One CPHA Board Seat up for Election
The Castle Pines Homes Association Board of Directors seat currently held by Ed Will comes up for election at the 2010 Annual Meeting. Board members are elected to three year terms and as a Board are responsible for exercising for the CPHA all powers, duties, and authority vested in or delegated to the Association by the Bylaws, the Articles of Incorporation and the Village Declarations. All residents are entitled to one vote for each residence they own. This will be the first Board of Directors election since Class B voting rights expired. In past elections Class B members (developers) were entitled to three votes for each lot they owned. In accordance with the CPHA governing documents Class B membership status expired in May of this year. The Board of Directors are involved in many substantive issues that affect the quality of life and protect the investment each CPV resident has made in their home. While requirements for running are few, the current Board has several recommendations for those wishing to be considered for one of these seats. Interested candidates should be available for at least ten of the 12 monthly meetings each year. Meetings are held the third Friday of every month. Board members also dedicate up to 25 additional hours each month to board related activities. Committee membership is an outstanding way to gain experience with CPHA operations and allows residents to become familiar with some of the issues that affect the community. In addition, attendance at monthly Board meetings gives interested candidates insight into the types of issues the Board deals with regularly. Anyone interested in running for this seat should submit a resume including, name, address, how long they have lived in the Village, past or present CPHA committee memberships, and professional experience to the CPHA, attention Mark Larson, no later than close of business December 14, 2009. This allows the Nominating Committee the opportunity to review the resumes, make their recommendations to the Board of Directors, and give the Village Reporter staff ample time to conduct interviews with candidates for publication.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact any Board member, or call or email Mark Larson, General Manager, at 303-814-1345.

Snowplowing in the Village
The Metro District is responsible for snowplowing the main roads in the Village. Plowing begins at 3” accumulation. (Visit SNOWPLOWING page for more info) First plowed are major collector roads, then local roads and finally cul-de-sacs. Metro does not plow private roads, common drive roadways, driveways and sub association roads. Some of the sub associations in the Village provide their own plowing service—check with your sub’s management for more info. If you have an emergency call 911. Snow plowing equipment will be diverted when requested by ES, The Do Co Sheriff or South Metro Fire. Do not park on the street or snowplows will not plow your street if it is not safely passable. Please be patient during a snowstorm as Metro’s crews make every reasonable effort to keep the roadways open. If you have questions or need additional information call Metro during operating hours 303.688.8330. For after hours please call Emergency Services at 303.688.6447.

Carbon Monoxide Detectors Save Lives
Just as important as a smoke detector; a carbon monoxide detector can save lives by providing an early warning before the deadly gas builds up to a dangerous level. About 200 people die each year from CM poisoning associated with home fuel-burning heating equipment.

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas. Symptoms of CM poisoning are similar to flu-like illnesses and include dizziness, fatigue, headaches, nausea, and irregular breathing. Exposure to a low concentration over several hours can be as dangerous as exposure to high CM levels for a few minutes - the new detectors will detect both conditions. Each home should have at least one CM detector in the area outside individual bedrooms. CM can leak from faulty furnaces or fuel-fired heaters or can be trapped inside by a blocked chimney or flue. The first line of defense against carbon monoxide is to make sure that all fuel-burning appliances operate properly. Have your home heating systems inspected each year for proper operation.

CPV Joint Task Force Notice
The CPV Joint Task Force is comprised of the CPHA Board, Metro Board and several individuals from the community all working to address and resolve current issues regarding regional transportation events that affect our community. A letter has been mailed to all residents of the Village providing a comprehensive report of the issues to date. Specifically, the proposed alignment for the North Meadows Extension that will eventually connect with I-25, and efforts to prevent increased traffic and incorporate traffic calming devices on Happy Canyon Road. Click HERE to view the complete letter. If you have any questions or would like to comment please email Joe Gschwendtner, Chair Communications Committee of the CPV Joint Task Force

What To Do with Landscape & Construction Waste
Landscape materials that are put out as trash for Waste Management may only be placed on the curb on the day of pickup and no earlier than 5am. You may place these items next to your house until pickup day, but you may receive a notice of violation and fine if you put them out on the curb before then. Please note that WM will pick up a maximum of 10 bags per home at one time. Please contact WM at 303.797.1600 if you need to request a special pickup. Visit the CPV website for more information about WM’s trash service in the Village. Thank you for helping us to keep our community beautiful!

Leaving Town and Need a Place to Put Your Garbage?

If you are leaving town or you miss your scheduled trash pickup, the CPHA has a dumpster available in the back of the building to accept trash bags only. You may bring up to FOUR trash bags. The following items are NOT allowed in the dumpster: non-bagged trash, cardboard boxes filled with trash, appliances, furniture or any other large household or commercial item. All garbage must be bagged. Please note that this option is to assist residents that are leaving town so they don’t have to store garbage in their garage, so we kindly ask that you not use this dumpster to dump trash from your holiday party as it is a small dumpster and cannot hold large amounts of garbage. Please DO NOT leave garbage outside of the dumpster. Thank you for your cooperation

Castle Pines Village North Sales Tax and the 80108 Zip code

The CPHA has learned that a city sales tax from the City of Castle Pines North is erroneously showing up on select ‘Home Services’ billing to residents in the Village.  The City of Castle Pines North was made aware of the problem and has since submitted a document to the Colorado Department of Revenue (CDOR) specifically indicating the addresses within their city boundaries, thereby effectively removing CPV addresses that share the same zip code.  There have also been reports that the CPN sales tax has appeared on invoices from retail stores for the purchase of deliverable goods such as furniture and appliances.  The County in which you reside (for CPV it is unincorporated Douglas County) is ultimately responsible for ensuring vendor compliance to the various city sales taxes that exist within the county’s borders.   CDOR informs us that the revised list provided by the City of CPN could take as long as a year to “trickle down” to all of the Colorado Counties, the numerous vendors that provide goods and services in Colorado, and the 3rd party tax service providers that many companies use to ensure sales tax compliance.  There are several things you can do to get a refund for past sales tax paid on a home services bill, remove the tax from future home services billing, or have the tax removed from retail delivery invoice. 

1. For Cellular phone bills the Mobile Telecommunications Act states that the cellular vendor must resolve, review, refund or credit within 60 days of notice, a claim with regard to the erroneous assignment of a sales tax.  Contact your cell provider directly and ask that the CPN sales tax be removed from your bill, and that you be credited for previous taxes paid.  FYI: CDOR recognized CPN’s annexation in August of this year.For other home services billing that are NOT cell phone service, first contact the service provider directly to request a correction to future invoices and a credit for past taxes paid.  If the service provider is not able to make the correction and refund contact Helen Kellogg, Douglas County Sales Tax Specialist at 303.660.7340.  FYI: the CPN sales tax does NOT appear on billing from the Metro District, IREA or Aquila.
2. If you are purchasing deliverable goods, it would be advantageous to print a tax authority verification form and bring it with you to the vendor.  This document can be found on the Douglas County's website, the Tax Assessor's web page.  By entering your name or address you can pull up information about your property including the tax jurisdiction (look for the tab in the record marked “Tax Authority”).  The retailer may however charge the CPN sales tax regardless of the verification form.  If so, the resident must complete CDOR’s Claim Refund Form-DR 0137, click on the link to Forms, click on Forms by DR Number, then click on DR 0137.  Submit it along with other necessary documentation to the Colorado Department of Revenue.  Additionally, the resident should contact Helen Kellogg, Douglas County Sales Tax Specialist at 303.660.7340 to report the incorrect charges. 

To view all of the State, County and City taxes you are responsible for paying, this information can be found on the Douglas County website, Tax Assessor's page, by first looking up your property.  Note:  Castle Pines Village residents live in unincorporated Douglas County so there are no city taxes.   Follow these steps: 

Visit the website www.douglas.co.us/assessor.  Enter your name or address to search for your property.  Once you find your property click on the tab "Tax Authority".  There you will see a complete breakdown of all of the taxes

Notice from the Wildlife Committee: Rodents
Wildlife officials have confirmed an increase in rodent populations. We have wood rats (packrats), Norway rats, voles and mice in the Village. Damage prevention and control methods include: exclusion by sealing openings, removing vines from fences and buildings, cutting back shrubs and eliminating weeds, snap traps, live traps and glue boards. Ultrasonic devices have not been proven effective.

Lost & Found
Did you lose something over the summer at one of the Village facilities like the Fitness Center, the Tennis Courts or the Canyon Club? ES has accumulated quite a few items that were left behind over the summer—scooters, cameras, jackets, etc. Stop by the ES window in the CPHA building to provide a description of your item.

Wildlife Enthusiasts: Pictures Wanted
The Wildlife Committee (WC) is collecting photos featuring the varied wildlife in our community. All photos will be used for resident viewing purposes only: to include photo displays at special Homes Association events, a slideshow on this website, and a framed collage at the media center within the CPHA office. Photos will become the property of the CPHA, but will not be used for commercial purposes. Photos will be accepted throughout the year. Send JPEG photos to admin@castlepinesvillage.org . High resolution files preferred and CD disks can be dropped off to the CPHA office in c/o of the Administrator, Lisa Goodwin. Questions? Contact the Wildlife Committee at 303.952.0932

Dogs Off Leash
The Village Rules and Regulations concerning pets are to help ensure that your pets are good citizens of the Village. When not on your property your dog must be on leash at all times, and this includes all open space areas. Animal waste that is left behind can pose health hazards to people and other pets so please remember to clean up after your pet. “Mutt Mitt” stations are located around the Village for your convenience. Please feel free to take as many of these handy bags as you need for future walks. Note that these bags are to go with the user and not be left behind at the dispenser station. Emergency Services Officers will periodically monitor the open space areas to ensure that dogs are on-leash. 

Feeding Wildlife
With the exception of feeding birds (seeds, suet, and hummingbird nectar), feeding or baiting wildlife on Castle Pines Village properties is prohibited. Regardless of how benevolent a person’s intentions, feeding hurts wildlife. Feeding creates an unnatural behavior that disrupts the natural balance. It also attracts prey species and predators to your home where they can create a safety risk to your family and pets. In the end, it is the animals that usually suffer. For expanded discussions on the hazards that feeding wildlife can create, please review the sections on black bears and mountain lions. Article: Living with nature in Castle Pines Village

Bear Sightings in the Village

Bear sightings have occurred in both the North (Borealis, Indigo, Bantala) & South sides (Morning star, Tamasoa) of the Village. If you see a bear do not approach or attempt to feed it. Do your best to chase it away with loud noise, clap your hands, or blow a whistle. Never approach or corner a bear. Do not leave pet food outside as this will attract a bear. Call ES immediately to report the sighting.

Update Your Resident Info with ES
A reminder to all residents whose addresses end in 1, 2, 3 or 4 please fill out and return the Emergency Service’s Homeowner Information form and return it at your earliest convenience. The form can be filled out online and emailed confidentially to the ES administrator. You can also fax, mail or drop off the form to the ES office. Thank you in advance for your prompt response!

Special Notice from the Castle Pines Homes Association
The following is a press release issued by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office on December 21,2009 regarding the unfortunate death of a Village resident last week.  This press release is an update to Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Death Investigation in Castle Pines Village:

On 12-21-09 an autopsy was completed on the adult female found in the Castle Pines sub-division on the evening of 12-18-09.  The Coroners Office has confirmed the woman to be: Dorrea Faith Toole, Castle Rock, CO.  The results for the cause of death are pending toxicology testing.  The exam showed that the victim had a small contusion to her forehead which Investigators believe was caused by the victim falling while walking in the subdivision.  There is no evidence that the victim was assaulted in any way and it is believed that she died of hypothermia.  No foul play is suspected at this point in the investigation. On 12-17-09 at 8:30 p.m., Toole was first discovered to be missing by her husband who was out of town on business.  The husband had attempted to call his wife at their home and did not receive an answer.  The husband contacted Castle Pines Security who responded to the home to look for Toole.  The husband made numerous contacts with associates of his wife to try and determine her location.  After all attempts failed, the husband called the Sheriff’s Office on 12-18-09 at app 12:14 a.m. and reported his wife missing.  Officers from the Sheriff’s Office responded to the home and initiated their investigation.  A search of the home was completed along with the immediate area surrounding the home.  No indication of foul play was found and it was believed at the time that the victim had left the home at her own volition.   Patrol Officers continued to work the missing person investigation and contacted the husband at 2:20 a.m. and advised him that the case would be turned over to the Investigation Division. At app 8:00 a.m. on 12-18-09, the Investigation Division received the report and began following up with the case.  Detectives responded to the home and awaited the husband who was returning to Colorado.  The DCSAR was requested by Investigations to do a complete search of the entire neighborhood.  DCSAR arrived on scene at 2:15 p.m. and began searching the area at 2:50 p.m.  At 4:26 p.m. members of the DCSAR reported that they had located the body of an adult female who has now been confirmed to be Dorrea Toole.   The victim was located lying in a drainage gutter located behind homes on Mt. Sneffels Pl. in Castle Pines app. ¼ of a mile to the South/East of her home.  Neighbors have told Investigators that they did see Toole walking alone in the subdivision earlier in the evening.   Detectives are continuing the Investigation and anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Jason Weaver at 303. 660-7588.

Court Renders Ruling on King Property Hunting Issue

For more than a year, CPHA has pursued efforts to obtain a permanent injunction to prevent hunting on the King property, an 88-acre parcel adjacent to CPV’s eastern boundary. Douglas County District Court recently denied CPHA’s petition, however, established buffer zones as well as other conditions and restrictions on the King parcel. The order includes a 32-acre no-shoot buffer area on the southern, western, and northern areas of the property; a limit of four hunters at any given time on the site, and the requirement of two hunt coordinators to have “direct and continuous supervision” over the hunting party. View Second Order Regarding Conditions & Restrictions for Hunting on King Property. View the Map of King Property Showing No-Hunting Zones.