2015 WCHOA Calendar of Events

Happy New Year!

2014 Watters Crossing Holiday Social

In spite of the hayride being cancelled due to a rain threat, a large group of homeowners turned out to meet their neighbors for an evening of fun with the kids.  The weather was very pleasant which permitted us to gather outside.  Activities thru the evening outside included Spray Tattoos and Balloon Artistry.  Food was also outside, including something new.  A food truck, Holy Frijole, provided assorted Mexican food, for purchase, for the event.
Inside activities included Puppet Theater, the Craft Room, and Santa.

We must thank the many volunteers who stepped up to help for this event.  Without them, events such as the Holiday Social, could not take place.

PLANNING / FOOD PREP / SET UP

1. Marty Wigder
2. Sharon Wigder
3. Lauren Kerrigan

ENTRANCE BOOTH / TICKETS / COLLECT CANNED GOODS

1. Joe Eberle
2. Neil D’Cunha
3. Dustin VanZand

PRETZEL BAKING

1. Megan Wigder
2. Payton Graumann
3. Joey Waldrip

POPCORN AND SOFT PRETZEL BOOTH:

1. Katie Armstrong
2. Trent Armstrong
3. Justin Wallraven
4. Valentina Komarov
5. Sugi Kolarov
6. Allie VanZandt

PUPPET THEATER USHERS

1. Megan Wigder
2. Amin Sennour
3. Michelle Massi
4. LeRoy Foster
5. Mandee Markee
6. Jack Tambert

CRAFT ROOM

1. Joyce Paul

SANTA’S AGENT

1. Pete March

HOLIDAY MUSIC BY

1. Scott Welch

HELP AND CLEAN UP

1. Marty Wigder
2. Steve Kerrigan
3. Mike Shisko

A BIG THANKS TO WATTERS CROSSING VOLUNTEERS!

Watters Crossing Holiday Lights Awards

We are please to announce the winners of the 2014 Holiday Lights contest:

BEST TRADITIONAL
The Nash Home
406 San Mateo Drive

BEST THEME
The Foster Home
1120 Bel Air Drive

GRISWOLD AWARD
The Chute Home
402 Bel Air Court

Lights look great and we urge you to walk the neighborhood and enjoy.

Watters Crossing Board

Watters Crossing Clubhouse Pool Rebuild

With your 2015 Watters Crossing dues statement for 2015 you will also find a special assessment of $100.  The total cost of the work completed at the Club House and Phase I pool was $116,000, The assessment will pay for the work not covered by monies in the HOA’s reserve funds.  While the WCHOA Board makes every attempt to budget for annual operating expenses and for long term needs, there do arise unanticipated events that require monies beyond that provided for in the reserve funds. .  The Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions of Watters Crossing provide the means to address these items thru Special Assessments as outlined in Section 1.2.b.  This one time special assessment is outlined below:

PHASE I POOL / 990 Bel Air Drive / 2014 Work has been Completed / Will be January 2015 Assessment

POOL DECK

• The Phase I pool deck subsided to the point where replacement had to be completed
• Water lines were in danger of breaking and the City would not provide a permit due to the many tripping hazards unless it was repaired
• Due to the extent of the subsidence, the entire existing pool deck was removed and replaced.
• Additionally, newer codes for depth markers, diving callouts, and so on, came into play and these were added with this construction
• The deck replacement was the bulk of the cost at this pool in 2014.

PLASTERING

• Plastering was done with the rebuild of the deck.  This is routine maintenance.
• At the same time, the interior perimeter pool tiles and the pool coping were replaced.

WROUGHT IRON FENCE AND STONE PATIO

• The existing wrought iron fence was totally replaced with the pool construction as it was no longer code compliant.  Also, as much of it sat on the pool deck, it had to be removed for pool deck work.
• The installation of a new wrought iron fence permitted the expansion of the pool area to include an older stone patio area that had been left outside the fence area when the original fence was constructed.
• The decision was made to include this area into the pool rebuild.  It easily expanded the patio area of the Phase I pool providing an area for picnicking that is somewhat removed from the pool proper.  This area was furnished with picnic tables donated to the WCHOA by the City of Allen.

POOL EQUIPMENT ROOM

• The existing pool equipment room was collapsing.  And as it sat on the pool deck, it had to be removed for the deck reconstruction.

POOL CARDED ACCESS SYSTEM

• As many know, the HOA installed a new pool access system this year
• This card permits access to either of the two Watters Crossing Pools by Watters Crossing residents only.

LANDSCAPING / LIGHTING

• Drought tolerant landscaping was installed in the various planters on the north and east sides of the pool deck.  Irrigation was reworked to a drip type system
• Lighting and electrical outlets were added for security, safety, convenience, and esthetics.

TOTAL PHASE I / CLUBHOUSE POOL WORK COMPLETED SPRING 2014:  $116,000 / INDIVIDUAL HOMEOWNER 2015 ASSESSMENT:  $100

Photos of the work in process, done early 2014 are located in the Photo Gallery.

We appreciate your understanding and assistance in helping maintaining the integrity of Watters Crossing amenities.

WCHOA Board and Architectural Control Committe Welcome New Members

We are most happy to welcome the following new members to ACC:
Michelle Massi (Irvine Drive), Mike Sayles (Tiburon Court)

The ACC is an appointed committee and each candidate is interviewed by the Board.  We now have two members from Phase I, two members from Phase II, and two members from Phase III.  Please go to the 2015 ACC Members to see all members along with all meeting dates of the ACC for 2015.

We would also like to thank Mike Shisko (Ventura Court) for his many years of service on the ACC.  Mike has moved on and is now Vice President of our Board.   Mike replaces Wayne Aguren who also volunteered for Watters Crossing in several areas over the years.  Wayne was Treasurer a number of years ago and his most recent volunteer spot was Vice President.  Wayne has moved with his wife Susan to downtown Dallas.

We have been looking for a Treasurer for quite some time.  We are very happy to welcome Dan Hall (Bel Air Drive) as new Treasurer for Watters Crossing.  Don replaces Neil D’Cunha (Belvedere Drive).  Neil has served as Treasurer for several years and is a regular in helping at the Spring Party.  While Neil is leaving as Treasurer, we still will see him helping in other areas of Watters Crossing.

Mike will be missed by the ACC.  Wayne and Neil will be missed very much by the Board.  As an all volunteer community, we depend tremendously upon people such as those listed above to make Watters Crossing function.  We would again thank those who stepped up to fill the open positions.  If you are interested in helping out at any event or with any open position, just send an email to anyone below.

Pete March, president@watterscrossing.com
Mary Kuykendall, secretary@watterscrossing.com
Denny Adelman, acc@watterscrossing.com

Architectural Control Committee Revises HVAC Concealment Guidelines

The Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions of Watters Crossing provides for the concealment of HVAC equipment in Section 4.7.u which reads:

“All mechannical equipment including, but not limited to, HAVOC equipment, shall be located on the side or rear of each Lot and shielded from public view from any adjacent street.”

For a number of years, the ACC has accepted concealment of HVAC units in one of two manners:

1. Fence panel(s), which is a minimum of six feet in height and four feet wide (width is minimum and is dependant upon concealment).  This is the prefereable course of action.
2. An evergreen shrub / landsdcaping that results in complete concealment within one (1) growing season.

Unfortunately, option two has been less than successful in ensuring compliance with Section 4.7.u in many instances.

Due to this and to ensure that Section 4.7.u is equally applied to all, effective 1/1/2015, the ACC will no longer accept new landscaping as a means of HVAC or mechanical equipment concealment.  We will grandfather all HVAC equipment where landscaping is in place to provide for concealment for one additional year to allow for that years growth.  After 1/1/2016, all HVAC equipments that is not completely concealed by landscaping will be considered to be in violation of Section 4.7.u.  The concealment will need to be completed via option 1 above (fencing).

To Recap:
1/1/2015:  New landscaping will no longer be approved by the ACC as a means of HVAC concealment.
1/1/2016:  All HVAC equipment, where landscaping has been installed as a means of concealment, which is not completely concealed, will be in violation of Section 4.7.u

The members of the ACC believe this will improve the appearance of Watters Crossing by satisfying the specifics in Section 4.7.u.  Thanks for your understanding and help in making Watters Crossing such a great neighborhood in which to live.

Architectural Control Committee

Watters Crossing Clubhouse

Over the past two weeks, the Watters Crossing Clubhouse has been completely repainted, both interior and exterior.  The painters, Fresh Coat Painting, is an Allen company and an outstanding  job was completed.  ( Fresh Coat Painting painted both Watters Crossing swim cabanas in 2013 and has been a regular sponsor of our Spring Party.) 

With the fresh, new appearance of the clubhouse, we would remind all renters of the Clubhouse Rules.  In particular, the following are NOT permitted in the Clubhouse:

• Tape
• Staples
• Helium balloons

The painters removed / patched from much damage caused by staples and tape.  Please do not bring these into the clubhouse for decorations. Regarding helium balloons, the great rooms ceiling fans have been replaced several times with burned out motors due to entangled ribbons and deflated balloons.  Balloons are fine, but not with helium.

Also, like many other roofs within Watters Crossing, the Clubhouse roof will be replaced within the next month or so.

Do You have areas where Grass won't Grow?

By NEIL SPERRY
neilsperry.com

"Compared to shade trees and shrubs, ground covers are relative newcomers to North Texas landscaping. Many of us can remember when English ivy and trailing vinca were the only two turfgrass replacements you’d see in our gardens. That was partly because we hadn’t been exposed to the concept, and it was partly because good forms of edging hadn’t come into the marketplace"... (Read More)

By HOWARD GARRETT
dallasnews.com

"The truth about growing grass in the shade is this: You can’t. Trees want full sun and grasses want full sun. Trees win. Thinning the trees helps a little, for a while, but not long term; foliage grows back. Removing trees will work, but that’s usually not the best thing to do. "... (Read More)

ACC is Energy/Water Usage Sensitive

Some comments, questions, on new items presented to the ACC for Watters Crossing within the past year:

YES!
The ACC accepts rain barrel installations.  The prefered location is within the rear, fenced in yard locations.  These will be accepted on the sides of properties when completely concealed by a six (6) foot to eight (8) foot tall, solid fence panel.  The width of the panel is determined as needed for concealment.

YES!
The ACC accepts solar roof panels.  Indeed, the third home, located in Phase III, was recently approved for installation.  Panels will be mounted on rear, or in some cases, side roofs.

YES!
The ACC accepts plans for yard renovations / reconstructions using drought tolerant, low water usage plants, ground covers and more.

As with all exterior improvements, any of the above must be submitted to the ACC for review and approval proior to any construction commencing.  Project submissions now are easy using the online forms and most projects are expedited within the committee via email.  Project forms provide the ability to upload photos, plats, and other supporting documents.

The ACC thanks you for working within the Review Guidelines of Watters Crossing.