What the heck is CSA 40? If you own property in PMC, your tax bill has a line item for CSA 40. The CSA stands for county service area.
When Tenneco first proposed the Pine Mountain Club project to Kern County, there was some reluctance to approve such a large project. I say some reluctance, because almost 3000 lots with more than 2000 dwellings is a LOT of potential property taxes. County planners were worried that allowing all those dwellings to use septic tanks instead of off-site sewage treatment could lead to environmental concerns. After some "negotiation" (no accusations here, but Tenneco was flush with money, and county executives had acquired an affinity for it), it was decided that a "County Service Area" would be formed, to be funded by an annual fee on each lot, and the funds accrued would be used to build a sewage treatment plant within PMC when it became advantageous or necessary to do so.
The CSA agreement also had a provision that septic tanks had to be pumped on a regular schedule, but this was not enforced for the first several years. prior to this provision, septic tanks were only pumped when they were failing. Several years ago, a Frazier Park businessman, whose main business was a restaurant and bar in Lebec, bought a couple of pumping rigs and went into the septic tank pumping business. Shortly thereafter, the county announced that septic tanks in CSA 40 would require inspection and pumping every two years, regardless of their effectiveness. Coincidence?? (Short answer: NO).
The "pumpage" from the septics had to be trucked to a dumpsite (pond) in the San Joaquin Valley, which added considerably to the expense. One day, while reading the Mountain Enterprise, I saw a Notice of Public Hearing before the Kern County Zoning Commission, about a proposed sewage settling pond project. The details of the hearing just gave map coordinates (latitude-longitude), but also said approximately 13 miles west of Frazier Park. I looked up the location on a USFS map, and it was approximately at the north ends of Nesthorn Way and Nadelhorn Way. I called the then GM of Pine Mountain Club, Mike Duffy, and told him to read the notice and see what he thought. Mike was also a civil engineer, so he knew right away what was up.
CSA 40 had been quietly collecting money for years, and now there was several hundred thousand dollars in it, just aching to be spent by Kern County public works department. The County proposed, instead of a sewage treatment plant, to build a "settling pond" where the pumping trucks would dump the raw sewage from local septic tanks, and then allow Mother Nature to work her magic in the open air. If you've ever been near a sewage plant and unfortunate to be down-wind, you know what that smells like! The project was sailing through the various levels of the County permit process, primarily because the project was fully funded (with OUR money). The last hurdle was the zoning commission. (the project required a zoning change to be in that particular location).
If you're familiar with the geography of PMC, the eastern boundary is roughly in the area known as San Emigdio Canyon. If you use the turn-out on Mil Potrero Hwy just west of Yellowstone Drive, and look north, the large canyon before you is San Emigdio Canyon. The canyon's southern end is actually two canyons, one leading east up to the CSO camp at the intersection of Mil Potrero and Cuddy Valley Road, and the other branches southwest, opening up at Nesthorn Way. Being familiar with this area, and having looked at the maps and charts that used to hang in the Pine Mountain Real Estate office, I knew that the site the County proposed to use for the sludge pond was actually NOT San Emigdio Canyon at all, but Cloudburst Canyon. Mike Duffy organized a delegation of PMC Board members and residents to attend the zoning commission hearing, and armed with the appropriate USFS map, convinced the commissioners that sewage probably didn't mix with Cloudburst!
Thursday, October 25, 2012
You Can't Get There From Here!
Most people driving to or from Pine Mountain Club from either direction would agree that the roads are less than optimal. Some might say primitive. Well the roads today are far superior to what existed up until the late 70's and early 80's.
To get an inkling of what it was like, you need only to go east to Lake of the Woods. (Yes, there used to be a lake there!). Turn right on Lockwood Valley Road at the Mini Mart. For the next mile or so, the roadway is narrow, winding, with little or no shoulder. The road follows the contour of the terrain, rather than coursing smoothly across it. The pavement is more repair than road. Or better still, go straight east on Frazier Mtn Park Road to Lakewood Drive, and turn left. Go a few dozen feet up the hill, and take the first left. Follow this winding street west, until it dead-ends. This is a remaining portion of the original Frazier Mountain Park Road. The road from the freeway, through Frazier Park, all the way through Lake of the Woods, past Ivins Drive, was all like these two examples. Numerous curves, dips, and unbanked turns, with lots of patched (and un-patched) potholes, made the drive "adventurous", to say the least. Rain, snow, and/or fog and ice added to the fun. A one-way trip could easily take 45 minutes, or more.
To the west, the paved portion of Mil Potrero Hwy. ended at Cedarwood Dr. The next two-plus miles was a rough, rutted, dirt road, hardly suited for passenger cars without a lot of clearance. Once you reached Cerro Noroeste (Mt. Abel) Road, the roadway was paved, but it was mostly patches between potholes.
When Kern County began the several projects to upgrade the roads, the section through Frazier Park, including the three bridges, was completed first, and bypassed the original route through "downtown" Frazier Park. (Mount Pinos Way). This project did not disrupt travel much. The other two projects, (1) from the west end of Mount Pinos Way to Cuddy Valley Road, and (2) from the east end of Mount Pinos Way to the freeway, were done within the existing road bed, or immediately adjacent to it where the road was re-aligned. As a result, travel was delayed, or stopped, for months, and most of the time you had to drive on roughly-graded, rocky, wash-board dirt roads. Once the projects were complete, the new roads were worth the wait. However, whereas before the road conditions were such that most drivers did not feel safe driving at extra-legal speed; now the wide, smooth pavement was an invitation for too many to drive like they were still on Interstate 5.
The unpaved section of Mil Potrero Highway was re-aligned and widened and paved in the early 80's; The turns were straightened, and the dips filled in, and culverts were installed so the gullies didn't drain across the road. The decomposed granite fill for the road-bed came from the quarry behind the PMC maintenance yard/transfer site. (More on this later, and some notes about guard-rails.)
To get an inkling of what it was like, you need only to go east to Lake of the Woods. (Yes, there used to be a lake there!). Turn right on Lockwood Valley Road at the Mini Mart. For the next mile or so, the roadway is narrow, winding, with little or no shoulder. The road follows the contour of the terrain, rather than coursing smoothly across it. The pavement is more repair than road. Or better still, go straight east on Frazier Mtn Park Road to Lakewood Drive, and turn left. Go a few dozen feet up the hill, and take the first left. Follow this winding street west, until it dead-ends. This is a remaining portion of the original Frazier Mountain Park Road. The road from the freeway, through Frazier Park, all the way through Lake of the Woods, past Ivins Drive, was all like these two examples. Numerous curves, dips, and unbanked turns, with lots of patched (and un-patched) potholes, made the drive "adventurous", to say the least. Rain, snow, and/or fog and ice added to the fun. A one-way trip could easily take 45 minutes, or more.
To the west, the paved portion of Mil Potrero Hwy. ended at Cedarwood Dr. The next two-plus miles was a rough, rutted, dirt road, hardly suited for passenger cars without a lot of clearance. Once you reached Cerro Noroeste (Mt. Abel) Road, the roadway was paved, but it was mostly patches between potholes.
When Kern County began the several projects to upgrade the roads, the section through Frazier Park, including the three bridges, was completed first, and bypassed the original route through "downtown" Frazier Park. (Mount Pinos Way). This project did not disrupt travel much. The other two projects, (1) from the west end of Mount Pinos Way to Cuddy Valley Road, and (2) from the east end of Mount Pinos Way to the freeway, were done within the existing road bed, or immediately adjacent to it where the road was re-aligned. As a result, travel was delayed, or stopped, for months, and most of the time you had to drive on roughly-graded, rocky, wash-board dirt roads. Once the projects were complete, the new roads were worth the wait. However, whereas before the road conditions were such that most drivers did not feel safe driving at extra-legal speed; now the wide, smooth pavement was an invitation for too many to drive like they were still on Interstate 5.
The unpaved section of Mil Potrero Highway was re-aligned and widened and paved in the early 80's; The turns were straightened, and the dips filled in, and culverts were installed so the gullies didn't drain across the road. The decomposed granite fill for the road-bed came from the quarry behind the PMC maintenance yard/transfer site. (More on this later, and some notes about guard-rails.)
Monday, October 22, 2012
Chapter 2:
This arrangement worked fairly well until the early 80's. Some people just can't leave well enough alone! Bob Marshall became Chairman of PMCPOA, and got hold of a document known as a "Public Report." In simple terms, a public report is a real estate document that provides information on a particular property, or parcel (when it is first offered for sale). The public report merely reflects the status of things at the time the report is issued, and it expires after a short time. The public report for the Commercial Center property stated (paraphrase): "Two assessments are charged to each lot (one for each Association), and the Commercial Association is responsible for snow-plowing and road maintenance." This particular public report was long-expired, but the Chairman interpreted it to mean that lot owners within parcel 526 had to pay two assessments, AND that PMCPOA did not have to provide ANY services in return. When negotiations between the two boards failed to reach a workable solution, the Commercial Association sued. (There is a whole lot more to this story, mostly involving the people who participated and their various motives, but that all will come at a later date).
As time went on, the attorney hired by PMCPOA to defend the lawsuit, with some input from the trial judge, informed the PMC board that their position was very weak, or at best flawed. There was a very good chance that if the case went to trial that Pine Mountain Club could be liable for all the funds collected as assessments from the commercial lot owners, plus interest, court costs, and the plaintiff's legal fees. Also, PMC could also be required to maintain the roads within the commercial area, and snowplow as needed, with only one assessment (for Lot #526) in return. The PMC Board voted to accept the offer already on the table from the Commercial association: PMCPOA would receive one assessment for the one lot in Pine Mountain Club, and the Commercial Association would contract with the Club for services as required, which were to be provided at net cost. This agreement was recorded as a "Stipulated Judgment", and sanctioned by the court.
That's the bare bones of the story. There's a lot more to it, but in Walter Cronkite's words: "That's the way it is."
This arrangement worked fairly well until the early 80's. Some people just can't leave well enough alone! Bob Marshall became Chairman of PMCPOA, and got hold of a document known as a "Public Report." In simple terms, a public report is a real estate document that provides information on a particular property, or parcel (when it is first offered for sale). The public report merely reflects the status of things at the time the report is issued, and it expires after a short time. The public report for the Commercial Center property stated (paraphrase): "Two assessments are charged to each lot (one for each Association), and the Commercial Association is responsible for snow-plowing and road maintenance." This particular public report was long-expired, but the Chairman interpreted it to mean that lot owners within parcel 526 had to pay two assessments, AND that PMCPOA did not have to provide ANY services in return. When negotiations between the two boards failed to reach a workable solution, the Commercial Association sued. (There is a whole lot more to this story, mostly involving the people who participated and their various motives, but that all will come at a later date).
As time went on, the attorney hired by PMCPOA to defend the lawsuit, with some input from the trial judge, informed the PMC board that their position was very weak, or at best flawed. There was a very good chance that if the case went to trial that Pine Mountain Club could be liable for all the funds collected as assessments from the commercial lot owners, plus interest, court costs, and the plaintiff's legal fees. Also, PMC could also be required to maintain the roads within the commercial area, and snowplow as needed, with only one assessment (for Lot #526) in return. The PMC Board voted to accept the offer already on the table from the Commercial association: PMCPOA would receive one assessment for the one lot in Pine Mountain Club, and the Commercial Association would contract with the Club for services as required, which were to be provided at net cost. This agreement was recorded as a "Stipulated Judgment", and sanctioned by the court.
That's the bare bones of the story. There's a lot more to it, but in Walter Cronkite's words: "That's the way it is."
Sunday, October 21, 2012
A Tale of Two CID's
Chapter One:
The first topic I have to tackle is the thing that brought this blog about. (Let's get the boring stuff out of the way.) A discussion about the two associations during Fall Festival preparations led to a lot of stories about past happenings in PMC. which ultimately made this blog a reality.
A lot of PMC members and/or residents don't know (or care) that there are two associations in Pine Mountain Club. Everyone who owns property in Pine Mountain Club is automatically a member of PMC-POA. But the Village Center is run by the Pine Mountain Club Commercial Property Owners Association. Why? you ask?
Well, it's a long story.
As originally planned, PMC is divided into Tracts. (Legal documents for club members always refer to "Lot and tract number") Tract 3402 had a large lot (13+ acres), number 526, which was designated on the original Precise Development Plan as a commercial lot (the only commercial lot on the original PDP.) After the PDP was recorded, the developer (Tenneco,) sub-divided 526 into 26 commercial lots, dubbed Subdivision 527, and formed a new Precise Development, and a new Commercial POA. The property owners within 527 own their lots individually, and also own the remaining area (Common Area), as tenants in common. This new common interest development (CID) has its own CC&R's, Bylaws, and Articles of Incorporation. The members each paid an assessment of $50 to the new association for insurance costs, corporate taxes, etc., and the association paid one assessment (also $50 then), to PMCPOA, for the one lot (526).
So far, so good.
I told you this was a long story.
Pine Mountain Club was originally pitched to Kern County as a "summer resort". (More on this later). Since no one would want to be here in the winter (!!), no provision was made for snow plowing. (If the county road - Mil Potrero- was snowed over, close it). The businesses in the Village (Commercial Center, then) would be seasonal, so no need to plow the roads there, either. Once it became obvious that access to all of PMC would be desirable year-round, some arrangements had to be made. The POA security vehicles and a couple of maintenance trucks and the pickup truck for the Stables were fitted with snow-plows, and did a reasonably good job of clearing most of the streets (keep in mind, there were a LOT of streets with NO homes). But what about the lanes and parking lots in the Village? The Commercial Association had no vehicles (and no employees, and nowhere to store a snowplow). The developer group, who also effectively ran PMC-POA, decided that charging each lot-owner in the Center a fee equal to the POA assessment ($50), would cover the cost of snow-plowing, and minor street maintenance (patching pot-holes, etc.) This was billed annually, and was called an assessment, but nothing was ever recorded to make it legal. It was a "working agreement". At that time, the amounts were nominal, and no one really worried about unintended consequences.
More soon!
The first topic I have to tackle is the thing that brought this blog about. (Let's get the boring stuff out of the way.) A discussion about the two associations during Fall Festival preparations led to a lot of stories about past happenings in PMC. which ultimately made this blog a reality.
A lot of PMC members and/or residents don't know (or care) that there are two associations in Pine Mountain Club. Everyone who owns property in Pine Mountain Club is automatically a member of PMC-POA. But the Village Center is run by the Pine Mountain Club Commercial Property Owners Association. Why? you ask?
Well, it's a long story.
As originally planned, PMC is divided into Tracts. (Legal documents for club members always refer to "Lot and tract number") Tract 3402 had a large lot (13+ acres), number 526, which was designated on the original Precise Development Plan as a commercial lot (the only commercial lot on the original PDP.) After the PDP was recorded, the developer (Tenneco,) sub-divided 526 into 26 commercial lots, dubbed Subdivision 527, and formed a new Precise Development, and a new Commercial POA. The property owners within 527 own their lots individually, and also own the remaining area (Common Area), as tenants in common. This new common interest development (CID) has its own CC&R's, Bylaws, and Articles of Incorporation. The members each paid an assessment of $50 to the new association for insurance costs, corporate taxes, etc., and the association paid one assessment (also $50 then), to PMCPOA, for the one lot (526).
So far, so good.
I told you this was a long story.
Pine Mountain Club was originally pitched to Kern County as a "summer resort". (More on this later). Since no one would want to be here in the winter (!!), no provision was made for snow plowing. (If the county road - Mil Potrero- was snowed over, close it). The businesses in the Village (Commercial Center, then) would be seasonal, so no need to plow the roads there, either. Once it became obvious that access to all of PMC would be desirable year-round, some arrangements had to be made. The POA security vehicles and a couple of maintenance trucks and the pickup truck for the Stables were fitted with snow-plows, and did a reasonably good job of clearing most of the streets (keep in mind, there were a LOT of streets with NO homes). But what about the lanes and parking lots in the Village? The Commercial Association had no vehicles (and no employees, and nowhere to store a snowplow). The developer group, who also effectively ran PMC-POA, decided that charging each lot-owner in the Center a fee equal to the POA assessment ($50), would cover the cost of snow-plowing, and minor street maintenance (patching pot-holes, etc.) This was billed annually, and was called an assessment, but nothing was ever recorded to make it legal. It was a "working agreement". At that time, the amounts were nominal, and no one really worried about unintended consequences.
More soon!
Friday, October 19, 2012
A Start
I get many questions (since we've lived in PMC almost 40 years), about WHY things are the way they are, and "who did what, when." So I've been persuaded to share some of the "history" of Pine Mountain Club.
If it's real historical fact you seek, this isn't the place. The history of these mountains and canyons, and the early inhabitants, has been well documented already, by much better writers and story-tellers than I. Bonnie Ketterl Kane has written volumes (literally) on this area. The Ridgeroute Communities Historical Society & Museum www.rrchs.org is a great source for her well-researched works. Author Peter Gray has also published a lot about the history and geography of this corner of California.
No, what this blog is about is memories, recollections, and stories. Some may be pure fiction, but if it's still a good story, why not include it?
I don't intend to have an outline, or any particular plan to this blog. It will just wander where it leads. I've made a few notes for future reference, but we'll just follow the path, wherever, whenever.
Ultimately, any story about a community comes down to people, and their lives, and personalities. There's a lot of great stories here, and some sad ones, touching ones, and some bad ones. Your questions, comments, and memories/recollections are most welcome. That said, any general negativity, or attacks on any individual, living or dead, will be removed. If you want to be negative, use one of the forums, please.
If it's real historical fact you seek, this isn't the place. The history of these mountains and canyons, and the early inhabitants, has been well documented already, by much better writers and story-tellers than I. Bonnie Ketterl Kane has written volumes (literally) on this area. The Ridgeroute Communities Historical Society & Museum www.rrchs.org is a great source for her well-researched works. Author Peter Gray has also published a lot about the history and geography of this corner of California.
No, what this blog is about is memories, recollections, and stories. Some may be pure fiction, but if it's still a good story, why not include it?
I don't intend to have an outline, or any particular plan to this blog. It will just wander where it leads. I've made a few notes for future reference, but we'll just follow the path, wherever, whenever.
Ultimately, any story about a community comes down to people, and their lives, and personalities. There's a lot of great stories here, and some sad ones, touching ones, and some bad ones. Your questions, comments, and memories/recollections are most welcome. That said, any general negativity, or attacks on any individual, living or dead, will be removed. If you want to be negative, use one of the forums, please.
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