Bennett Valley Voice

Bennett Valley VOICE Inside This Issue Thoughts To Share BHA Membership 2000 BHA Board of Directors Mtg. Blood Drive, BV Fire Station February 15th, 5-8 pm Disclosure: BV AREA PLAN Bennett Valley Tidbits

Volume 23, Number

Bennett Valley Homeowners Association (BHA)

_Ianuary 2000

Bha Board Of Directors:

Bill Sullivan, President (528-6804) Marilee Jensen, Vice-President & Editor (576-0405) Nancy Dell' Ergo, Treasurer (525-1202) Leanore Mesches, Corresponding Secretary (545-8684), Bobbie Blair, Recording Secretary (542-1608) Kent Chilcott Ray Longman (545-2054), Jim Katon (528-9487). Marilyn Stocks (528-2458)

Bha Membership, 2000

Thoughts To Share From The President

"As I write this during the early morning Please complete and send in the enclosed hours, the sun is slowly reaching into the membership form, with your check for $15, plus Valley and I am once again struck by the any donations you are willing to make, in the beauty of Bennett Valley and how fortunate envelope provided. These funds are used to pay and privileged we are to live here. Were it not for such costs as producing & sending out the for those few people who many years ago had VOICE and the Guide to Bennett Valley, the Bennett Valley 2000 meetings (with the next the foresight to start our Association to save our Valley from overdevelopment, and those one planned for some time in October, 2000) people who worked long and hard on the and any other items necessary to help (Bennett Valley) area plan, we would not have preserve and protect Bennett Valley. Please note: the VOICE is mailed out to all of the this wonderful place to live in and to enjoy.

...•.Through the VOICE we will attempt parcel owners in Bennett Valley (almost 900), to keep you abreast of what is happening that at least twice a year, regardless of BHA will affect us all. I would encourage all of you membership, in order to keep everyone to attend an occasional (Board) meeting to informed about what is happening in Bennett bring up your concerns regarding the Valley or Valley. It is necessary to be a BHA member, feel free to contact any of the Board members.

though, to receive all six copies of the VOICE. The Valley is today a real example of Any donations, ideas or help you have to offer what can be accomplished by people working are welcome. Thanks! together to preserve an area that combines residences and agriculture side by side, and still maintain its scenic beauty for all to enjoy.

Working together we can continue in the preservation of our Valley to the satisfaction of the majority of the residents; it will not be easy and not without some compromises, but as a community, we must work on it. When your Association discusses any problems with government officials, they are always interested in how large our membership is so they can gauge the political clout we have. Needless to say, the more members, the more clout. So, why not take the time and make out that membership...check now while it is on your mind. (Membership slip & envelope enclosed.) We need your support in order to effectively represent the Valley." Bill Sullivan *BHA VOICE, March '97

Bha Board Meeting, 1/19/00

About twenty people were in attendance at this last BHA Board meeting. A report was heard from the BV 2000 sub-committee which is meeting to discuss finding "common ground" on Bennett Valley Design Review in Bennett Valley. They are continuing to meet regularly, pending further evaluation of the situation by county government.

At this meeting the BHA Board approved paying for copies of the Bennett Valley Area Plan (BVAP), to be sent to any real estate agent who is listing property for sale in rural Bennett Valley as well as potential or recent buyers of Bennett Valley real estate. You are referred to the article on "Disclosure", on the other side of the page.

(Please turn over)

Give Blood..Every Drop Counts!

Help keep our blood supplies at safe leveis! (Blood Bank of the Redwoods)

Tuesday, February 15Th, 5-8

pm

Bennett Valley Fire Station

6161 Bennett Valley Road

Santa Rosa

Community members are needed to donate blood at the Bennett Valley Fire Station Mobile Blood Drive on Tuesday, February 15th, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. As a volunteer blood donor you make a vital contribution to your community. Giving blood is easy! To donate you must be at least 17 years of age and weigh no less than 110 lbs. You must be free of cold and flu symptoms on the day of donation and should eat a substantial meal within four hours prior to giving blood. All donors must bring photo I.D. We need to generate community support for this blood drive in Bennett Valley. PLEASE COME!!

Disclosure: Bennett Valley Area Plan!

We need to be sure that potential buyers know about the Bennett Valley Area Plan (BVAP) before they complete their purchase of real estate in Bennett Valley. Many times owners have made potential plans for their new property which are limited by the Bennett Valley Area Plan. Needless to say this can result in strong negative feelings.

How can we be sure that potential buyers are being informed, in advance? First, anyone selling their property is legally obligated to disclose any material facts which they know about their property, to a potential buyer prior to the sale. To quote Michael Friedenberg, a local real estate agent who resides in Bennett Valley, "The Bennett Valley Area Plan is definitely a material fact which must be disclosed to potential buyers." If the real estate agent knows about the Bennett Valley Area Plan, they are also legally obligated to disclose it to potential buyers. Legal action can be pursued if a buyer was not informed about the BVAP prior to the completion of the sale.

For about one year, now, BHA has been contacting the real estate agents who are listing property for sale, in rural Bennett Valley, to be sure they are informed about the Bennett Valley Area Plan. The BHA Board of Directors has now decided to cover the cost of mailing the BAP to these agents.

Bennett Valley Tidbits

& Upper Matanzas Creek Watershed Group-

Kerry Williams, District Manager of the Sotoyome Resource Conservation District, reports that the Upper Matanzas Creek Watershed Group meetings will not be able to start until sometime this summer, because of a number of other watershed demands which they are handling. They are planning to begin the preliminary work this spring such as outlining the watershed boundaries and identifying parcel owners along Matanzas Creek. You will hear more in future VOICES.

& GUIDE TO BENNETT VALLEY - We want to especially thank Judy Simpson for all of her work in preparing the GUIDE TO BENNETT VALLEY, which is included in this mail-out. The purpose of this Guide, which resulted from the first round of BV 2000 meetings, was to provide information to new Bennett Valley residents, along with all people owning property in Bennett Valley.

Bennett Valley Calendars - All 250 Bennett

Valley calendars have been sold for $15 (cost of printing). Be sure to have your cameras ready to capture the moments of beauty in Bennett Valley, as we plan to redo these special calendars next year.

&Bennett Valley Fire Protection District:

NEW BOARD OF DIRECTORS - The new Board of Directors had their first meeting on January 11th, and plan to be actively involved in the strategic analysis of the long-term financial future of the Bennett Valley Fire Protection District. The Fire District is planning to increase communication with the Bennett Valley residents during this next year. As a sidenote, if you have desserts leftover from some social event, such as the BV 2000 meeting, the Bennett Valley Firefighters at the BV Fire Station are very receptive to receiving these extras.

• Bennett Valley Road Maintenance - If You

have concerns about particular pot holes or other road maintenance problems, we understand you can call the road maintenance foreman for the area, Jeff Ross, at 795-8630. If you want to request major improvements, such as road reflectors and white side lines on Bennett Valley Road between Warm Springs Road and Woodside, you are encouraged to write Ed Walker, Director of Sonoma Co. Dept. of Transportation and Public Works, at 575 Administration Drive, Santa Rosa, 95403.

[JACKSON PARK RANCH (Kendall-Jackson Vineyards) - In 1999, 90 acres of vineyards were planted at the Jackson Park Ranch, just west of Grange Road. For the year 2000, they are planting another 23 acres, for a total of 113 acres. There are no definite plans for further vineyard development in the immediate future.

AD BVHA MAILING LIST - If you know of any address changes, are a new Bennett Valley resident or know a Bennett Valley parcel owner who didn't receive this BHA mail out, please be sure to contact Lois Brown, at 5145 Burnham Ranch Rd, S. R., 95404, (707) 578-0708.