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By Gloria Brosky, Jodi Harris & Diane Schultz Home Inspections: The seven members of the ACC are homeowners like you who volunteer to help our HOA Board see that the CC&Rs and ACC Guidelines are followed. One of our responsibilities is Home Inspections. The ACC stopped doing such inspections about 10 years ago. About three years ago, the current ACC developed a new checklist which we now use during inspections. We sometimes hear grumblings from Colony residents who feel we are "out to get them." For every comment like that, we hear comments which are quite the opposite, such as, "Thanks for getting our street shipshape." Please know we are only following the guidelines of our Association. House painting: Does my house really need painting? After speaking to several paint companies and painters, we found that homes should be painted every 10 years or so with a quality brand paint. If a paint of lesser quality is used, you will need to repaint sooner. Please make sure the entire house is painted, including the chimney, rain gutters, garage door, gates, fences and walls. Wrought iron fences and gates: These need to be painted every two to three years. If you jiggle your wrought iron fence and it moves easily, that is probably a sign that something is rusted. We have noticed many of you have asked the Landscape office to place barriers to stop sprinkler water from hitting your wrought iron fences. We suggest you check that they have not fallen over. When we do home inspections, we are looking at the back side of your wrought iron. That is where we are noticing paint discoloration, which leads to rust. Touching up your paint will help stop the rust and hence costly repair expenses. Outdoor lights: How can you improve their appearance without replacing the entire fixture? The light fixture can be taken down and spray painted. A local glass company can cut new glass if it is needed. Skylights: As our Colony homes start to age, things pop up that need replacement. These replacements are an opportunity to take advantage of some of the new, innovative technology that makes an already good thing GREAT. One of those things is skylights. Many of us have the old skylights. As you look towards replacing them due to the cracking, leaking, and crazing or discoloring, which happens to 20+-year-old plastic, have a look at some of the new offerings: Low-E glass – allows a clear view to the stars but restricts UVs and heat. Opening and venting – either manually- or electrically- operated skylights to increase airflow to the room. Blinds – sort of a mini-blind for a skylight. Solar Tubes or Sun Tunnels – amplify the amount of light. There are dozens of manufacturers in the U.S. with enormous varieties of skylights and options. Their websites will usually refer you to local installers. So, if your skylights are looking a bit dreary, shed a little light on the subject and replace them. House Numbers: Did you know there is a Riverside County Code regarding house numbering systems? Ordinance No. 463 (as amended through 463.2), Section 2 states: "When an official number has been established for property fronting on any public road as provided in this ordinance, it shall be the duty of the Building Director to notify the owner of such property or the person in possession of such property upon which there exists, any house, store, storeroom or other building, of the number established for such property; and the said owner or the said person in possession of such property, shall within 30 days after said notice has been given as herein provided, place and thereafter continuously maintain the number established for such property upon said premises in such a place and position as to be plainly visible from the public road upon which said property fronts, said number so placed and maintained to be constituted by figures not less than three inches in height; and any house number other than the official number as established under the provisions of this ordinance shall be removed from such property by the owner or by the person then in possession of such property, within 10 days from the giving of said notice establishing the official number, except that a Rural Route Box Number may be displayed. " Are your house numbers easy to read? Besides family and friends who come to visit, our Murrieta Fire Department also needs to be able to see your house numbers. You may ask, "Doesn't the Fire Department use a navigational system?" I recently spoke with a fireman about this matter. He shared that they also use the numbers on your house to verify the correct address. Having visible numbers can save a few precious moments that might be needed for your care. Making a few improvements will let you fall in love with your house all over again. You will be proud of how it looks, and it may inspire you or others to do other projects you have been meaning to tackle. ARCHITECTURAL CONTROL COMMITTEE NEWS 10 | THE COLONY NEWS | APRIL 2021 |