WHO APPROVED THESE ROADS AS BEING ADEQUATE?

WILL THE COUNTY NOW ACCEPT THE LIABILITY FOR THESE ROADS THEY HAVE ALLOWED?

IF THESE "DRIVEWAYS" ARE TO REMAIN, WHY NOT BRING THEM UP TO THE CODE TO WHICH THEY SHOULD HAVE ORIGINALLY BEEN BUILT?

WHY SHOULD ALL MARIPOSA COUNTY TAX PAYERS ASSUME THE FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY  FOR THE DEERWOOD CORPORATION'S FLAGRANT VIOLATION OF CURRENT REGULATIONS FOR  HIGHER PROFITS?

PUBLIC SAFETY AND COUNTY OPERATION CONCERNS FOR THE GRAND JURY?

These "developer driveways", compliments of THE DEERWOOD CORPORATION (our "good neighbor according to DIRECTOR RON HOWENSTINE at the last meeting) have popped up all over the Mariposa side of the subdivision. (PLEASE ADVISE OF OTHERS) The first one I became aware of was this one on ALAMO DRIVE. I called it "DISASTER DRIVE" after walking  it myself and reading the CDF report regarding its non compliance with PUBLIC SAFETY REGULATIONS. Personally, I believe there are already some signs of serious EROSION CONDITIONS that have developed because of the redireted rain runoff from this very long "driveway". There is also evidence that someone may have "obstructed" a county drainage culvert to conceal the obvious signs of erosion I believe have been caused by this "driveway". (Previous BLOG). Are all Mariposa County taxpayers going to be required  to pick up the tab for any resulting damage to COUNTY MAINTAINED ROADWAYS caused by  these INFERIOR paved convenience roads? Why should PUBLIC FUNDS be used in the future  to clean up DEVELOPER PROFIT PROGRAMS now? Why were plans not submitted to the COUNTY or the LDPOA for approval PRIOR TO CONSTRUCTION? This "driveway" also crosses, and in some  areas, paved right over one of the most beautiful Pedestrian & Equestrian Trails in this subdivision. Why are laws, regulations and rules only enforced against private citizens  and not a multi-million dollar land development company?

Are projected tax revenues being placed above the rights and protections for Mariposa County taxpayers and members of the LAKE DON PEDRO OWNERS' ASSOCIATION?

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DEERWOOD'S DISASTER DRIVE: ALAMO DRIVE, MARIPOSA CO. 
What lies beyond this gate, IN MY OPINION, represents the most serious damage ever done to our ASSOCIATION PROPERTY and SOVEREIGNTY in it's near FORTY YEAR HISTORY. This is only one of a number of flagrant violations of our GOVERNING DOCUMENTS by real estate and land development “SPECIAL INTERESTS” which is an affront to every past, current, and future member of this Association who has, and must, pay assessments to an ASSOCIATION that has, since the OCTOBER 2003 ELECTION, clearly failed to abide by it’s contractual obligations to membership. This is probably the most disgusting aspect of these recent developments.IN MY OPINION, none of this could have been accomplished without the treacherous, deceitful and arrogant attitudes and the self serving agendas of our current president DWIGHT MUELLER, current vice president ORB HATTON (owner of TRI COUNTY REALTY which is currently developing other subdivisions adjacent to the LDPOA), and their extremely quiet supporters, with the exception of DIRECTOR RON HOWENSTINE who has finally shed his "member supportive facade" and openly supports the MO agenda.

ORB HATTON, after having to pay $19,000 settlement for a lawsuit brought by our Association for violation of our CC&Rs to access his other land development interests,(MEETING AT THE HACIENDA MAY 4th, 2005 7PM concerning Mr. HATTON's new subdivisions) decided to become a volunteer director of our association, eventhough he does not live here in the subdivision but on his own expansive and gated estate outside the subdivision. Mr. HATTON has no fears that a multi-million dollar corporation will ever asphalt pave anything of his. ORB HATTON said in his September 2003 candidate statement he was for (among other things) a "KINDER AND GENTLER ENFORCEMENT OF THE SUBDIVISION RULES". He never said anything about suspending CC&R enforcement to allow real estate and land development interests to violate the very concepts upon which this subdivision was created or that he was developing other subdivisions next to ours. Our LDPOA is not even half (1/2) developed yet our vice president has opened the door to exploitation by outside interests while simultaneously creating competing subdivisons which will further harm our association and it's members.

LOOKING TOWARDS YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK

THERE'S A PEDESTRIAN & EQUESTRIAN TRAIL OUT THERE

STEEP DRIVEWAY

I recall DWIGHT MUELLER and ORB HATTON discussing a driveway easement dispute between two members. This 1,600 foot paved dirveway VIOLATES AT LEAST SIX DIFFERENT CDF REGULATIONS in addition to seriously disturbing two of our members' lives who have done absolutely nothing wrong. The "members" MO and DIRECTOR RON HOWENSTINE support are a real estate business owner and a land developer owning multiple lots. The victim "plaintiffs" are an innocent retired couple. Only MOH could brush this off as, and consider it, a simple easement dispute between "members". Their deception is clear to anyone who knows the facts.

THIS DRIVEWAY COVERS SOME OF THE PEDESTRIAN & EQUESTRIAN TRAIL IN ADDITION TO SPLITTING THE VICTIM MEMBER'S PROPERTY DIAGONALLY  AND DESTROYING THEIR PRIVACY! CAN YOU IMAGINE SALES VAN AFTER SALES VAN PASSING BY YOUR RESIDENCE ON PROPERTY THAT YOU OWN? IF EVER THERE WAS A CASE WHERE AN ASSOCIATION SHOULD HAVE PROTECTED THEIR MEMBERS, THIS WAS IT.

DWIGHT MUELLER and ORB HATTON (MO) HAVE REPEATEDLY TOLD MEMBERS THAT THESE LOTS WERE "LAND LOCKED" AND THE ONLY WAY TO REACH THEM WAS TO CREATE NEW ACCESS ROADS. IN MY OPINION, THAT IS A BOLD FACED LIE. LOOK AT THESE PHOTOGRAPHS AND SEE FOR YOURSELF. THE ORIGINAL BOSE CASCADE ENGINEERS AND DEVELOPERS CLEARLY DESIGNED, AND HAD BULLDOZED INTO THE EARTH, THE START OF A DRIVEWAY ON EVERY PROPERTY IN THIS SUBDIVISION. THESE "DIFFICULT TO DEVELOP PROPERTIES" ARE NOT "LAND LOCKED" AND TO MAKE SUCH A STATEMENT IS INTENTIONALLY DECEITFUL AND MEANT TO MISLEAD THOSE THAT HAVE NOT SEEN FOR THEMSELVES. THESE INFERIOR PAVED "DEERWOOD DRIVEWAYS" ARE JUST MORE CONVENIENT AND PROFITABLE.



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EARLY WARNING SIGNS OF FUTURE EROSION AND EMBANKMENT SLIDES?

WADDED UP PLASTIC (PHOTO ABOVE) PREVENTS EROSION MATERIAL FROM FLOWING DOWNHILL WHERE IT WOULD HAVE IMMEDIATELY BEEN OBSERVED ON BANDERILLA DRIVE. THE PLASTIC PLUG ALLOWS WATER TO PASS BUT THIS ENGINEERED BASIN IS RAPIDLY FILLING WITH EROSION MATERIAL. WHO WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PERIODICALLY REMOVING THE ROCK AND MUD BEFORE THE CULVERT IS COMPLETELY COVERED? THE COUNTY ROAD DEPARTMENT? WILL THE DEERWOOD CORPORATION ACCEPT THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR PERPETUITY?

Erosion material is almost to County Maintained ALAMO DRIVE.

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THE "DEERWOOD DRIVEWAY" OFF CARACOL CIRCLE

THE "DRIVEWAY" OFF CARACOL CIRCLE IS JUST ON THE OTHER SIDE OF A HILL FROM MY PLACE BUT I NEVER KNEW OF ITS EXISTENCE UNTIL NOTIFIED BY OTHER MEMBERS. ALL OF THESE "DRIVEWAY-ROAD" PROJECTS SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN THE DISCOVERER TO ALL MEMBERS.

HOW MANY HOMES WILL BE CONSTRUCTED FROM THIS DRIVEWAY?

DOESN'T TAKE MUCH IMAGINATION TO VISUALIZE AN ACCIDENT AT THE SUMMIT OF THIS BLIND KNOLL OR THE DIFFICULTY ONE OF THOSE HUGE FIRETRUCKS WOULD HAVE NEGOTIATING THIS DRIVEWAY. ISN'T THAT WHY CDF HAS INFLUENCE IN THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS? TO PREVENT KNOWN HAZARDS BASED ON PAST EXPERIENCE?

STEEP BANK WITH NO GUARD RAILS.

SEEMS TO ME THAT SIMPLY MARKING THESE ROADS AS DANGEROUS WOULD NOT MITIGATE THE POTENTIAL FOR SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH IN THE EVENT OF A ROLL OVER DURING BAD WEATHER OR AN EMERGENCY.

VIEW OF CONSTRUCTION SITE FROM THE OLD HIDDEN HILLS GOLF COURSE. 

PURPOSE OF THESE QUICKLY CONSTRUCTED AND CDF UNAPPROVED ROADS? A BEAUTIFUL HOME WITH AN ENHANCED VIEW. WHERE IS LIABILITY GOING TO FALL IN THE FUTURE IF THE COUNTY ALLOWS THESE ROADS THAT DO NOT MEET CURRENT PUBLIC SAFETY REGULATIONS? WILL THEY HAVE TO BE LOCKED OR OTHERWISE CLOSED TO PUBLIC ACCESS? IS OUR SUBDIVISION BEING GATED FROM WITHIN?

THE "DEER" IN DEERWOOD, "WOULD" NATURALLY TRAVEL ON ASPHALT.

TRAIL CLEARLY MARKED.

THE MARK.

BEAUTIFUL VIEW FROM LAZO.

THE LAZO WAY WATER TANK. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT (WATER COMPANY) AGREED THAT DEERWOOD'S CONSTRUCTION OF THIS ROAD WOULD BENEFIT THEM THROUGH BETTER ACCESS FOR WATER TANK MAINTENANCE. WITHOUT GOING INTO WHY A PAVED ROAD IS NECESSARY FOR SUCH ACCESS, I'D LIKE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THIS "APPROVAL" BECAUSE MY UNDERSTANDING IS SOME OF OUR DIRECTORS DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS CONSTRUCTION EITHER. IS THERE IS A DUAL EMPLOYMENT HISTORY BETWEEN THE WATER COMPANY AND THE THE DEERWOOD CORPORATION?

ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL SPRING DAY IN LAKE DON PEDRO.

HEADING BACK TO LAZO WAY AFTER "CIRCLING THE TANK"

NEVER SAY NEVER. HAD SOMEONE TOLD ME ONLY A FEW MONTHS AGO THAT A DEVELOPER WAS GOING TO ASPHALT PAVE OVER SOME OF OUR PEDESTRIAN & EQUESTRIAN TRAILS,...I WOULD HAVE SAID NO "#*@^!)% WAY! NEVER HAPPEN! YEP THE OLD EXPRESSION IS VALID. NEVER SAY NEVER.

MORE TO COME........

MY best to you and yours, Lew

All4R$! 

PREVIOUS BLOG UPDATE ON EROSION CONTROL FOR ALAMO DRIVE JANUARY 24th, 2006

PREVIOUS BLOG COMPARISON PHOTOS OF EROISON--WHY SHOULD TAXPAYERS PAY FOR THIS?"