DC Ranch Mission Statements

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• Ranch Association: Emphasizing customer care and sustained property values. Protects fiscal and environmental assets. Provides professional financial, landscape and maintenance staff. Manages security services.

• Community Council: Visioning and facilitating initiatives that enhance residents’ quality of life and serve collective interests. Provides recreational, educational, cultural, and volunteer opportunities. Promotes the DC Ranch brand and manages communication programs.

• Covenant Commission: Establishes and maintains standards for architectural and landscape design while working with property owners, builders and architects to preserve harmony with our desert environment.

Principles of Civil Dialogue

Respect and diversity ofthought are valued atDC Ranch. Civildialogue should beused when addressing

the Board, another resident, or a DC Ranch staffmember.

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Call to Order

Roll Call of Board Members

• Elizabeth Kepuraitis President• Geoff Wilner Vice President • Elaine Cottey Secretary • Sam Hawkins Treasurer • Dr. Philip Geiger Director• Stephen Koven Director • Don Matheson Director

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Meeting AgendaJanuary 4, 2021

• Call to Order • Roll Call/Establish Quorum• Member Comment Period• Approval of Prior Meeting Minutes• President’s Comments• NVM Elections and Appreciation• Executive Director’s Report• Special Presentation

- Firewise Program – Mark Zimmerman, Assistant Fire Chief/Fire Marshal • Unfinished Business

- Replacement Tree Selection at Arcadia • New Business

- Proposed Revisions to Policy 104 (Board Governance) - Annual Policy Review - Proposed Adjustments to Exterior Modification Fees - Neighbor Notification for Exterior Modifications - Audit Services Contract

• Committee Reports • Announcements• Adjournment

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Public Comment

We want to hear from our residents.There are at least two opportunitiesfor the Board to hear from residents.There is a public comment period atthe start of every meeting.

Also, prior to a board action, residentsare provided with an opportunity tocomment.

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Approval of Minutes

• December 7, 2020 Executive Session • December 7, 2020 Regular Meeting• December 17, 2020 Executive Session

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President’s CommentsElizabeth Kepuraitis

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NVM Elections and Appreciation Terri Raimondi

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Departing Neighborhood Voting Members New NVMs• MJ Hall-Market Street Villas Pam Church• Chris Sloffer-The Villas Theresa Johnson• Ernie Milner-Terrace Homes East Lane Heimsoth |Alt. David Young• Matt Farber-The Estates (lots 56-111) Doug Wilson• The Estates (lots 1-55) Vacant Grant Venable• Terri Hewitt-Courtyards at Desert Parks Meg Sassaman • Kevin Walsh-The Villages at Market Street NVM needed• Brad Littleton-Montelena NVM needed• Steven Marks-93rd Place Camelot Wendy Marks |Alt. Bob Goebel• Jack Pfeiffer-Rosewood (relocated) Kathleen Cummings• Chris Notolli-Country Club/Mule Deer Trail Michael Dee• Josh Stumpf-Rob’s Camp/Silverleaf NVM needed• Cindy Romano-Acacia Court/Silverleaf Marla Walberg• Larry Day –Horseshoe Canyon 5.1-5.7 NVM needed• Kay Nadel-Crescent Park/Silverleaf NVM needed • Deb Benham-Canyon Villas Kat Thatcher• Kirk Kaprelian-North Arcadia Barry Chasse• Charlie Kirke-South Arcadia John Zyadet• Saguaro Canyon-Vacant Ann Barker• Wingspan-Vacant Angela Thompson

NVM Elections and Appreciation Terri Raimondi

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Totals• New NVMs 15• Filled vacant positions 3• Added Alternate NVMs 4• Additional Alternate NVMs (not on the previous slide)

• Terrace Homes West Kumash Patel• The Haciendas Alfred Hackbarth

• New and Returning NVMs 39• New and Returning Alternates 8

Executive Director’s Report Darren Shaw• Covid-19 / operations update • Annual Election Timeline (see slide 11)• Five-part Community Safety Series starts January 6 at 5 p.m. (see slide 12)• Plant replacement to begin in January (roughly 1,000 plants)• 16 Trees being replaced throughout community ($10,600) – Reserves • 170 Street lined sissoo trees trimmed for utility clearance • 35 Directional signage headers replaced ($9,572) – Reserves • Open position on Budget and Finance Committee (two members interested)

- There is a committee meeting on January 25 – the committee will make a recommendation to the Board

• Arcadia sissoo tree project update • Sub-Association management update• DC Ranch podcast program is underway• Anderson Agency two-year review to be conducted mid-January • Starting January 1, all contractors will be required to use guest gate at Windgate• Solar install guidelines are in development for commonly maintained roofs• Team value awards to awarded in January based on five team values (fun,

professionalism, innovation, passion and teamwork)11

Annual Election Timeline Darren Shaw

• 2.1.2021 - Candidate Forms posted on DC Ranch.com• 2.1.2021 - Election Kickoff at Board of Directors meeting• 3.1.2021 - Deadline for candidate applications | 5 p.m.• 3.15.2021 - Meet the Candidates Night | 6 p.m.• 3.6.2021 - Ballots mailed to Neighborhood Voting Members• 4.5.2021 - Annual Meeting/Election Results Announced

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Community Safety Series Darren Shaw

• This five-part series is hosted by DC Ranch and is presented by Scottsdale Police

• Neighboring communities are encouraged to attend • The program kicks off via Zoom and begins on each date at 5 p.m.

- 1.6.2021 Scams and Fraud - 3.3.2021 Self Awareness and Personal Safety - 5.5.2021 Teen Drug Use and Drug Trends - 8.8.2021 Teen Drivers - 10.13.2021 Surviving Critical Incidents

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Firewise Program Mark Zimmerman, Fire Marshal

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• An Overview of the Firewise program, Fire Department Defensible Space Guidelines, NAOS land issues, and Invasive Plants for Scottsdale.

DC RanchSFD Firewise Defensible Space

“We Care For You”

Scottsdale FD Firewise Program

• What is it?

• Firewise is an NFPA program that encourages communities to work together to learn to adapt to living in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI)

• The goal is to create conditions that reduce wildfire intensity in communities and neighborhoods and to prevent home ignitions

• It is a multi-agency program that encourages the development of defensible and survivable space and the prevention of disastrous wildfire

What is Firewise and how does it work?

• Community involvement required – 5 Standards- Create a Firewise Committee and Board- Complete a community hazard assessment and create a Firewise

plan- Hold a Firewise Day event annually- Invest a minimum of $24 per household annually in local wildfire

mitigation projects- Submit a completed Firewise Community Plan and application

Scottsdale Fire Department Assistance for Communities

▪Helping local communities or HOA’s understand the various components and requirements of the program

▪Meet with the local community and or board to initiate a discussion of the process and activities needed to obtain this recognition

▪The Community/Board leaders will create a local Firewise Board or Committee

▪A SFD Firewise representative will hold an initial meeting with the community representatives to present the program and answer questions

SFD Assistance Continued

▪A SFD Firewise representative schedules a site visit and performs a community assessment

▪The local Firewise Board works with representatives of the Scottsdale Fire Department to conduct a community assessment and establish a risk abatement plan. Guidelines are established with the City of Scottsdale Wildland & NAOS Defensible Space brochure, the Home Fire Inspection Checklist, and the City of Scottsdale Invasive Plant removal program. All will be used as baseline documents

▪The local Firewise Board works to schedule and hold a Community Firewise Day event

▪The Firewise application is loaded and submitted to the NFPA Firewise site with supporting documentation

Collaboration Efforts to Create Scottsdale’s Defensible Space Program

• The Planning Department worked closely with the Fire Department to ensure that critical defensible spaces are achieved while maintaining the overall integrity of NAOS.

• This has been accomplished through the creation of clear guidelines and parameters for the removal of dead vegetation and trimming within specified distances from walls, street and structures.

NAOS is a development standard established through the Environmentally Sensitive Lands Ordinance (ESLO)

Potential Conflicts With the COS Fire Code for Defensible Space Requirements

NAOS

How to identify a dedicated NAOS area?

• Access Parcel Information Maps showing easement overlays.

• www.scottsdaleaz.gov Search “Parcel Information maps”

What is Defensible Space?Firefighter Access

Why is it important ?

40000 Block of 112th Way – August 5, 2015

40000 Block of 112th Way – August 5, 2015

Scottsdale Fire Code & Firewise Requirements

Defensible Space

Init

ial D

efe

nsi

ble

Sp

ace

(S

ee

Sp

eci

fic

Act

ion

s)

Thin

& R

em

ove

De

ad &

Fal

len

Tota

l To

Mai

nta

in

Existing Homes 15 ft. 15 ft. 30 ft.

Walls (on lots & perimeter) 5 ft. 15 ft.20 ft.

(+ backyard)

Roadways 10 ft. 20 ft. 30 ft.

Construction SitesBuilding Envelope

30 ft. Varies #3

1. This is a “Fuel Management” program designed to properly maintain plant life in the Defensible Space.

2. The Vegetation Maintenance areas (Defensible Space) my be increased by the Fire Marshalbased on terrain and grade to provide adequate defensible space (up to 100 ft.).

2. Do not stack wood or other flammable materials within the Defensible Space Zones or outside of the building envelope: Remove any combustible construction waste/material.

5 ft Area Before – Firefighter Access

5 ft Area After - Firefighter Access

Natural Spacing & Plant Mixtures

Next 15 ft Before - Uphill Exposure

After Thinned W/Dead & Down Removed

Canopy and Wall Clearance

What Not to Do in NAOS?

Do Not Over Clear an Area !

Invasive Plant Species

▪ What are they?

▪ Where can they be removed?

▪ How to remove it?

Desert Broom vs. Turpentine

Garlon

‘2006 the McDowell

Sonoran Preserve

Committee and the

Phoenix Zoo conducted

joint studies to address

ways to control a wide

range of invasive plants.

Materials with a Garlon

component proved to be

the most effective when

addressing the larger

species like Desert Broom

and Tamarisk (Salt Cedar)

Mistletoe

Fountain Grass (non-native)

Scottsdale Fire Prevention Division Contact Info

480-312-1855

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Questions?

Unfinished Business

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Replacement Tree Selection at Arcadia

• At its November 2, 2020, meeting the Board adopted a removal/replacement project schedule for the street lined sissoo trees located on owner lots

• On November 30, 2020, a survey was sent to all Arcadia owners asking for input on the replacement tree selection

- Five trees that were selected by the Project Team were provided • Evergreen Elm, Fan-Tex Ash, Red Push Pistache, Southern Live Oak

and Tipu • 43 responses were received

- The two trees receiving the most support was the Evergreen Elm (12) and the Fan-Tex Ash (10) (see next slide)

• On December 19, 2020, the two top trees were resurveyed – that survey concludes January 1, 2021

• The project schedule approved by the Board calls out the tree selection on January 4, 2021

• Once the tree selection process is complete the DRB process with the City of Scottsdale can begin

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Replacement Tree Selection at Arcadia

New Business

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Proposed Revisions to Policy 104Board Governance

• In 2020, the Association’s Bylaws were amended• In the process of coordinating all related governing documents, it was discovered

that necessary changes to Policy 104 (Board Governance) went unnoticed • Section 104.5 provided that the Board itself maintained the authority to remove

directors entirely from the Board • This is not the case according the ARS 33-1813 and 33-1804• The Board can only remove directors from office that the Board itself elected

them to hold• Only Association Voting Members can remove a director from the Board entirely,

because it was the Voting Members who elected them• Proposed revisions to 104.5 correct this concern• According to Policy 102, the Board can conditionally approve the proposed

changes to Policy 104 and post them for the required 30-day member comment period

• If conditionally approved, the Board can formally consider approval at its March 1, 2021, regularly scheduled board meeting

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Annual Policy Review

• Policy 101 requires that the Board review the Association’s policies annually

• This review generally happens during the months of December and January

• All Association policies are provided at DCRanch.com• Any changes to existing policies will be made one of two ways

1. If substantial changes are required, the changes will be posted for the 30-day member comment period then are brought back to the Board for formal consideration

2. If the changes are minor in nature e.g., scrivener’s or typos, those changes can be approved by the Board at the time they are discussed

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Proposed AdjustmentsExterior Modification Fees

• Project fees have not been adjusted since 2016• Covenant Commission has turned over all exterior modification requests

under 100 square feet to the Modifications Department (including Silverleaf now)

• The workload has increased due to the volume and complexity of the requests

• Director of Exterior Modifications, Larry Cowles, reviewed the various projects fees to determine if they were representative to the required work

• Fee adjustments were recommended to the Modifications Committee• The Committee unanimously approved the proposed fee adjustments • The Board can now formally consider approving the proposed fee

adjustments• If approved, the fee adjustments should be put into effect immediately

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Neighbor Notification for Exterior Mods

• This matter addresses privacy concerns related to exterior modifications by neighboring homes that impact the privacy of adjacent homes

• The case in point is a second story deck that was approved by the Modifications Committee upon recommendation from the Director of Modifications

• The approval process for exterior modifications does not consider neighbor concerns regarding privacy, at least not formally

• It is suggested that the exterior improvement approval process, where a privacy concern from an adjacent home can be made, include as part of the process, notification to the neighboring home, and the opportunity to comment prior to formal consideration by the Modifications Committee

• This procedural element has been presented to the Modifications Committee and a majority of its members were supportive

• The Modifications Committee will always reserve the right and have the authority to approve exterior modifications regardless of the comments received

• It is suggested that the Board formally approve a neighbor notification process as part of the Committee’s consideration process and require its use when applicable

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Audit Services Contract Award

• In the fall of 2020, an RFP was sent to four CPA firms soliciting interest in performing audit and tax preparation services for the Association, Community Council and Covenant Commission

• One of those firms was the incumbent (Butler Hanson)- Butler Hanson has performed these services for the Association and

Community Council for six years• Director of Financial Operations, Dee Nortman, worked with Finance Committee

members from the Association and Community Council to formulate a recommendation

• The recommendation is to approve a three-year agreement with Mansperger, Patterson & McMullin for audit and tax services

• The annual cost is $31,125 for the Association, Community Council and Covenant Commission (all inclusive), of which the Association’s portion is $16,250

- The Community Council Board approved it’s three-year agreement by written consent

• The 2019 contract with Butler Hanson was $30,000 for comparison purposes • Approve a three-year contract with Mansperger, Patterson & McMullin at an annual

cost of $16,250 for the Association

Additional Discussion ItemsCommittee Reports

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Announcements

• Community Safety Series; 5 p.m. on Wednesday, January 6, 2021 (Zoom)

• Next Regularly Scheduled Board Meeting: 6 p.m. on Monday, February 1, 2021 (Zoom)

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Adjournment

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