The Latest Ocean Ranch News for you

JUNE Newsletter Vol. 12 Issue 6

June Board of Directors Meeting

The June Ocean Ranch Homeowners Association Board of Directors Meeting will be held on Thursday, June 22nd^nd at the Laguna Niguel Sea Country Senior & Community Center located at 24602 Aliso Creek Road. The meeting will begin with the closed Executive Session at 6:30 PM followed by the regular Open Session of the Board Meeting which will begin approximately 7:30 PM. For your information, the proposed Meeting Agenda is posted on the Bulletin Board located at the Ocean Ranch Community Park Complex.

All Ocean Ranch residents are invited to participate in the Open Session to discuss any matters of business that would be proper to come before the Ocean Ranch Board of Directors. While it is not necessary that the Board be notified before the actual Board Meeting, it may be more effective if Ocean Ranch’s Community Manager, MS. Katie Davies, is apprised of the issue ahead of time. You may contact Ms. Davies by telephone at: (949) 448-6160, or via email at katie.davies@fsresidential.com. You may also write directly to Ms. Davies at FirstServices Residential, 15241 Laguna Canyon Road, Irvine, CA 92618.

JUNE

Thursday

BOARD MEETING

Continued Safety Vigilance Necessary

Information in this article was previously distributed to Ocean Ranch residents, but because of its continuing importance we would like to reemphasize the need for ongoing vigilance as we work to keep Ocean Ranch as safe as possible.

We have been fortunate to have avoided recurrence of further burglaries in Ocean Ranch so far this year. However, Laguna Niguel Police services informed us that burglaries are still occurring in the general area including in residential communities along Golden Lantern, and in Nellie Gail Ranch and Marbella Country Club. While Police Services are working assiduously to catch the perpetrators, criminal activity remains a problem in our area, and we all need to be very cautious in protecting our homes and Community. PLEASE CONTINUE YOUR CLOSE ATTENTION TO ALL COMMUNITY VISITORS.

We believe that our efforts to protect Ocean Ranch through more effectiv gate procedures and increased patrols along Ridgeway Avenue have been helpful, but diligent awareness by our community members is likely the most important action we can take to reduce likelihood of further criminal activity. We are continuing communiity wide efforts to make Ocean Ranch a great community, and as safe as possible.

The Board of Directors has continued dialogue with the City of Laguna Niguel, and we are pleased to inform you that the City has embarked on a program to install motion activated security cameras, directly linked to Sheriff’s Department officers (Laguna Niguel Police Services) who patrol our City. Two cameras are scheduled to be installed in the small park located just off Ridgeway Avenue at the top of the canyon which abuts Ocean Ranch along its northwest boundary. The system is expected to be functional about the first of July.

Thank you for your efforts to help keep Ocean Ranch safe.

ACCESS CONTROL

VISIT OUR WEBSITE

IMPORTANT REMINDER

Ocean Ranch’s improved gate management procedures have been very helpful in achieving much more effective control of our entrance gates. We appreciate the efforts of our Gate Attendants in carefully following procedures. As residents it is incumbent on all of us to continue to be vigilant in following our part of the process. One of the important procedural changes that was put into effect was the requirement that residents use the pre-authorization process by entering all expected guests and vendors into the Quick Pass system. Please use the automated system, but if you need assistance, you may call the Gate Attendants at (949) 248-5793 for the Upper Gate or (949) 248-1702 for the Lower Gate.

Please be aware that the Gate Attendants have been instructed not to call residents directly to seek entry authorization. Guests or vendors who arrive without having been previously authorized (entered by the resident in Quick Pass) will be refused admittance and asked to contact the resident themselves to get admittance authorization directly entered to the system by the resident. This is a security procedure for the safety of residents.

Thank you for your compliance with this important safety process.

Ocean Ranch Homeowners Association

Annual Meeting and Election - July 20, 2023

All Ocean Ranch residents should have received an Official Notice of the upcoming Ocean Ranch Annual Meeting and Election rescheduled for Thursday, July 20^th at 7:00 PM at the Laguna Niguel Sea Country Senior & Community Center, 24602 Aliso Creek Road, where the monthly Board of Directors meeting is usually held. This Election is very important as it will choose three homeowners to serve as Directors of the Homeowners Association for the next two years. Three incumbent candidates are running for re-election to the Board and two new homeowners have submitted candidate statements to run for the open Board positions. The election laws of the State of California require 50% of the Homeowners Association members to cast votes before a legal quorum of voters is achieved to enable a valid election to be held. If a quorum is not met at the scheduled Election, ballots cannot be counted, and the Election will have to be re-scheduled until enough qualified ballots are received to enable the Election to be held. PLEASE VOTE!!!

This year’s ballot consists of three parts:

The yellow ballot includes instructions and candidate voting selections, approval or disapproval of the previous year’s annual meeting minutes, and approval or disapproval of the tax measure. Approval is recommended for the minutes and tax measure because it benefits the Association.
Fold the yellow ballot and insert it into the yellow envelope. DO NOT SIGN the yellow ballot. That way your voting anonymity is preserved.
Insert the yellow envelope with the ballot into the blue mailing envelope. For your ballot to be a legal ballot you MUST affix your return address to the blue envelope AND SIGN THE BLUE ENVELOPE before mailing. This is necessary to enable the Inspector of Elections to determine that your ballot is valid.
When the ballots are received the blue envelopes will be qualified (signature and address) and then the yellow ballot envelope will be separated from the blue envelope and the yellow ballots will be counted. All voting ballots will be anonymous.

Since COVID-19 meeting restrictions have been eliminated Ocean Ranch homeowners can vote by mail or in person at the Laguna Niguel Sea Country Senior & Community Center. Please submit your completed ballot in one of the following ways:

either mail your completed ballots to the pre-printed address on the front of the envelope, or
return your completed ballot to the Upper or Lower Gates, or
vote in person at the Laguna Niguel Sea Country Senior & Community Center

PLEASE VOTE

Dear Monarch,

There are two types of people in our world: those who work with plants and those who work for plants. At Monarch, we are the latter. ....

Pollen Press .PDF

Save the Date

We are pleased to announce an upcoming Ocean Ranch social activity! The Fox Wilson Group of Realtors is sponsoring a community wide “Meet and Greet” Ice Cream Social to be held from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM, at the Ocean Ranch Community Pool Complex on Saturday July 29^th. Watch for further details. This will be a good chance to mingle with Ocean Ranch friends and neighbors.

Trash Cans

We have recently noticed several cases where Ocean Ranch Residents appear to have disregarded our Community’s Trash Can handling Rules and Regulations. These regulations are part of Ocean Ranch’s CC&Rs originally promulgated to help our community maintain a clean, orderly, and beautiful community with trash properly cared for and not strewn around our streets and landscaping. It is important that we all comply with these rules and regulations.

Specifically, Article X, page 30 of Ocean Ranch’s CC&Rs requires that trash be kept in sanitary containers, screened, and concealed from view; and that such trash containers cannot be exposed to view for more than twelve hours before and after scheduled trash collection hours. This means that trash receptacles are not to be put out for pick up before SUNDAY afternoon (for Monday pickup, and that after the Monday pick up trash cans should be put away on Tuesday morning.

While most residents are reasonably careful with their trash and handle it in accordance with our Community's Rules and Regulations, we have noted several instances where trash cans have been put out by the street on Saturday and several on Sunday morning. We have even had one case where the trash cans were put by the curb on Friday. If you are going away for the weekend, please make arrangements with one of your neighbors to put your trash cans out for you late Sunday afternoon. If your trash cans are put out ahead of time, it is very likely that you will receive a citation asking you to correct the problem.

If you would like to review Article X of the CC&Rs, please click on this link: Article X, CC&Rs

Thank you for helping to keep Ocean Ranch beautiful.

The trash cans in this picture were put out on the street on Saturday and by Sunday trash had been “spilled” on the street—either by birds or otherwise. This picture also shows an overfilled trash container. If your trash containers are not sufficient for your needs, please order an additional container.

Approval Required For Exterior Changes

Our Ocean Ranch Community is well known for its overall beauty and well-maintained homes and facilities. One of the main reasons for the excellent reputation we enjoy is the extensive Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&Rs) that govern many aspects of living in Ocean Ranch. Among other things, the CC&Rs require that homeowners carefully maintain their properties, including trees and landscaping; garbage cans must be put away on a timely basis and toys and other miscellaneous equipment cannot be left lying around in the yards. Other restrictions involve making changes to the exterior of residences including painting. Please be advised that homeowners must obtain approval from the Ocean Ranch Homeowners Association BEFORE they make ANY CHANGES to the exterior of their residences.

Each homeowner who purchased their home in Ocean Ranch agreed to comply with Ocean Ranch’s CC&Rs. You may easily access Ocean Ranch's CC&Rs by clicking this link: Ocean Ranch CC&Rs. Though the CC&Rs are extensive, they are well organized with a good Table of Contents which will help you locate specific subjects about which you may need more information.

If you have specific CC&R questions, you may contact Ocean Ranch's Community Manager Ms. Katie Davies, by telephone at: (949) 448-6160 or (800) 428-5588, or via email at katie.davies@fsresidential.com. You may also write directly to Ms. Davies at FirstServices Residential, 15241 Laguna Canyon Road, Irvine, CA 92618.

Ocean Ranch makes an on-going effort to keep the common area landscaping and property in good working order and cleaned up and painted, but it takes the efforts of ALL Ocean Ranch residents to keep our community beautiful. PLEASE HELP KEEP OCEAN RANCH BEAUTIFUL by complying with the Ocean Ranch CC&Rs Thank you for your cooperation.

Noise Considerations

Everyone occasionally likes to entertain guests in their homes and during the warmer months, periodically evening parties are held which utilize back yard facilities. Were you aware that party noise is supposed to be contained inside residences after 10:00 p.m.? Many people say: "10:00 P.M., that is kind of early to conclude a party, isn't it?" When your party creates noise in the neighborhood after 10:00 P. M., you will need to "take the party inside" so that neighbors will not be adversely impacted. Remember some neighbors have small children sleeping or must rise early--even on the weekends. Your compliance with related Ocean Ranch CC&Rs will be appreciated by everyone.

If you have noise complaints, it is recommended that residents first notify Ocean Ranch's Upper Gate attendants who will ask the roving patrol officer on duty to investigate and ask the “offending” resident to please contain the noise to the interior of the residence involved. Hopefully, that will be sufficient to remedy the problem. However, if noise continues, the complaining party and/or Ocean Ranch's patrol may contact Laguna Niguel Police Services directly (949) 770-6011). Laguna Niguel City ordinances also contain noise control provisions so excess noise can become a legal matter. It is detrimental to Ocean Ranch's overall positive reputation to have Police Services called to maintain appropriate decorum in Ocean Ranch so, if you are contacted by Ocean Ranch's patrol officers, please cooperate so that the problem will not have to be elevated to Laguna Niguel Police Services.

We all live "together" so it is important that we be good neighbors and consider the impact of our actions on our neighbors. Thank you for your cooperation.