PLEASE NOTE:  This information is an expanded version of the printed newsletters and the “roofing notices” delivered to Tinsmith and Greylock residents already.

ROOFING PROJECT PHASE 2 SCHEDULED TO BEGIN IN APRIL

HOA Board President Mary Ann Johnson announced that, following our three year plan, Phase 2 of the roofing project will include Tinsmith and the rest of Greylock.  Hopefully, the roofers will arrive in early April.  Currently they are finishing roofs in another development in Knoxville.  They are behind their schedule due to inclement weather.  Once the roofers arrive here at the beginning of April, they will probably be installling new roofs for at least two months.

These notices provide guidelines and information for home owners (or their renters).  Any questions or problems should be addressed to Board member Donna Riffe (300-5755), who is the contact person for this New Roofing Project.

****For residents on Tinsmith and Greylock, here is the order the roofers will follow: the roofers will begin on Tinsmith on the even-numbered (right) side at the cul-de-sac end of the street (#9906), followed by the odd-numbered (left) side at that same end (#9915). Then, roofers will be on Greylock, starting on the even-numbered (right) outer side (#10064 -> #10000), followed by the odd-numbered (left) side at the same end (#10067 -> #10001).  When will the roofers start work each morning?  There is no set answer to that question.  Everything depends upon the weather.  If the weather is clear but COLD, the roofers have to delay the beginning of their day because the roofs are very dangerous when conditions include frozen surfaces.  Rain and snow usually means there may not be any roofing done on that day.

Once we begin, we will need to be able to contact all residents by telephone;  therefore, if you have changed your number, please call Donna (300-5755) with your new number ASAP; plus, renters need to call with their names and telephone numbers since you are who we will need to contact once the project begins.

Phase 2 residents, please note:  Residents (including renters) have steps to take before a roof is replaced; not all of these steps can be done the “night before.”

*FIREWALLS:  This is one issue that needs to be dealt with ASAP.  Have you checked and repaired (if necessary) your firewalls in your attics? Firewalls started falling without any jarring the last 6 years;  unfortunately, these falling firewalls sometime crash through the houses’ ceilings which can result in major expenses for the owners.  That is why for the last four years, the Board has been suggesting (in continuous newsletter articles) that you check these structures.  As already explained, those fallen firewalls happened without any jarring, so now we have to be pro-active to protect our homes before the roofing begins.  The firewalls are usually attached to the beams/braces in the ceiling of our attics.  Each household getting the new roofs needs to determine if the firewalls are stable enough so they won’t fall over during the jarring caused from removing the various layers on the roof.  When you check your firewall, if it is loose, you need to stabilize it by nailing/screwing it more tightly to the braces/walls behind it in your attic.  Few folks have experience in dealing with the firewalls and have trouble due to the locations and accessibilities.  If you cannot do this kind of work, we have some contacts who can do these minor repairs for you quickly at your expense (contact Donna  for info).  Last year’s residents were warned about stabilizing those loose firewalls; many took necessary precautions, and as a result, we had NO problems.

*TREES/SHRUBS/DECORATIVE LIGHTS — No limbs or vines can be touching or lying on the roof.  Plus, if your tree limbs are taller than your house (but not touching the roof), there must be at least a FOUR FOOT CLEARANCE above the roof so the roofers can work. This trimming work is the responsibility and expense of the homeowners.  Call Donna if you need to hire help  if you are unable to do it yourself.  If residents do not take care of this problem, the Board will, at the homeowner’s expense at a “rush job” price.   Furthermore, all roof / gutter decorations /lights must have been removed.

*ATTIC PROTECTION — Remember that you have 12-16 years of debris in your rafters!  As roofers remove and install roofs, that dust/dirt debris will fall into your attic, and vibrations may cause items to shift up there.  You might want to cover your items with plastic wrap.  If items are breakable, don’t stack them (i.e. lamps should be wrapped in plastic and laid on the floor).  Also, move items away from the door’s edge.  Alert:  After your roofing is done, the first time you pull down your ladder to your attic, debris will fall into your house, so you should put something down on the floor beneath that door.

*SKYLIGHTS — Move furniture away from your skylights because some debris may fall from them during roofing.  Put plastic/towels down in that area also.  AVAILABLE OPTION:  Some homeowners want to get “rid” of their skylights!  Homeowners wishing to have their skylights permanently removed — and then replaced with shingles on the roof — must call Donna ASAP for further information.  The roofers will take care of the outside appearance for approximately $100, due before they get to your home’s roof.  Please note, you also will have to hire a contractor at your expense to correct the inside view!

*PERSONAL VEHICLES — If you will need to use your vehicles, they need to be moved away by 8-10 a.m. (depending on the weather that morning), if roofers are on your building (not just when they are on your home).  The overflow parking area at the pool has been set aside for your vehicles.  When parking in the overflow area, be sure to remove valuables from the vehicle and even more importantly, LOCK THE CAR!  You need not move any automobile in your garage if you will not need it.  Your driveway and sidewalk may be filled with supplies, shingle stacks, dump trucks, forklifts, old nails and other roofing debris while they are working on your duplex/triplex.  The street may be congested, so there will be no space there for parking cars.  Remember also that we have no parking on our streets.  Parking at your house at night is at your risk when they are still working on your building.  Also, the Tinsmith cul-de-sac will not be available for parking; that is where all the roofing materials and equipment will be stored.  If residents will have difficulty getting to their vehicles at the pool from their homes, please contact Donna (300-5755).

 *OUTDOOR FURNITURE, ORNAMENTATION — Remove these items, including anything on your porch and patio, as well as everything in the yards and flower gardens.  Outdoor furniture on the patio could be moved under the eaves and covered or they can be moved to the back of your yard, close to the large separating fences.  Tarp are scheduled to be used in the front and back of a unit being done to catch flying debris.  Since the roofers drive little forklifts up the sidewalk right to the doorway to your porch in order to lift shingles and other supplies onto the roofs,  it is best to make sure that nothing is left there… including chimes, flowerpots, bird-feeders, etc.

 *BACKYARDS, FENCE ENCLOSURES – Roofers will need open access to these areas.

*PETS — Pets cannot be staked outside during the roofers’ working hours.  The noise is very loud in your houses, which may be difficult for your dogs to endure.  Last year, several dog owners took their pets elsewhere or at least stayed home with their dogs. Cats have had no problems; at the first sign of noise, they usually go into “hiding!”

SPRING APPROACHES: TIME TO PLAN OUTSIDE PROJECTS, SO  REMEMBER ARCHITECTURAL CONTROL!

Ready to get outside and do some major remodeling?  Then it is time to contact Board member Jim Denton, who is in charge of Architectural Control.  If you are eliminating elements in your yard or are planning to add elements, please contact Jim because we are certain standards and rules to follow before you start your beautification project!  One important procedure involves your sketching out what you are planning to change / remove / add.

“POOP” PROBLEMS ON THE GROUNDS

We are losing the battle against our dogs’ excrement, feces, “poop,” leavings, or whatever you may want to call it.  Regardless of the “tag” used, the development’s grounds-keepers have been fighting a losing battle and all residents are besieged by the messes.  Dogs are welcome here, but their owners have the responsibility to clean up after their pets.

Since most of the grass cutting is done by large mowers, flying feces is flung all over the mowers—both machines and men!  This applies not only to the large grassy common areas, but also to dog owners’ yards.  All dog owners need to be conscientious about cleaning up after their dogs in their own yards, since the mowers have to mow those areas; if the yards are too filled with feces, the mowers will not enter them because of the resulting mess left by “flung feces.”  Moreover, the piles of “poop” along the roads’ and the grassy areas’ edges are glaringly noticeable.  The feces-laden edges of the open grassy common areas are nothing compared to the hidden piles all over these open areas.  Inordinate time has to be spent continuously clearing the excrement piles on the islands, which is one area that should be avoided by all pet owners please.  Another important area that has lots of “dog” traffic (if the amount of feces left there is any indication) is the pool pavilion and its surrounding area and sidewalk;  please be aware that many older and/or physically-limited residents walk there and our children frequent that area because it is a “safe area.”  Also, dog walkers please remember that those large grassy areas between the two sections of Greylock include those Greylock residents’ back yards.

A common problem involves our homeowners’ yards.  When feces is found in our front porch garden areas, on our patios and patio furniture, on our front porches or flung against our garages, it is time to remind everyone that we all need to be GOOD NEIGHBORS.   Most dog walkers do head for the large grassy areas instead of residents’ yards, but remember that many residents, our children and grandchildren, and our visitors walk or play in those common areas.

What can be done?  The solution is simple:  clean up after your pooches regardless of where they relieve themselves. 

EXTREME COUPONING FOR CHARITY

Greylock resident Carolyn McLain is working with Cokesbury UMC on its project, Manna House, which is an emergency food pantry.  Carolyn purchases food with the use of coupons.   If you can or would like to help with this project, she needs newspapers’ or flyers’ coupons or inserts – ANY COUPONS – from local groceries, markets, etc.  Volumes are needed!  These can be dropped off at her newspaper box at 9902 Greylock Way (last house on the right).

  COMMUNITY REMINDERS AND CLARIFICATIONS 

Overnight Street Parking:  Due to our narrow streets, there is no parking on the street or in the yards. This becomes dangerous for cars backing out of garages in the dark. Violators are subject to the By Laws’ fines of $20 for the resident living in that area.

Overflow Parking Areas:  These lots are designed for temporary parking for visitors to our community.  There should be room for residents’ excess vehicles on a temporary basis only.  Unfortunately, residents are once more reporting that the overflow areas have non-working vehicles or old junkers being “stored” there, especially in the overflow lot on Gate Post.  One option for these cars may be to store them in the RV lot for $10 monthly, if spaces are available.  Contact Patty Carew about the RV lot option.  Otherwise, you need to remove / tow those vehicles.  The Board will be tagging these vehicles and if they are not removed, violators will be subject to By Law penalties that could include $20 fines or towings at the owner’s expense.

Beware of Solicitors: Recently we have caught several people walking around the neighborhood soliciting even though we have signs posted at the entrances saying NO SOLICITING. You always have the option of not answering; if you do and they are selling something, please advise them we have a NO SOLITICING policy in the neighborhood and that they should leave.  You should call the NON-emergency police number (215-2444) to report them and be sure to mention we have NO SOLICITING posted at both entrances of the subdivision.  Even if they claim they have been sent from a reputable company and that you are on their list, please do not let them in your house.  The recent “intruders” claim they have been sent to talk to you personally about AT&T U-Verse, but when asked to see the list with our names on it, they became evasive.  Remember they are not from AT&T; they are hired by soliciting companies.  You can just as easily call AT&T to get the same information.