Development of the Peterkort property is starting to gel. I suspect many Peterkort Woods residents have seen the clearing of the land between the Sunset Transit Center and SW Barnes and noticed that clearing is now starting on the north side of SW Barnes. The only specific plans I see are for the land adjacent to the transit center. They plan on four high density buildings there (six stories with retail on the ground floor and apartments above).
Residents of Peterkort Woods should be aware that each of our properties are subject to a Restrictive Covenant Waiving the Right of Remonstrance for Further Development that was signed by Renaissance and recorded by Peterkort Development in 2004. These agreements prohibit future owners (i.e., us) from remonstrating against development of the Peterkort property that conforms to the original Master Plan for that property. All owners should see an exception for that in their original title insurance policies. Before objecting to any development it is a good idea to review that. (I have no idea whether an agreement like this Restrictive Covenant is enforceable. My purpose in writing this comment is just to make people aware of the fact that these agreements exist so they don’t get blind-sided by them later on.)
Ultimate development of the Peterkort property between Peterkort Woods and Barnes will be separated from homes on the south side of Windwood Way by an “open space” shown on a 2005 Partition Plat of the Peterkort property. The open space is centered on the creek and is about 200 feet wide. It is similar to the space dividing the pool area from the apartment on our north.
Peterkort Woods residents are invited to our next monthly potluck, May 16 @ 6pm. Bring a dish to share with your neighbors (4-6 servings). Plates and utensils will be provided.
We will meet in the clubhouse every third Tuesday of the month until the pool opens next May.
Peterkort Woods homeowners met for their annual meeting on August 8, 2022 at the clubhouse.
Longtime board members Harriet Linville and Robert Phillippi did not run for reelection. The community thanked them for their combined 23 years of service to the community.
Current board member Michael Hildenbrand was joined by Drake Butsch and Keith Sawallich on the ballot. All three were unanimously elected for a two-year term.
Following the homeowners meeting, the new board met to elect officers. See Board of directors for the results.
Update April 2023: The Board of Directors recently sent a letter to all homes in Peterkort Woods, similar to the message below. It was for general instruction and not a notice of violation. If you still have questions about landscaping, please contact the Landscape Committee or a Board member.
When people talk to me about why they love living in Peterkort Woods, they frequently mention how beautiful the landscaping is. When people complain about the conditions at Peterkort Woods, landscaping is also number one.
It’s hard to please 223 homeowners.
It is one of our most visible assets. When it looks nice, it increases the beauty and value of our homes. When it doesn’t, it is hard to see anything else.
This is why the builder spent so much effort in the landscape design of our community. It is why the Board of Directors spends an inordinate amount of time and resources on landscape issues.
If you want to be part of the process to improve our landscaping, here are some tips.
Do
Learn about our landscaping. Talk to a Landscape Committee person or one of the Board of Directors. See landscape website for more.
Alter the landscape yourself. see PKW CCRs especially 5.16. This means: no yard art, no planting, trimming, removing any item in the beds around our homes.
Complain directly to the Landscapers. If you have an issue with them, contact the Board.
Dig. Besides being prohibited (see #1), you could damage the sprinkler system or hit a utility.
Trim the trees. (see #1)
Do you agree or disagree with my list? Have any questions, comments, or concerns? Let me know by filling out a contact form.
I have posted two articles in the past regarding how to act at the pool and how to respond to inappropriate behavior. You can read them here: Pool etiquette and Pool safety and security.
In the past week there have been two incidents witnessed at the pool that were not reported until it was too late to confront the violators.
Both incidents involved people climbing over the fence to gain entry, then letting others in. The first incident also involved sitting on the pump room roof after drinking Rainer beer (so 4 violations total).
I am posting security photos of the suspects. Let me know if you know them. (I apologize for the quality of the images. I will replace them with higher resolution images when I can.)
For minor violations, I would suggest talking to those involved. If you are uncomfortable doing this, report it to AMS as soon as possible with as many details as possible. If they are a resident and used their FOB to gain entry, the Association can figure out who they are and have a discussion with them.
If they did not use a FOB to gain entry and are violating other rules (like sitting on the roof) assume they are trespassing until you know otherwise.
If it is criminal behavior, including trespassing, call the Washington County Dispatch non-emergency line 503-629-0111. If it is life threatening, call 911.
This advice applies to other suspicious behaviors in our community, such as people looking in vehicles or on porches, drug use late at night in the common areas, people following delivery vehicles, etc.
Look out for your neighbors and their property by saying something when you see something.