OLCA News "OVER" View Articles

To simplify the process when condo owners experience problems, a new Condo Problem Submission Form has been created replacing the old Work Order Request Form. This Condo Problem Submission Form should be submitted when owners notice a landscape or building problem, or a problem around your building or complex.

Examples include issues with any of the following:

• Tree, bush, lawn, garden
• Irrigation, heads, sprinklers
• Building trim, bricks, soffit, bib
• Driveway, sidewalk, cobble rocks, street
• Roof, gutter, vents

The form allows owners to include a description of the issue and provides an opportunity to offer a solution. Completed forms should be emailed to the Building & Grounds Committee  and the Overlook Lakes Office  You can also drop off hard copies at the Overlook Lakes Office, 8601 Westlake Dr. A response will be to you within a week.

In addition a new Owner Exception Request Form has been created replacing the Common Elements Request Form. The Owner Exception Request Form should be used when owners are asking for permission to do something outside of the normal condo rules.

For example, owners may place pots, flags, statues, and other decorative items on their patio, balcony or sidewalks and garden areas per our condo rules. See Rules of the Association. Limited in-garden planting by owners around buildings and the complex, or other exceptions to our condo rules, are allowed only after receiving written approval and evaluation by association management of your specific request and its location. Please submit the Owner Exception Request Form and provide a detailed description (what you’d like to do and where you’d like to do it) of your request.

Email completed forms to the Buildings & Grounds Committee . You can also drop off hard copies at the Overlook Lakes office, 8601 Westlake Dr. Please do not email or call board members, committee members, or volunteers. A response will be to you within a week.

We’re all neighbors and volunteers, thank you for helping to keep Overlook Lakes Condos landscape healthy and beautiful!

As we come to the end of the summer, please keep in mind that owners should not discard cuttings or dump the contents of pots into flower beds and bushes. Not only is this unsightly for our neighbors, it also obscures our expensive wood chips that we would like to preserve.

Please place all cuttings and contents of pots under a tree by the road and our contractor will pick them up.

Thank you and thank you for helping to keep Overlook Lakes Condos landscape healthy and beautiful!

You have probably noticed the red and green ribbons tied around our trees that appeared in the last few weeks. And you might have wondered what in the world are those for? Well, our own Building and Grounds (B&G) volunteers have been working with SavATree Tree Service to identify trees that need pruning or removing. The goal is to make a comprehensive list and then prioritize the work.

Currently we are awaiting a proposal from SavATree so we can schedule and prioritize. Once we have costs, we will determine what work can be done this season.

Trees with green ribbons are recommended for pruning. SavATree will prune low hanging limbs, dead limbs, and limbs that are interfering with buildings. Trees with red ribbons are recommended for removal. Most of these are diseased and/or a potential hazard to people or buildings. Note that none of the red ribbon trees are in danger of falling immediately.

Stay tuned for more updates as B&G volunteers work through this necessary project. If you have questions feel free to contact Melanie Rogers chair of B&G.

From mid-December 2024 to mid-January 2025 a group of owner volunteers was busy trimming and pruning our Austrian pines, hawthorns and crabapples. Under the direction of the Buildings & Grounds committee, led by Melanie Roberts, the group pruned 63 trees and logged 52 person hours over 19 work days. We estimate the task saved our association $6000 in contractor fees.

The Board has become aware that the coyotes seen near the apartments last week were seen this weekend near the condominiums around building 40. This requires immediate action to minimize the danger to children and pets.

This publication from the Department of Natural Resources offers suggestions on how to discourage coyotes from one’s property. It also offers suggestions in the rare event you are confronted by a coyote. One of those suggestions is to remove anything that could be a food source. One such source are bird feeders. Not only is the seed itself a potential food source (yes, coyotes will eat that too), but the bird feeders attract rodents who also eat the seed and in turn, those rodents attract the coyotes. Effective immediately please remove all bird feeders.

The Overlook Lakes Condominium Association (OLCA) was fortunate to have a member by the name of Ben Kosmatka living here. Ben was a tireless volunteer serving our OLCA membership in multiple capacities over 20-plus years. Sadly, Ben passed away in 2020, but in his honor, the Board of Directors created the “Ben Kosmatka OLCA Community Service Award” in 2022 to recognize Ben’s many contributions to our community that exemplify the qualities of leadership our community members have all benefited from.

Learn More About This Award

Many condo owners may have noticed the popularity of the Overlook Lakes Condominiums by the number of sales of condominiums here in the past year or so. We welcome our new residents! But there is something that should be kept in mind if you’re selling your condo. Many condo owners give a key, a garage door opener or garage door keypad code to a relative, close friend or a neighbor for emergencies. That’s a great idea, but if you’re selling your unit, be sure to get these keys or other means of entry to your unit back from them to give to the new owner.

It’s been great to see our community out walking and bicycling our beautiful development!

It has been brought to the attention of the OLCA community that while most people give “walkers” and bicycle riders a “wide berth” when driving past them, there are a few who are clearly driving at an unsafe speed.

14.08 (3) FIRE PITS

(3) RECREATIONAL BURNING (Wood Burning Appliance) A recreational fire is defined as a fire to be used for cooking, or esthetics benefit similar to that of a campfire. The fire shall be confined to a commercially designed outdoor wood burning appliance.

1. Requirements on size and location of recreational fires, and general requirements.
2. Fires shall be in an approved outdoor appliance less than or equal to 3 feet in diameter and less than or equal to 3 feet in height.
3. The fire area shall be protected by a screen or wire mesh as to hold down any flying embers.
4. Fires shall contain only wood or charcoal; any other building materials are prohibited
5. The wind velocity may not exceed 10 mph.
6. Fires shall NOT be started or accelerated using flammable liquids, such as gasoline.
7. The fire must be a minimum of 10 feet from all structures, roadways and lot lines.
8. The outdoor appliance shall not be used on any deck or wooden surface.
9. If smoke travels in such a manner that it obscures roadways, if the fire department receives complaints from the area, or it is deemed to be a hazard, the Fire Official reserves the right to require that the fire be extinguished.

Are you on Facebook? Overlook Lakes Condo Association now has a private group just for condo residents! You can chat about happenings around the neighborhood, updated OLCA news, post local events and more.

Join the group today