Summer Local Weekend Events Happening this weekend for families, visitors, and the community for August 6 and 7:
Saturday August 6th & Sunday August 7th Drayton Harbor Maritime Festival:
Pirate Daze 10am – 2pm on Saturday August 6th at Blaine Marine Park Playground at 272 Marine Drive and the Boating Center. Come and celebrate arts, crafts, food vendors, model boat displays, a pirate parade, costumes, rides on the Historic Plover Passenger ferry, and so many more fun activities for families and children at the Drayton Harbor Maritime Festival. For more details, visit www.bbbparkandrec.org for a complete listing of the various fun activities.
Maritime Events at the Blaine Boating Center on Sunday August 7th. Many different things happening at this event continued too including in addition on this day a Pirate Pet Contest at 1:00pm in addition to some of the Saturday continued events too up until 6:00pm for the Historic Plover Passenger Ferry Rides.
Home Farm U-Pick & Events Summer Market Happenings:
Visit the vendor market Saturday August 6th 10am – 4pm at 8020 Kickerville Road. The farm stand is open daily 9:00am – 7:00pm and the U-Pick is open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday 8:30am – 4:30pm. For complete details, visit www.homefarm.farm and the Summer Market has a $3.00 Admission per person with kids 12 and under being free.
The Summer Market Event will include 50+ Vendors, Tractor Train, Face Painting, Inflatable Slide, Food Vendors, Live Music, Berry Picking, and Leisure Time to Walk the Farm.
Birch Bay Water Slides:
Birch Bay Waterslides is open daily 10am -6:00pm and in August there are two additional special nights from 7:00pm – 9:00pm on August 12th and August 26th.
Did you know a few more hot days are arriving, so a great place to cool off is the waterslides or a visit to wonderful Birch Bay too.
37th Annual Discover Birch Bay Days – Mark Your Calendars August 26-28:
Birch Bay Crab Festival is celebrating the 37th year of fun events August 26th – August 28th with various activities. The Birch Bay parade will be Saturday August 27th at noon, with entrants lining up at 10:00am so be cautious of traffic on this day and possible delays. Other events over the weekend include a drive in movie, pancake breakfast, poker run, crab derby, kid’s games/crafts, vendors, and more. Plus, the beach and state park will be busy with families gathering and enjoying their crabbing annual events.
HOA Loomis Trail Homeowners Association Rules and Regulations – Did You Know that Rules Need to be Followed and Are Expected to Be Followed:
The purpose of the Loomis Trail HOA Rules and Regulations is to aid in maintaining a high standard of living in the Greens at Loomis Trail community.
These rules are supplemental to the association Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CC & R’s) and Bylaws are not designed to replace them, but, rather, add to them by summarizing information, clarifying content and providing an easier way to obtain information.
Homeowners are responsible and required to comply with these rules and actions of their family members, guests, renters that are tenants. Non-compliance may result in fines or legal action if required.
It is the responsibility of a homeowner to make sure when they are renting their homes to ensure all information is known to renters prior to renting and moving in too. Concerns include, maintaining landscaping, parking of only two vehicles in driveways, pets being in control of the owner or family member, barking of dogs continually causing noise issues for next door neighbors, debris not allowed in view of the house, and all this information is to be shared upfront with potential renters. It is also encouraged to make sure renters are subscribed to the HOA website to receive newsletters and important updates such as safety concerns in the neighborhood.
Everyone needs to read the rules found on the website and refresh themselves with the rules, rather than some neighbors feeling they can ignore the rules, or even saying they didn’t know the rules, or that they moved forward to have work done for example because they had a vendor available to do the work now. The vast majority of homeowners follow and obey the rules; however, there are some neighbors that are surprised when a problem or complaint is received concerning a variety of reasons of concerns. Keep in mind, many homeowners moved and invested into their purchase of their home at Loomis Trail because there is an active HOA that ensures homeowners follow rules. Plus, neighbors pay their dues expecting rules to be followed as part of their HOA dues. The board receives complaints and concerns by homeowners and are then submitted to Judy Hamner the Property Manager of the HOA as well for proper documenting and contact with follow up to resolve complaints through the board of directors.
The main issues of neighbors reporting complaints include reports of neighbors in regards to landscaping neglect in mowing, weeding, trimming shrubs and trees, and debris on the property that is not allowed in view from the sidewalk or street, followed by homeowners not submitting plans for landscape changes and then neighbors wanting to know if plans were submitted which they must be submitted for review by the board of directors. This can take up to 30 days or less given the review process and possible modifications that may need to be made.
Also, a top concern is vacant lots need regular mowing. Vegetation must not be more than twelve inches at all times. Plus, picking up grass clippings on your lot and debris left on the sidewalk and roads at times need to be shared with any vendors mowing lots as well.
No homeowner or their hired vendors may interfere in any way with common areas. Any damages to grass is reported and the homeowner may result in fines and replacement or repair costs. New signs were added in the spring as a reminder that there is no parking on the grass boulevards as well. All homeowners need to inform contractors working on personal properties to stay off the grass and park in paved pullouts or a homeowner’s driveway.
All house color or material changes on the exterior of any home requires prior written approval. Keep in mind, the board will want color swatches of paint colors for the main house colors and trim colors as well.
Please know that besides the board noticing things going on in the neighborhood that have or have not been approved, many neighbors report them or ask if they were approved. Overall, it is the responsibility of each homeowner to comply with all rules in purchasing a home in the neighborhood, All homeowners receive the CC& R’s as part of the sale and closing documents a part of the sale of a home purchase as well.
It is also good to know many realtors will call and ask questions about the CC & R’s to ensure they are followed by homeowners requesting information as part of the reason they want to purchase a home in the neighborhood. Plus, potential homeowners also ask their own questions, read the newsletters, and are complimentary of the website listing information as well to know we are ensuring that rules are followed and violations are acted on, as well that neighbors know the rules too.
As summer continues many projects are being done by homeowners with landscape changes and anyone thinking of submitting plans of any kind for the rest of summer and fall should be aware that they need to submit plans now as reviews can take up to 30 days typically or less, and while the board does their best to respond back as quickly as possible, please understand expectations for an immediate response are challenging as multiple requests can all come in at the same time and board members need time to review plans carefully. Plus, more information may be requested by the board if it is missing. As a reminder, all submissions must be sent directly to Judy Hamner who then will record them and forward requests to the board members.
Thanks to everyone for making sure rules are understood, because ultimately it is the responsibility of each homeowner and for some individuals to say, “I did not know” is a statement that once in a while homeowners will use and it can cause friction and disappointment when a homeowner may have to back pedal on moving forward without approval or make changes that were not approved.
Summer and Neighborhood Activity at Loomis Trail Golf:
If you have not noticed the golf course is busy with business and many of our own neighbors are regular golfers too and enjoy living in the neighborhood, as well as driving their golf cart to play golf. Ann Zimmerman and Ed Stretanski are regular walkers in the neighborhood and moved here from Oak Harbor and have many new friends. They love living here as well as being active in the Blaine community too. If you see them in the neighborhood say hello, plus, they are good referrals for golfing information and more.
No Soliciting Reminder:
Just a reminder, there is no soliciting allowed in the neighborhood. If a neighbor wants to recommend a business or referral, please do not encourage flyers to be placed on door steps or for them to go soliciting the neighborhood. This is not allowed and many homeowners are not always home and to leave information hanging on doors is not good for safety to have it hanging for days on doors. Also, to abruptly surprise homeowners as well recently with solicitors or a person recently campaigning was not welcomed by some neighbors too. The best idea if you want to recommend someone is to have a person mail out flyers as homeowners can then read the information sent to them if interested or share a business referral listing by sending it to post in the newsletter as another option.
To make sure that those coming to the neighborhood and gate, the board of directors is working on getting some new signage made as a suggestion by a homeowner. This will ensure people see the signage with larger printing and new messaging.
The next newsletter will be in early September. Please send information and/or photos no later than August 28th to [email protected].
Submitted by,
Kathy Barnes
HOA Board Secretary and Newsletter Volunteer
[email protected]
[Cover photo credit: Laura Howell]