Good afternoon,
I’m happy to report that we delayed our plans to build an ark as it seems the rain may have finally ceased for a few days. A new rainfall record for the month of May shattered the old one by almost ten inches but the sun is out and the weekend looks promising.
Over the last two weeks, crews have been planting the cordgrass seedlings along the river bank, and they have made great progress. The work can only be done at low tide, so it is slow going. The grass’s root system is far-reaching and dense, so once they take hold, they will help stabilize the bank and the bluff. The plantings we put in a couple of years ago have reacted very favorably to the recent rains and there is a tremendous amount of new growth all along the bluff. Crews will continue planting and filling in voids over the next several weeks.
Sales traffic remains very very strong, as do sales. Lot 205, our first riverfront Lot, closed this past week and the new owners are excited to get started on their home. A second Lot will be closing next week there as well. JMP is launching a new home on Lot 110, Vahue is getting ready to start new homes on Lots 13 and 18, and Premier just contracted to build a Marco floorplan for a family on Lot 235. Duke Energy is almost complete with the installation of electrical service for the six new Lots on the south side of the power lines, and development work will continue down towards the marina and also along Minerva in Rosewood Landing.
Over the last several updates we have brought up the importance of adherence to the architectural guidelines and the need to have changed to your home’s exterior or Lot approved before any work is completed. We have now reached the point where we have a responsibility to go to “the next level” of enforcement as failure to do so now will only spell trouble for all of you down the road. Being one of the most difficult issues in a large homeowner’s association but it is also one of the most important. As more owners move into the neighborhood, we get more opinions, more personal preferences, more interpretations of what looks good and what doesn’t and those are all things that make a community great but can also cause significant issues if everyone doesn’t “sing from the same sheet of music.” Our “music” in this case is the Declaration of Protective Covenants For The Neighborhoods at River Bluffs and the associated By-Laws, the documents that every Lot in the community are subject to. If the HOA does not consistently enforce the covenants, even the ones that some people might find over-broad or over-reaching, then the Courts will be less likely to allow us to enforce those portions of the covenants that everyone would agree on.
Section 2.4 of the By-Laws for Neighborhoods at River Bluffs Association outline how the HOA moves to the next level of enforcement and applies fines. It mimics recent North Carolina legislation and calls for a hearing before penalties are assessed. We are now in the process of setting up that hearing board and evaluating fines where applicable. As uncomfortable as this can be to talk about, it is not directed at anyone homeowner (as there are multiple issues throughout the community) nor is it meant to “rule with an iron fist.” It is expressly designed to protect and enhance property values in River Bluffs and ensure that everyone is abiding by the rules they agreed to when they purchased here. I would welcome your feedback, and your participation if you’re interested, and you can always feel free to reach out on this topic. An excellent example of where this issue can get sticky is when you balance our overall philosophy of co-existence with nature and the environment with protecting vegetation around your home. We all love plantings, gardens, shrubs, etc. but how far is too far in protecting them from the deer who were here first? When we approve initial plantings by the builders, those materials are selected because they are not appealing to deer and it wouldn’t be necessary to add wires, netting, mesh, fencing, etc. to protect them. Something to ponder.
Amenities
All the access controls and security cameras have now been installed at the tennis courts and RV storage area. Your key fob will grant you access to the tennis/pickleball area and also to the storage area if you have a lease agreement. You can see the fence poles for the new dog park were installed Wednesday and Thursday and that work will continue into next week. Landscaping has also been ongoing in the parking and walkway areas, and we will be introducing a water softener for the bathroom and irrigation systems as the water is sourced from a new well. The code to the bathroom doors is 2200, and it is important that you lock them after every use to help ensure that they stay clean.
So it is June 1, and the Riverwalk is not yet completed, as I said it would be. We had every reason to think it would be done last month but a myriad of issues conspired to slow us down. The good news is that the crews are making significant progress now and more than half of the floating section of Riverwalk has been installed. As tempting as it may be, please refrain from walking on the new sections this weekend as there are still areas where there is no decking and the floats are not yet permanently attached to the pilings. The mobile pump-out unit has not been shipped yet, but we are reaching out to the manufacturer almost every day to check on the progress. Once that is received we will have it inspected by DCM and then be able to put boats in the marina.
A comprehensive summary of the various clubs that are now active at River Bluffs will be distributed tomorrow via the portal. Thanks to Bob Conger for putting the summary together and I think you will see that this a very active place. The Community Activity Room (CAR) has been completed, furniture is here, and we have scheduled the unveiling for Thursday, June 14th. This will coincide with a “Free Wings Night” at Porches.
Neighborhood Safety
Speeding, both inside and outside of the community continues to be a problem, and we again ask that you, please be cognizant of your speed. This was one of the topics discussed during the well-attended Community Watch meeting last Wednesday evening. The minutes for that meeting are posted on the Community Watch section of the portal. Special thanks to Jane Love and Alan Morris for taking over the Manager roles for this group. Bill Jayne and Felicia Grant did a great job getting it started, and we all appreciate their efforts. The best way to prevent illegal activity in our community is to eliminate opportunities for criminals and communicate with your neighbors.
Neighborhood Activities
Live Music at Porches- Robert Beauchene plays this evening from 6:00-9:00 at Porches and we hope you all will be able to come to socialize and enjoy some good music. Due to low attendance and the increasing heat, we have elected to discontinue Sunday’s live music events until August or September. That said, The Motos will be playing at Porches on Sunday, June 24th from 5:00-8:00 and that will be the only Sunday event for June and July.
Free Wings – Thursday, June 14th there will be free wings at Porches from 5:30 until they run out. This will coincide with the ribbon cutting for the CAR which will take place first. More on this to follow.
Boating Safety-Please First annual RB Coast Guard Vessel Safety Examinations by the United States Power Squadron see the link below regarding a boating safety/inspection event to be held at the Boat/RV storage area on June 30th. Special thanks to Otis White for organizing this event in conjunction with the Cape Fear Power Squadron.
First annual RB Coast Guard Vessel Safety Examinations by the United States Power Squadron-2
Thank you all again for choosing to make River Bluffs your home and please let us know if you have any questions. Have a great weekend.