The Good News is, We’re Getting Better

The bad news is, I can’t keep moving to enjoy the improvements! I got an email from Chris, who lives in Higley Groves, and he graciously gave me permission to share it:

first, I love living here as it is really a beautiful area. I live in the corner across the street from the Morrison ranch office so I get to see all the hustle and bustle going on.

the one thing I am unhappy about though is the new large stone signs which have been placed across the street in the new development...it makes the ones at this side's entrance look shabby and cheap. my wife commented to me the other day that "it is like we live on the other side of tracks" implying the poor vs.. the rich. Of course this is a stretch but the fact in my opinion remains, the difference is huge and disappointing. also, why is the park area across the street so much nicer than these on this side? my kids now have me having to go over there to play rather than on this side. again, a little disappointing.

Here is my reply to him:

As to the signs, I must point out that we are in the same boat, since the Mister and I live in Higley Groves West; so we also live with the shabby signs! Seriously, though, the entry signs for both Higley Groves communities were not
at all intended to be shabby. The design of the three stone pillars and the connecting white fence surrounding the monuments was a nice idea, but because of grading issues, and workmanship issues, they ended up not being level, and looking, well, bad. It took a lot of work to get them straight, and so in the interest of improvement, we changed the design for future projects. I guess this is called "improved constructability" in the business. The result is the new signage for Higley Estates. I think the other large stone Higley Groves signs at the entrances on Higley Rd. look pretty good when the flowers are blooming.

As for the tot lots (park playgrounds), you are so right that the ones across the street are a step up (and I think many folks will say the ones coming up at Highland Groves will be even better). There are two reasons for this. First, as Morrison Ranch becomes better known and the builders are more desirous of building here, they are willing to give us concessions that they weren't willing to before. Second, we have increased our control over projects by taking our planning farther, doing the final plat instead of stopping at the preliminary plat. Before, we had to ask builders to do things like nice, covered tot lots; now, we can require it. As for your family and mine, if we want improvements to our signs or our tot lots, it will have to come through our HOAs. If it's any consolation, the Higley Groves West HOA is indeed talking about expanding and improving our tot lots; and Higley Groves East has already covered theirs.

I should have also mentioned to Chris my own history with tot lots, which I posted here. Thanks again for the email, Chris.