Colonies at Valais Master Association Newsletter June - July 2017 NO FIREWORKS!!! Midway City prohibits the discharge of any fireworks north of Burgi Lane including all of Valais. Even sparklers are prohibited. We currently have an extreme fire danger situation. Please report any violations to the Wasatch County Sheriff (435) 654-1411. A resident last year was fined $1000. ELECTION OF NEW BOARD MEMBERS: The Valais Master Association is seeking Board of Trustee candidates for consideration by the Homeowners in conjunction with the Annual Meeting of the Association on August 31, 2017. There are three openings on the 2018 Board of Trustees to be determined at the Annual Meeting. It would be most appreciated if you would consider being a candidate for the Board of Trustees. Information Forms for Candidates were mailed and emailed to all home owners. The candidate application deadline is July 12, 2017 for consideration at the Valais MA Annual Meeting. Please return the Candidate Information Form to Property Manager Cody Child in the Valais Community Center office. The Candidate Information Form has been posted on the Valais web site (coloniesatvalais.com) VALAIS COMMUNITY JUNE PICNIC A GREAT SUCCESS! Thanks to Hollie Epp and the Social Committee for a very successful Valais Community Picnic that was held Saturday, June 17 from 3-6 PM. PRIVATE OWNERSHIP OF ONLY THE BUILDING PAD: There has been some confusion about individual owners planting trees and making landscape enhancements. Please be aware that private ownership only extends to the building pad. Any new enhancements around your home outside the building pad must be approved by the Valais Landscape Committee since they are on common area. Approval is not required for planting flowers in existing beds. 1
Pergolas are not allowed by Midway City unless they meet stringent requirements and are inside the building pad. All pergola construction in Valais requires a Midway City Building Permit. In some of the areas of Valais, Pergolas not meeting these requirements were grandfathered in when the Midway City ordinance was passed. VALAIS PARK DEVELOPMENT: A letter was sent to Midway Mayor Colleen Bonner on behalf of the Board of Trustees requesting changes to the proposed plan for Valais Park. The letter expressed the Boards concerns about the placement of the proposed soccer field and safety issues regarding additional parking on Valais Parkway. A copy of the letter can be viewed at: http://www.coloniesatvalais.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/letter-to- Mayor-Bonner-re-Valais-Park.pdf SWIMMING POOLS: The two outdoor swimming pools were opened daily beginning Saturday, May 27 from 9 AM to 9 PM except in inclement weather. The smaller western outdoor pool (Montreux Colony) will be open to adults only (18 and older) from 9 AM to noon Tuesday and Thursday. Please note that the indoor pool hours in the Valais Circle Clubhouse are also 9 AM - 9 PM. Please observe all pool rules. TREE REMOVAL: Policy on tree removal - Homeowners may remove healthy trees on the common ground surrounding their homes, provided they follow the Tree Removal and Pruning Policy posted on the Valais Web Site (coloniesatvalais.com) including obtaining permission from the BOT and doing it at their expense. Also, homeowners must plant BOT approved replacement trees of equal quality at their expense. Diseased or dead trees with be replaced by the HOA at no cost to the homeowner. NO FENCES: Please be aware that the CC&Rs for each Colony prohibit fences. Any fences constructed without express permission of the Board of Trustees will be removed at the expense of the homeowner who put them up. The only fences that are allowed are those around the community pools and 36 iron fences around patios that have been approved. 2
DOGS MUST BE ON LEASHES: Wasatch County has a strict dog leash law. Anyone allowing their dog to run at large is subject to a misdemeanor fine. Please report violations to Heber Valley Animal Control (435) 654-5727. PLEASE OBEY TRAFFIC LAWS: The BOT have had reports of vehicles cutting through the wrong way on traffic circles. Also, please remember that the speed limit in the community except Valais Parkway is 15 MPH. Valais Parkway is a city street and is posted at 25 MPH. For everyone s safety please obey all traffic laws. COMCAST: Comcast will be installing the main lines throughout the community during the next three months. This will allow residents get much faster connection speeds if they so desire. VALAIS COMMUNITY CENTER RESERVATIONS: Valais Master Association homeowners can reserve the Community Center for their exclusive use for events for up to a total of 125 people and for a maximum time of three-hours. Reservations cannot be made during holiday periods and must be made and paid for at least 48 hours in advance. Members using the Community Center are responsible for clean up after their reservation time has ended. In accordance with the Utah State law, the use of alcoholic beverages by minors or the use of illegal substances is strictly prohibited. If homeowners would like to reserve the Community Center, two separate checks must be written, $50 for the reservation and $100 for the cleaning deposit. The cleaning deposit is refundable if the clubhouse is cleaned properly immediately after the reservation. For parties of 35 or more, the reservation cost is $150 along with the separate check for the refundable cleaning deposit of $100. Checks need to be written to: "Colonies at Valais MA". Checks can be mailed (PO Box 1374, Midway, UT 84049) or dropped off at the Property Manager s office in the Community Center. Only the main floor of the Valais Community Center can be reserved. Reservations do not apply to the swimming pool deck, lower floor and exercise room of the Valais Community Center. 3
Community Center arrangements and reservations must be made through Property Manager Cody Child (codybchild@gmail.com), and any questions regarding reservations should also be directed to Cody Child. The formal Valais MA Policy for Community Center Reservations can be found on the Valais web site (coloniesatvalais.com) along with other Valais MA Policies. Homeowners are urged to review and become familiar with all Valais Policies as well as other information on the Valais MA (coloniesatvalais.com) web site. LIGHT POLLUTION: The BOT has had several complaints from homeowners about exterior home lights being left on unnecessarily for long periods of time. Wasatch Mountain State Park has also asked residents of Midway not to leave exterior lights on unnecessarily in order to help them gain a dark sky designation. See information about the efforts of Utah state parks at https://stateparks.utah.gov/resources/utah-state-parks-dark-sky-initiative/ and http://darksky.org/idsp/parks/. If homeowners are going to be away for an extended period of time please do not leave on your exterior lights. Also, please do not leave on exterior lights at night if they are not needed. Studies have shown that nighttime artificial lighting interferes with the sleep patterns of both people and animals. Many of our residents also like to enjoy the beauty of the night sky not available to people in urban areas. As an example, 60 percent of the people in America have never seen the Milky Way. RESPECT FOR COMMUNITY PROPERTY: Valais MA continually have problems with damage to community property. Please supervise your children when they go to the clubhouse, pools etc. No children under the age of 14 are allowed without an adult in the lower level of the Community Center. Also, only residents 16 years of age and older are allowed to use the exercise equipment. The BOT are in the process of upgrading our security cameras in the clubhouse. 4
PARKING POLICY REMINDER: As mentioned in the previous Valais Newsletters: Motor homes, boats, utility trailers & RV s can be parked in the Valais Community common area parking lots, in homeowners driveways or on the street for no longer than 72 hours at a time. Trucks and automobiles should not be parked overnight on the street unless attached to a trailer (subject to 72-hour rule). Automobiles and trucks should not be parked in the common area parking lots for more than 72 hours at a time. DISCHARGE OF WEAPONS: The BOT asks that residents do not discharge pellet guns or other hazardous weapons within the boundaries of Valais. There was a report of a bird being shot by a pellet gun in Valais. Please be aware that shooting wildlife with a BB gun or blowgun darts is illegal, and a person can be charged with wanton destruction of wildlife. See https://wildlife.utah.gov/blog/2013/birds-are-easy-illegal-bb-gun-targets/ The discharge of any firearms in residential areas is also prohibited by Midway City ordinance 5.02.140. Please be sure to pass this Newsletter on to your renters if you are renting. All property management issues regarding Valais should be directed to Cody Child at codybchild@gmail.com. 5