establish a list of contractors some of your neighbors have used to replace their fence.

8. Community Pool – The 2012 pool season is coming to a close. While the pool is closed, we will be enhancing the space by providing a new shade area and an entertainment space.  In addition, we are adding fencing and a gate to the adjacent playground area to make it more secure for residents with small children, as well as modifying the pool entrance area so that the restrooms can be accessed with a pool key during the off-season.  Finally, we are adding wireless internet access to the pool and playground areas. We currently are checking into bids for the project. We expect the project will be completed while the pool is closed for the winter. Once it opens in April of 2013, there will be additional entertainment space.

9. Fencecrete: The board will be working with the fencecrete vendor to replace parts of the fence. There are some areas that are in need of replacement. We hope to have a bid in the next month and hope to have the work complete by the spring.

10. Trees: It appears parts of our neighborhood have trees that have been infected with Oak Wilt. We will have a Fall Oak Wilt education class. Be on the lookout for dates for this event. Most of the trees in our neighborhood are oak. Also, one of the reasons our neighborhood is so appealing is due to the beautiful trees. We need to take control by treating our trees as appropriate.

There are also a number of homes that need to trim their trees. Not only will trimming trees help with the growth of your lawn, it will also help keep your trees healthy. Check out the website forum for suggestions on certified arborists others have used in the neighborhood. In addition, if you do not cut your trees out of the street and keep them from blocking the sidewalks, the city of Austin will do this for you. They will charge you for the trimming and the trees will be trimmed very high at 14 feet. So please consider doing this yourself.

11. Board Update: As a reminder to residents, the officers for 2012-13 are as follows: President – Shelley Karn, Vice President – David Negrete, Secretary – Deborah Southerland, Treasurer – Emmett Bills, Director-at-Large – Paul Maine. We welcome interested individuals to become involved in the Scofield Farms ROA.

In closing, I wish to commend our many volunteers for helping make our community a special place to live. We look forward to working with you to improve our community.   Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Shelley Karn, President