Open normal hours through Monday, September 1 (Labor Day) - POOL WILL BE OPEN 10 AM TO DUSK ON LABOR DAY!
Effective Tuesday, September 2 thru Sunday, September 22, the pool/grill hours will be as follows:
Tuesday thru Friday: 4 PM to 8 PM
Saturday: 10 AM to 9 PM (Grill 11 AM to 7 PM)
Sunday: NOON to 9 PM (Grill Noon to 7 PM)
We anticipate the last day of pool season will be September 22nd.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
WE ARE NOT ALONE!
This is on 45th Street. In or not far from the Hyde Park neighborhood. The picture is blurry because the driver was pointing the camera out the side window while driving safely.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
WHY WATER DURING RAIN? $$ DOWN THE DRAIN.
This question has been posed literally for YEARS now with never a satisfactory answer or apparent action! Why don't we install water sensing water controllers which - like the one at our house - determines when it is raining or has rained to stop the irrigation cycle until it dries?
During the rain recently we were paying for extra water as the sprinkler system in the neigborhood of the east entrance was full on.
You'd have a very hard time convincing me that our grounds are responsibly managed from a cost-saving point of view. Remember, this has been ongoing for YEARS. It's not only costly, but irresponsible.
During the rain recently we were paying for extra water as the sprinkler system in the neigborhood of the east entrance was full on.
You'd have a very hard time convincing me that our grounds are responsibly managed from a cost-saving point of view. Remember, this has been ongoing for YEARS. It's not only costly, but irresponsible.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
FOXES
This just in... neighbor David Smith writes...
"Here are two foxes from several weeks ago. The game camera shot was in our yard. The daylight shot is off of Musket Rim. You have to look closely to see the fox in woods on the 2nd shot. He is in the center and out of focus."
I marked him for you - it's hard to pick out but surely THERE.
Sunday I met some neighbors who live in the small area which is inside our development though not a part of it... this would be at the bottom of lower Musket Rim. A few homes there were land-bound by Spanish Oaks - they aren't part of our HOA but are within the gate, and not behind the Preserve gate.
We discussed wildlife. They said they had seen several foxes, one pretty large, on their property, one via game-cam.
Wouldn't it be interesting to put game-cams up for the same span and then see what we see? (If you do this, would love to see your Spanish Oaks' critter collection.)
Saturday, August 16, 2008
CAGE O' SKUNK
Have you been following the story of the good ole boys from Georgia who claim to have Bigfoot in a box somewhere?
This isn't that. This is real. This is the hill country, where the legends build housing developments.
Neighbor Landon Marino sent these snapshots to the blog - apparently the smell I smelled wasn't me.
But seriously, skunks, aside from their dead-on impression of burning tires, can carry rabies. We don't need no stinkin' rabies.
Nice job, Landon. Oh - some advice from country boy Bruce - you have to take them way, WAY away, or they'll come back. Of course, there have been no cases of rabies by angel that have ever been reported.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
THIS AND THAT
How will mail get to all the new homes with limited Kiosk space? Another Kiosk? Home delivery?
----
The pool will close at the end of summer unless it stays very hot in which case maybe it'll be opened weekends.
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There is supposed to be some street repair coming soon. What exactly this will apply to remains to be seen. One man's bump is another's non-bump. We are told they'll fix the one right at the gate of the east exit. Also the manholes on S.O. Blvd. circle. Already fixed - the broken cement curb at the intersection of the top of Musket Rim where it meets S.O. Blvd.
----
The pool will close at the end of summer unless it stays very hot in which case maybe it'll be opened weekends.
----
There is supposed to be some street repair coming soon. What exactly this will apply to remains to be seen. One man's bump is another's non-bump. We are told they'll fix the one right at the gate of the east exit. Also the manholes on S.O. Blvd. circle. Already fixed - the broken cement curb at the intersection of the top of Musket Rim where it meets S.O. Blvd.
Friday, August 08, 2008
HURRICANE-BORNE CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS
An answer: the builder must post a million dollar insurance policy before work can begin, which would cover such things.
THE PROPANE ISSUE EXPLAINED
This from Pam Chandler:
Many of you have expressed concerns about the rates charged for propane here in Spanish Oaks. In an effort to address those concerns, Joel Dobson (Secretary/Treasurer of the Association's Board of Directors) and I have held numerous discussions and meetings with all of the parties involved:
Hill Country Gas, L.P. - the owner and builder of the pipelines.
Sharp Community Energy - a third party vendor who maintains the system, and provides the propane to our system.
There are two primary pricing components with respect to community propane pricing, commodity charge and transportation. According to Sharp, not only has the commodity price of propane increased but, they also set a rate for each neighborhood which varies according to the delivery costs. These costs, according to Sharp, are affected by the amount of storage capacity in or near the neighborhood. For example, Sharp reports, the rate at Flintrock Falls is lower than the rate at Spanish Oaks because there is a 30,000 gallon storage tank on the property. Currently there is only an 8,000 gallon storage facility serving Spanish Oaks.
To more efficiently deliver propane to our neighborhood, it was recently reported to me that construction will soon begin on the installation of a 30,000 gallon storage facility at the rear of our lift station which is just outside the east gate. The tank will be provided by Sharp and constructed by Hill Country Gas. It is hoped that more efficient delivery (reduced trucking costs per gallon due to larger truck loads and fewer deliveries) as a result of increased storage capacity will result in somewhat lower propane service rates.
In an effort to enhance relations between Spanish Oaks residents and Sharp Community Energy, I am working with Sharp representatives to implement better communication between Sharp and the Association which will include resident information and education on ways to use their propane service more efficiently.
As the contract for propane delivery in Spanish Oaks is and will continue to be by and between Hill Country Gas and an outside provider, the Association has no actual control over the selection of a vendor or terms of the contract. However, Hill Country Gas assures us they are committed to obtaining the best service and rates for the neighborhood.
We will provide updates as additional information becomes available.
<<< BTW: It has been suggested that hot water recirculation pumps are great wasters of propane. Solution: putting the pump on a timer. >>>
Many of you have expressed concerns about the rates charged for propane here in Spanish Oaks. In an effort to address those concerns, Joel Dobson (Secretary/Treasurer of the Association's Board of Directors) and I have held numerous discussions and meetings with all of the parties involved:
Hill Country Gas, L.P. - the owner and builder of the pipelines.
Sharp Community Energy - a third party vendor who maintains the system, and provides the propane to our system.
There are two primary pricing components with respect to community propane pricing, commodity charge and transportation. According to Sharp, not only has the commodity price of propane increased but, they also set a rate for each neighborhood which varies according to the delivery costs. These costs, according to Sharp, are affected by the amount of storage capacity in or near the neighborhood. For example, Sharp reports, the rate at Flintrock Falls is lower than the rate at Spanish Oaks because there is a 30,000 gallon storage tank on the property. Currently there is only an 8,000 gallon storage facility serving Spanish Oaks.
To more efficiently deliver propane to our neighborhood, it was recently reported to me that construction will soon begin on the installation of a 30,000 gallon storage facility at the rear of our lift station which is just outside the east gate. The tank will be provided by Sharp and constructed by Hill Country Gas. It is hoped that more efficient delivery (reduced trucking costs per gallon due to larger truck loads and fewer deliveries) as a result of increased storage capacity will result in somewhat lower propane service rates.
In an effort to enhance relations between Spanish Oaks residents and Sharp Community Energy, I am working with Sharp representatives to implement better communication between Sharp and the Association which will include resident information and education on ways to use their propane service more efficiently.
As the contract for propane delivery in Spanish Oaks is and will continue to be by and between Hill Country Gas and an outside provider, the Association has no actual control over the selection of a vendor or terms of the contract. However, Hill Country Gas assures us they are committed to obtaining the best service and rates for the neighborhood.
We will provide updates as additional information becomes available.
<<< BTW: It has been suggested that hot water recirculation pumps are great wasters of propane. Solution: putting the pump on a timer. >>>
Thursday, August 07, 2008
NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENTS
THE BACKYARD EXPANDS, MOVES
After 16 years in its present location, at the end of this season, the BACKYARD, Austin’s renowned outdoor amphitheater in Bee Cave will relocate to a more accessible, larger venue, to be built almost across the street from its current location.
The proposed new venue, at the northwest corner of RM620 and Texas 71W will have seating for about 7500, 50% larger than current capacity. Addressing the convenience factor, on-site parking for 2500 cars is included in the proposal. A smaller facility to cater to smaller audiences will also replace the Glenn in the new location.
The Backyard has seen an eclectic mix of artists, ranging from Snoop Dog to ZZ Top, Dylan and Bowie to Widespread Panic.
Completion is expected by fall 2009.
Shops at The Galleria Morph
An entrance beautification project is underway – new trees, shrubs, flowers and signage will welcome shoppers; the middle entrance will be fashioned to better mirror the Galleria entrance directly across 71.
Two new restaurants are planned: Tsubaki, an Asian-fusion approach with sushi bar and deck; and a Waterloo Ice House by the pond with another deck and outside fire pit, catering to children and adults with covered patio, picnic tables and a playscape.
HEB Expands
With an expanded pharmacy, cheese and deli meat section, increased floral and organic areas, construction of the buildout is slated for May through Thanksgiving to add approximately 15,500 square feet. The front façade will be updated. Look for modifications to the lighting at the fuel station as well as the buffer landscaping along Highway 71 and Bee Cave Road.
After 16 years in its present location, at the end of this season, the BACKYARD, Austin’s renowned outdoor amphitheater in Bee Cave will relocate to a more accessible, larger venue, to be built almost across the street from its current location.
The proposed new venue, at the northwest corner of RM620 and Texas 71W will have seating for about 7500, 50% larger than current capacity. Addressing the convenience factor, on-site parking for 2500 cars is included in the proposal. A smaller facility to cater to smaller audiences will also replace the Glenn in the new location.
The Backyard has seen an eclectic mix of artists, ranging from Snoop Dog to ZZ Top, Dylan and Bowie to Widespread Panic.
Completion is expected by fall 2009.
Shops at The Galleria Morph
An entrance beautification project is underway – new trees, shrubs, flowers and signage will welcome shoppers; the middle entrance will be fashioned to better mirror the Galleria entrance directly across 71.
Two new restaurants are planned: Tsubaki, an Asian-fusion approach with sushi bar and deck; and a Waterloo Ice House by the pond with another deck and outside fire pit, catering to children and adults with covered patio, picnic tables and a playscape.
HEB Expands
With an expanded pharmacy, cheese and deli meat section, increased floral and organic areas, construction of the buildout is slated for May through Thanksgiving to add approximately 15,500 square feet. The front façade will be updated. Look for modifications to the lighting at the fuel station as well as the buffer landscaping along Highway 71 and Bee Cave Road.
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
QUESTIONS
You might be surprised to know that answers are sometimes very difficult to get from the management. Perhaps if I begin to post them here, others might wish to add their voices to the questions and maybe then we can access a timely answer.
I have been asking about the Propane Issue for months now. Info had been promised repeatedly. Still, no news.
But here's another: prompted by the almost-hurricane Eduardo headed this way, and living right beside and in front of two homes under construction, I wonder what, if any, regulations are in place for builders in the event of a hurricane? The Spanish tiles stacked on the roof next door would seem to be ideal heavy "kites" under enough wind. The same with any plywood panels unattached. And debris not in the dumpster. Just look at any construction site and ask yourself what could blow into YOUR house under enough wind pressure? Obviously, the builder has $$$ incentive to make sure all is buttoned down, but I wonder who decides what and when? Example: moving all those tiles onto the roof is no easy job. Moving them OFF would be just as time and labor intensive.
I have been asking about the Propane Issue for months now. Info had been promised repeatedly. Still, no news.
But here's another: prompted by the almost-hurricane Eduardo headed this way, and living right beside and in front of two homes under construction, I wonder what, if any, regulations are in place for builders in the event of a hurricane? The Spanish tiles stacked on the roof next door would seem to be ideal heavy "kites" under enough wind. The same with any plywood panels unattached. And debris not in the dumpster. Just look at any construction site and ask yourself what could blow into YOUR house under enough wind pressure? Obviously, the builder has $$$ incentive to make sure all is buttoned down, but I wonder who decides what and when? Example: moving all those tiles onto the roof is no easy job. Moving them OFF would be just as time and labor intensive.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
71 UPDATE
This from rep. Valinda Bolton:
Hwy 71 from Uplands Ridge to Arroyo Canyon Drive
· Reconstruction of the Barton Creek Bridge with reduced speed limits in construction zones.
· Reconstruction of this segment into a 5-lane Highway with 8-foot shoulders.
· Project will be bid on in Summer 2009.
We were once told this process could take up to 7 years due to the various processes involved. Either that info was wrong, or some thing's changed! Specifically, we were told the environmental concerns of widening that bridge would take years to address. This will be interesting to follow. We wish the salamanders well, but our east entrance/exit needs that turn lane, if not a traffic light.
Hwy 71 from Uplands Ridge to Arroyo Canyon Drive
· Reconstruction of the Barton Creek Bridge with reduced speed limits in construction zones.
· Reconstruction of this segment into a 5-lane Highway with 8-foot shoulders.
· Project will be bid on in Summer 2009.
We were once told this process could take up to 7 years due to the various processes involved. Either that info was wrong, or some thing's changed! Specifically, we were told the environmental concerns of widening that bridge would take years to address. This will be interesting to follow. We wish the salamanders well, but our east entrance/exit needs that turn lane, if not a traffic light.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
SKUNKADILLOCOON?
Something has been visiting our landscaping and digging it up at night. Whatever it is, it doesn't follow the rules for when workers are to be on site.
It wouldn't matter so much but this being the year of the Green, we put a layer of newspaper under the mulch to prevent weeds. Now we have mulch'n'paper strips instead.
I spoke to a wise neighbor. He says if you get rid of them they'll just come back. What? For the comic section?
Seriously, maybe I should borrow his infrared camera to see just what it is out there? THEN what, I don't know. If they'll come back, what's the use?
On the garden GREEN front I bought a concentrate (expensive, actually) which is supposed to contain a bacterium which infests caterpillars and kills them from the inside. I've sprayed now FOUR times and they still lounge about on the leaves like divorced women poolside in South Beach. Green is a nice idea I subscribe to, but it has to work. Today I doubled down the dose. I expect the shrubs to be dead in the mulch'n'newspaper garden by morning.
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
SOMETHING IS READING OUR LANDSCAPING
Since going green is all the rage, this year, prior to mulching, we took an article out of the paper to heart, in which they described putting sheets of newspaper under the mulch to act as a weed barrier.
What the article didn't mention was the possibility that a skunk, raccoon, or armadillo would find our mulch-with-buried-newspaper intriguing, as it is now digging it all up, presumably to read the text.
What the article didn't mention was the possibility that a skunk, raccoon, or armadillo would find our mulch-with-buried-newspaper intriguing, as it is now digging it all up, presumably to read the text.
Friday, July 04, 2008
THE 4TH OF JULY POOL AND LODGE OPENING
"WATERMELLON EATING RULES!!!"
"I GOT IT I GOT IT I GOT IT"
"MY HUSBAND IS WATCHING OUR LITTLE GIRL - NOW IT'S MY TURN TO RELAX"
"DADDY ON A DAY THAT COULDN'T BE BETTER!"
"TWINS!"
"JUST LIKE ST. TROPEZ. CANNES? LA JOLLA? BETTER!"
"Wow, where'd all those people come from!?" was a repeated phrase as quite the turnout on a beautiful puffy cloud day brought together families, friends, neighbors, new neighbors, potential neighbors, developers, builders, and more.
Beautiful people and sunny mop-tops were sighted everywhere. The food was great and the water inviting.
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
HERE KITTY KITTY - FOUND CAT
A beautiful little (very hungry) cat found its way to us today and I’m desperately trying to find his owner. Would you mind posting his picture on the website? I’m assuming he belongs to someone in Spanish Oaks.
Thank you so much,
Joni Benson in Barton Creek Preserve
402-1282
jonibenson@austin.rr.com
Friday, June 27, 2008
POOL WOWSER
We stopped by for a quick looksee and WOW this is turning out much, much nicer than we expected.
Pam Chandler sent out the following, so here is is for your future convenience:
Dear Spanish Oaks Homeowner:
As you are already aware, our new Lodge and Community Pool will officially open on Friday, July 4th, with an afternoon of fun, food, and beverages! We hope to see you all there. I’d like to take this opportunity to share with you information about the pool hours of operation, food service, and pool rules.
The pool will be open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 AM to 9 PM, and Sundays NOON to 9 PM. On Mondays, the pool will be closed for cleaning and maintenance. Pool season will normally be from Memorial Day through Labor Day; however we will be flexible according to the weather in spring and fall.
Spanish Oaks Golf Club will be managing the pool and grill for the Association. They will provide the pool attendants (No Lifeguards Will Be On Duty), and staff the grill for your light dining pleasure. Grill hours will be 11 AM to 7 PM, Tuesday through Saturday and Noon to 7 PM on Sundays. The Grill will be closed on Mondays along with the pool. Please note that both the pool and Grill hours will be subject to change periodically at the discretion of the Homeowners Association.
All property owners will be able to charge food and beverages at the Grill, and the HOA will invoice you at the end of each month for all of your charges. It will not be necessary to bring a credit card to the pool, and the Grill will not accept cash. Your Lodge bill will be separate from your HOA and/or Club statement, and will be due and payable within 15 days after receipt. At some point in the future, we will be able to accept credit cards at point of sale, or with a pre-authorization that will be kept on file.
The Pool Rules will be posted at the Lodge, and are listed below:
· Use pool at your own risk. No lifeguard on duty. The HOA and its affiliates are not responsible for accidents or injuries.
· Adult Supervision required for all children under age 14. Children not potty-trained must wear swim diapers while in the pool.
· No diving allowed.
· No tobacco products allowed in pool area.
· No running, pushing or other dangerous horseplay.
· No climbing on the rocks.
· No glass in pool area.
· No pets allowed in pool area.
· Swimsuits only, no cutoffs or shorts.
· Management is not responsible for articles lost, damaged or stolen.
· Discard trash and food in the receptacles provided.
· Please no skates, bicycles, skateboards, etc. in Lodge area.
· Management reserves the right to deny use of pool to anyone at any time.
As of the 4th, the HOA office will be at the Lodge, just on your left as you walk up the stairs. Please stop by for a cup of coffee and visit – I’ll be there Monday through Friday, 8:30AM to 5 PM. My phone number will remain the same: 533-2365, and e-mail is pchandler@spanishoaks.com.
Monday, June 23, 2008
GENERAL DO-DAH
We took a ride yesterday through the back area of Spanish Oaks and found new roads we have never explored... not that there's anything there except maybe a view, but it is obvious that growth is upon us. I wonder what it'll be like when we are in the later stages of development? I expect there will be a lot more traffic and some super homes (I think we were the 14th residents in early 2005 so we have a little historical perspective anyway.)
--
The other evening I took another ride through the back country and was surprised by the assortment of wildlife - at dusk it'd be cool to take your tykes for a look-see if not past their bedtime. Bunches of what appeared to be either baby or midget deer, a fox, a skunk waddling down the road (thankfully, odor free.)
--
I can't get any info on the Propane issue. Somebody on vacation? Detail blackout?
Some sort of new deal pending? The meeting was supposed to have taken place several weeks back.
--
The other evening I took another ride through the back country and was surprised by the assortment of wildlife - at dusk it'd be cool to take your tykes for a look-see if not past their bedtime. Bunches of what appeared to be either baby or midget deer, a fox, a skunk waddling down the road (thankfully, odor free.)
--
I can't get any info on the Propane issue. Somebody on vacation? Detail blackout?
Some sort of new deal pending? The meeting was supposed to have taken place several weeks back.
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
CONVEYENCE
This issue is this: from time to time, Discovery 'conveys' common property to the HOA. The question which then arises is, what is the process by which that property is ACCEPTED and deemed in appropriate condition. (I.E.: will we have repair issues ahead?)
I could not get an answer from our HOA REP after weeks and weeks. Thus, this reply from Pam Chandler, for which I thank her:
Bob - Please forgive the delay in responding to this question. Most of the streets, and all of the park areas have not yet been conveyed. There are a few, and they were already in the name of the association when DLC took over. They are:
Malaquita Branch (Section 1)
Musket Rim (in sections II and IIB)
Spanish Oaks Club Blvd. in Section III (between Hacienda Ridge & Little Barton Lane)
Little Barton Lane (Section A)
Hacienda Ridge in Section III
Spanish Oaks Club Blvd. in Section V (between Little Barton Lane Hwy. 71)
Our process is:
1) the road contractor posts a performance bond
2) the work is completed, with periodic inspections and testing of the integrity of the road work
3) independent engineers re-test and visually inspect for failures
4) any failures are documented for repair by the contractor
5) once all repairs are made to the satisfaction of the developer and the HOA, attested to by the engineers, the streets are conveyed.
Paraiso Parkway, most of Musket Rim, most of Spanish Oaks Club Blvd., and none of the side streets in the earlier phases have been conveyed. Nor have any of the new section roadways (sections 7, 9 and 9) been conveyed.
I could not get an answer from our HOA REP after weeks and weeks. Thus, this reply from Pam Chandler, for which I thank her:
Bob - Please forgive the delay in responding to this question. Most of the streets, and all of the park areas have not yet been conveyed. There are a few, and they were already in the name of the association when DLC took over. They are:
Malaquita Branch (Section 1)
Musket Rim (in sections II and IIB)
Spanish Oaks Club Blvd. in Section III (between Hacienda Ridge & Little Barton Lane)
Little Barton Lane (Section A)
Hacienda Ridge in Section III
Spanish Oaks Club Blvd. in Section V (between Little Barton Lane Hwy. 71)
Our process is:
1) the road contractor posts a performance bond
2) the work is completed, with periodic inspections and testing of the integrity of the road work
3) independent engineers re-test and visually inspect for failures
4) any failures are documented for repair by the contractor
5) once all repairs are made to the satisfaction of the developer and the HOA, attested to by the engineers, the streets are conveyed.
Paraiso Parkway, most of Musket Rim, most of Spanish Oaks Club Blvd., and none of the side streets in the earlier phases have been conveyed. Nor have any of the new section roadways (sections 7, 9 and 9) been conveyed.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
MORE DETAIL ON PROPANE QUESTION
This is a follow up to the yet unanswered questions in a post below, and may or may not apply, but IS food for thought:
These declarants are setting up the subdivisions so that you are forced to purchase from vendors that they have financial arrangements with forever.
Look at the CCRs for Howard Ranch. Note any provisions obligating you to 1) install propane appliances, 2) purchase all of your propane forever from the specified propane vendor. Note that there is no obligation on the vendor to even be around tomorrow. However, the biggest concern is that propane is economically unregulated which means that they can charge you whatever they want to for propane and you have absolutely no choice but to grin and bear it.
(edit) This propane scam is occurring in subdivision after subdivision throughout central Texas. Natural gas is economically regulated - propane is not. You will have no choice as to vendor, quality, or price. If you attempt to utilize a different vendor, you can rest assured that you will be threatened with fines and foreclosure on your home by an action to enforce deed restrictions.
The HOA is the declarant's enforcement mechanism to force you to support the declarant's designated vendor. The declarant will likely control the HOA for quite some time. One might suspect that the propane vendor and declarant have a side deal that is not being disclosed to purchasers.
Although some industry-folks claim that deed restrictions preserve value, I guess you have to ask "for who?" This restriction has nothing to do with aesthetics, but rather is set up to trap residents into a particular vendor - forever. Aside from the possibility of being bilked while you are there, the habitability of your home will be tied to the welfare of the propane and water vendors. The marketability of your home will suffer if either vendor has a bad reputation, however, the converse is not true.
There are a number of companies going into the "business" of central propane systems because its extremely lucrative. The vendor has an absolute monopoly on an economically deregulated resource - propane. You won't realize you've been had until long after you move in.
Be very wary of those central propane systems. The argument is that they are "economic and efficient" or that they "benefit the community". However, they primarily benefit the declarant and vendors setting them up. Unless you have alternatives, they have zero incentive to please the customer on price, quantity, or quality.
In addition to the price per gallon for consumption, many of these vendors also require a monthly account fee for the privilege of maintaining your customer account. Most consumers are not able to tell whether they are being had because the monthly bill illustrates consumption as gaseous cubic feet (like natural gas), but propane is priced on a per liquid gallon basis.
Think about it and why the system was set up.
These declarants are setting up the subdivisions so that you are forced to purchase from vendors that they have financial arrangements with forever.
Look at the CCRs for Howard Ranch. Note any provisions obligating you to 1) install propane appliances, 2) purchase all of your propane forever from the specified propane vendor. Note that there is no obligation on the vendor to even be around tomorrow. However, the biggest concern is that propane is economically unregulated which means that they can charge you whatever they want to for propane and you have absolutely no choice but to grin and bear it.
(edit) This propane scam is occurring in subdivision after subdivision throughout central Texas. Natural gas is economically regulated - propane is not. You will have no choice as to vendor, quality, or price. If you attempt to utilize a different vendor, you can rest assured that you will be threatened with fines and foreclosure on your home by an action to enforce deed restrictions.
The HOA is the declarant's enforcement mechanism to force you to support the declarant's designated vendor. The declarant will likely control the HOA for quite some time. One might suspect that the propane vendor and declarant have a side deal that is not being disclosed to purchasers.
Although some industry-folks claim that deed restrictions preserve value, I guess you have to ask "for who?" This restriction has nothing to do with aesthetics, but rather is set up to trap residents into a particular vendor - forever. Aside from the possibility of being bilked while you are there, the habitability of your home will be tied to the welfare of the propane and water vendors. The marketability of your home will suffer if either vendor has a bad reputation, however, the converse is not true.
There are a number of companies going into the "business" of central propane systems because its extremely lucrative. The vendor has an absolute monopoly on an economically deregulated resource - propane. You won't realize you've been had until long after you move in.
Be very wary of those central propane systems. The argument is that they are "economic and efficient" or that they "benefit the community". However, they primarily benefit the declarant and vendors setting them up. Unless you have alternatives, they have zero incentive to please the customer on price, quantity, or quality.
In addition to the price per gallon for consumption, many of these vendors also require a monthly account fee for the privilege of maintaining your customer account. Most consumers are not able to tell whether they are being had because the monthly bill illustrates consumption as gaseous cubic feet (like natural gas), but propane is priced on a per liquid gallon basis.
Think about it and why the system was set up.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
PROPANE PRICE
At a recent neighborhood get-together, an owner took me aside to explain how, upset by what he considered to be the price of propane, he had done some investigation. Sharp Energy told him that there was an add-on to our price by the owner of the pipeline which supplies us. This was confirmed by a spokesperson for Spanish Oaks: "Ray Welsh owns Hill Country Gas, LP (the entity that owns the gas lines in the neighborhood). Hill Country contracts with Sharp to deliver propane and maintain the system. I've been meeting with Mr. Welsh and am meeting with Sharp this week to get this all sorted out - some things may be rumor and others fact. When I have all the answers, I will send the info out to all the property owners."
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