THE PELICAN BRIEF
February, 2010
Serving the Community of Pelican Pointe
Social Committee Report
Are you doing anythingon Friday, March 5th?? Mark your calendar and get your RSVP in early for
a
HOUR!!! This should be a fun, different, and an exciting event from
5:00 to 7:00 at the Lighthouse Clubhousewhere you can enjoy 3 different kinds of homemade chili
(including Irish Chili), a beverage of choice, which includes beer, wine or lemonade, and fellowship
-
-
WEAR YOUR GREEN.
The next LUNCH BUNCH will take place on Tuesday, March 9th. In January, six of us met at
ld Street and the food and service were so good we decided to
meet there again in March (not February). It is a very limited menu but excellent at a cost of $13.25 per
person. Once again attendance is down and we brainstormed ideas to get more people involved. We are
going to make up a list of people who might be interested in coming either all the time or occasionally. If you
are on the list, you will receive either an email or call 1 week prior to the date which is usually the second
Tuesday of the month, as a reminder. If you would like to be on this list please contact Mary Mulholland at
PELICAN POINTE BOOK CLUB will meet again on Friday, February 12th, at 6:30 at the home of
Mary Mulholland in EE
twisted self
search of happiness, or, in the crabby author's case, moments of "ununhappiness." The book uses a
beguiling mixture of travel, psychology, science, and humor to investigate not what happiness is, but
where it is. Please RSVP to Mary.
SUSMAN UNLEASHED
by Steve Susman
Facebook; Twitter; You Tube, Linked In; Match.com. What makes you think that such websites will
grant you happiness, hours of interesting trolling, or emotional satisfaction? A better alternative: You
ain't seen nothin,' Dude, until you log onto our own Pelican Pointe enhanced web site,
entrance photo. You must then create a user name and password. Our webmaster will reply in a
few days that you are registered. You can then access our password-protected information when it is
posted on our site. If you don't have a computer, buy or steal one; or go to a public library (if any
remain open in these days of municipal budget crises). Discard your Osborne or Commodore
computer. You deserve a new PC or Mac. Our Web Site Committee continues to improve our site and
add new features. You'll be able to obtain current information about what's happenin' here that affects
you and your townhome.
The Pelican Brief
Page 1 of 6 February, 2010
Hey, is this Antarctica or what? Why don't we remove ice from our driveways? Our highest priority
in heavy snows is to clear the snow from the driveways -- and later from sidewalks and mail kiosks --
so that our residents can go to work and be able to re-park in their garages. Those vehicular
movements invariably compress the residual snow; it becomes ice. When the weather follows a
common pattern in this season, some of that ice melts during daytime, but re-freezes again after dark.
Nonetheless, we will try to clear ice near garage doors, partially, since some driveways suffer more
than others. North-oriented driveways, of course, receive the least sunlight . Ice-melt is used
judiciously. It is very expensive, and it is very corrosive to concrete.
As the dermatologists ask, "Is there a fungus among us?" You've read in our recent newsletters more
than you ever wanted to know about humidity and possible mold in your crawl space. However, a few
penultimate observations: The responsibility to address issues of humidity, mold, and fungus rests
upon each homeowner, not upon your Homeowners Association; our Covenants so imply, and our
Rules so state. We have had no reports, to date, of any "outbreak" of any such scourges in Pelican
Pointe. Nonetheless, each homeowner and resident should be aware of this responsibility; the
conditions which are conducive to the formation of such growths; and possible ways to ameliorate
them. You may ask, Doesn't my homeowner's insurance cover the remediation of mold/fungus? I
believe the answer is No. For example, my State Farm policy specifically excludes such coverage.
Ever see the locks and gates comprising the Panama Canal? Ours are smaller. Weather permitting,
we are about to re-install our new mechanical lock on our western pedestrian (Canal) gate. We hope
that this reinvigorated lock will operate satisfactorily. It's a complex device, with double-mechanisms
and combinations. After it is tested, we will, again, notify our residents of its combination. Visit the
Highline Canal; it's cheaper enjoyment than the one at Panama.
Many treadmills are sold each January, as are health club memberships. I suspect that such fervor
results from the post-holiday resolution to "lose some of the excess weight." By spring, though, such
noble intentions have been shelved or lie dormant. It's about time to sell that treadmill, and your free-
weights, trampoline, and weight-loss CDs: It's garage sale time! Garage sales can take place in
Pelican Pointe only with Board approval. Last summer, an adequate number of our residents requested
such ok; the sale was well-coordinated by Bob Martinez. I've already been requested to assemble a list
of residents who would like a 2010 garage sale. If you wish to entice the acquisitive hordes to cough
up some coin at your garage, please contact me.
"Good restaurants are hard to find," suggests Bob Morgan, our creative director. He intends soon to
launch this feature on our expanded Pelican Pointe website. In order to make this useful for our
website (if any) of any local restaurant where you have received superior food and/or service. Please
include a few words describing the type of food, atmosphere, and price range. Restaurants of all price
ranges will be listed. As with our "Good Help" feature, the Association will not be an endorser of any
restaurant. And, further, we all know that ownership of restaurants changes; personnel changes; and
quality can vary with each visit -- and is always subjective.
Weird behavior. Money isn't everything -- but it sure keeps the kids in touch. I love cooking with
wine; sometimes I even put it in the food. I have kleptomania; but when it gets bad, I take something
for it.
The Pelican Brief
Page 2 of 6 February, 2010
THE
ITS HISTORY AND ITS STATUS !!!
by Bob Morgan
The
the v
(in the view of
most people, at least) at the North Western edge of our property that most of us traverse every day
and which, no doubt, presents a significant challenge in maintaining the otherwise fine value of our
condominiums units (as well as that of other condominium units located in our neighborhood). And if
you are even the slightest bit
associations are wondering the same thing
and feel as many of us in Pelican Pointe feel, i.e., that
something has to be done!!!!
The history, as several of us have surmised it - and learned - is that during the initial construction phase
Woodside Condominium Association
for a meeting between the City of Denver and our developer to address the problem they had of
ir driveway
was
apparently configured in such a manner, and at a location, such that the City of Denver only
allowed a
exit of the Woodside Condominium Association. So in an effort to
happy about. Apparently all parties were pleased, or agreeable, with this proposal, but the City of
Denver eventually wrote a letter stating, as we understand it, that both 1) Pelican Pointe and 2) the
Woodside Condominium Association had to assume all landscaping and maintenance cost
responsibilities to maintain the roundabout. But to our knowledge, the City of Denver never prepared a
formal agreement requesting everyone to sign it. So the letter was sort of ignored, or forgotten. And
mentioned in the convents of the Pelican Pointe Homeowners association about an agreement
as
there was no formal or legal agreement. Even so, the City of Denver has absolutely dug their heels in
and absolutely refuses to assume any responsibility, whatever, for the landscaping or the maintenance
of our roundabout.
very bad news!!! But the good news is that we feel, and hope, that there is a cost effective way to
remedy this very sad situation (other than suing the City of Denver
that would probably be neither
cost effective
nor very effective as far as remedying the problem on a timely basis).
initial effort to work with the City of Denver proved to be quite futile, Bob
along with the encouragement of the Pelican Pointe Homeowner
Association board - made a presentation to City Councilwoman Marcia Johnson in an effort to revive
the hope of obtaining City of Denver assis
tance. Again, our efforts proved difficult, but we feel we
The Pelican Brief
Page 3 of 6 February, 2010
made a little progress. What we did do, however, was talk to all of our neighbors in an effort to create
a joint effort in solving the problem
and this approach, to date at least, has proven to be quite
successful! So far, we having the following groups cooperating in that effort: 1) Pelican Point
Homeowners Association, 2) The Lighthouse, 3) The Fairmount Cemetery, 4) Koel
bel (the developer
to the south of us), 5) The Woodside Condominium Association (N. of the Roundabout), 6) Woodside
Village Condo Assn. (N. of Woodside), 7) The Woodside Village II Condo Assn. (S. of Alameda), and
8) The new Lowry Vista developer. In the case of the new Lowry Vista developer, we anticipate their
co
-
e of Koelbel, their incentive would
be to beautify the access to their new development that will be located just south of Pelican Pointe.
At the suggestion of Tom Allen, President of Woodside Village II, we began very satisfactory
discussions with their landscaper, Curt Childress, president of Metro Gardens, a landscape design,
construction & maintenance firm. This discussion proved very satisfying (compared to our initial
approach with a private design-only firm) as Curt basically indicated that once he knows the budget for
the project, he was confident he could design a xeriscaping landscaping plan that would be 1)
handsome, 2) cost effective (first-cost wise), and 3) be a design that was relatively easy and cost
effective to maintain. The cost of this plan, of course, would be shared, one way or another, by all of
the participants
We almost got this plan going in 2009, then learned that the City of Denver Fire Department was
considering some alteration work to the roundabout
in order to make it easier for some of their new
Other good news is that the approach to our plan was moving along, quite cordially, with the City of
Denver as they agreed 1) to provide any required variances to move the design forward for approval
(that we came up with), 2) agreed to wave any permit fees, 3) agreed tha
t Pelican Pointe could use our
irrigation truck for watering the planting (in lieu of installing a very expensive piped and metered
irrigation system), and 4) they agreed to try to help us with the installation of any required road-blocks,
detour signs, etc. that might be required. In this sense, we feel the City of Denver was doing their best
to be very cooperative!! And now that the Lowry Vista project has been given approval, we are
hoping the City of Denver Fire Department will move forward with their plans for the roundabout so
that we, in turn, can try to move forward with our plans for improving the roundabout.
You should also be aware that in discussing the issues of the roundabout with Marcia Johnson and
other City of Denver officials, we also accomplished some other very important issues relating to
along
signs, and 2) we obtained the commitment of the City of Denver (we hope they deliver!) to a) install
curbs all along Fairmount Drive (south of Alameda Avenue) where they are not already installed, and
b) to install some paved parking area along Fairmount Drive adjacent to the cemetery.
So stay tuned! We may be making some progress soon!!
The Pelican Brief
Page 4 of 6 February, 2010
A POSSIBLE HELPFUL SUGGESTION - AND PARTIAL SOLUTION -
TO THE QUEBEC STREET ROADWAY IMPROVEMENT WORK DILEMMA
by Bob Morgan
As you all know, a heavy percentage of Quebec Street, from the Stapleton Redevelopment area all the
way south to Leetsdale Drive has been a real mess that the City of Denver has been relatively
unsuccessful with in their attempts to correct. I mention this as on Tuesday, January 26, District 5
Councilwoman Marcia Johnson sent out a request, via e-mail (in regard to the scheduled February 24th
East Side Mobility Plan Public Meeting
) to both Steve Susman and myself,
Please walk into the
meeting with a concept, however rough, on how to pay for all
to the re-work of much of Quebec Street).
Since I will be out of town at the time of the meetings, I e-mailed Marcia my suggestion
and her
ks, This is an interesting idea
The followin
-
Dear Marcia,
I will be out of town on February 24th so I'll make a suggestion now for the financing of Quebec
Street - even though my suggestion is so obvious that I am sure this idea is an old one!
As an example, Colfax Avenue (from the east end of Aurora all the way west to Golden,
Colorado) is designated I-70B (for business route), US 40, and State Route 287 - meaning that
there's a heavy percentage of Federal and state funding for Colfax Avenue - and perhaps some
local funding too.
Now then, what's interesting is that Quebec Street already is designated State Route 35 from I-70
south to about Martin Luther King Blvd. So my idea is to get Quebec Street re-designated State
Route 35 from Martin Luther King Blvd. all the way south to State Route 83 (Leetsdale Drive).
This way, the worst stretch of Quebec Street will receive state funding assistance, and if I'm not
mistaken, will also qualify for a certain percentage of Federal funding too.
A person to talk to about this idea, at the state level, is Russell George, Executive Director of the
State of Colorado Department of Transportation at 303-757-9201.
I hope this idea helps!
Sincerely, Bob Morgan Tel: 720-255-2255
So it will be interesting
for
further developments!!!!
The Pelican Brief
Page 5 of 6 February, 2010
P.P. LISTINGS
Units on the market: V-104, C-101, II-
103, Y-104, and N-101. Under Contract: GG-102. Units
Sold Recently: None. If you want your unit to appear in this space, contact Bob Morgan by the 24th of
FEBRUARY BOARD MEETING
The next meeting of the Pelican Pointe Board of Directors will be on Monday evening, February 15th
,
2010 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Lighthouse Clubhouse. We hope to see you there!!
Board of Directors
Property Manager
Linda Corry, President
Steve Susman
Mary Mulholland, Vice President
8300 Fairmount Drive, Unit J-101
Liaison
Social Committee
Denver, CO 80247-6528
Glen Olmstead, Treasurer
Phone: 303-394-0942
Marcia Helfant
Cell Phone:
303-668-2747
Liaison
Design Review Committee
Bob Morgan,
Newsletter
The Pelican Brief
Page 6 of 6 February, 2010
