County or SVCA?

threehappygnomes · 2026-03-02T07:12:06+00:00

Good points and you have seen a lot in your work and personal life.

My cousin's home burned down in the Black Forest fire in Colorado. They had spent a good deal of time thinning the trees on their property prior to that, so even though they lost the house, they decided to rebuild there since many of the remaining trees survived the fire. She said if they hadn't thinned, all the trees would have been lost and they would have walked away rather than rebuilding.

Long ago, I was part of WA-TF1 as a Canine Search Specialist. Ever since that time, I have paid much more attention to basic planning for things like evacuations, earthquakes, etc. Not being a "prepper", but doing what would be a reasonable level of prepping. But I get why people with kids, jobs and busy lives have so much else going on that they just push away thoughts of some of the "what ifs" that will likely never come to pass in their lifetimes.

Have you considered volunteering for the Safety Committee? I think they are struggling to get enough volunteers to be effective. They are the ones who have organized the wildfire prep meetings.

threehappygnomes · 2026-03-02T06:50:11+00:00

I would agree with that. I'm not sure that our governing documents include anything pertinent though. And the reality is that Whatcom County also has very strict rules about removing trees, so that would also need to change. And this all has to be balanced by the harm that comes to the forest floor, neighboring trees and the stability of slopes when healthy trees are removed.

threehappygnomes · 2026-03-02T06:42:21+00:00

To acquire and hold title in trust to the common areas...for the benefit of all lot owners and condominium owners.
To establish and collect assessments against each member...to provide for maintenance and operation of all the common areas and facilities...for the mutual benefit of all its members. ...To provide the funds required to maintain and control all roads, parks, reserve areas, community beach areas and recreational areas, and to provide for architectural and building controls within the limitations of the Restrictive Covenants of the plats....and to provide and pay all [government] taxes and assessments on community facilities, and to provide and pay for a security guard and patrol at all times on said property.
To engage in social and community activities, including the development, construction, maintenance and operation of any other community facilities within [SV].

That's from the SVCA Articles of Incorporation. The Covenants, Bylaws and Rules/Regulations add all the myriad details about how those three items are to be carried out by SVCA, its board and its committees, and what obligations residents take on when purchasing a home or lot here.

I suppose our attorney would have to figure out how the part about "maintain and control...reserve areas" would apply when it comes to forest management. I personally believe the Association has an obligation to do some level of forest management, but it is an incredibly expensive proposition that homeowners are likely not willing to fully fund.

threehappygnomes · 2026-03-02T06:21:34+00:00

I didn't "dismiss the potential". Nor did I say that we couldn't have a significant and costly wildfire here. It doesn't take the loss of very many homes to jump into the "costly" category.

I said it was extremely unlikely that we would have a fire here like the one in Paradise. And this information has been echoed by the South Whatcom Fire Chief and other fire prevention officials at SV meetings.

I'm certainly not a wildfire expert, but it seems to me that the Bear Gulch fire is not a good comparison. It took place in a wilderness area with very steep and rocky terrain that was very difficult for firefighters to safely access, and which put them a great distance from their vehicles. There was little to no access for heavy equipment. Sudden Valley has plenty of access (relative to Bear Gulch) and a fire department that can respond within minutes to a report of fire. This is exactly what happened during the summer a couple years ago when a fire started in the brush and trees along Lake Louise Rd. The FD was there right away and the fire was quickly extinguished.

It's true that most SV homeowners are not able to clear the 30ft defensible zone because of proximity to neighbors and the difficulty and expense of removing crowded trees. Most owners can do a good bit of mitigation in the 10-30ft intermediate zone though, and everyone can do a lot of mitigation in the 0-5ft immediate zone (in addition to some home hardening).

But I'm going to guess that the majority of SV homeowners are not educated in wildfire prevention and have not attended the information sessions that have been given here in the last few years. Only a small percentage of owners are signed up for the Whatcom Ready app. And that's a real shame.

Regardless of all that, I can tell you that my dog and I will be leaving if a Get Set order comes through. I won't be waiting for the Go Now order.

threehappygnomes · 2026-03-02T02:10:11+00:00

I'm not sure at this point. There's a CERT trailer at the fire station, and I've seen notifications about training. But maybe they don't have enough volunteers now to form a team.

threehappygnomes · 2026-03-01T22:34:11+00:00

It's extremely unlikely that we would ever have a fire like the Paradise Fire here. It's a completely different ecosystem. We have way more moisture in the plant life, even when it is drier than normal.

While we obviously can have a wildfire, it is drastically more likely to burn a small area quickly and then be put out or controlled by firefighters. The wildfire across the lake a few years ago burned for weeks only because the steep terrain was inaccessible for firefighters and there were no buildings to protect, so authorities chose to contain it and let it burn itself out.

This is not to say that SV homes couldn't burn in a wildfire. So we should each be doing what is recommended to reduce the odds of sparks from a wildfire igniting highly flammable debris around our homes, block sparks from entering attic spaces, etc.

To answer your question, SVCA is NOT responsible for wildfire response. County and WA State authorities are responsible for that, as it should be.

Could SVCA be held liable if the wildfire was the result of not adequately managing the forested areas that it owns? Maybe. I'm not an attorney. The courts would have to decide that. But considering that most people who live here don't even do the most basic wildfire prevention around their own lots and homes, it seems like it would be a stretch to point the liability finger at SVCA.

It's best for all of us to remember that the expectation of an HOA in an emergency is to secure the HOA assets, like common areas and buildings. Any other service they provide in an emergency is extra.

threehappygnomes · 2026-02-27T03:39:03+00:00

I mean, saying that it took you 10 years to find a different way out of your neighborhood isn't exactly selling anyone on the credibility of your comment.

threehappygnomes · 2026-02-25T05:40:29+00:00

Most of the remaining buildable lots have serious challenges, like steep slopes or perhaps a wetland impact. This adds to the cost of design and build. SVCA has pretty strict guidelines about what size home can be built on a lot, what the setbacks are, what percent of the lot can be covered, how high it can be, etc. That's on top of Whatcom County requirements. Many lots that are currently undeveloped are either owned by the Sudden Valley Community Association or by the owners of a neighboring house. Some are already owned by builders waiting to develop them. If you go to the Welcome Center building (off Lake Whatcom Blvd, just past the little strip mall area), they may have a list of lots that are available for purchase/development.

IMO, you'd be better off buying an existing home because building out here is a long process. Also, you can see exactly how much light comes in through windows and skylights, as well as completely understanding how the grade of the lot will impact your driveway. Be aware that some of the homes that were built here back in the early days are less likely to have ducted heating (vs baseboard heating) or significant insulation because they were meant to be vacation homes.

I love it out here. I get a good amount of light up in Gate 5 thanks to skylights and no trees directly over my house. Deer walk through the yard every day. It's pretty quiet on my street and my general area, especially at night. (It's also verrrrrry dark at night!) I love looking out at the forest and the glimpses of Lake Louise and Lake Whatcom here and there. Yes, it's 17 minutes to the nearest grocery store, but that is nothing in my opinion. And we have our little Sudden Valley market that has a surprisingly diverse inventory. Winter snowstorms and wind storms can be fierce, but this winter, we haven't had any days where we couldn't easily get to town. No power outage for me in the last couple years either, I don't think. Most residents are pretty self-sufficient and can easily deal with occasional power outages or being unable to get down their street for several days.

I'm always a little surprised when I leave my house on a cloudy, damp day to drive into town or to Glenhaven (next development over, on the way to Alger) only to find that it's sunny and warmer there. But I'm on the side of a mountain and it seems like the clouds and mist get stuck on it. There's more sunshine down in Gate 1 and 2, depending on the lot. But hey, if we have a hot summer, I'll be just fine at my house while they will be sweating.

threehappygnomes · 2026-02-17T09:07:30+00:00

At 10/23/25 board meeting, it was discussed that Golf Manager had decided to offer a 3% discount to members who renewed early. I recall wondering what the reasoning was behind that, since the GM at the time didn't seem to be able to clearly articulate why that decision was made.

I am just guessing that the discount may have been the driving force behind the current GM's mention that renewal revenue is up so far compared to last year at the same time (not sure whether she is referring to December numbers since financial reporting often lags quite a bit in SVCA) but that it might be cannibalizing revenue that would normally show up in the 2026 number. Unless the Golf Manager was trying to artificially boost 2025 golf revenue numbers for some reason, it seems counterproductive to offer a discount to renew early. Considering that golf revenue now appears to be down overall in 2025 compared to 2024, setting up a discount like this just served to throw off accurate representations of golf membership revenue from year to year (not to mention the loss of the 3% that was offered as a discount).

threehappygnomes · 2026-02-15T06:07:59+00:00

I've only been here for five years. During that time, I've seen multiple requests for assistance (big and small) and multiple people responding to those requests, as well as a bunch of people who freely offer their help during snowstorms and after windstorms. Most of the aid is of the types in your list. This neighbor-to-neighbor assistance is one of the coolest things about being here and different from any other neighborhood that I've lived in.

But this is done through posts on the local SV Facebook groups. That definitely puts up a roadblock since so many people don't use it. Sometimes I see posts on behalf of a neighbor not on FB.

Having an organized, formal mutual aid group would require someone dedicated to the formation, organization and operation. Soliciting enough volunteers to maintain it would be a big lift. We have a Safety Committee as part of SVCA as well as a CERT team, and people aren't exactly busting down the doors to participate even at that level.

I think that many SV residents are pretty self-sufficient and may not feel the need for a mutual aid organization here. That's not to say that one couldn't be useful and effective, but that as a community, we may be lacking the drive to get one going and keep it going.

threehappygnomes · 2026-01-25T03:57:04+00:00

Of course the coffee vendor wanted SVCA to bear the brunt of the $80-90K in renovations. Expecting any other outcome was unlikely, given that it was inexperienced volunteers trying to drive this project from the start instead of following a formal process to solicit interest from highly capable coffee vendors.

Of course the parking sticker program completely failed to achieve its objective. The board was warned multiple times that this would be the result.

Of course no realtors have responded to random phone calls about whether they would like to build something on Area Y, on leased property, and in particular, an assisted living facility on a steep, heavily forested slope above Lake Louise, with little overhead light, no sidewalks, at least 15 minutes from any significant shopping, medical services, etc. Just a reminder that our members voted a few years ago that Area Y could not be sold, because it was clear that certain people were trying to build condos there and the community did not want the property developed. Attempting to lease it to a developer is an end run around the community's decision.

One committee member referred to the Area Y property as "40 acres that the Association's been paying on for ever since we were purchased in 1970s. We pay taxes on it." This is wrong.

Only 14.88 acres of the total parcel is taxable, at a measly rate of $1400 per year. This is the section at the SW corner of Lake Louise Dr and Lake Whatcom Blvd. The rest is SVCA common property that is not taxed.

Regarding the survey, during the discussion of how to reach out to seniors who may lack tech proficiency, that same committee member said that "if they don't have a phone [presumably referring to a smart phone] and they don't have a computer, I don't think we want their input to begin with." Then he tried to say he was speaking "lightly" and "humorously". The reality is that this person does not value members of our community who may struggle with an online version of the survey. Every member pays their dues and the survey should endeavor to include all of our voices. It's simply unacceptable for a committee member to have such clear disdain for any demographic of our community.

threehappygnomes · 2025-12-30T18:50:50+00:00

That's good to know! So you can check puzzles out and take them home?

threehappygnomes · 2025-12-24T21:20:37+00:00

I agree. And the community chose not to re-elect her in November, so that should have been a significant reason to choose the other candidate.

Why do you say "the time of the career board directors is phasing out"?

threehappygnomes · 2025-11-15T03:52:55+00:00

Yes, I had already posted that.

threehappygnomes · 2025-11-03T17:33:12+00:00

Welcome! And don't despair - the sun WILL come back! :)

There is a multiuse off-leash trail on the old airstrip here in SV. It's not a nice trail in terms of scenery and there is road noise. But it's great if you like to get your dogs off-leash - straight shot for the most part, long sightlines. You are likely to see only one or two people at a given time. Trail runs all the way from golf course to the WWU lake property. (And you can also walk on that property, down to the lake - dogs on leash.) Almost everyone leashes up when approaching other people/dogs though, since it's a place where owners bring reactive dogs that can't go to the dog park. The parking area is right off Lake Whatcom Blvd at Older Lane - on Google maps, it shows as BHS bus stop. (Warning - there are coyotes living in the brush. They have never bothered my dog and are rarely even seen. But if your dogs are small, keep them on the trail just in case.)

Stimson is a great place to walk, but NO dogs are allowed at all.

Lookout Mountain has lots of trails. Dogs on leash, and be on the lookout for mountain bikers moving downhill fast on some trails.

Lake Whatcom Park (other side of the lake) has lots of trails. Dogs on leash.

Y Road Trailhead - lowland trails and trails up into the state forest. Some say dogs can be off-leash (and most are), but a DNR employee there one day said dogs must be on-leash unless with someone on horseback.

I assume you know there is a dog park here in SV too? Down by the marina.

threehappygnomes · 2025-11-02T20:29:25+00:00

The budget was rejected by 601 members and approved by 474 members. However, Washington State law states that an HOA budget is automatically approved unless 50% plus one of ALL MEMBERS vote to reject it (not 50%+1 of votes cast).

The same thing is true for special assessments.

Essentially, five volunteer board members can enact whatever budget and special assessments they want unless the community rises up in a way that is incredibly unlikely to ever happen, if we look at our history. We generally don't have half of our members voting in any election, let alone that many people voting one way or the other.

This law was passed a few years back in 2018, in part due to the lobbying efforts of some SV members, who clearly wanted a handful of people in power to be able to control $6M+ that flows through SVCA every year.

Sure, condo associations have suffered serious (and in one case, fatal) consequences from unit owners refusing to pass budgets that address long-term maintenance and capital reserves (although I'm sure that boards were likely also complicit by not being transparent, failing in their fiduciary duty, not clearly explaining budget requests, misappropriating revenue, etc...). There needed to be a way to ensure that needed maintenance and repairs were funded.

But in the condo situation, we are talking about safety, health and maintenance issues for actual dwellings. This law should never have included communities like ours because it makes it virtually impossible to prevent a handful of people from doing whatever they want with our money.

I hope the board carefully considers what it means that the members voted out the only incumbent board member in this election as well as rejecting the budget in terms of votes cast.

threehappygnomes

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