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HOA will need to speed up snow removal.

Discussion in 'Broadlands Community Issues' started by Silly Yak, Jun 21, 2017.

  1. Silly Yak

    Silly Yak Member

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    Not sure if others have seen this, but the walk zone for Eagle Ridge middle school has been expanded for next year. The school system is expecting kids to use the nature trail to walk to school (from as far as Broadlands Blvd), and if the trail is impassible due to snow it is an HOA issue.

    Has the HOA budgeted for this increase in need?

    http://www.theburn.com/2017/06/21/mistake-school-district-responds-concerned-parents/
     
  2. Capricorn1964

    Capricorn1964 Well-Known Member

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    Just because the school expects us to use the walking trails to school doesn't mean that we have to plow the trails. The trails were made for nature walks, not kids to walk to school as Im led to believe. In other words, when the developers developed the area, they didn't say "Oh by the way, we need to create a trail for the kids to walk to school." It was developed primarily for relaxation and nature walks...not solely for school kids to walk to school. So your point is that we MUST set aside $$$ for these kids to walk on the nature trail? What ever happened to sidewalks? I see no need to expend additional monies for plowing the trails as the sidewaalks are available and our neighbors are supposed to shovel them.

    It makes NO sense to earmark monies to support a small group of kids to walk to school on the nature grounds. Sarcasm on: If we are forced to pay for trails plowing that does not benefit kids that do not walk to school, then what about making the entire broadlands pay for our OpenBand costs too--no matter if they are not receiving the services or not. They are part of the entire neighborhood whether they benefit from it or not. Sarcasm off.
     
  3. Silly Yak

    Silly Yak Member

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    So, since an LCPS stated that it is an HOA issue, will the HOA push back on this? If LCPS removed this path from the walking routes, I believe many kids would be eligible for riding the bus.
     
  4. Capricorn1964

    Capricorn1964 Well-Known Member

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    I seriously doubt that HOA will do this because HOA is not in the school business and for the LCPS to say that its an "HOA" issue...is stupid...utterly stupid. For one thing, the trails were NOT designed for the school kids/school walk in mind. Secondly, I believe its the PARENTS of those kids adopted the trail for their own purpose of walking to school. HOA did not develop the trails for this purpose alone. The parents should have made their kids use the sidewalks as intended. They are just saying "I wanna my kid(s) to use the trail to walk to school. If they want to use the trails for that purpose alone, then they should pay a private contractor to shovel it for their own kids---I don't think it is appropriate expense for the HOA to borne just solely because these parents want their kids to utilize the trail for school walking purposes.

    I suspect that the LCPS is shoving it back to us saying "Its your problem, you solve it". Well HOA is not in the school business, I would think. The concrete sidewalks are the way to go and all homeowners MUST shovel their sidewalks as the sidewalks are to be used also for school purposes, not the nature trails. I would venture to think that the nature trails are more dangerous for the kids to use because of predators that can hide among the trees/bushes.
     
  5. Silly Yak

    Silly Yak Member

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    If you read the article you will see that parents are mad that LCPS used the trail as a acceptable avenue for children to get to school. I believe that if you live within 1.25 miles (via walking routes) of the school you don't get a bus, and that path allowed the school to include more families.

    LCPS admitted they made a mistake, but they are not going to do anything about it.
     
  6. vacliff

    vacliff "You shouldn't say that."

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    I, as an HOA Board member, would not support taking on higher HOA fees because our billion dollar plus school system won't fulfill their responsibilities.
    To my knowledge there has been no interaction between LCPS and the HOA about this issue.
    If LCPS will cover the expenses, then I would consider exploring the issue.
    We would need to see exactly which paths would need to be plowed. THe HOA does plow many of them.
    Disappointed our School Board rep, who lives in Broadlands, has decided to remain silent on the issue. I think her excuse is a weak one.
     
    bryty2000, Rhaegar and jdhauer like this.
  7. JLC

    JLC Member

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    The way I read the article is that the mistake they made was not including more houses in the walk zone. The deadline to inform people they were losing their bus passed, so they can't take it away until next year.
     
  8. Silly Yak

    Silly Yak Member

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    Ok, I reread and I am with you on that. Still want to know what LCPS was thinking using a trail that goes through the woods (seems safe) that may not be plow until after higher priority areas are done. So, we will have kids, walking in the dark, in snow and ice, in the woods. Excellent.

    And, here will be the answer. Sorry two income families that built family schedules based on your child being able to bus. Now, one of you will have to go into work later, even if your employer isn't happy about it.
     
  9. Capricorn1964

    Capricorn1964 Well-Known Member

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    "(Seems safe)"??? I don't think its safe for kids to walk on Nature Trails because many of the trail views from the homes can be blocked by trees/bushes in the back. So how do people in the homes THINK the kids are fine and nothing is happening? Has anyone remembered the strange men hanging around in the trail areas a few years ago? What does it take for some creepy guy to find out that he can take advantage of this to attack the kids? I, as a parent, would not want my child to use the trails because the views are obstructed....Even more so, the sidewalks are safer because traffic is going by and they can see the kids better and the kids can run to the doors of the homes easier if they have a problem- Not so from behind the homes in the trail area.
     
  10. Capricorn1964

    Capricorn1964 Well-Known Member

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    By the way, this is EXACTLY why I think wooded paths are unsafe as the article in the news stated parents objecting:

    "Concerns expressed on social media include the safety of children walking on a wooded path that is not always visible to surrounding neighbors and the fact that the nature path is not always cleared of snow in a timely manner."

    To follow up with that: I believe LCPS don't really give a damn if the wooded path is safe or not.,...its as if its not their concern because it happens BEFORE and AFTER school so the parents are still responsible. It is REALLY IDIOTIC of LCPS to include the wooded path in their decision making. They should have used SIDEWALKS alone instead. Makes one wonder if any have any concerns with safety with their OWN kids. Many of these planners have PhDs and Masters! Just because they have these degrees doesn't make them ANY smarter when it comes to childrens' safety in mind. :eek:
     
  11. KTdid

    KTdid Well-Known Member

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    Book smarts does not equal intelligence:whistle:
     
  12. Silly Yak

    Silly Yak Member

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    Forgot to state that I was being sarcastic.
     
  13. Capricorn1964

    Capricorn1964 Well-Known Member

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    Agree with you 1,000%!

    All aside, look at the principal of that school in PA that cut the microphone of that Valedictorian. That principal has a PhD....but I think he's a jealous adult who has never been a valedictorian in his life and is taking it out on this smart dude that made it to the Kimmel show! Made the principal look like a sitting duck in the water. He's probably sucking his thumb in his bathtub whining how this kid made his life miserable. :bawling:
     
  14. flynnibus

    flynnibus Well-Known Member Forum Staff

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    I'm more peeved about them assuming private property, that has no expectation of upkeep/cleaning in the event of storms, is an acceptable 'shortcut' for their measuring of the school's responsibilities.

    'That is a HOA issue' is a blatant attempt to deflect their mistake and pass blame elsewhere. Private property owners have no obligation to clear their land on behalf of the school administration. These are not public sidewalks. They are recreational amenities.
     
    Rhaegar, Silly Yak and ALtheHokie like this.
  15. Excelsior

    Excelsior Southern Walk||IMPERIUM IN IMPERIO||

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    I am coming into the discussion a little late...

    Who paid for the bridge?

    Who paid for the pavement?

    Who owns the property of said amenities?

    And since when does LCPS not close for days after any significant snow? If conditions across the County are taken into consideration prior to any school closure decision, then Wayde ought to be visiting that spot himself and evaluating conditions at the bottom of that hill.
     
  16. vacliff

    vacliff "You shouldn't say that."

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    The bridge and pavement was built and paid for as an Eagle Scout project. The bridge and path is on property owned by the Broadlands Association. So, the HOA owns the bridge. Not sure what "hill" you are referring to.
     
  17. Excelsior

    Excelsior Southern Walk||IMPERIUM IN IMPERIO||

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    The hill we all sit on when we go to Broadlands Live. Wouldn't water and moisture drain there and make it extra slippery?

    Where did the money come from to pay for the materials? PTA? Who paid forthe pavement? PTA? If this was approved by HOA for the convenience of the community and pitched as a win-win, then I would tend to agree this is an HOA issue. If LCPS paid for this, and has plans to support the upkeep, then they should treat it. If all of this was developed and paid for with private funds and on private property, then LCPS should not have calculated an expanded walk zone. But these assumptions could be wrong. Cliff?
     
    Last edited: Jun 23, 2017
  18. vacliff

    vacliff "You shouldn't say that."

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    The money was raised by the Eagle Scout. Much of the work was done by donations. The HOA agreed to plow/maintain the trail/bridge to keep it passable in the winter. The hill is not a factor for the trail/bridge.
    THE HOA did NOT agree to start maintaining trails a distance away from the bridge. LCPS has had no communication with the HOA regarding our trails. From my perspective, unless an agreement in reached between LCPS and the HOA about the maintenance of the trails, they need to use public sidewalks for their distance measuring.
    I would hope our board requests a meeting with LCPS to find out exactly what assumptions were made. If the HOA is not satisfied, then there is a simple solution....close the bridge.
     
  19. Petunia

    Petunia New Member

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    I agree that LCPS should not use trails to measure "safe" paths to school. As this discussion moves forward please keep in mind a few things...

    Last week a group of Eagle Ridge parents had a meeting with officials from LCPS to walk the trails and discuss the new walk zone. From that meeting we learned that the ERMS walk zone will expand again next year to most of the neighborhood within 1.25 miles of the school, significantly expanding the trails that will need to be cleared after a storm.

    We also learned that we are not the first or only community where LCPS has used trails to calculate the distance to school. They have experienced push back from other HOAs and still use trails for their safe paths to school. (I'm not saying we should give up, just be prepared.)

    Finally, please keep in mind that the bridge was built in order to discourage middle school students from crossing Waxpool to get to Eagle Ridge. The tunnel/bridge combo is now the fastest way to school for more than just the students whose busses were discontinued. Closing the bridge would just create another unsafe situation, by encouraging pedestrians to cross Waxpool's four lanes of traffic. Let's remember why the bridge was built in the first place, please!
     
  20. Excelsior

    Excelsior Southern Walk||IMPERIUM IN IMPERIO||

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    It is rather unlikely in my opinion that kids will be in any real danger. LCPS closes quite regularly when bad/ultra -cold weather hits the area.

    I think you could either deal with this in court and spend the money on legal or use that cash and set it aside to maintain the walks. The latter scenario is tbe one that likely has more of an immediate benefit to the community.
     

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