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As more residents
arrived they began asking questions about amenities that were repeatedly
advertised but didn’t exist. Brochures touted scenic biking and jogging
trails and acres and acres of wide-open spaces. The only visible trail
started behind the Lone Tree Information Center (where the Lone Tree Civic
Center is now located) and stopped just before reaching Sweetwater Road,
near the intersection of Sweetwater Rd and Lodgepole Trail. That was the
extent of the trail system. There were no parks and no plans to provide
any within Lone Tree.
When spring arrived
residents noticed campers in side yards and streets. The new neighborhood
in Lone Tree was quickly taking on the character of other nearby
neighborhoods in Northern Douglas County that had no covenant
enforcement. The developer was approached about enforcing the covenants,
which had been filed with the county. The residents voiced strong
complaints as they were finding that the quality neighborhood they thought
they had purchased homes in was not living up to their expectations.
Eventually the developer did provide some assistance, as well as later
allowing the association to have a representative on the Architectural
Control Committee (ACC).
Early Lone Tree
residents became concerned about how they were going to be able to enforce
their covenants since the developer had not established a mandatory
association. In fact, no association had been established. Without funds
they realized it was going to be next to impossible to enforce covenants
in the event there was a need to require compliance. The concerns were
not only about recreational vehicles parked in private yards, streets and
drives, but also about exterior changes to properties, including paint
colors, and the addition of storage sheds, etc. Everyone knew that within
a few years the repainting process would begin and some procedures and
controls must exist to properly monitor exterior changes. It had also
come to their attention that there was no process in place to maintain the
medians once the developer left Lone Tree. Douglas County did not accept
such responsibilities so concerted efforts began to try to find a way to
resolve all these concerns.
Within a year
residents began to talk of forming their own HOA and soon an association
was formed and monthly meeting held to discuss the many issues that were
being raised. We registered with Douglas County to be on the Referral
List and as such, received all the information and packets concerning new
development within one Tree and areas adjacent to us. We reviewed this
information and when we had concerns we made trips to Castle Rock to make
our case before the Planning Commission and Douglas County Commissioners.
By 1985 our association had prepared By-Law and filed the proper paper
work with the State of Colorado. An official election was held for
officers.
Items of special
concern when reviewing Referral Packets were whether or not the developer
was providing other filings with the amenities they had been promised when
they purchased their home in Lone Tree (i.e. trails, parks, proper
setbacks, as well as a mandatory homeowners association (something we
believed was critical to a quality neighborhood). When we felt the
developer had not met those expectation we voiced our opinions to the
Douglas County Commissioners and were regularly voicing our positions at
the public hearings. We quickly became a well respected voice from Lone
Tree. As a result of our involvement every other filing in Lone Tree was
established with a mandatory association. Filing #1 and The Vista were
already too far along to be able to accomplish that for them. The
Vista was a part of The Charter
until 2006 when they withdrew to form their own association.
A monthly newsletter
was started. Homeowners took turns printing the newsletter and hand
delivering it to all residents. They also organized a TGIF Party which
was held monthly and area residents took turns hosting the event. This
allowed new neighbors to become acquainted and informed in order to work
together for our common goals. We also had an Over-the-Hill Ski Group,
Bridge Group, Pinochle Group, Gourmet Group and Out to Lunch Bunch.
Recognizing that parks
were an important part of a community the association pleaded with the
developer to provide parks, trails and open space as promised in the
advertising materials. Finally, after a meeting with the developer, the
association received a letter from the developer telling us that if they
promised to never oppose him before the county again, he would build a
park just before he left Lone Tree. Instead, representatives of the
association appeared at the next Lone Tree public hearing in Castle Rock
with the developer’s offer in hand, along with brochures from the Lone Tree Information Center,
advertising acres and acres of wide open spaces and scenic biking and
jogging trails winding throughout the development of Lone Tree. They made
sure the Douglas County Commissioners understood that Lone Tree resident
purchased their homes based on those advertised incentives that were not
being realized.
Douglas County stopped
all development in Lone Tree until the developer found a way to provide
what had been promised to the residents of Lone Tree. Unfortunately, The
Charter and The Vista were too far along in the development process and
did not have trails included in their neighborhoods. Instead the
developer constructed the trail along the golf course running along Lone
Tree Parkway. This association negotiated trails through the Cypress
Green Neighborhood from Sunningdale to Lincoln Ave. and another trail
running through Terra Ridge, which included a small pocket park. We asked
that these be located within the neighborhood for ease of accessibility
for all those residents. All of this eventually became a reality thanks
to the assistance of South Suburban Parks & Recreation District. They
were very supportive of our efforts and without their cooperation and
willingness to maintain these trails/open space the County would not have
required the developer to provide them. South Suburban was also
responsible for obtaining and funding the trail which runs north from
Sweetwater Park to County Line Road. This association also drew up plans
that suggested a trail under the power lines to the west as well as
between Acres Green and Lone Tree. After many years these too became a
reality.
The land to the east
of the golf course was originally zoned “office park”. The developer of
that property (The Bill Walters Companies) came to our homeowners
association and offered to build a three to four acre park in return for
the associations’ support of rezoning their land to “primarily
residential”. In addition, the developer offered to build a 1500 square
foot library but was unwilling to provide the land for either. The
association finally found land that could be used for the library near the
Cook Creek Pool. This facility was later called Oakes Mill Library. Land
found for the park (now known as Sweetwater Park and previously referred
to as the area ‘out by the little red barn’ which was occupied by one
horse in the early days of Lone Tree) had been previously set aside for a
school site but was no longer needed for that purpose. It was located not
far from where the trail now forks as it enters Sweetwater Park. The
association realized a 3-4 acre park was insufficient to meet our needs
and instead we requested an eight-acre park. In addition we requested a
full basement be added to the library building plans. After a number of
meetings, the developer agreed to the terms.
The developer was to
pay the cost of constructing the park that was to be completed in one
year, and South Suburban Parks and Recreation
would maintain the park once completed. The HOA requested the County Commissioners require the
developer to post a Letter of Credit to cover the cost of the park in the
event the promise was not fulfilled. Our request was granted. In
addition, our HOA pointed out that there were no parks or trails planned
in the proposed new residential area (The Fairways) that was being rezoned
east of the lake and we insisted that a trail and 3-4 acre park be
included for those residents who would eventually reside there. We asked
that the trail be constructed FIRST, constructed to SSPRD specifications
and South Suburban agreed to maintain the trail. The developer finally
agreed to the terms.
Many months later an
HOA executive board member thought he saw a trail in that area. A call to
the president of the association resulted in members of the board checking
into the matter and discovering that indeed the trail had been constructed
in its entirety. A check with SSPRD revealed that they were as surprised
as the association that the trail was already in place. No notice had
been provided to them that any construction was underway. Unfortunately,
SSPRD had not been able to ensure that construction met their
specifications but, as previously promised, they accepted the maintenance
of that trail system.
Three years later
there was still no park, and the HOA continued its complaints to Douglas
County Commissioners. Finally, a public hearing was called to begin the
process of calling the Letter of Credit. It was only at that time that
the developer seriously began the process of building Sweetwater Park.
Within the year the park was completed, four years later than anticipated,
and it is now a well-used park by many Lone Tree and Acres Green
residents. Certainly it was a time consuming process for the association
but ultimately worth the effort. Many mistakenly believe that Sweetwater
Park is in the City of Lone Tree. It is not. That property was given by
the Acres Green developer to the school district for a possible school
site. When it wasn’t needed we requested it be released and allowed to be
developed into a much needed park.
Park Meadows
Metropolitan District – Formed Fall -1982
After watching taxes
skyrocket due to PMMD board members (all representing the developer)
immediately reimbursing the developer for their costs of major roadways,
via raising taxes. In 1984 when the first seats became available on the
PMMD board the HOA made sure we had two residents ready to step into those
seats. When additional seats became available two more residents stepped
up to serve. Residents have maintained control of that board since that
time.
A Letter of Credit had
been posted by developers to cover the original debt of $8 million in the
event the mill levy became unreasonable. In the late 1980’s the residents
serving on that board refused to raise the mil levy high enough to cover
the debt. That decision resulted in the Letter of Credit being called.
Those same residents stopped the practice of reimbursing the developer
unless there were sufficient funds available without raising taxes.
Those actions saved residents in the PMMD significant money over the
years. Today, five Lone Tree residents sit on that board and determine
how the tax monies residents of PMMD pay are being spent.
PMMD constructed the stacked stone medians and maintains all the medians
within the district. They have also taken over the landscape maintenance
(at the City’s request) of the right-of-ways from the various HOA’s in the
district. This has resolved two of our greatest concerns as to who will
take care of these in future years. The district has partnered with the
City on various projects which allows projects to be completed in a more
timely manner.
In the early 1990’s
the HOA encouraged PMMD to purchase the Information Center when the
developer finished in Lone Tree, believing it would be an amenity to the
neighborhood, providing a much needed meeting space as well as serve the
needs of PMMD. It served not only HOA’s but scout troops, bridge groups, etc. for a
number of years. Later providing meeting space when the City
incorporated.
By 2004 the City had
purchased the building and demolished it to build the current Lone Tree Civic Center. Now it
serves as Council Chambers, Court, Planning Commission and many other City
functions. The lower level is available for non-profit meetings and
serves many resident in our City.
Initially dues for the
HOA were $25/yr. In 2002 they were raised to $35/yr., much less than the
$75-100/quarter that many HOA’s charge. When a home on Seven Arrows
caught fire many years ago and the fire department was hampered in
fighting the fire due to the fire hydrant being plugged with rocks, the
HOA arranged a meeting with the fire department and residents to discuss
the issue. All fire hydrants in The Charter were checked to ensure all
hydrants were operational.
We have sponsored
“Yard of the Month” for more than 30 years. Various committees over the
years have consisted of a parks committee, trail committee, airport
committee, social committee, fence committee. This HOA started Concerts
in the Park and invited everyone in Lone Tree to attend. We began the
July 4th Celebration with a parade and BBQ which continued for
about 10 years until the City of Lone Tree assumed these responsibilities
a number of years ago and made it an even bigger and better event.
Currently we sponsor a Sleigh Ride at Christmas and an Easter Egg Hunt at Easter.
Members of the
Executive Board supported the incorporation of the City of Lone Tree.
They believed that Lone Tree would be better represented with residents of
Lone Tree making decisions about development in and around our
neighborhood Later some of these same residents worked on the annexation
of the Rampart Range property
(RidgeGate) south of Lincoln Avenue and east of I-25.
This association
purchased monument signs for The Vista and The Charter including the
installation of landscaping around the monument signs in The Vista. Other
association quickly followed our lead and now nearly every neighborhood is
identified.
For many years members
of your executive board has attended Planning Commission/City Council
meetings. They have closely monitored new development and the decisions
of the Lone Tree City Council. Information is provided to residents in a
newsletter via either mailing/website/e-mail.
The executive board
consists of not less than five (5) members who serve two year terms. They
must be members of the association in good standing. Terms are staggered
with an election each year. Candidates are elected to the board and
positions are determined by those serving.
This article provides
an overview of the many projects and activities this association has been
involved in over the years. A major accomplishment the association can
take credit for was persuading the City to construct brick fencing along
the major arterials in the original Lone Tree. The gray wood fencing was
becoming an embarrassment and there was no way to ensure that all fencing
would be maintained in a consistent manner. The Executive Board is
pleased it was finally able to convince the City to construct the brick
fencing for all neighborhoods. This fencing benefits ALL residents of
Lone Tree.
Thanks to the efforts
of this association there are now trails within our area, as well as
several parks. The Library is a reality due to our negotiations with the
developer of The Fairway. Oakes Mill Library was later torn down to make
way for a larger facility known as the Lone Tree Library. Years later a
new and larger library was built across the street from the Lone Tree Arts Center. The City
purchased the former library for use by residents. It is now known as The
Hub, is managed by SSPRD and provides space for various classes, meeting
space, a place to drop by for coffee, meet a friend, etc.
You can see this
association has been active for many years and has made significant
contributions to the community that we are today. We’ve always been
active and have been the “voice” of Lone Tree at the County as well as the
City of Lone Tree. We’ve never been afraid to speak up when we believe it
is important. We’ve accomplished all of this and more, despite originally
not having an identity or a mandatory association.
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