Fellow owners, there are some important things to know about life in Timber Lakes. While these are all posted elsewhere on the website, I would like to remind you again of some critical things that contribute to the quality of life on the mountain.

1. We have posted speed limits in Timber Lakes. These are maximums, not minimums. Weather and road conditions often make it unsafe to drive at the posted level. Please slow down and be careful. Severe injuries and loss of life have occurred here by driving too fast for the conditions.
2. If you are building, and your contractor or subs are caught speeding, they will not be allowed to drive into the subdivision. Please tell them you expect them to slow down and obey the rules.
3. There is no parking along any road in Timber Lakes. If you park along the road, we will tow your vehicle. You may park on a first-come, first-served basis in the lot on the side of the TLPOA office. You may also park at Duck Lake. These spaces are not adequate for heavy use weekends or holidays. If there is no place to park, you will have to arrange to park somewhere else (that is legal) in Wasatch County. If you do park in the office parking lot, you need to get a parking pass from security at the gate.
4. If you get stuck or have some kind of emergency where you park on the road, write your lot number and cabin phone on a paper visible on your dashboard. This allows us to contact you before we tow your vehicle. However, remember that we usually tow first and ask questions later. Our primary concern is safety and we must keep the roads clear of parked vehicles.
5. There are times when the roads are not safely passable. If you choose to drive during these times, you are putting yourself, your passengers and anyone else you encounter at risk.
6. We do not allow trailers to be pulled up or down on Blue Spruce during the winter. The roads are often too narrow for two vehicles to pass in opposite directions. All roads on the upper mountain are often icy and very slick. Every year, traffic is blocked and vehicles wreck because someone believes they can pull a trailer up (or down) Blue Spruce. Blue Spruce is too steep and too dangerous for trailers in the winter. Don’t do it.
7. Wasatch County prohibits short-term rentals in Timber Lakes. You cannot rent your cabin out unless it is a long-term rental (more than 30 days). We are cooperating with Wasatch County’s efforts to prosecute owners who allow overnight rentals. If you are renting your cabin on an overnight basis, you are on the list of owners who will be prosecuted.
8. The State of Utah considers Timber Lakes Estates one of the most at-risk fire locations in the state. Next spring and summer, please clear the undergrowth and dead timber from your lot. You may not have an open fire or flame of any kind for any reason outside your cabin, even on your own property.
9. We no longer have a place where you can dump your dead brush for chipping. It has become increasingly difficult to arrange for a chipper, we have not had adequate volunteer help from the owners to use a mobile chipper and many owners and their contractors used the chipping site as a place to dump construction trash. Each owner must now take care of the dead brush and trees on your property. (We are chipping the current pile at Duck Lake as soon as the weather permits this month.)
10. Please do not tailgate through the gate behind someone else. You do not have to let the gate close all the way, but stop and use your remote opener to reverse the gate direction when another vehicle has passed ahead of you. Almost every month we spend money to repair the gate because someone tags along to run the entrance before the gate closes. Let’s save our money for fixing the roads or some other good cause. When we have a security person in the gate house, your remote will not work. Slow down and identify yourself so they can let you in.
11. If you are building, please be aware that we have to close the roads to heavy construction vehicles during the winter. This means that you cannot have materials delivered to your lot when the roads are closed to construction traffic. If temperate weather allows an emergency exception to this policy, you must obtain permission in advance from the Vice President of Operations (the Road Guy). The Road Guy is a member of our board of directors and contact information is provided on our website. However, when the roads are closed to large construction vehicles and trailers, they are CLOSED! Please do not ask for routine exceptions. It is not an emergency just because it is your construction project.
12. Our agreement with the Heber Valley Camp for snowmobile access through their property provides access only for Timber Lakes Owners and their accompanied guests. You cannot send your guests to snowmobile; you must take them with you. All snowmobiles inside Timber Lakes must exhibit a Timber Lakes snowmobile sticker. Only owners may purchase stickers. We do not allow snowmobiles without current stickers into the subdivision.
13. If an owner is renting a snowmobile, the owner must purchase a Timber Lakes snowmobile sticker and show it in person at the gate in order to get the snowmobile into the subdivision. If you are renting multiple snowmobiles, you will need one sticker for each machine you want to bring past the gate.
14. We have received approval from the owners of 995 lots for the fire station project. We need an additional 75 approval forms. We are calling owners from whom we have not heard. If you are opposed to the fire station, please be nice to the person who calls you. You do not need to justify your decision or yell at the volunteer. Some of you are mad at the water company and President Bush and so you are opposing the Timber Lakes fire station. While these reasons provide us with a good laugh, you are not required to be unkind on the telephone.  Just tell them you are opposed and they will thank you for your time. If you are one of many owners who have told the telephone volunteer you will send in the approval form, please follow through by mailing us your signed form.
15. Your Board of Directors is trying very hard to address the quality of life issues that affect every member of the TLPOA. We are all volunteers, doing our best. Thanks for being patient with us. We welcome and desire your input on issues. Contact us and we will try to help.

John Blickenstaff

Property owners in the Timber Lakes Estates subdivision must pay an annual assessment. We use the assessment primarily to build and maintain roads and to remove snow during the winter. It also funds our operating expenses, such as the employee payroll, security and common area maintenance. By covenant, the annual assessment fee may not be increased from year to year by more than 10% without approval of a 2/3 vote of members present in person or by ballot at a special meeting called to consider such an increase.

Although we send out an invoice as a courtesy to owners, the assessment is due and payable even if you do not receive the invoice. Our CC&Rs and Bylaws require the collection of late fees if you do not pay your assessment on time, regardless of the reason.

As a property owner, you are responsible for notifying the Association of any change in your mailing address and/or telephone number(s). There is a $100 fee, payable to the Association, for transferring ownership of each lot. In a normal real estate transaction, the title company will make sure the transfer fee is paid. If you do not use a title company, or if your title company missed this fee, you are still required to pay the fee before you can access your property through the main gate.

The annual assessment fee for 2008 is $508, was due in January 2008 and was late after March 31. All accounts with an outstanding balance have been turned over to our attorney for collection.

The annual assessment fee for 2009 is $558, is due in January 2009 and will be late after March 31.

We have posted our Our Accounts Receivable Policy, which governs what happens if you pay late.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Charlie Richards

I know this is not an extrememly crucial topic, but I’d like to request your help as we update our image. In our board meeting last night, we selected a new, updated logo for the association. It’s not quite ready for prime time yet, but after a few tweaks we will roll it out. As part of this update, we’d like to select a new slogan for Timber Lakes. Some examples of slogans from other property developments in the area are:

• Wolf Creek Ranch – Your Land. Your Lifestyle. Your Legacy.
• Red Ledges – The nature of luxury.
• Victory Ranch Club – Welcome to Western Living.
• Maple Ridge Ranches – “The Experience Starts When You Cross The Bridge”
• Promontory Ranch Club – Four Seasons. One incomparable place to enjoy them.

Compare these with our current slogan:

• Timber Lakes Property Owners Association – a private non-profit Utah corporation.

Our slogan is informational but quite boring. Please assist us in selecting a new one. Email me your suggestion. Here are a few that we have kicked around:

• Timber Lakes: Welcome Home!
• Timber Lakes: Mountain Living, Comfortably Home
• Timber Lakes: A Utah splendor
• Timber Lakes: Where the mountain meets the sky

I think we can do better than Timber Lakes Property Owners Association – a private non-profit Utah corporation. Please let me know what you think.

John