All Community News

In the Spotlight this week:
- Recreation Master Plan Town Hall Meeting on Monday, June 10
- Save the Date! Second Annual Laguna Woods Village Anniversary Golf Tournament on Sept. 12
- 5th Annual Battle of the Fitness Centers - Registration June 3 through July 15th
- Fun Club Happenings!

Read on for this week's Village Spotlight!

The following directors resigned from the United Board on 6/11/2013:

Roger Turner – President
Catherine Brians – 1^st VP
Mary Stone – Treasurer
Charles Hammer – Secretary
John Dalis

New officers are:

Phil Doran – President
Jack Bassler – 1^st VP
Barbara B. Howard – 2^nd VP
Pat English – Treasurer
Jerren Auble – Secretary

United will appoint replacements for the five vacant Board positions (caused by the resignation of John Dalis, Catherine Brians, Mary Stone, Charlie Hammer, and Roger Turner) at its next regularly scheduled Board meeting on July 9th.

There are 3 three-month positions and 2 one-year positions to be filled.

If you are interested in serving on the Board:

• Please pick up an application from the General Manager’s office, and return the completed application along with a minimum 200-word statement to the GM’s office no later than 5:00 on June 28th.

• Applications must be received  in order to become a qualified candidate.

• Please specify if you are applying for one of the 3 three-month positions or the 2 one-year positions. Qualified candidates will make a 3 minute presentation to the Board regarding their candidacy at the July 9th meeting.

The United Budget meeting scheduled for Thursday, June 13 has been canceled.  The United Budget meeting will now take place on Friday, June 28 at 9:30 a.m. in the Community Center Board Room.

Click here for the Budget Calendar.

At approximately. 9:45 am this morning (6/14), a contractor working on the El Toro Water District Recycled Water Project, hit an AT&T telephone line.

Bldgs. 2404 & 2405 appear to be the only structures affected. AT&T anticipates that the repairs be completed by approx. 6:00 p.m. tonight.It is unknown at this time how many residents may be affected. Service will be restored as soon as possible.

Join us on Thursday, June 20 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Clubhouse 3. Your heart, voice, hands, and mind are needed to make a difference. Join us to learn what you can do, and unite with people of all ages who stand for the dignity of older adults and the elimination of elder abuse and neglect.

A passionate group of professionals and community members will share their knowledge on preventing, detecting, and reporting elder abuse. You can also learn about what ANYONE can do to take a stand against elder abuse!  Lunch will be provided.

If you would like to, you may bring a new item (blanket, gift card, clothing, toiletries) that will be directly distributed to an older adult in Orange County suffering from elder abuse or neglect.

RSVP by Thursday, June 13th to reserve your seat and lunch. Call the Office on Aging, 800-510-2020.

Click here for a flyer on this event.

centeronelderabuse.org/AgelessAlliance_OC.asp

SCE will soon perform maintenance on the electrical system in the area. In order to do this work safely, we must temporarily interrupt electric service and turn off power. This outage will allow us to upgrade the infrastructure, make needed improvements, and complete other repairs. We apologize for any inconvenience this temporary service interruption may cause, and we appreciate your understanding as we work to increase system reliability.

Please advise your personnel of the following:

Planned Outage # 567069 scheduled to start on 6/18/2013 at 9:00 AM and end on 6/18/2013 at 5:00 PM will affect service at the following address(es):

This is to remind you that SCE will perform maintenance on the electrical system in the area. In order to do this work safely, we must temporarily interrupt electric service and turn off power. This outage will allow us to upgrade aging infrastructure, make needed improvements, and complete other repairs. We apologize for any inconvenience this temporary service interruption may cause, and we appreciate your understanding as we work to increase system reliability.

Please advise your personnel of the following:

Planned Outage # 567068 scheduled to start on 6/18/2013 at 9:00 AM and end on 6/18/2013 at 5:00 PM will affect service at the following address(es):

SCE will soon perform maintenance on the electrical system in the area. In order to do this work safely, we must temporarily interrupt electric service and turn off power. This outage will allow us to upgrade the infrastructure, make needed improvements, and complete other repairs. We apologize for any inconvenience this temporary service interruption may cause, and we appreciate your understanding as we work to increase system reliability.

Planned Outage # 568117 scheduled to start on 6/19/2013 at 11:00 AM and end on 6/19/2013 at 12:30 PM will affect service at the following address(es):

SCE will soon be performing maintenance on the electrical system in the area. In order to perform this work safely, we must temporarily interrupt electric service and turn off power.

This outage will allow SCE to upgrade aging infrastructure, make needed improvements, and complete other repairs. 

Planned Outage # 568207 scheduled to start on 6/19/2013 at 1:00 PM and end on 6/19/2013 at 4:00 PM will affect service at the following address(es):

Who will reign supreme? The Recreation Division Fitness Staff is proud to present the 5^th Annual Battle of the Fitness Centers!

Registration will be held from June 3^rd through July 15^th at both fitness facilities.  All residents who use the centers are encouraged to sign up and join their Fitness Center’s team.

To participate, residents must be registered in at least three events.  In the Battle, a team of residents representing the Clubhouse One Fitness Center and another team representing the Community Fitness Center will compete for this year’s championship.  Individuals compete in their own age and gender divisions. The winning team will earn the right to display the trophy in their Fitness Center for one year.

Make sure to come to the Fitness Centers and pick up a registration packet!

All residents and guests are welcome to attend the Opening Ceremonies on Monday, July 29^th from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. on the Clubhouse One patio.  At this kickoff, there will be an introduction of the reigning champions, distribution of T-shirts for this year’s Battle, and team photos. This is a great opportunity to show support for your Fitness Center and for your friends and neighbors who are participating.

This year’s Battle of the Fitness Centers competition is proud to be sponsored by 2013 Title Sponsor, Humana.

The vote to reverse Resolution 01-13-50, the rule that removes the 6-month sublease restriction is as follows:

YES, I want to keep the 6-month sublease restriction - 1226

NO, I want to remove the 6-month sublease restriction - 2904

The current Annual Guest Passes and Non-Resident Owner Passes will expire June 30, 2013. Effective immediately, applications are available at all Clubhouses, the Towers, the Village Library, and in the Laguna Woods Village Community Center. Both applications can also be accessed on the Laguna Woods Village website at www.lagunawoodsvillage.com. Go to Resident Links > Forms. Each form is highlighted in colored boxes for quick access.

A maximum of five Annual Guest passes can be issued per manor for Resident Members only. One application can be used for all five passes. Non-Resident Members are allowed one pass for each owner. New passes will be effective July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014.

Applications are now being accepted. All applications must be returned to the Community Access department in the Laguna Woods Village Community Center located at 24351 El Toro Road, or mailed to Professional Community Management Inc, Agent, Attn: Community Access, PO Box 2220, Laguna Woods, CA 92654-2220. Each application must be accompanied with a legal-sized self-addressed stamped envelope so that passes can be mailed accordingly. Stamps should be the Forever Stamp to ensure delivery. The mailing of passes will begin no later than June 1, 2013.

Applications not received by May 31 may not be processed in time to meet the June 30 expiration date of the existing passes. Passes will be processed in the order received. Applications that are incomplete are not accompanied by an appropriate self-addressed stamped envelope, or for any reason cannot be processed without additional information, will be delayed and will be processed as time permits.

Please be advised that passes will not be processed at the counter during this renewal period.

It is time again for the Recreation Division to hold its Annual Lottery for Clubhouse Reservations for 2014 (excluding Clubhouse Three Auditorium). Beginning Wednesday, May 15 you may pick up lottery cards at any Clubhouse Office or the Recreation Division Office in the Community Center building. The cards are to be filled out with the date of the event being planned for 2014, the choice of facility, the type of event, as well as a second and third choice of date and facility.  Be sure to get cards filled out and turned in to the Recreation Division Office by the cut off date: 4:30 PM, Friday, June 14.  No late lottery cards will be accepted under any circumstances. The process may take up to 8 weeks. Everyone who put in a request will be notified by mail.  Please do not call with questions about your date until after August 15, or until you have been notified by mail.

The purpose of the Lottery is to secure dates in advance for events that require long range planning, such as anniversaries, special birthdays, family reunions, holiday celebrations, special club events, etc.  This will be the first time any dates for 2014 will be accessible. After the lottery dates are booked, reservations for 2014 can be booked as usual in the Recreation Division Office, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. We are closed from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM for lunch. If you have any questions, please call 597-4227.

As part of the comprehensive Recycled Water Expansion Project, El Toro Water District began construction on Monday, March 18 on Ridge Route Drive. Construction began on Ridge Route near the intersection of Avenida de la Carlota and will move west through Moulton Parkway and on toward Santa Vittoria Drive. It is anticipated the construction will be complete by the end of June 2013.

If possible, we encourage you to avoid travel on Ridge Route during construction hours: Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
 

For day-to-day updates on all construction involving this project, please click here.

For a Smart Map which illustrates current and upcoming construction, please click here.

Visit the ETWD project website for more details - www.etwd.com

The widening of Moulton Parkway for the County’s SMART Street project is underway. Moulton has been narrowed to two lanes in each direction from El Toro Road to Santa Maria. The road has been narrowed in to allow modification to the medians.

Completion of the Moulton SMART Street Widening project in Laguna Woods is anticipated by March of 2014 (weather permitting). Construction updates will be posted here as they are available from the County of Orange.

 UPDATES:

Phase II of Moulton Widening extends from the bus stop just north of El Toro Road to Santa Maria along Moulton Parkway.  The construction for the project is being overseen by the County of Orange.  The Contractor has almost completed Phase 1 of the project along the center of the roadway.  The Contractor is going to start Phase 2 work on the east side of the road along the golf course up to the Garden Center.  There will be the following traffic closures until mid-June 2013 along Moulton Parkway:

• Southbound #1 lane along the median will remain closed 24 hours

• Northbound #3 lane along the golf course 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Phase II work over the next month will include fence installation in the golf course at the temporary construction easement, clearing and grubbing, tree removal and demo.  Further details on the phasing and areas of impact will be available once the Contractor’s schedule is finalized.  Updates on the project will be posted here and on the City of Laguna Woods website.

Effective May 6, the Community Center Print Shop new hours will be Monday thru Friday, 8 a.m. - 11 a.m. & 1:30 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Also, there is a new location of the Printing window. It is no longer located where the Property Services windows are but is now located in the hallway heading down towards the Redwood room. There is a window there where you can order copies you need. Please note that there is a charge for copies.

Gate 1 will be undergoing some improvements and renovations starting April 1 and continuing through July. The renovations include a new gatehouse, reconfiguring the entryway for improved security and traffic flow, a new parking area, new signage and wall treatment, and additional security cameras. Gate 1 will remain open, but expect some traffic delays during this time.

Residents and visitors who typically use Gate 1 to enter and exit the community may opt to use Gates 2 and 3 during the Gate 1 renovation project since there may be some traffic delays during the renovations.

Please note: Residents who don’t have a valid gate pass or who haven’t been called into the gate clearance system by their sponsor will be routed to Gates 2 or 3 for entrance.  It is encouraged that residents who have guests that need access to Gate 1 during construction obtain a valid pass from the Property Services desk in the Community Center or call their guest into the Gate Clearance System, (949) 597-4301, prior to their guest arrival.

Gate 1 entrance will be closed to commercial vehicle traffic during the renovation starting April 1, 2013. Click here for a Commercial Vehicle Detour Map.

Golf Cart traffic shall use the El Toro tunnel during construction.

Says General Manager Jerry Storage, “We appreciate the cooperation of residents and their guests who may experience some delays at Gate 1 during the renovations. We do understand that this will pose an inconvenience and we apologize in advance. We are sure residents will agree, however, that any short-term inconvenience will have been worthwhile once they see the fantastic upgrades to Gate 1.”

During the improvements to Gate 1, residents hosting events at their manors, Clubhouse 1, or Clubhouse 3 should allow for additional time for guests to get through Gate 1 or to re-route guests through other gates.

The Aliso Creek Foot Bridge and service road improvements are scheduled to begin on May 2 and the project expected to take three months to complete (weather dependent).

Major repairs and improvements will take place at the Aliso Creek service road, walking path and foot bridge. Construction of a new Aliso Creek foot bridge will occur to replace the old bridge, which collapsed due to rain events, and repairs and improvements will be made to the adjacent service road, which has eroded and narrowed over time. Residents will not be permitted to walk along this portion of the creek while construction is underway because of safety concerns. .

Keep reading for an area map of the project...

The county courthouse in Laguna Hills will shut down permanently on July 1.

At that time, all Laguna Hills court cases will be transferred to the Harbor Justice Center at 4601 Jamboree Road in Newport Beach.

Traffic hearings will move even sooner. Effective Monday, May 6, those cases will be heard in Newport Beach

There will be a Town Hall meeting about the Recreation Master Plan at Clubhouse 5 at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, June 10.  Residents are encouraged to attend and learn more about the plan and ask questions.

Channel 6  will broadcast this Town Hall meeting on June 14 and June 19 at 2 p.m

Laguna Woods Village Recreation Master Plan Summary

GRF Recreation Master Plan Fact Sheet and FAQs

Synopsis of May 15, 2013 Recreation Master Plan Ad Hoc Committee Meeting

May 8 Director's Corner Community-developed Recreation Master Plan Near Completion

For the history and prior report, please see Recreation information below.

The Laguna Woods Village Recreation Master Plan provides recommended guidelines for future capital improvement projects that would change, add to, or improve existing Laguna Woods Village facilities is now completed.

Please click on these links below to view the guidelines.

Recreation Master Plan 2013

Recreation Master Plan 2013 APPENDIX

Also, a copy or two of the Recreation Master Plan 2013 are available in the Village Library. Residents may also buy a copy of the plan from the Copy window in the Community Center.

The Master Plan was officially adopted by the GRF Board at their March 2013 Board Meeting.  GRF also established a Recreation Master Plan Ad Hoc Committee tasked with using the adopted Master Plan as a guide to prepare a short-, mid- and long-term plan of improving GRF recreational facilities (referred to as the “Plan”).  Four Plan alternatives, that were previously discussed by the Committee, were formally presented at their April 3 meeting.  Below is a copy of the agenda package that outlines maps with the location of the proposed projects, cost estimate tables, comparison tables and a summary of the “domino” effect for each Plan alternative:

 April 3, 2013 Agenda Package with Master Plan Alternatives

The Committee reviewed the Plan alternatives at their April 17^th meeting.  The Committee endorsed Alternative 3: Centralize Fitness, New Gate 12 Main Lounge.  This endorsement will be reviewed at the May 7^th GRF Board meeting for ultimate approval prior to proceeding to the Phase 2 – Planning.

All residents are encouraged to attend the upcoming meetings about the Recreation Master Plan.

Community named One of Nation’s Top 10 Retirement Communities in 2012

As detailed in an annual report released this month on community-wide accomplishments, 2012 was a great year to live in Laguna Woods Village.

“We’re pleased to share with our residents the tangible results of a combination of Board initiatives and innovative community management and oversight,” said Jerry Storage, General Manager of Laguna Woods Village. “We encourage everyone to up a copy of our annual report and see the great things that are happening in our community.”

Among the highlights: TopRetirement.com readers voted Laguna Woods Village one of the top ten best places to retire in the United States. 

Keep reading...

Click here for a copy of the Budget Calendar, which includes meeting dates and locations where development of the 2014 Business Plan will take place.

Business planning meeting recaps will be posted at the following links as the Meetings for Development of the 2014  Business Plans are underway.

Click here for the Third Mutual Business Planning Recap

Click here for the United Mutual Business Planning Recap

Click here for the GRF Business Planning Recap

Click here for the Mutual No. Fifty Business Planning Recap

This information is to provide a detail of the acceptable methods for providing access into the Community for non-residents who will attend an event at a clubhouse.

1. Gate Clearance Line, 949-597-4301 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
Any resident can authorize up to three (3) guests by phoning Gate Clearance. Only one person per vehicle needs to be cleared, regardless of how many passengers are in a vehicle.

2. Gate Clearance Form
This Form is used when four (4) or more guests need entry. A resident must submit the completed Form to the Community Access department at the Community Center at least four (4) business days in advance of the event. There is no limit to the number of guests who may be listed; however, you must be specific as to their date(s) of entry. Guests’ names can be authorized for up to six (6) months. The First Names of the guests is how the Gate Ambassador will identify the arriving party. Only one person in a vehicle needs to be cleared, regardless of how many passengers are in a vehicle.
Available at www.lagunawoodsvillage.com ? Resident Links ? Forms. Also available at the Community Access desk, and the Recreation Office.

3. Gate Clearance Form with Tear Off Flyer
A Gate Clearance Form may be submitted to the Community Access department with an approved Tear Off Flyer rather than a list of guest names. The sponsor will complete the form with the Event Information. The guests must then fill in their Visitor Information on the bottom of the Tear Off form, and submit it to the Gate Ambassador upon arrival at the gate. Available at www.lagunawoodsvillage.com ? Resident Links ? Forms.
Also available at the Community Access desk.

4. Box Office Tickets
Only tickets from the Clubhouse Three Box Office will authorize guest entry through the
Gates. Clubs and individuals are not allowed to produce their own tickets for Gate entry.

5. Station a resident at the Gate to authorize access for arriving guests. NOT RECOMMENDED
A resident can go to a Gate in anticipation of the arrival of guests not previously cleared using the methods described above; however; it is highly discouraged due to safety concerns and inefficiencies created for Security staff. This method should only be used when absolutely necessary.

El Toro Water District (ETWD) is undertaking a comprehensive, multi-phase Recycled Water Expansion Project that will enhance local water supplies and reliability, reduce dependence on imported water and expand recycled water deliveries to meet future customer demand.

The Recycled Water Expansion Project includes two components.

• The District will expand its existing Water Recycling Plant to allow for the delivery of up to 1,675 acre feet per year of recycled water. One acre foot of water is the equivalent of enough water for two families of four for a year.

• Simultaneously, the District will construct approximately 100,000 feet or 19 miles of recycled water pipeline beneath the roadways in Laguna Woods and the northwest portion of Laguna Hills. 

Fact Sheet about Recycled Water Expansion Project

Construction Alerts

Link to ETWD Recycled Water Expansion Project Website

Keep reading...

The Village boards and managing agent strive to maintain a beautiful and sound community, so there are always multiple maintenance and landscaping projects going on in Laguna Woods Village! Click through for brief updates on many ongoing maintenance and landscape projects in and around the community.

Laguna Woods Branch Now Offering Self-Service Checkout

Borrowing books is only a click away thanks to Orange County Public Library new e-book rental program. E-books can be downloaded on to any e-book readers such as a Kindle, Ipod, Ipad and other smart devices. To checkout and download an e-book, you will need a valid library card, internet access, smart device and free software for the computer or smart device to use the site. After the e-rental is finished the e-book will simply be removed automatically from the smart device.

Click here for the Orange County Public Library for more information

Laguna Woods City Hall Library has a new self service check-out that is open during city hall hours of Monday-Friday 8:00am-5:30pm. If you need assistance, a librarian is available Monday-Friday 10:00am-4:30pm.

The Laguna Woods Village website (www.lagunawoodsvillage.com), which in recent years has grown to become the online hub for residents to access up-to-the-minute Village news and information, is undergoing a long-awaited facelift.

Residents who visit the site will now enjoy easier navigation and access to much more timely information about their community.

Keep reading for a quick reference guide to the new features on the Village website.

The United board directed staff to explore ways to comply with the water restrictions in place by El Toro Water District. Given that turf grass is considered a high water usage plant, areas of turf where use is infrequent are being eliminated, and replaced in a newly created turf reduction program.  Continue reading for updates and information.

Check out episodes of Village at Work, a series that focuses on the operations of the Village!

Resident host, Sheila Bialka, interviews Village staffers to learn more about the resources available to the community.  Topics include water conservation, security, and customer service.

"Village at Work" is shown on the TV6 News (Monday through Friday at 8:30am, 12:30pm, and 5:00pm).  The Village at work can also be viewed online on YouTube.

Click "more" to watch "Village at Work"!