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FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | SEPTEMBER 2019 23 The ARC has received several questions concerning storage sheds. The Architectural Guidelines and Standards Section 2.F states "any storage unit viewable from a common area or a neighbor's property requires ARC approval. Storage units which are below the fence line do not require ARC approval." Approval is obtained through the normal process, submitting a Schedule A which must clearly indicate the location where the shed will be and a description of the shed including dimensions, color and material it will be made of. Please be aware that the Guidelines prohibit metal sheds. All sheds must comply with city of Beaumont building codes and set back requirements as well as the Guidelines setback requirements. Sheds may not be attached to property line fences regardless of height. In general if the shed is less than 120 sq. ft. it does not require a building permit. With a few exceptions, all setbacks are a minimum of 5 feet from property lines and existing buildings. ARC does not require approval or setbacks on storage sheds that are below the fence line. If you have questions please contact me or the management office. ~ Steve Cooley, cooleyaudit@gmail.com, (801) 815-5302 Architectural review Committee A Whole Lot of Shaking Going On Disasters are a little like boxing matches. Hurricanes give you a warning, so you head for high ground and out of their path. A boxer tries to stay away from a heavy puncher. Tornadoes require you to shelter in place in a storm cellar. You batten down the hatches and endure the punishment like a boxer employing the rope-a-dope method. Earthquakes are like knockout boxers. You know that the big punch or earthquake is coming but you do not know where or when. In California we do not have hurricane warnings or tornadoes pummeling to endure but we must be ready for an earthquake at any time. This past July 4 and 5 reminded us of the need to be prepared. Luckily the earthquakes hit in sparsely populated areas: Trona in San Bernardino County and Ridgecrest in Kern County. The area that probably suffered the most damage was the China Lakes Naval Weapons Station. There were munitions stored in underground bunkers half way between Trona and Ridgecrest. The government has been quiet about the damages suffered. If this quake had hit Seal Beach or San Diego we might have seen a mass exodus from the surrounding areas. Things in the desert just happen and do not usually bother anyone but the rattlesnakes and scorpions. How do you think you would have survived if the quake had occurred here locally? Do you know where your utility shutoffs are? How long will your stored water last? Do you have your paperwork ready in case you are evacuated? This quake being a roller and not a shaker yielded totally different reactions. A quick shaker is unnerving, but a long roller is downright scary. We have been habituated to the quick jolting quakes. We have kind of lost our plan for the big one. The rolling quake on July 5, 2019, reminded us that we need to practice our earthquake responses. The usual reaction of, "it's not bad," has given way to a rolling nightmare. This should trigger a more serious response. Our usual response should no longer be learned indifference. This should be replaced with an informed reaction of drop, cover, and hold. Ham Radio Operators should tune in to their local repeaters or emergency frequencies to monitor the quake damage. Television news is a reliable source for quake updates and you can also check the USGS site on the Internet. Four Seasons Beaumont Emergency Preparedness Committee meets on the third Tuesday of the month in the RCN Conference Room. Next meeting is Tuesday, Sept. 17. I hope to see you there. ~ Mike Mendoza Emergency Preparedness Committee

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