July 9, 2020
Red Flag Days, Turkeys, and Other Stuff
To quote Bob Dylan: “The times, they are a-changing.” As COVID-19 continues its romp through the US and particularly Arizona, it is unlikely we will have a public board meeting in the upcoming months. In the meantime, we will continue to use these emails to keep you informed.
Red Flag Days
While we are now into monsoon season, we have yet to see more than a sprinkle. As a result, the fire danger remains high and Red Flag warnings continue for most days in Yavapai County. To protect people and property we ask you treat every day during this extended dry period as a Red Flag day. Red Flag restrictions include no open fires and avoidance of any outdoor activity that can produce a grass-fire starting spark: chain-sawing, welding, mowing, etc. For more information about actions required in case of a wildfire at LVRE, click here.
Cattle Grazing Leases at LVRE
LVRE is included in the property leased by Barney York Ranch for cattle grazing. The management and use of the lease are solely controlled by Barney York; no aspect of it falls within the purview of LVRE POA. However, most of us do enjoy the aesthetic and ecological benefits of living on an active cattle ranch. And thanks to the decision by Barney York Ranch to offer LVRE owners a cattle sublease for all or a portion of each qualified parcel, we enjoy the significant real estate tax savings that derive from an agricultural tax status; collectively LVRE owners saved about $175,000 in taxes last year.
Click here for more information about the Barney York Ranch cattle grazing lease at LVRE, instructions for securing or updating your lease, and activities that might threaten your lease.
Oversized Parcel Box
We have yet to find a feasible commercial source for oversized, individually keyed parcel boxes that we can add to our mailbox bank at the Fair Oaks entrance. However, as some of you know, Karen (our USPS rural delivery person) is now leaving parcels behind the mailbox bank after informing the recipient with a text message. To create a more secure depository for these packages, Karen suggests we provide one large locking, waterproof communal box. Long Meadows uses this approach and it has worked well. We are looking into it.
Turkeys at LVRE
In the last two months there have been several sightings of turkeys at LVRE. No, we are not talking about the two fellows you occasionally see driving around in an ATV in full camouflage. These are real, wild, Merriam turkeys that appear to be expanding their range from the upper elevations in the Camp Wood area. Black bears are sure to follow. Cool.