Letter from Mr. Strasburg (2)
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Letter from Mr. Strasburg (2)
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9-1-05
To: Owners of Red Bank Oaks Properties and Their Association (RBO-POA)
My name is Robert Strasburg. Many years ago, I arranged for the purchase, division, and sales of Red Bank Oaks – about 2,700 acres – into 160-acre parcels with CC&Rs and a property owners’ association (POA) to help owners establish and maintain the desired CC&Rs. It was a beautiful area, developing in a controlled manner, and increasing in value regularly. My trust still owns 40 acres as long-term investment, BUT, I will be forced to sell ASAP before the price drastically deteriorates as a result of the actions of less than a majority of the RBO owners. In just a few years, problems have developed with some of the RBO parcels, or owners, that if not handled quickly and properly, could cascade into large and costly problems which will directly affect your investment as an owner.
I had the opportunity to tour RBO this week. During my tour, I traveled past properties littered with vehicles, garbage, unpermitted structures, and dilapidated fencing. Some properties had residents living in travel trailers with makeshift buildings attached and no county-recognized septic system. Simple things like unpermitted construction, junk, and trash lying around, without any attempt to hide it or clean it up, will severely affect the desirability and market value of properties. It’s important to keep the area from deteriorating any further.
As the original creator of the CC&Rs, I felt they were strong enough for the times; but enforcement is the key and landowner participation is critical. We need to protect the privacy and primitive nature and enhance the value and desirability of Red Bank Oaks, but it can’t be done without your participation. Our problem is there are 69 owners entitled to vote on proposals but, unfortunately, most of them don’t vote one way or another; and we need 35 votes to get anything significant done. Because of this, the very few owners who are degrading the desirability of Red Bank Oaks have an advantage. If you choose not to vote, either because you are too busy or because you are concerned about repercussions from your neighbors, you are in effect supporting the degradation of your investment and the desirability of Red Bank Oaks.
We have not enjoyed the appreciation in value we should have that other areas are enjoying right now. Red Bank Oaks has the potential of being extraordinary, but the landowners have to make it happen. It’s at a critical point right now and it will take so little to tip the scale back to the original intent and design under which most people bought it for. But if nothing is done, it will tip the other way and then it will be too late.
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Copyright © 2008
Red Bank Oaks Property Owners' Association
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