Do You Think They'll Grow?

First, you plant the sticks in a straight row, not too deep...


Lakeview Trails North, just planted.






And then you add lots of fertilizer... and voila!

Higley Groves in the foreground, Higley Estates behind the palm circle.

Highland Groves Lakes Nearly Full

Here is a look at the south lake, and gazing toward the north lake, taken early yesterday afternoon. They should both be full today.



The good news is that they are full of water; the bad news is that we are still a few days away from a final sign off from SRP to fire up the electricity that will run the pumps and the fountains and the lights. The Water Expert puts in just the right quantity of aluminum sulfate along with the water, to keep the algae at bay. This alum, as he calls it, will keep things nice until the aerators start operating.

Open Spaces Valued

So says this article from yesterday's AZ Republic:

Darin Adams enjoys playing golf when time permits. But when it came to deciding where to buy a new house, being near a golf course was the least of his worries.

With a 4-year-old daughter, Darin and his wife, Heather, were much more interested in a subdivision's parks and trail system.

This article frames the question as one of a golf course home versus a non-golf course home, but I found their conclusions interesting from the point of view of a Morrison Ranch resident:

"I would love to live on a golf course for sure, but my mentality right now is that's where I see myself in retirement, not raising a family," Darin said. "Right now, we get much more use having a park nearby."

The Adamses are part of a larger trend of new homebuyers who favor parks and trails as their most desired community amenity, contrasting with previous notions that living on or near a golf course represented the epitome of American lifestyles.

The desire for open space is not a new trend, but it's certainly one home builders have had to respond to.

As it is patently obvious, Morrison Ranch also places a high premium on open space. One of the aesthetic pleasures of farming is gazing at a green field, planted by the sweat of one's brow, framed by the mountain vistas. No farmer I know ever said to himself, "By golly, this view is getting boring; I think I'll fill it up with houses!" And on a more painful note, we've heard plenty of neighbors exclaim, "Wait! You can't take away my views of the fields and mountains!" The realities of booming growth in Gilbert demanded some lifestyle changes, but we have worked hard to keep the view corridors green, the spaces open, the feel neighborly. I talk about this a lot; in fact, I talked about it in an earlier post (the older I get, the more I repeat myself, it seems), which you can read here, but I'll quote myself:

One of the themes repeated in the rhetorical war against sprawl is the loss of open space. If we keep growing, we will lose the desert vistas, I hear. Or, on a more personal level, some of our neighbors didn't want to lose the views of the mountains over the alfalfa fields (neither did we, but I've posted about that before). And on the most personal level, the Mister grew up in a house on a field, with seemingly unlimited open space, and he wasn't sure he wanted to live in a "housing development packed cheek to jowl" (now there's a phrase from the past). So what is open space?

The town of Gilbert requires 10% open space in residential developments; this refers to parks, trails, playgrounds, and such. Most developments end up at about 15%. Morrison Ranch is at 22%. This includes the parks, trails, green belts, and playgrounds. This does not include the parkways or the common area lining the streets, which adds more green to the eye, and eventually will provide more shade (do the trees decrease the open space, or enhance it?).

A buzzword in our office is view corridors; that is, what do you see when you look from this or that direction? A view of the grain silos or the lake is a premier view, but that's not possible from every spot. What is possible is to keep the views open, or at least ending in green rather than walls. When you look down a street, usually the ending view will be a park of some sort, or at least a line of trees. The goal is to promote the open space that we have, and to soften the ends of streets with lush foliage instead of hammering the eyes with concrete walls, or even houses. When you take your next walk through Morrison Ranch, check out the view corridors, and you'll see what I mean.

One last look at the AZ Republic article highlights the sidebar:

Home buyers have been telling builders that they prefer parks and paths to golf courses. Other amenities they prefer are:
• Mixed-use areas. Trails in larger communities, walking/jogging trails, play/recreation areas.
• Cluster of convenience stores.
• Communal open spaces and wide open spaces.
• Community club facility.
• More neo-urbanism, neo-traditional communities that create opportunities to meet neighbors, including front porches, gathering areas, or tree-lined winding streets.
Source: National Association of Homebuilders

Other than the fact that our tree-lined streets are straight (reminiscent of crop rows or orchards), I'd say Morrison Ranch does a pretty good job of meeting these desires.

And The Winner Is...

Highland Park Elementary.

That was the name on Tuesday that had the right ring for Gilbert Public Schools governing board members.

Read the entire article in today's AZ Republic; it's hilarious. I say that because of our own office discussions about naming new projects. I can wholeheartedly empathize. In fact, I did empathize in this post, if you want to join the empathy party.

On Houses and Taxes

The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) has an article today on the increasing tax burden for folks who live in areas of super high increasing property values. It caught my eye because most folks in Gilbert just received their property tax valuations for next year, and were shocked to see the 50-60% increases. One of the problems in cashing in on increased property values is a tax issue. As the WSJ explains:

A growing number of homeowners, riding the crest of the real-estate boom, are getting hit by an unpleasant surprise when they sell: a hefty tax bill.

This development stems from a 1997 law that Treasury Department officials said at the time would eliminate capital-gains taxes for nearly everyone selling their primary residence. Under that law, most married couples who file jointly can exclude as much as $500,000 of their gain. For most singles, the limit is $250,000.

But as home prices have surged, more people have been selling their home for bigger gains than the exclusion amount -- and thus are facing unexpectedly big tax bills, accountants and other tax professionals say. Besides getting hit by the top 15% rate on capital gains, some also are facing the loss of deductions, exemptions and credits. In some cases, they may even be drawn into the rapidly expanding web of the alternative minimum tax.

Many sellers are startled to hear they owe any tax at all because they didn't realize the 1997 law erased a popular provision that had allowed them to avoid taxes. That provision generally allowed sellers to defer or eliminate capital-gains taxes by rolling over their proceeds within a specified time period into a new home costing as much or more than the old one. The law also deleted another provision that generally offered a once-in-a-lifetime $125,000 exclusion for people age 55 or older.

In Morrison Ranch, it is unlikely that any house would garner a $500,000 gain (yet), but there are plenty that have seen more than $250,000; and while this is something to keep an eye on for our residents, there is another more likely tax pitfall, and that is the requirement to live in a house for 2 of the 5 years preceding a sale in order to exclude the gain. There are plenty of exceptions, of course; if you want a little light reading, check out the IRS' publication 523 to get all the gory details. And of course, consult your tax professional (CPAs will have more work than we can handle as long as the tax code remains so complex); it's a better plan to ask her BEFORE you sell than after the deed is done.

Of course, The Mister points out that the increase in value for most of us is pretty much of value only on paper (unless you remove some of your equity through home-equity loans, a tactic that I oppose for general purposes); it's nice to look at, but doesn't mean much in our day to day living.

But one thing that all residents ought to have, whether you plan to sell soon or never, is a ledger of some sort detailing the improvements to your homes. The WSJ agrees:

For anyone thinking about selling, the rules underscore the importance of keeping good records of home-improvement costs, which typically can be added to your original purchase price -- and thus cut, or even eliminate, your tax bill. Examples of improvements include adding a bedroom or bathroom, putting up a new fence, installing new plumbing or wiring, and putting on a new roof. Even the cost of putting in shrubs and trees may qualify as "improvements" and raise your cost basis, according to the Ernst & Young Tax Guide 2006. But the cost of repairs, such as repainting your home or fixing gutters, can't be added to the purchase price of your property, the IRS says.

Go back to publication 523 for more detailed information on what expenses can be added to your basis. It is a great privilege to live in an area with rising property values; it requires some responsible recordkeeping to ensure that you pay only what you owe to the taxman.

More Pictorial Progress

Concerning the lakes at Highland Groves, I understand that at around 6 pm last night, the water began flowing through the pipe from the north lake to the south lake. I want to go see it with my own eyes today, and I'll pass on what I find.

Meanwhile, over at Lakeview Village, the shops between Albertson's and DiRicci's show some recent visual changes; the piles of material on the floor are drywall:




And here is an outside view of the structure that will be the shade overhang:




The completion date for this construction is May 9; this does not mean, however, that a tenant will be ready to open on May 9, only that the building will be completed.

News Flash! Water in the Lake!

The Mister went off to exercise via bicycle this morning, and he was gone so long that I began to think he'd gone to the office and stayed. In reality, he pedaled all the way down to Highland Groves to watch the spigot open, as it were. And took lots of pictures to share. The lakes are filled at the north end, and the water travels from the north to the south lake. Here is a shot of the pipe that goes between the two lakes:




Each lake will have a floating fountain, with lights. Here is one of the fountains being displayed by The Water Expert:




There is a rubber "boot" where the water comes in to prevent it from going backwards. Here are the first gallons to come through. The water looks dirty because it's been sitting in a pipe for several weeks waiting to make an entrance:




Now this is what I'm talking about! Gushing, cascading, flowing water, filling the nooks and crannies of the lakes.



It will take two or three days to fill completely; I'll keep you posted with pictures. Well done, Water Expert!

Riparian Next Door

The Mister took a walk and a few pictures of the Riparian Preserve and passed them on to share. I tend to think of it as a haven for birds and those who watch them, but it really offers much more, beginning with a pleasant meandering trail around the water:



It is very accessible, especially from Higley Groves West:




And today's AZ Republic reminds us of the soon to come star-watching abilities:

The stars will seem a bit closer to Gilbert in a matter of weeks, as construction of Gilbert's first observatory is moving along briskly.

Officials at the Riparian Institute hope the $80,000 hilltop building will be finished and open to the public by the end of April, Director Scott Anderson said.

A telescope was ordered about two months ago and should arrive in time for opening day.

"We'll be ready," Anderson said. "People are really going to enjoy what we'll have for them out there."

The observatory is just one part of a larger, $500,000 capital project that calls for a new nature center for classes and nature assemblies.

Hunter Contracting of Gilbert was hired to build the 800-square-foot dome-shell observatory, which broke ground in October 2004 on a hillside east of Water Ranch.

The observatory will have seating along the walls inside and plug-ins for computers. It will have ledges on the exterior to allow other astronomy buffs outside to view stars with their own telescopes.

Anderson said that about one-third of the Riparian's estimated 90,000 annual visitors are wildlife observers. Astronomers make up another large swath of its visitors.

No town money was used for the observatory or its telescope. It was funded solely by donations from Riparian regulars, tourists and organizations. such as the East Valley Astronomy Club. The Gilbert Rotary was the largest supporter, kicking in $20,000 for the observatory.

The Salt River Project had committed $100,000toward the overall capital project. The institute has collected another $100,000 from fund-raisers and donations.

If you aren't a regular visitor already, check it out.

Preserving Gilbert's Heritage

I have posted often about the motivation behind the development of Morrison Ranch; we want to preserve the agricultural heritage of Gilbert while welcoming the inevitable growth. Thankfully there are many in Gilbert who share this desire, and there is an article in today's East Valley Tribune that discusses the Water Tower Park:

Preliminary plans for two downtown Gilbert parks include fountains, an amphitheater and the town’s historic water tower lighted with water flowing down into a reflecting pool.

Designs for the Water Tower Park and Western Powerline Trail Park were unveiled at the last of a series of community meetings that culminated Monday night.

During three previous meetings, neighbors and residents gave visions of what they’d like to see in the parks, which consultant J2 Design used in sketches released this week. The designs are preliminary but give residents a first glimpse at their future downtown, where town officials foresee farmers markets, festivals and concerts.

“It will be kind of nice to have someplace to go, instead of going to Tempe,” said Gilbert resident Patricia Fabunan. But, she added, “There definitely needs to be something sort of inviting you in, like historic signs.”

The Water Tower Park, now a fenced-off field on Vaughan Avenue west of Gilbert Road, will include a grassy amphitheater for shows or movies displayed on a retractable screen on the back of Norwood Furniture, where public art will be painted.

A glass wall of water will border the amphitheater. Behind, the historic water tower will be painted white, illuminated with lights, and water will flow down the center to a reflecting pool below.

The Mister is a big fan of the Water Tower project, and this sounds like a very attractive venue, with plenty of water features. I'm sure they will still accept donations, if you want to get in on that; the folks at Norwood Furniture are heading up the drive for private donations. Read the rest of the article for the details on the Powerline Trail park.

Ranch Roundup

In this case, the roundup doesn't involve cattle; from time to time, I like to take a wide lens view around Morrison Ranch and see where we are in the process of building a community.

Higley Groves
As our "oldest" neighborhood, Higley Groves is well established, the trees are beginning to dominate the landscape views, and many houses have already changed ownership in this mobile society. I've posted a few times about the elementary school under construction; Higley Groves children will be able to walk to school this fall without crossing a major street.

Higley Groves West
Since this is the neighborhood where The Mister and I live, it gets a lot of discussion on The Front Porch. Our trees are also getting large enough to make a difference aesthetically (as well as providing shade); I love driving down the street on my way in or out. Our tot lots are now covered; the HOA board is working on the monument lighting and a possible fertigation system; the fence where the truck plowed through during the police chase is being repaired; and the wind has brought out a plethora of kites recently.

Our Office
We've painted the outside, recovered the sidewalks with slate, wallpapered the inside, and at the moment The First Cousin is overseeing some additional painting inside. My corner office with the window view is a very pleasant place to work.

Higley Estates
This community is sold out, though I think they have yet to close on the final houses. There is still plenty of construction happening, both in home building and the owner's upgrades. All the moms I know agree that this neighborhood has the best tot lot to date. When the construction is finished, the streets will quiet down and this will be an especially pleasant stroll.

Lakeview Village
The building of the shops between the Albertson's and DiRicci's is progressing. The Mister noted that the separations inside between shops are going up. I know you will be surprised to hear me say that, yes, it IS taking longer than we planned. The juice bar/coffee shop is still working on their improvement plans for the oasis, and the negotiations with other shops continues.

The Grain Tanks
The area around the tanks looks great; the tanks themselves are shiny silver; and the lights are on the way. Well, sort of. There is a small snag on the lights, as we need to get approval from the town, since it is changing the appearance of the tanks. Bias For Action is overseeing this process as it goes through the Design Review Board procedure.

Highland Groves
As with any community, there have been starts and stops, successes and setbacks as this neighborhood springs from the ground. The rumor is that the lakes will begin filling early next week, but I have heard similar rumors before, and so I'm not holding that out as fact just yet. The Morrison Homes and Ashton Woods houses are going up lightning quick since there hasn't been much rain to slow the process. U.S. Homes is working its way through town approval for its designs; they are making a fashionably late entrance to the party, but we think they will be worth the wait. After the lakes are filled and available for irrigation, be prepared for an explosion of green as the common landscaping is installed.

Lakeview Trails North
We closed escrow on this neighborhood last Friday, and the staking has already begun. To remind you of the progression, they will stake the entire piece and then start grading until everything is smooth, and then tear it all up again as they bury the utilities and install the curbs. The builders should be able to start their models about January.

Lakeside Groves
This community is across the street from Highland Groves, and it is still in the paperwork process. We hope to open escrow with some builders this year, and close that escrow and start construction in 2007.

The Desert Place
This neighborhood is actually in Mesa; it is located on Sossaman between Elliot and Guadalupe. It will look slightly different from the rest of Morrison Ranch because we don't have access to reclaimed water. We hope to retain the tree-lined streets and rail fences; instead of turf, we are looking at hedges. We want it to have the same high quality feel of a Morrison Ranch neighborhood, with plenty of shade; but it will take on some desert characteristics as well. The Mister tells me that the very first preliminary applications for The Desert Place will be given to the city of Mesa this week.


That's a lot of progress; it is gratifying to see the completion above ground of all the work put in beforehand. When I stop to think about how much time and effort goes into a project, and how much time and effort it takes to bring the dream to fruition, I am amazed and thankful for the team at the office. As The Mister says, "If it were easy, everyone would be doing it." It isn't easy; but it is fulfilling.

Are You Joking?

This is a totally random topic that caught my fancy. It bears no relation to land sales, lake progress, paperless office methods, grain tanks renovations or Morrison Ranch in general. It just seems ironic in view of the fact that my 18 year old son's snooze alarm keeps going off as I read this article in the Wall Street Journal Online (subscription required) about teenagers' sleep patterns. It is apparently possible to be diagnosed with something called "delayed sleep phase syndrome" that afflicts teens and young adults:

DSPS is believed to be the result of the body's internal clock -- called the circadian system -- getting stuck in the wrong place, causing kids to stay up late. As kids enter puberty, circadian rhythms that affect sleep begin to change, which is why most kids' bedtimes shift about an hour later as they get older. But for reasons no one understands, some kids experience more dramatic changes as their internal clocks shift forward too far. Those kids can't fall asleep until the early hours of the morning, but still have to get up early for school, so they have to get by on just a few hours of sleep each night.

It isn't clear why this happens. It may be hereditary. External factors may also play a role. As kids get older, schools start earlier, and homework loads and extracurricular activities increase, often forcing kids to stay up later than normal. Every adolescent has to deal with these pressures, but in some kids, the changes may upset the circadian system, causing it to essentially get stuck in a place where sleep is consistently delayed.

There is good news for those afflicted with DSPS; a treatment that requires no drugs:

A nondrug treatment called chronotherapy can be used to "re-set" the body clock. Chronotherapy essentially "winds" the body clock forward three hours at a time, moving the child's bedtime around the clock until he or she ends up with a "normal" bedtime.

For instance, for a child who can't fall asleep until 4 a.m., the bedtime is first delayed until 7 a.m., and the child is allowed to sleep until about 3 p.m. The next day bedtime is delayed another three hours, this time until 10 a.m., and the child is awakened at 6 p.m. The process continues, with bedtime moving around the clock to 1 p.m., 4 p.m., 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. until the desired bedtime is reached. Windows are taped up and phones turned off so midday sleep stretches won't be interrupted.

Parents typically have to sacrifice sleep themselves and take turns staying up late and helping kids pass the time in the middle of the night. The treatment typically takes about a week, so a parent can choose to do it during a school vacation.

I've no doubt that the circadian rhythms of youth are very different from those of us middle-aged folks. All of my children save one tend to be nightowls, and even the one who isn't seems capable of sleeping late through the morning. The real mystery is how The Mister and I (both definite morning people) maintain a relationship with our kids since we are rarely awake at the same time.

Now if only they could come up with a diagnosis and cure for fifty-somethings who run out of energy and brain power before the sun sets...

Elementary No. 27

First, when are we going to get a name for this school? And second, can Gilbert really truly be in the process of opening the 27th elementary school?!

The Gilbert Independent has a detailed breakdown on the new boundaries for elementary schools in our area, including the new one next to Higley Groves:

Elementary No. 27, located at the northwest corner of Park Avenue and Cole Drive, is slated to open with 550 students in August 2006 and grow to 750 students, with a design capacity of 850 students. The school will accept students from Guadalupe to Elliot Road, between Higley and Recker Road, from the power Line Easement to Elliot Road, between Recker and Power roads.

Busing will be maintained for one year for most schools, to allow parents and students time to adjust to the new boundaries.

Students living less than one mile from schools will have to provide their own transportation or walk.

Read the whole article for information on boundary exemptions and busing.

Rain in the Ranch

Our rainfall yesterday was a nice followup to last weekend's storm; enough to clear the air and settle the dust, but not enough to cause problems everywhere. We received .13 inches of rain in Morrison Ranch, and the high country received a little bit more snow. For a rundown of the rainfall in other areas, check out the East Valley Tribune's article, which includes the following:

The rain gauge at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport had recorded 0.11 of an inch of rain by 8:30 p.m. Sunday, Breckenridge said. Deer Valley Airport received the most rain, 0.36 inches, while east Mesa had 0.17 inches. The last storm dropped 2 to 3 inches in many areas.

Higher elevations in Yavapai County and northern Gila County received 3 to 6 inches of snow Sunday.

Every little bit helps.

Big Day Updates

The electrical panel on Highland Groves lakes received the "okay" yesterday. The next step is for SRP to energize said electrical panel; then we will test the pumps and lights and then, who knows? We may actually see some water in the lakes that isn't due to rain.

As for the closing on Lakeview Trails North, we hit a snag yesterday when Richmond America decided not to build at Morrison Ranch. I must stress that this was one of those unfortunate "corporate decisions" made in another state and we will be sorry not to be involved with some very fine folks from the local office. Nevertheless, the late decision made for a very busy and harried day for The Mister and me and we ran out of business hours before we ran out of do-list. Hopefully, Lakeview Trails North will be on its way today. (Actually, you may have noticed that there are already stakes going in the ground; it's really just the final paperwork that needs to be finished, in my accountant's mind.)

Today is a Big Day

We are scheduled for two major events today: the inspection on the electrical at the Highland Groves lakes, and the closing of escrow on Lakeview Trails North.

I haven't heard from The Water Expert about the electrical inspection; but I have heard from The Mister about the closing, and some changes need to be made to my pages and pages of spreadsheets, so no time for blogging at the moment...

Star of the Show

Since you don't know him, I'm posting a picture of his cake rather than his smiling face. But I dashed up to Colorado for a ceremony honoring a dear friend who is now a one-star general in the Air Force. This is no small achievement in view of the fact that only 40-50 folks a year make the rank of general. Our friendship started about 25 years ago out at then-Williams Air Force Base, where he was learning to fly jets. I knew at the time that he was destined for general; I'm glad I was correct.

Tomorrow we'll get back to more Morrison Ranch-type matters.

Please Vote

If you haven't voted already by mail, as The Mister and I have, please take the few moments required to do your civic duty.

And don't forget to avoid Elliot and Gilbert Road, which is completely closed today. The AZ Republic mentioned this yesterday:

Gilbert has detours one mile away from the intersection in all directions. Workers are stamping the intersection's asphalt with decorative train icons.

Town officials advise motorists simply to stay away from the intersection and find another route.

What's Up on Park?

You guessed correctly: a commercial. The Mister received an email from our HOA president that he said I could copy:

Please be aware that Joe Blow Productions will be videotaping a Lowe's commercial called "Spread the Word" on the easternmost sections of Cullumber and Park on Monday, March 13. The crew is expected to arrive at about 7am and leave about noon. Filming will begin on Cullumber and move to Park.

Our resident Sheriff on Cullumber will be managing traffic. A-frame signs will be posted throughout the neighborhood to direct the film crew to the site and to alert homeowners. The film crew, which will be larger than last July, will park approximately 15 personal vehicles at the Albertson's shopping center. There will be a motor home or two parked along Windmill to serve as facilities for the production crew.

I have relayed the request to Mick for mowing of Cullumber and all of Park to be delayed until Wednesday. I hope this does not inconvenience homeowners anywhere near as much as it's going to inconvenience Mick.

In case you were wondering.

Snow on the Superstitions

A resident in Highland Groves sent me this picture yesterday; it was taken from her front porch on Cullumber. Snow on the Supes is a rare experience, made more stark by the juxtaposition of the palms in the foreground. Thanks, Erika!

Rain in the Ranch

I don't usually post on weekends, but for the curious who know that I'll get a report from The Water Expert, Morrison Ranch got 2.02 inches of rain from this storm. Add to that the 31 inches of snow they are reporting for Pinetop, and I'd say that just about catches up our averages for the year.

More Tree Trimming

I mentioned a few weeks ago that our own Sherwood Forest in my back yard was getting a little trim. Yesterday, The Mister noticed that the elms around Higley Groves West were getting the same treatment:





This is a service contracted by the HOA; several hundred elms will be trimmed, which will prepare them for a long and healthy life shading our streets and sidewalks. The Sixth Man always says that five years is the magic number to see the effect landscaping will have on a project. For Higley Groves West, that will be this spring.

Elementary School No. 27

Bias For Action noted the article in the AZ Republic yesterday about the new elementary school being built next to Higley Groves. You can go read the article, but I think he summed things up nicely:

Today’s Arizona Republic reported some changes to the Gilbert School District’s Elementary School boundaries. As a part of the report they stated the boundaries of the yet-to-be-named elementary site set aside within Holliday Farms (adjacent to Higley Groves). The boundaries for this school in the fall of ’06 will be the entire square mile it is within (Higley, Guadalupe, Recker, and Elliot) plus our newest neighborhood, Highland Groves (which, by the way, already has twenty residents).

Highland Groves Aerials

The Mister is on the Economic Development Advisory Board for the Town of Gilbert, and once a year SRP provides a tour to the members, showing the growth of the town and how SRP provides for that growth.

Yesterday's tour was in a Vietnam-era Huey helicopter, and The Mister snapped a few photos to share with us all. This is a close-up of the lakes (and the first houses) at Highland Groves. We are looking south, and the ribbon of concrete that you see lining the north lake is where the tot-lot will go. Remember that you can click on the picture to see an enlarged version:




Here is a view a bit further back, still looking south. You can see Highland HS in the foreground, then Highland Groves, and then the brown fields beyond will be the community of Lakeside Groves in several years:



And I had to share this picture of the newly painted tanks, surrounded by newly cleaned up ground. They look kind of stark in this setting, but I thought it was a good view:




The helicopter moves slower than the Cirrus, and that makes for better pictures. Unfortunately, the pilot wasn't willing to hover over each individual community in Morrison Ranch while The Mister took photos, so we'll have to wait for another day to see our houses from the air.

Pardon Me, My Mistake

Yesterday I said that Higley Groves West had a new HOA member, Millard Fillmore. That would be a neat trick, since he was President of the U.S. from 1850-1853, and hasn't been seen in these parts since then! The actual resident serving on our board is Millard DAVIS. Welcome, Mr. Davis; I won't make the same mistake again.

HOA Meeting Successful

What makes an annual HOA meeting successful? A quorum, for one thing. The Higley Groves West annual meeting last night had about 40 households represented, which is beyond the ten percent of 348 houses required for a quorum. This meant that the election of new board members could take place. Millard Fillmore, whose name was on the ballot that was mailed to homeowners, was elected. (The Mister said that our HOA manager received ten ballots by mail.) And Mike McDowell was elected from the floor. So we have a full HOA board in place, and once again, I am grateful to have quality folks willing to serve in this way, looking out for our neighborhood.

Another component of a successful meeting is good communication; our HOA president, Carolyn Woods, gave a thorough assessment of where our community has been the past year and where we're going next year. And of course, the budget and questions on the budget were part of the evening, as well.

One other topic of conversation, whether to install a basketball court via special assessment, was discussed and most likely tabled for the moment.

And while I'm talking about Higley Groves West, I'll pass on a question that I received this week about the elm trees along Linda Lane. They look like they are dead, especially when you compare them to the ash trees that line Prairie, Park and Windmill. The HOA will keep an eye on them, but the elm trees always bud out much later than the ash trees. And apparently, each tree has its own personality, and so some of the elm trees bud out later than even other elm trees. I wondered aloud whether this issue had anything to do with the fact that Linda was the first streetscape constructed in Higley Groves West, but I received no answer. Spring isn't officially here yet - and hopefully we will be getting some winter weather in the next few days - so I'll be watching those elm trees myself to see when they turn green.

Higley Groves West HOA Elections

Not to slight any of the other Morrison Ranch communities, but since I live in Higley Groves West, I am more aware of the happenings here. Tonight is the board meeting at 7 pm at the Farm Bureau building, and elections for a couple of positions on the board are taking place. The new legislation forbids proxy voting, but The Mister says that you can send your filled-out ballot along with someone to the meeting if you are unable to attend.

The Mister tells me that the board will be asking for a show of hands of folks interested in a basketball court, though there will not be a vote tonight on special assessments. Now is the time to inject your voice into the process of running our HOA; if it's possible, please attend the meeting.

On Perseverance

For those acquainted with the daily postings of The Front Porch, the absence of a post yesterday should have signaled a busy day of paperwork as we closed escrow on Lakeview Trails North. The fact is that the closing did not happen yesterday and so The Mister and I took the opportunity to go to Tucson and participate in a business meeting with our daughter. Today I want to share some of my personal reflections on the topic of perseverance, as much a reminder to myself as it is a look into the world of building communities.

One of The Mister's strongest character qualities happens to be perseverance; it is one of the reasons he won me over in marriage (either that, or I had to say yes because he kept asking and it was becoming apparent that he wouldn't stop), and it's a primary reason that Morrison Ranch exists. I, on the other hand, seem to have the McDonald's mentality - less than 2 minutes to get through the drivethrough, and by the way, I Deserve a Break Today - and I often find myself muttering to myself "how hard can it be?" It's pretty obvious that in this endeavor to build a community, there are a myriad of delays and setbacks, and after watching them for many many years, I should expect them. And then I should join the team in working through the delay or the setback, and move on. The operative word here is "should." I confess to occasional discouragement, especially when I am heavily involved, as in a closing. But I have the benefit of living with The Mister, whose mantra is generally something like, "Okay, how can we get this done, and make everyone as happy as possible?" Win-win, as it were.

With that background, here are some updates on my "How hard can it be?" list:

Lakeview Village
The only phrase I hear more often than "it always takes longer" is "did you know that we have expansive soil in Gilbert?" Expansive soil is the culprit in heaving sidewalks, cracks in the asphalt, and the cracks in the stucco on your house after a year or so. Builders have learned to deal with the expansive soils by adding lime to the dirt before construction, and post-tension techniques, but thus far nobody has come up with a way to reduce the effects of expansive soil to zero. It's one thing to repair the cracks on a house; it's quite another to keep up with an entire shopping center. Last year, Lakeview Village got some repairs to the cracks and a coat of elastomeric paint that is supposed to help prevent a recurrence of cracks. Now there are some heaving sidewalks that need to be dealt with. This falls under the category of dealing with the environment in which we live.

The blue fountain, on the other hand, falls under the category of human error; and while I won't publicly place blame, I will admit that it continues to be a great disappointment to me and the rest of our office. I still have some hope of getting the various modes operating correctly, and I still have hopes of enjoying that courtyard with my cup of coffee.

As for the empty shops in The Oasis, some great leasing news has surfaced. In The Raw, a juice bar and coffee house with a welcoming bent toward dog lovers, is in the process of getting their permits to begin their improvements. Negotiations are also in process with a cafe that offers healthier fast food in a nice environment, and they are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Highland Groves
The lakes in this community fall under the category of bureaucratic tangle; I've stopped asking The Water Expert and The Mister if there is any water in the lakes. The explanation here is that the electrical thingy that I posted about before is waiting for its inspection from the Town of Gilbert, which is backed up in the inspection department, and then it has to get the okay from SRP, and then it has to be tested, and then we might see some water in the lakes. I rather suspect that once the lakes are blue and the common landscaping is installed in earnest, it will feel like things are happening at a breakneck pace.



And of course, the closing on Lakeview Trails North has been pushed back a bit, which is unfortunate in the sense that it is hanging on the horizon while I'm trying to make tracks on wedding planning with my daughter who is home on spring break. But most of my work is done on this, and other than overseeing any changing numbers, it really should not materially affect wedding preparations.

As I said before, my advantage is that The Mister helps me keep perspective. In the Grand Scheme of the Universe, delays in seeing Morrison Ranch become what we hope it will be do not necessarily destroy all chance of daily contentment. It's a good thing he's so stubborn.

I mean perseverant.

Road Construction

Navigating through Gilbert's road construction can feel like wending your way through a maze at times. Gilbert was the fastest growing community in America two years ago, and with that influx of people, constructing roads is a natural consequence. After all, we all have places to go, people to see, things to do. Does it seem like it never ends? Well, I posted on this very topic a little over a year ago, and you can read my ruminations here.

The newspaper also comments on road construction frequently and today's headline - "Round of Projects Nears Completion" - at least sounds positive. According to the article:

While Gilbert awaits voters' decision on $75 million in road construction bonds this month, a handful of street improvement projects are grinding toward the homestretch.

The projects are found along some of the most highly traveled streets near housing, development and Gilbert's biggest piece of infrastructure ever built: The Santan Freeway.

Once this round of construction projects ends, residents can start driving freely, until the next round of projects start. Some motorists question when the detours and orange barricades will disappear, and town officials routinely say it'll be another couple of years.

And some of these improvements will directly affect Morrison Ranch:

"We are building and improving our roads as fast as we can," Presmyk said. "I don't know if we had $200 million available today that we could build any more roads any faster, because everyone else in the Valley is doing it."

Meanwhile, early voting has begun on the town's bond election, which is asking voters for $75 million in road construction bonds.

The bond projects include widening of Power, Williams Field and Riggs roads, as well as a handful of intersection improvements.

The election is March 14.

Drivers may want to get used to the striking orange traffic barricades.

"As far as road construction, it's going to be with us the next five or 10 years," Presmyk said.

The widening of Power and some intersection improvements are the items that are nearest our residents. At any rate, please vote on March 14 for the bonds; most of us in the office vote early, so I have to remind you to vote while I'm thinking about it.

A specific update concerns the road next to Highland Groves; Recker Road has had various formations of the orange cones and black arrows over the past several weeks. The Mister learned in a meeting yesterday that the west side of the road is supposed to be paved (I thought it already was?! Okay, RE-paved and matched) next Wednesday, as the curbs for the median have now been installed. It is certainly growing easier to get into and around Highland Groves, as long as you can dodge construction folks.

After all, that is the point, isn't it? Getting around easier.

Thanks For Visiting

When my faithful sister visits The Front Porch this morning, she will likely be the one to turn the counter over to 10,000 visits. That's a lot of lemonade, figuratively speaking!

Thank you to everyone who stops by The Front Porch.

Next On Deck

Blogging has been a little bit inconsistent for me lately because of the work surrounding our next Morrison Ranch community, Lakeview Trails North. We are currently scheduled to close with the builders on Monday. Since my forte is putting numbers in schedules and adding up and subracting down and making everything neat and tidy, this has been an especially busy time for me. I really enjoy working in tandem with The Mister, who is overseeing all the contract issues while I immerse myself in the details.

If you want to refresh your memory on where and what Lakeview Trails North is, you can click here for a few details. You may notice a large open white space at the bottom of the plan, and this is the future site of the elementary school. Apparently, our donation was accepted at last Tuesday's meeting, because this morning's AZ Republic had this brief article about the school site:

Gilbert Public Schools governing board members accepted Tuesday a 12-acre land donation worth $2 million. Officials said they expect to build an elementary school on the site south of Elliot Road and west of Recker Road.

The Arizona School Facilities Board, the state agency responsible for building schools, will give the district a finder's fee of $400,000 toward supplementing construction costs, according to the board agenda.

The Mister likes me to remind folks that the scheduling of construction on the school is entirely up to the school district. The elementary site across the road and next to Higley Groves waited for several years before construction began; that school will open next fall.

The Castle and the Tax Man

You know the saying about our homes being our castle; it sort of feels that way after receiving my 2007 property valuation in the mail yesterday. The full cash value was almost twice the amount of the 2006 full cash value. The AZ Republic has a couple of articles on this topic today, including this editorial:

Brace yourself for a case of strong heartburn - and hopefully not a heart attack - when you open the envelope sent by Maricopa County Assessor Keith Russell.

Property valuation notices were mailed Monday to all property owners. And the assessments reflect the torrid appreciation of homes, up 51.78 percent in the county.

That's a staggering increase, and Russell is well aware that the raw numbers will provoke attention, concern, anxiety, outrage, glee, questions - take your pick. So much so that he felt compelled to insert in the mailing an explanatory note of frequently asked questions.

Russell also has added extra staff to handle a special telephone hotline for questions or if you want to appeal the valuation. That number is (602) 506-3406.

The percentage increase in valuations ranges from a high of 69 percent in Ahwatukee, where the median value of a single-family home shot up to $272,000 from $161,000, to a low of 6.42 percent in Gila Bend. There, the rise in valuation reflected a median home value that increased to $50,000 from $46,983. The last time residential properties were assessed was two years ago.

What does all this mean?

It means that as your home appreciates in value you likely have more equity. That's good if you want to sell.

It also likely means that your taxes likely will go up. But, of course, they would have anyway because government services cost more with inflation and growth.

The question everyone wants answered is: Just how much larger will the tax bill be?

That won't be known for about 18 months, no matter what scaremongers might say. That's because the tax rates for the county, cities, school districts, and the Maricopa County Community College and Flood Control districts, among others, won't be set until August 2007.

That's some time off. And by the time county Treasurer David Schweikert sends out the actual tax bill, the angst over these latest valuation increases will probably be supplanted by the cold reality of a new property-tax bill.

Property values are rising throughout the valley; but Morrison Ranch homeowners have seen their values skyrocket over the last 5 years. This is great if you are ready to sell and move to Timbuktu; and I guess it's pretty good if you want to take some equity out via a home-equity loan (though as a conservative CPA, I'm always cautious about that route). But if your plan is to stay in Morrison Ranch for many years, as mine is, then that number just becomes a feel-good number. And a painful number when the property tax bill arrives.

The arrival of these assessments means a gigantic influx of mail for Bias For Action, our office property tax expert; I am amazed at how many businesses have sprung up for the sole purpose of helping you fight your assessments. We still farm most of our land, and so there are many many parcels, which translates into many many property valuation forms, and many many mail offers to question the assessor.

As long as we're on the topic, I stumbled across a site that gives you an instant fair market value for your house, along with a satellite photo. It's a beta site, and let me stress that this is just for fun, as I have no idea how accurate it is; but check out zillow.com and see what your house might be worth. Mine showed twenty percent more value than my 2007 property valuation; so please don't tell Keith Russell (Maricopa County Assessor) about this website!