Avenida des Compadres Caution

A resident notified me this afternoon that Avenida des Compadres is virtually impassible. It doesn't seem too bad when coming from the North end (from Avenida El Dorado), but degenerates as one travels south. He believes it is not passable, even with four wheel drive. If you normally come that way, it is best now to access Spur Ranch Road directly from Rte 285.

Regards,

Jim Garland

Spur Ranch Road Associations

Spur Ranch Road Association Annual Meeting Update

Dear Neighbor,

 

The SRRA annual meeting was held at the Garland home (102 Spur Ranch Road) on 17 November. No official count of attendance was taken, but roughly 25 community members attended the event.  The meeting was called to order by President Jim Garland, and the following agenda items were discussed:

 

1. Review of Finances: Treasurer Bob Holzer reviewed the expenditures and revenues for the prior year. As of 11/16/2013, expenditures totaled $9,278.84 and revenues received were $10,630, leaving a balance for the remainder of the  year of $1,351.16. There was considerable discussion of SRRA dues participation by individuals and Homeowners Associations. The Tierra Colinas HOA is underpaying the dues for its members by about 33%, and it was respectfully requested that the TCHOA yearly contribution to road maintenance be increased by $3000 to make up the difference.. The Rosa Linda HOA has not yet paid its contribution, but they have assured us that payment will be forthcoming. Homeowners  who are not members of HOAs and who have not yet paid will be sent followup dues reminders.

 

2.  2014 Budget: The estimated budget for 2014 of $12,300 was presented to the membership, and approved unanimously.

 

3. SRRA director Al Webster reviewed the condition of the road for the membership.

            The road segment between the RR tracks and Calle Junipero is in particularly bad condition, with no remaining base course. Washboarding along this segment of the road is very bad, and recurs only a week or two after grading.

            The road segment west of Calle Junipero, to Avenida des Compadres, is in much better condition, with drainage greatly improved by the addition of a culvert during the year. Grading two or three times a year should be adequate for this segment.

            The status of the unimproved dirt road west of the Avenida des Compadres (to the far end of the road) is currently unclear. It was noted that a large "Private Road" sign has been erected on that segment, and it is not clear whether residents there want to participate in SRR maintenance. We will try to clarify the status of this segment in the near future.

            The condition of the east segment of the road between Rte 285 and the RR tracks was also discussed in detail (see next section). It was observed that a culvert needs to be added at the dip in the road near Rte  285 to improve drainage, and that this should be installed before the road surface is completed.

 

4. Presentation by Mr. Bob Sherwin, RoadPacker/Bionic Soil Solutions. Mr Sherwin spent about 45 minutes with the group, answering questions and explaining the reasons for the delays in finishing work on our road. He apologized for the repeated delays, but reaffirmed his commitment to finishing our road. The primary reason for the delays is that he has reorganized his company and changed its scope from a third-party distributor to a manufacturer. He has also reformulated his product to be suitable for the alkaline property of southwest soils. Following 18 months of tests, his company has developed a product that shows exceptional water resistance and is extremely strong. He showed treated samples of Spur Ranch Road soil that had remained under water for several months without degradation. To date, he has successfully installed his product on three roads, and reports that customers are very pleased with the results. He confidently expects to complete our road after the spring thaw. In the interim, the Association will maintain the road as necessary, with grading and/or addition of gravel.

 

5. Election of Board Members: Mary Anne Stickler and Ann Bitter were elected to fill the vacant slots on the Board. The membership expressed thanks to outgoing directors Ron Billingsley and Susie Schoenfeld.

 

A motion to adjourn was unanimously approved,  after which the directors convened to elect board officers for the coming year. The officers are as follows:

            President: Jim Garland

            Vice President: Al Webster

            Treasurer: Bob Holzer

            Secretary: Ann Bitter

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Jim Garland

Ave. de Compadres very muddy

Compadres very muddy

At 1030 today,  30 November, 2013,  I drove Ave. de Compadres from Spur Ranch road to Ave Eldorado..  Unless you have a 4x4 with mud tires you are not likely to make it through toward the south end where the new barn is located.

Keep calm and support your Spur Ranch Road Association.

Al Webster

Final Notice: Spur Ranch Road Annual Mtg

Dear Neighbor,

Please come to our SRR annual meeting this Sunday, 3 pm, at my home - 102 Spur Ranch Road. At the meeting, members will be asked to vote on two open SRR director positions, as well as the 2014 proposed budget. Bob Sherwin (RoadPacker/Bionic Soil Solutions) also plans to attend the meeting to update the community on our road situation and to answer questions.

 

One change from my earlier notice. We've decided to cancel the potluck, and instead just to provide munchies and beverages to attendees. We don't expect a long meeting, and it seemed too early to have a full-blown dinner.

 

Again, let me ask for nominees and volunteers for the SRR board, and to urge those of you who haven't paid your dues to do so before or during the meeting.

Thanks,

 

Jim Garland

102 Spur Ranch Road

466-8833

Reminders: Spur Ranch Road Annual Meeting and Dues Payment

Dear Neighbor,

 

1. Annual Meeting: The SRRA annual membership meeting and potluck get-together for all residents will be Sunday, November 17, at 3:00 p.m. at Jim and Carole Garland's home at 102 Spur Ranch Road. Please mark this on your calendar. The annual meeting is the time when residents can vote on the proposed budget, bring up other issues pertaining to the road and the community, and vote to elect directors. There will be two openings for directors this year, so volunteers and nominations are most welcome. Please send me names of potential candidates, and feel free to call me if you want more information about director responsibilities (my phone: 466-8833).

                The agenda for the meeting will be (1) Update report on road condition, (2) Financial report by SRRA treasurer, (3) Consideration of the proposed 2014 budget ($12,300), (4) Update on the Roadpacker/Bionic Soil Solutions Situation, (5) Election of Directors, and (6) General discussion and other issues raised by members.

 

2. Dues Reminder: If you've not yet paid your 2013 dues, please do so now or at the meeting. Checks, cash, PayPal, almost anything negotiable is welcome. Dues are payable to SRRA Treasurer Bob Holzer, 4 Camino San Lucas, Lamy 87540.  You can contact Bob at Bob@bolbholzer.com.  Please note that under the SRRA bylaws only members who have paid their 2013 dues in full are eligible to vote.

 

The dues schedule is as follows (Note that dues are unchanged from the 2012 dues):

 

1: Base Dues

            Residences west of railroad tracks, except Tierra Colinas: $275

            All other residences, including Tierra Colinas: $200

            Lots without residences: $100 per lot

 

2. Tierra Colinas Residents: part of your dues is automatically paid through your homeowners association assessment. The remainder is your responsibility and should be paid separately to the SRRA. The additional yearly amount to be paid is:

 

            Tierra Colinas Residents: $70

            Tierra Colinas Lot Owners: $35

 

3. Rancho San Lucas residents: Your HOA assessment includes the full (100%) dues for homeowners. Lot owners, and builder-owned homes are not covered for their lot assessment.

 

3. Potluck: We'll send an email in a few days with potluck information. Parking for the meeting can be anywhere along our driveway, or in the street. Hope to see you at the meeting!

 

Regards,

 

Jim Garland, President

Spur Ranch Road Association

102 Spur Ranch Road

466-8833

 

 

Spur Ranch Road Update 07_12_2013

Dear Neighbor,

            As I'm sure you've noticed, the rains this week (more then two inches), although welcome, have taken a serious toll on our road. The rain is forcast to end this weekend and, weather permitting we will be regrading the road between Rt 285 and Calle Junipero on Monday afternoon and possibly Tuesday. This is a stopgap measure, until the road is completed by Bionic Soil Solutions (formerly RoadPacker SW). We have been in frequent contact with Mr. Bob Sherwin, most recently two days ago. In response to our query, he responded:

            " I have been waiting on another community who wants to do 20 miles, so I would have the money and equipment available to do SRR.  They all met for the HOA meeting and loved what they saw and seem very optimistic about getting it done, but didn't have a quorum to complete their vote.  My understanding is that they have to do it through the mail now.  The board members came and watched the installation in Carlsbad for the Bass Brothers and one of them is a road builder who was very impressed and is pushing it for us.  I am at their mercy right now as I want to come and finish off SRR as soon as I am able.  It will cost me about $75,000 so I have to do it in conjunction with another paying job and when equipment is deployed.  I will keep you posted."

                In addition to grading the road, we are also improving the gambion we installed a few weeks ago to improve runoff at the west end of the road.  In case your civil engineering knowledge is a bit rusty, a gambion is a box-like cage filled with riprap (aka rocks), commonly used in road building to stabilize water runoff. It comes from Italian gabbia and Latin cavea, meaning "cage. If you haven't seen our gambion, take a drive toward the west end of the road. You can't miss it.

 

Regards,

Jim Garland, president

Spur Ranch Road Association

102 Spur Ranch Road

466-8833 

Spur Ranch Road conditions

09 September, 2013

 

 

Spur Ranch Road Association Members:

 

Owing to the recent rains Spur Ranch Road has softened along much of its length.  Owing to increased traffic, including both large horse trailers and loaded and unloaded dump trucks weighing in at some 13+ tons each (depending on the size of the dump body and the amount/type of the load) traveling SRR at speeds in excess of the posted limit, the road has deteriorated, again, along much of its entire length.  The Spur Ranch Road directors, while being aware of the road’s condition, and like you, using it as our primary residential access, have no control over the weight of vehicles using the road and only the S.F. Sheriff’s deputies on vehicular patrol have any significant control of the speed of any vehicles using the road.

 

For you members living on the west end of Spur Ranch Road and using Ave. de Compadres you’ll have noted that Ave. d. Compadres has also deteriorated significantly and may become impassable given the additional rains currently forecast. If Ave. d. Compadres becomes impassable that will leave Spur Ranch Road as your primary ingress/egress. 

 

Please encourage any visitors, construction drivers, etc. using Spur Ranch Road to drive the posted speeds – especially those individuals pulling trailers and/or those hauling heavy loads.

 

The SRRA board will do everything we can given our current financial resources to ensure Spur Ranch Road remains passable and safe; we also live here.

 

Thanks,

 

Al Webster

Spur Ranch Road Association Board member

Spur Ranch Road Association 2013 Dues Notice

Dear Neighbor,

At its meeting of August 22, the SRRA directors (Jim Garland, Al Webster, Ron Billingsley, Susie Schoenberg and Bob Holzer) unanimaously approved a 2013 dues schedule, which is unchanged from the previous year. (Note that the 2013 operating budget of $11,800 had previously been approved by the membership at the annual meeting of March 31, 2012). Payment of dues is voluntary, but the directors hope all residents will pay their fair share to maintain and improve the road.

 

The dues schedule is as follows:

 

1: Base Dues

            Residences west of railroad tracks, except Tierra Colinas: $275

            All other residences, including Tierra Colinas: $200

            Lots without residences: $100 per lot

 

2. Tierra Colinas Residents: part of your dues is automatically paid through your homeowners association assessment. The remainder is your responsibility and should be paid separately to the SRRA. The additional yearly amount to be paid is:

 

            Tierra Colinas Residents: $70

            Tierra Colinas Lot Owners: $35

 

3. Rancho San Lucas residents: Your HOA assessment includes the full (100%) dues for homeowners. Lot owners, and builder-owned homes are not covered for their lot assessment.

 

Please make checks payable to: Spur Ranch Road Association

                                                            Mail to:  Bob Holzer, Treasurer

                                                            4 Camino San Lucas

            Lamy, NM  87540

 

                                                            Or, PayPal to: bob@bobholzer.com

 

The SRRA annual membership meeting and potluck get-together for all residents will be Sunday, November 17, at 3:00pm at Jim and Carole Garland's home at 102 Spur Ranch Road. We'll send out another announcement as the time approaches, but please mark this on your calendar. The annual meeting is the time when residents can vote on the proposed budget, bring up other issues pertaining to the road and the community, and vote to elect directors (there will be two openings for directors this year). Note that under the SRRA bylaws only members who have paid their dues in full are eligible to vote.

            Thanks very much!
            Regards,

            Jim Garland, President

            102 Spur Ranch Road

            466-8833

 

Spraying RT

Ben got the Northside of SRR yesterday morning, and the Southside this morning....except for about 100 feet....ran out of liquid refreshment for the RT.

 

Susie

 

 

Re: SRRA Minutes

All,

 

I came home from town today about 11:30 am and a Sheriff's deputy was parked on Silver Saddle and SRR. Yea, Yea, Yea,  Thanks Al.

 

Ron 

On Fri, Aug 23, 2013 at 9:22 PM, Jim Garland <4cx250b@miamioh.edu> wrote:

SRRA DIRECTORS MEETING

MINUTES

August 22, 2013

 

Present:  Jim Garland, Al Webster, Ron Billingsley, Susie Schoenberg, Bob Holzer, and Carole Garland (not a Board member but took minutes).

 

The meeting was called to order at 6:05 pm. 

 

The first order of new business was a review of the 2013 finances.  Taking into account expenditures as of 8/22/13, SRRA has $4,947.67 left in the treasury. The reserve account is significantly smaller than the $8000 targeted (for two years accumulation).

 

Next was a discussion of road conditions east of the RR tracks and a review of Bob Sherwin's commitment to complete his work on the road later this autumn. An email from a concerned resident expressing impatience and concern was shared with the Board. 

 

Motion: Al Webster moved that SRRA obtain from Red Line Excavating a 3-part bid for work to include:  1) grading the road from the RR tracks to the western end 3 times during 2014; 2) grading the road between the RR tracks and Calle Junipero; and, 3) putting basecourse on the road between the RR tracks and Calle Junipero.  Susie Schoenfeld seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

 

General Road Issues:  The Russian thistle was sprayed but another application of Roundup should be applied because recent rains have produced many new plants.  A gabion is being installed at the culvert near Rosa Linda; the directors still have much concern about possible damage from run-off in that area. 

 

The next order of business was a general discussion of the proposed 2014 budget (including revenue needs and proposed expenditures) and suggested timing for dues collection.  Al Webster moved that the proposed budget be approved by the Board and Bob Holzer seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.

 

Proposed 2014 Budget Categories

 

            Snow removal                                       300

            Grading (RR tracks to West end)       4000

            Liability Insurance                              1500

            Contingency grading (RoadPacker)   2000

            Legal, signage, repairs, misc.                500

            Reserve fund   ($40K ten year goal)   4000

 

                                                Total                12,300

 

 

After discussion, Susie Schoenfeld moved that SRRA maintain the 2012 membership dues amounts ($200 for homeowners east of the RRtracks, $275 for homeowners west of the RR tracks, and $100 for lot owners).  Ron Billingsley seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. 

 

The Board set the date for the SRRA Annual Meeting and potluck: Sunday, November 17 at 3:00 pm at the home of Jim and Carole Garland.

 

The Board then discussed election of officers.  Three officers (Jim Garland, Al Webster, and Bob Holzer) have 3 year terms (1 year remaining).  The two officers with 2 year terms (Ron Billingsley and Susie Schoenfeld) officially end their terms in September of 2013 but will be temporarily appointed to the Board until the annual meeting in November 2013.  The Board discussed possible new members and recommending soliciting nominations and volunteers from the membership.

 

Other Action Items:

 

1. Ron Billingsley will forward the names of the Tierra Colinas HOA president and treasurer to Jim Garland and will ask the TC treasurer to send a check for 2013 dues to Bob Holzer.

 

2. Jim Garland will send an email to all SRRA members requesting payment of 2013 dues.

 

3. Al Webster will ask the SF County Sherrif's office if officers can patrol Spur Ranch Road to help control speeding.

 

4. Susie Schoenfeld will contact the Chavez family to see if either of them would be willing to serve on the Board, to represent residents on the West end of the road.

 

5. All members work to compile up-do-date list of residences and lot owners.

 

There being no further business, Al Webster moved and Bob Holzer seconded that the meeting be adjourned at 7:45 pm.  The motion passed unanimously.

 

 

 

--

Ron Billingsley

466-8909

SRRA Minutes

SRRA DIRECTORS MEETING

MINUTES

August 22, 2013

 

Present:  Jim Garland, Al Webster, Ron Billingsley, Susie Schoenberg, Bob Holzer, and Carole Garland (not a Board member but took minutes).

 

The meeting was called to order at 6:05 pm. 

 

The first order of new business was a review of the 2013 finances.  Taking into account expenditures as of 8/22/13, SRRA has $4,947.67 left in the treasury. The reserve account is significantly smaller than the $8000 targeted (for two years accumulation).

 

Next was a discussion of road conditions east of the RR tracks and a review of Bob Sherwin’s commitment to complete his work on the road later this autumn. An email from a concerned resident expressing impatience and concern was shared with the Board. 

 

Motion: Al Webster moved that SRRA obtain from Red Line Excavating a 3-part bid for work to include:  1) grading the road from the RR tracks to the western end 3 times during 2014; 2) grading the road between the RR tracks and Calle Junipero; and, 3) putting basecourse on the road between the RR tracks and Calle Junipero.  Susie Schoenfeld seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

 

General Road Issues:  The Russian thistle was sprayed but another application of Roundup should be applied because recent rains have produced many new plants.  A gabion is being installed at the culvert near Rosa Linda; the directors still have much concern about possible damage from run-off in that area. 

 

The next order of business was a general discussion of the proposed 2014 budget (including revenue needs and proposed expenditures) and suggested timing for dues collection.  Al Webster moved that the proposed budget be approved by the Board and Bob Holzer seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.

 

Proposed 2014 Budget Categories

 

            Snow removal                                       300

            Grading (RR tracks to West end)       4000

            Liability Insurance                              1500

            Contingency grading (RoadPacker)   2000

            Legal, signage, repairs, misc.                500

            Reserve fund   ($40K ten year goal)   4000

 

                                                Total                12,300

 

 

After discussion, Susie Schoenfeld moved that SRRA maintain the 2012 membership dues amounts ($200 for homeowners east of the RRtracks, $275 for homeowners west of the RR tracks, and $100 for lot owners).  Ron Billingsley seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. 

 

The Board set the date for the SRRA Annual Meeting and potluck: Sunday, November 17 at 3:00 pm at the home of Jim and Carole Garland.

 

The Board then discussed election of officers.  Three officers (Jim Garland, Al Webster, and Bob Holzer) have 3 year terms (1 year remaining).  The two officers with 2 year terms (Ron Billingsley and Susie Schoenfeld) officially end their terms in September of 2013 but will be temporarily appointed to the Board until the annual meeting in November 2013.  The Board discussed possible new members and recommending soliciting nominations and volunteers from the membership.

 

Other Action Items:

 

1. Ron Billingsley will forward the names of the Tierra Colinas HOA president and treasurer to Jim Garland and will ask the TC treasurer to send a check for 2013 dues to Bob Holzer.

 

2. Jim Garland will send an email to all SRRA members requesting payment of 2013 dues.

 

3. Al Webster will ask the SF County Sherrif’s office if officers can patrol Spur Ranch Road to help control speeding.

 

4. Susie Schoenfeld will contact the Chavez family to see if either of them would be willing to serve on the Board, to represent residents on the West end of the road.

 

5. All members work to compile up-do-date list of residences and lot owners.

 

There being no further business, Al Webster moved and Bob Holzer seconded that the meeting be adjourned at 7:45 pm.  The motion passed unanimously.

 

 

 

Spur Ranch Road Update 08_18_2013

Dear Neighbor,

            As you've no doubt noticed, the Eastern segment of our road between the railroad tracks and Rte 285 has been regraded, with additional gravel added. This is a temporary measure to improve the road while we wait for Mr. Bob Sherwin of Bionic Soil Solutions (formery RoadPacker Southwest) to complete his work. A letter explaining the delays we have experienced on this project was sent to the community last month.

            Additionally, we have regraded the road west of Calle Junpero to Spur Ranch, in order to repair the damage done during the recent rains. We have also unclogged a culvert that became blocked with silt from the runoff, and are installing a filter system to inhibit future blocking. Although most residents at the West end of the road currently prefer to use Avenida Compadres, most of Compadres has no baseourse and becomes impassible with any significant rain. The directors therefore felt repairing this part of the road was a necessary step for the safety of the residents.

            At this time, the only part of the road which is in bad shape is the short segment between the railroad tracks and Calle Junipero, which has bad washboarding. Unfortunately, the lack of a basecourse on the segment means that grading offers no lasting improvement. We will have to wait until we have the budget to make improvements to that segment.

            Lastly, we have sprayed Russian Thistle along the length of the road. RT is a tenacious, highly invasive weed, but we hope we caught it early enough this year to have some impact on it.

            As a heads up, we will be requesting the 2013 dues from all residents and homeowner associations in the coming months. We've put off our dues request until now, because we didn't know what expenses we would incur with the Roadpacker-treated road. The financial situation is now clearer, and the SRRA board will be meeting soon to formalize our dues request.

            One last request: I would appreciate your sending to me the email address of any new members of the community, so that they can be added to future updates. With people moving in and out of the neighborhood, it's hard to keep track of everybody.

 

Regards,

 

Jim Garland

President, Spur Ranch Road Association

Spur Ranch Road Ass' work required

Fellow SRRA members,

The Board is aware of the damage done to SRR west of Calle Junipero following the heavy rains yesterday.  Significant parts of the bar ditches have been filled with silt from upstream. In other places the ditches have been significantly deepened.  The culvert we installed earlier this year worked as it was intended but is now filled with silt to approx. 5/8 of its carrying capacity.  In other places water simply washed across the road, north to south along the drainages indicated in the attached jpg.  This problem was not unforeseen; we have a road construction crew coming out soon to effect repairs.  For that section of the road, this will be an ongoing problem – SRRA simply does not have the resources to create a road in that area that will not be impacted by the torrential rains we have experienced recently.

 

We foresee doing repairs several times during each ‘monsoon’ season well into the future.

 

Thanks for your understanding of what appears to be a need for vigilance, caution and repair.

Please drive especially carefully in this area.

Al Webster

Bionic Solutions photos - Spur Ranch Road

Here, attached,  are the photos to which Bob Sherwin refers in his letter to us all.

Hi Jim, Al and Susan,

 

It was nice to meet with you all again last week and giving you the update on what has been happening with our Company during the last year.  As you have requested, I have recapped our conversation below, so you can forward it on to your neighbors and members of the Spur Ranch Road Association.   

 

Recap of the past and what you can expect in the next 90 days:

 

As many of you may already know, I was the distributor for RoadPacker NM and had just purchased the distributorship a few weeks prior to the application or treatment of Spur Ranch Road, which was our first road treated with the RoadPacker formula in NM.  The parent Company, RoadPacker International started in Brisbane Australia in 1990 and has had success in over 40 Countries Worldwide.  Prior to my purchase of the NM distributorship, I visited roads in Calgary Alberta that were 13 to 16 years old.  The photo attached was taken in April of 2012 when the road was 13 years old.  This road was a well documented as it was a part of an International Soil Stabilization Study conducted by the City of Calgary in 1999.  Each of the 8 Companies in the study stabilized one Kilometer of Road.  The RoadPacker product used on this road was the only soil stabilizer in the study that lasted more than one year and as you can see by the photo, it is in great condition 13 years later.  It was as a result of seeing roads like the one, that I and my partners decided to buy the exclusive distribution rights for 7 Southwestern States.   

 

Spur Ranch Road was our first so we hired the RoadPacker distributor for Mexico to oversee the work in October of 2011.  We also treated a number of other roads in Tx and Arizona during the same time. All of them got very hard and looked great until the rains came and they all got very slippery and muddy when wet.  I contacted the person who had sold me the distributorships asking for his assistance and inquired as to what was causing the problem.  He flew to NM from Manila Philippines for three weeks to oversee the second application in January of 2012.  Unfortunately it too was slippery under wet conditions and he thought it was a result of the freezing temperatures as it was not able to cure properly. 

 

We had several articles in the New Mexican about SRR and it was because of these articles that I was contacted by the Founder and the Inventor of the RoadPacker formulas in April of 2012.  He was googling articles on the internet about RoadPacker and found me me as a result.  He said that the person that I had been working with had no technical understanding of the product and was more of a sales person.  I offered to fly the founder, inventor and CEO of RoadPacker Australia (Mr. Sonnenburg) to New Mexico from Brisbane Australia in May of 2012 to provide technical assistance and to find out why SRR had not worked in either application under the supervision of two RoadPacker Representatives.  

 

In April of 2012, I hired CMC, one of the largest soil testing facilities in the US, based in Las Vegas NV to perform testing for us.  Over the the next 9 months they conducted over 2000 tests for us on every kind of soil we could find in the 7 Southwestern states.  Every one of the tests with RoadPacker failed the "96 hour soaked CBR test", which is the most difficult test for any soil stabilizer to pass.  Treated soil samples are compacted and placed under water for 96 hours, then tested for hardness and penetration.  Every sample we tested was a pile of mud within a few hours.  As it turned out, all of the soil we tested in the Southwest had a pH of 7.5 to 9.5.  Mr. Sonnenburg told us that the RoadPacker Plus formula was designed to work in acidic soils with a pH below 7.  The formula is an acid based product that becomes neutralized in higher pH soils which was the reason for the failures in the SW.  This also explained why it worked so well in other Countries like China and Brazil where the pH is 4.5 to 6. 

 

Mr. Sonnenburg has been involved in soil stabilization research and development for 23 years and fortunately for us, in November of 2012 he had his biggest breakthrough ever with a new formula that he calls The Bionic Road Solution.  There is not one ingredient from any formula that he has ever created in the past 23 years.  He studied Mother Nature to find out how sand, silt and clay turns into rock over thousands or even millions of years.  He discovered that there are naturally occurring chemicals in the Earth's crust that must be present, along with water and pressure for the soil to turn into rock.  He experimented with various combinations of these naturally occurring chemicals and the percentages of each until he figured it out.  Bionic Soil Solution is that perfect blend of naturally occurring chemicals, mixed into water and we add the pressure with a 15 ton roller and we can turn insitu soil into a rock-hard surface that repels water, in one day!

 

We have conducted another 2500 tests since November of 2012 and the results are unprecedented in the soil stabilization and road building industries.  All roads are designed using an International standard called the CBR (California Bearing Ratio) test.  The CBR number indicates the strength of the road or its' weight bearing capacity to support the traffic index which is the number of vehicles on the road each day and the weight loads carried on the road.  The ultimate test to determine this number is called the "96 Hour Soaked CBR Test".  This test assumes the worst conditions that any road should encounter as it simulates a flood condition where the road remains completely submerged for 4 days.  

 

Base Course has been the standard used on all County dirt road surfaces in the US and it is also used by the DOT's for the sub-base or sub grade under asphalt highways.  Base course is primary 50% sand and 50% gravel.  For the 96 hour soaked CBR test, base course is compacted inside a perforated steel cylinder, then placed under water for 4 days, then tested for hardness with a penetrometer.  Sand and gravel does not change much under water as it is a granular material that does not take on water.  Silt and clay however quickly turns into mud when placed under water.  Base course scores a soaked CBR number of 55 to 70.  

Our goal was to achieve a CBR in this range after it had been under water for 4 days.  I am happy to announce that the Bionic Road Solution formula has achieved CBR's as high as 212 after being under water which is unprecedented.  The engineers that we are working with have never seen CBR numbers over 80 before.  Mr. Sonnenburg treated a soil sample of Spur Ranch Road with the Bionic Road Solution and gave it to Jim Garland in early December to do his own under water testing.  Last week Jim showed us the compacted soil puck which had been under water for over three months!  We also have samples that have been under water since November of 2012 which is now over 8 months and still remain hard. 

 

We just completed our second field demonstration on a parking lot for the Bass Brothers at their offices in Carlsbad NM, using the new Bionic Road Solution.  Our pre soil testing produced a CBR of 150.  It was immediately put to the test as we received 3" of rain the night we finished the parking lot.  At 6:00 am the next morning the Bass Brother Company had a meeting with 35 of their vendors.  The attached photo is a picture of the parking lot as the people were arriving for the meeting.  Some of the vehicles tracked mud on to the surface however the surface remained hard and intact.  The area surrounding the parking lot was untreated which left 6" of mud everywhere.   Photo attached.

 

During the last 16 months we have conducted over 4500 tests totaling over $2.5M.  We are finally ready to launch Bionic Road Solutions Internationally, with its roots based here in NM.

As I discussed in our meeting last week with some of the board members, we will have to re-construct Spur Ranch Road at the end of a job with a paying customer.  I was originally paid approximately $45K (including the contractors fee) to treat Spur Ranch Road with the RoadPacker product.  We have paid $127,000 on SRR to date, in our efforts to make it right for you.  It will cost us approximately $80k to $85k additional, to reconstruct SRR with the Bionic Road Solution.  I remain committed (as I have been from the beginning) to making this right for the Spur Ranch Road Association

 

I am in the process of finalizing an agreements with another large community in NM that would like to treat 20 miles in August and September.  If we are successful in finalizing this agreement, I intend to complete SRR as soon as we finish with their roads while all of the equipment is mobilized.  If you decide to do at least another 1/2 mile section within SRR Association before then, we may be able to expedite the time lines for you.  

 

I apologize to all of you for the amount of time that it has taken us to figure this situation out however we now have an incredible product to reconstruct SRR.  We hope to finalize our manufacturing agreements this coming week with Turner Manufacturing in ABQ, who will be manufacturing the product for us worldwide.  

 

When I first met with the SRR Association, I was told by the Santa Fe County officials that Spur Ranch Road was considered one of the two worst roads in Santa Fe County and they recommended that I contact you.  It is my intention, that when I am done with SRR, that you will have the best road in the County.  Thanks for your patience, we are almost there!

 

here's Bob's signature from the previous letter - it got cut off

Sincerely,

Bob Sherwin

Bionic Soil Solutions

Bob@BionicSoil.com

www.BionicSoil.com

505-982-7444 Office

877-437-9468 Office

505-699-2930 Cell 

Fellow SRRA Members:

I’m sending this along to you in Jim Garland’s absence

Just as an update  you may have seen S. Schoenfeld & her husband Ben and my wife, Roberta,  and me on the road recently -  we have  been picking up trash along SRR during the past 2 weeks – it is truly amazing both the variety and amount of material we have collected – almost archaeological in nature – much of it has been or will soon be recycled.  Trash has been collected by the 4 of us from Rosa Linda to Calle Junipero on both sides of SRR and from Silver Saddle to 285 on both sides of SRR.  I would be good to have some assistance in cleaning the remainder; Calle Junipero to the railroad tracks, the rail road tracks to Silver Saddle on both sides of the road – don’t be afraid to just jump in there and do it – who knows what artefacts  you may find…..

We will commence spraying within the next week for Russian Thistle (aka ‘tumbleweed) along the roadway.

Attached in pdf form is the anticipated letter from Bob Sherwin dba Bionic Soil Solutions (formerly, Roadpacker, NM).

Any questions and/or comments may be directed to the Spur Ranch Road Association’s Board of Directors.

Drive Safely (please; at the posted speed limit of 30 mph),

Al Webster

Spur Ranch Road Association

Fellow SRRA Members:

I’m sending this along to you in Jim Garland’s absence

Just as an update  you may have seen S. Schoenfeld & her husband Ben and my wife, Roberta,  and me on the road recently -  we have  been picking up trash along SRR during the past 2 weeks – it is truly amazing both the variety and amount of material we have collected – almost archaeological in nature – much of it has been or will soon be recycled.  Trash has been collected by the 4 of us from Rosa Linda to Calle Junipero on both sides of SRR and from Silver Saddle to 285 on both sides of SRR.  I would be good to have some assistance in cleaning the remainder; Calle Junipero to the railroad tracks, the rail road tracks to Silver Saddle on both sides of the road – don’t be afraid to just jump in there and do it – who knows what artefacts  you may find…..

We will commence spraying within the next week for Russian Thistle (aka ‘tumbleweed) along the roadway.

Attached in pdf form is the anticipated letter from Bob Sherwin dba Bionic Soil Solutions (formerly, Roadpacker, NM).

Any questions and/or comments may be directed to the Spur Ranch Road Association’s Board of Directors.

Drive Safely (please; at the posted speed limit of 30 mph),

Al Webster

Tierro Bello Update

 

Dear Neighbors,

 

On May 14, the Board of County Commissioners will consider developer Joe Miller’s proposal to create the 73 lot Tierra Bello subdivision. Mr. Miller’s proposal was approved last month by the Country Development and Review Committee (CDRC), following a recommendation by its in-house staff. The CDRC is authorized to consider only whether the proposed subdivision meets County code requirements, whether all applications and paperwork have been submitted properly, and so forth. Larger issues -- the impact on surrounding neighborhoods, community support or opposition, and whether the project serves the larger public good -- are the purview of the County Commissioners.

 

If you are concerned about this development, then I urge you to show up at the meeting to make your views known, either by commenting during the public hearings session, or by supporting those who do make comments. The Commissioners are elected officials, and listening to their constituents is an important part of their responsibilities. Here’s the info:

 

Date: Tuesday May 14

Time: public hearings will start no earlier than 5pm, Tierra Bello may not come up until 6pm or so.

Place: County Administration Building, 102 Grant Avenue

Agenda: http://www.santafecountynm.gov/documents/agendas/agendas/BCCAgenda5-14-2013.pdf

               

 

The Water Availability Issue

As many of you know, I have been collecting comments about Tierra Bello from the community of surrounding subdivisions for the past several months. Opposition to Tierra Bello appears to be unanimous among those who do not have a financial stake in it. Virtually every resident who has spoken to me has serious concerns about this development.The one concern which stands out, however, is over the future availability of water. Mr. Miller has a “will serve” permit from the Eldorado Area Water and Sanitation District (EAWSD), which is a contractual obligation of EAWSD to sell him water. Whether it was prudent for EAWSD to issue a permit to him (and other developers) is thus water over the dam, so to speak.

 

EAWSD offers assurances that the Eldorado water system has the capacity to serve Tierro Bello, as well as to meet other community water needs. However, in the opinion of experts, EAWSD has not demonstrated that ample water will be there in the future to meet those needs. EAWSD obtains nearly all of its water from ground water -- aquifers hundreds of feet underground -- and nobody really knows how reliable that source will be in the future. At a recent public meeting, I heard the County hydrologist, Ms. Karen Torres, caution that communities should use surface water (reservoirs, snowpack runoff, rivers) as their primary sources, if possible, and avoid using ground water. She mentioned that the Eldorado ground water probably dates from Paleozoic times, with a replenishment rate of thousands or even millions of years. In other words, in her opinion and that of other scientists, the deep ground water on which we now all depend is potentially a non-renewable resource, and once it is gone it is gone. Not everybody shares this view, however, and other assessments are more optimistic. From what I can tell, however, nobody really knows, because there just isn’t enough data about the status of the aquifers. What is known, however, is that the stakes are very high, and prudence suggests that caution and a conservative approach to water management is highly desirable.

 

I plan to make a brief presentation to the County Commissioners. In it, I will make the following recommendations:

 

1. The County should impose a temporary moratorium on large developments until the future availability of both ground and surface water, including the risks and uncertainties and the long term impact of the current drought, is better understood.

 

2. The County should recommend that EAWSD commission a scientific study of the aquifers upon which all Eldorado residents depend. Currently, the only legitimate scientific estimate of the aquifer capacity is a six-year-old consultant’s report, whose predictions of future water availability have been criticized as unduly optimistic.

 

Regards,

Jim Garland

President, Spur Ranch Road Association

 

 

Tierra Bello Approved by the CDRC

Dear Neighbors,

The 7-member County Development Review Committee (CDRC) this afternoon approved the Tierra Bello Subdivision proposal by a vote of 6:1.  There was no public discussion of the development, but the report I sent you earlier was distributed to the committee members, who recessed their meeting for a few minutes to read it carefully.

 

In my opinion, the vote did not indicate strong support by the CDRC for Tierra Bello, but rather the belief that the committee had no legal basis on which to oppose the project. The CDRC staff had already reviewed the Tierra Bello proposal and had recommended passage, on the grounds that it did not violate any county code requirements.The issue of water availability was off the table, since the Eldorado Water and Santitation District had already issued a legally binding water permit to the developer. Thus, confronted with a staff recommendation and unable to consider the global issue of water availability, the committee members, in my opinion, had little choice but to approve the project.

 

Interestingly, in the discussion among the committee members, it became clear that they fully understood that the County Commissioners, whom they advise, have the latitude to consider broad issues of water, neighborhood impact, etc., of the development, and are not at all obligated to support the CDRC recommendation. Despite the vote, I came away from the meeting heartened that these larger county development issues will very much be on the minds of the County Commissioners when they take up the Tierro Bello proposal at their May meeting. Thus, if you are concerned about water issues in the community (and I hope you are), it is very important to make your opinions known in the next few weeks. I'll send around a memo in the next couple of weeks with specific suggestions, but in the meantime I hope you will inform yourself on the issues.

Regards,

Jim Garland

Tierra Bello CDRC Vote Today

Dear Neighbors,

            Attached is the agenda for today's County Development Review Committee (CDRC) meeting, during which a vote will be taken on the Tierra Bello subdivision. Sorry for the late notice, but I've been out of town all week and just returned last night.

            As some of you may recall, the vote last month by the CDRC resulted in a 3-3 split vote. The tie-breaking 7th member did not attend the meeting, so the vote was postponed until this month when presumably the 7th member will be present.

            In response to my inquiry, Ms. Vicki Lucero, the County's Building and Development Services Manager, replied:

" The CDRC closed the public hearing at their last meeting, so they will not be taking any more public comment.  The one committee member who was not present at the last meeting has received a copy of the meeting minutes so that he is aware of the discussion that has already taken place.  Upon review of the minutes he will be able to vote on the project." (Note that the schedule has changed slightly so that Tierra Bello is now first on the agenda.)

            I replied to Ms. Lucero by protesting the CDRC chairperson's decision to close the meeting to public discussion: " I think members of the community are going to be pretty unhappy with no opportunity for further public comment. As everybody is aware, reading minutes of meetings is not an adequate substitute for hearing the actual discussion. Perhaps CDRC minutes are different, but usually minutes of meetings merely list the topics that were discussed, with at most a sentence or two of elaboration. Given the strong community feelings about this proposal, if a committee member who missed the discussion casts the deciding vote without being fully informed, it will seriously undermine the reputation for fairness of the CDRC in the eyes of the public."

            Please keep in mind that the CDRC does not have the final say on the Tierra Bello proposal. The CDRC, which has appointed members. advises the Board of County Comissioners, which has ultimate authority. The BCC recently tabled indefinitely the Spirit Wind Ranch development, another development by Mr. Joe Miller.

            While there probably will not be any public comment allowed on the Tierra Bello proposal, I  nevertheless believe it would be a good idea to have community members present for the vote, just to remind the CDRC of the broad community interest in this proposal. 

Thanks!

Jim Garland

               

 

Final Report: Community Negotiations with Tierro Bello

Dear Neighbors,

Attached please find two documents:

(1) My final report on negotiations with Mr. Joe Miller and his attorney, Mr. Ronald VanAmberg, over the restrictive covenants of the proposed Tierro Bello subdivision. Recall that Mr. Miller was asked to consult with community members about their possible concerns. My report is based on comments received by community members, and Mr. Miller's response to those comments.

(2) A copy of the latest (revised) restrictive covenants for Tierra Bello.

Unfortunately, I do not have a complete email distribution list for all the neighbors and subdivisions that would be affected by the Tierra Bello project. I would appreciate your forwarding this communication to any of your neighbors or acquaintances who might be interested in the project.

Sincerely,

Jim Garland

President, Spur Ranch Road Association

102 Spur Ranch Road

Attached Tierra Bello Covenants, revised 2/27/2013

 

Update: Tierra Bello Covenants - ver. 2/27/2013

Dear Neighbors,

Yesterday I received for review the attached revised covenants from Mr. Ron VanAmberg, attorney for developer Joe Miller. These are the covenants for the Tierra Bello 73-lot subdivision. I'd appreciate your reviewing this document for substance (don't bother with typos, editing changes, etc.,- I'll flag those) and sending me comments, so I may consolidate them and return them to the developer for review. After he's had a chance to look at them, I'll arrange a public meeting with him and his staff to negotiate items of continuing community concern. His development was tabled by the County Development and Review Committee (CDRC) at its meeting on Feb. 21, until March 21. Shortly thereafter, if recommended, the development will go to the County Commissioners for final approval or disapproval.  This email distribution is for all the people whom I have addresses for. I'd appreciate it if you'd forward the email to any neighbors in the subdiivisions along Avenida Compadres, since I don't have contact information for them.

 

If you've been keeping up with earlier versions of the covenants, you'll find these greatly improved with respect to organization, structure,  languange, and overall clarity.  There are many provision in the covenants which are positive. In my quick reading, however, I've noticed a few items which are likely to be of community concern. Please note especially the following articles:

 

Article 2.4:  The definition of "manufactured housing" refers to a 36'x24' minimum heated area (864 sq. ft), but also a 1400 sq. ft. minimum footprint. It is unclear what this means (does the 1400 sq. ft. include a garage?)

 

Article 2.5, 6.1: The definition of "mobile home" is odd, because it refers only to movable or portable housing structures that do NOT meet national standards. The question is whether moveable structures which DO meet standards are included in the definition? If not, then that second type of mobile home would not be prohibited.

 

Articles 2.1, 8.1, 12.2 - These articles refer to leased residences and "lessees" (those who lease to others). To me, the covenants appear to permit an unrestricted number of rental units. The small square footage requirements (1400 sq feet) suggest the possibility that Mr. Miller wants the flexibility to construct low-income rental housing, rather than selling owner-occupied residences.

 

Article 6.12: This article stipulates that no "direct access" for owners or the general public is permtted into the connecting Tierra Colinas subdivision roads. The article does not specify how this restriction will be implemented  (e.g., gates, etc.), or who will pay for any costs. To my knowledge, the Tierra Colinas HOA has not yet weighed on this important matter.

 

Article 5.5:  This article defines the minimum 1400 sq. ft size (1800 sq. ft for a two-story house) as applying to "heated areas." This is a change from the previous versions, which stipulated only a 1200 sq. ft minimum (1600 sq., including the garage).. I doubt it is the intent, but technically if the builder heated a garage, it would reduce the  actual living area requirement to only about 1000 sq. ft.

 

Article 2.3, 8.1: The covenants mandate an "architectural committee" (AC) which has considerable powers. Mr. Miller and his associates/family comprise the AC for the first three years, but eventually the HOA board will appoint the AC. However, as mentioned in the following comment, there is no mandatory requirement that an HOA be formed.

 

Article 11.1, 14.1-14.3: These articles stipulate that, after six lots have been sold, those lot owners "may, at their option" form a homeowners association, and they assign responsibility to the HOA to maintain roads, common grounds, easements, etc. To me, an HOA should be mandatory, since without it there is no continuing mechanism for maintaining the subdivision's infrastructure.

 

Article 11.1, 12.2: Mr. Miller is specifically exempted from any HOA assessments or from being bound by any subsequent changes in the covenants, even if he owns most of the lots/ rental units. His exemption applies both to any annual or special assessment fees.  This is an unworkable provision, for several reasons. Suppose, for example, that after six lots have been sold, the owners form an HOA. Under the covenants the six owners "shall" be responsible for maintaining all interior roads in the subdivision, and yet Mr. Miller is exempted from paying any share of this cost. As a practical matter, the owners have a strong disincentive to form an HOA until nearly all the lots are sold. Of course, if Mr. Miller intends to own a large number of rental units, then that will never happen. Mr. Miller's intentions need to be clarified.

 

Article 14.1: The HOA, if one exists, shall assess owners (Mr. Miller exempted) for a "pro-rata" share of maintaining the  northern 0.61 mi segment of Avenida Compadres. There is no provision for maintaining the remaining 1.0 mi. segment of Compadres, nor of contributing any support for Spur Ranch Road.

 

I'll keep you informed when public meetings are scheduled, and look forward to hearing your comments and suggestions. Please respond by March 11 at the latest, so we will have time to coordinate our response. Thanks!

 

Regards,

Jim Garland

President, Spur Ranch Road Association