Love/Hate in Timberlakes
Well in April 2006 Danette and I moved to Timberlakes. It’s a private 1500-acre development in Lake Creek Canyon east of Heber City, Utah. We bought our first place here, a 1000-sq foot dwelling on a lot that’s just over an acre. I’m sure you’re thinking oh that must be nice. It is…it’s beautiful, only a couple of miles from the Uinta National Forest where it’s wilderness all the way to Wyoming. BUT there are drawbacks, and like with so many other situations in life it’s the greedy and powerful few that are friggin’ it up for everyone else. Let’s see how far I can take this rant…
Now of course it was our duty to perform our own due diligence on the place before moving in, but we overlooked several things that will no doubt prematurely drive us outta here. What it’s come down to in this first year is nothing new in terms of our experience here in Utah. Basically, we just cannot seem to connect with the general population of people. Alta (where we ski bummed, met and got married) is different and special. It’s a little Hamlet where everyone is like-minded but unfortunately living up there is way beyond our reach now. So here we are, and here is a list of things I plan to bring up with the HOA if I can convince myself it would be worth my time in the slightest.
- Walking trails. We live in a wilderness area with amazing opportunities in terms of mountain biking, snowshoeing, hiking and trail running. But not one common trail to use! Instead, the stinking-ass, obnoxious and loud ATVs (in the summer) and Snow Machines (in the winter) blow by the house at 5 times the posted speed limit. My dog can’t walk the neighborhood because it’s ‘against the rules’, yet these people can get away with abusing and exploiting the land and damaging our experience of living in the mountains. We are over walking on the rocky road-base and sharing that with recreational vehicles and speeding sport utilities.
- The gate. There’s this prestigious gate that is nothing less than a JOKE to be sure. It’s big and it’s fancy and there’s even a goon who sits in the little security hut…yet every weekend in the winter the little parking area down the road is full to the gills with ridiculously over-sized snow mobile trailers and even more ridiculously over-sized pickups hauling them. Furthermore, people tailgate through the gate that don’t live up here ALL DAY LONG. I’ve watched it time and again. My HOA fees pay for this ‘gate’ and ‘the goon’ and I’d rather those fees went into more productive things.
- The rules. Now this is a broad gripe. I’ve added a link to the Declaration of Protective Covenants (PDF) of the development should you have the slightest inclination to read through the absurd set of regulations that are some how in place. For example, no clothes lines. Ha. Beat it. I can’t believe ‘the Declarant’ (that’s not even a word BTW) would even have the nerve or gall to include some of the things he has. For example, “Declarant reserves all the grazing rights on all land in the development”…yet…”no animals, livestock or poultry of any kind shall be raised, bred or kept on any lot.” Dude, that’s laughable.
- The part-timers. Apparently, Timberlakes was “created as a recreational community” and therefore the full-time residents have to step aside and get pissed on whenever it’s a holiday or long weekend. Or frankly, whenever the part-time residents want to come and ‘get-away’. Yeah, that’s terrific. Get away to their garage full of stinking and polluting recreational vehicles. And of course you can’t miss these people. They’re the ones going 45 mph up the road in their shiny Hummers with a cloud of dust. Many of these people have absolutely no respect for us…the little full-time hippies in the cabin. You know, the ones paying the same HOA fees and looking after their 350-day-a-year vacant mansion. Of course not all part-time residents are bad apples…discount yourself if you’re a good one.
- The trash bins. My only gripe here is the lack of the HOA to address the busy weekends and clear the dumpsters more frequently during these busy weekends. We bring ONE trash bag down every ten days, yet on busy weeks the dumpster lot is not only full, but trash is piled on the outside of the dumpsters and you can guess what happens then. It’s the wilderness and it doesn’t take long for animals to spew it everywhere. Mind you, these are ‘guests’ leaving their loads of trash. Glad we pay the fees for them. Oh yeah, and glad we’re covering the costs for the contractors to drop off their materials on the way out, too.
- The water. Right down the road from our house there is a 50 acre lake called ‘Witts Lake’. Ha. A lake they say. It’s actually a controlled reservoir that gets exploited and sold off to pad the pockets of this so called ‘Declarant’ I keep reading about in all these fancy documents. This guy must be a gem. A 50-acre ‘lake’ all manicured and full of drainage pipes and stupid systems of control; and according to a sign near the dam I can’t trespass. Again, laughable. I can and will walk my dogs to the ‘lake’ so they can jump in and I can’t wait for one of ‘Declarant’s’ cronies to say something to me (apparently he lives out of state). Yep I’m a rebel. Call me anti-establishment but if ‘Declarant’ is going to sell lots on the ‘lake’ for jacked up prices it might be a good and nice gesture to let the residents of the community have access to the resource. I mean no motorized recreation on the water (because surely some would have their jet skis out), I’m all for that! But how about a hot summer swim or a canoe float? Yeah now I’m dreamin’.
I think that makes the point. I could go on and on. What a shame. We’ve sat idly by this first year we’ve lived here and observed an insane working order. Not sure it’s worth my time to rant about it, actually. But it is fun, and it’s good Google food for my experiment (this Wordpress blog), too 
Before moving here I was lost in Alta and Little Cottonwood Canyon for some time, then remotely on the Dolores River on a wilderness ranch near Moab. So frankly, I’ve lost touch with America I guess. But I do hope the whole country isn’t like this now that we’ve surfaced to try and co-exist or Jah help us.
BTW the reason for this rant was because a house (well, mansion) three doors down the road apparently has a group of Sundance Film Festival renters in it. Even though that’s against the ‘rules’. That’s my guess, anyway. A Salt Laker owns this mansion and apparently he thinks it’s ok to do what he wants. Hell, he’s not here anyway, so he wasn’t disturbed for 3 hours straight last night when a dog was out on the porch howling to come in. Yep. I enjoyed getting out of bed at midnight, getting dressed warm (it was around 0 degrees) and walking up the road to let this dog in. No problem. Glad they were out living it up in Park City while this dog was keeping up the whole area with his echoing howls. Not blaming the poor animal, after all it was cold for an LA black lab. Lucky he was fat.
Over and out, Gary M
January 27th, 2007 at 2:15 pm
Might I update this post with a little relevant info? This morning the same black lab (7am) was out howling AGAIN on the porch. I went to go let him in AGAIN. Now the place is sealed up like Fort Knox. The dog doesn’t even have tags. I don’t even know what to call the little fatso. Lucky I am a dog lover or I would have called the pound to come and get him. He’s here with me now laying next to the desk. I left a sign on the door to tell them where they can find their dog. It’ll be fun to lay into them a little when they call…
January 29th, 2007 at 1:05 pm
Ok an update. I was wrong. The fatty black lab was Cody from up the road. He’s a good boy and he actually stayed with us a night because after talking to his owner Bob I learned that he wanders from home and apparently forgets where he lives. He’s gettin’ a little old and forgetful I guess
There were still renters in that house, however; and the story goes they let Cody in and likely feed him steak scraps and that’s why he was loyal to that house. Til later, GBM
January 29th, 2007 at 1:08 pm
Sorry to hear all this Gary. You are the victim of the locals trying to make money, a gated community trying to keep the quiet and the dirt bags knowing they can get away with murder.
We used to camp in a primitive park in Colorado where we maintained the fire codes and quiet. They we would get the RV with the trailer of ATV’s so the kids could race around the commons for 8 hours a day. Lets just say that our trash found its way under their RV at night so the black bears could raid them.
Best to figure out what covenants and country/state laws you have protecting your rights to keep the squatters away or at bay. As for the Declarant good luck.
January 29th, 2007 at 1:11 pm
Chuck, Thanks for the comment. Yeah we’re hangin’ in there. The last I heard the property value tripled up here in the last year so we’ll suck it up for a while more and then bust out to a place that we’re more compatible with.
It sure is fun to rant on my own blog, though. Let’s see what kind of trouble I can get in with it
January 31st, 2007 at 1:49 pm
Gary,
The fat dog cody is a dog I saved from a horrible death, our friend Bob owns the dog, cody is a social butterfly and a walking pig! Timberlakes is the biggest dog and pony show I have ever seen! The security guard is the town drunk and his house looks like a crack house. This sums up the mentality of the HOA Show at Timberlakes. I enjoyed the idiot at the entrance when my clicker wouldn’t open the gate, he got out of his car and wanted to fight ! What the hell is wrong with some people?
P.S. Timberlakes needs some singletrack and a microbrew!!
Your Neighbor,
WSG
January 31st, 2007 at 1:52 pm
Scott, HAHA I love your comment!! I know I found out it was Cody. He’s a damn good dog. I talked to Bob and brought Cody home after hanging out down by our place for a few days. Apparently, the renters up the road let him in and fed him steak and that’s why he was so loyal to that house. Bob liked the story and now I know where Cody lives.. the little fatso
January 31st, 2007 at 3:38 pm
The “GOON’ is a perfect name for the so called security guard who sits in the hut at the Timberlakes Entrance. I enjoy knowing my HOA fees are paying for the “GOON” wages and his beer drinking habit. This was evident when visiting his house he had 100’s of beer cans in a pile outside his front door. Go security guard!
Disturbed by this situation, I called the board member in charge of security and asked him if his staff gets urine analysis or back ground checks? He got real defensive and said “GOON #1″ is not the only security staff we have!
He obviously new which GOON I was talking about without mentioning his name! Our HOA Fee’s hard at work!!
Oh Yea,
Our Timberlakes Water lines froze and we lost water for four months, harsh living. Timberlakes water was kind enough to only charge half the current rate during our months of no water service. Hats off to Timberlakes Water Company, you guys are the best! bohooing is over!
March 20th, 2007 at 10:33 am
Thanks for the rant… it’s nice to hear perspective that a Real Estate person won’t give you. I’ve been interested in finding a lot in Timberlakes for a weekend getaway from the city. As a full-time resident, could you give me some good advice? Stay away perhaps? Haha. I just wondered if there was an area of the development I should stay away from, or if there are other cabin areas with similar distances from Provo that I should consider? Thanks!
May 6th, 2007 at 5:45 pm
Gary,
It is nice to know that others feel the same way we do about all the issues that you have mentioned. I have been to some of the HOA meetings and it is funny that they seem to mention the problems with the gate, trash and road usage but have never even attempted to alleviate any of the problems. When they talk about the trash, they don’t even mention how coincidental that during the week the trash area seems to be clean and then on the weekends, especially holiday weekends how we get piles and piles of trash sitting on the ground in front of the already full tash bins. The citiots have only the mentality of entitlements that someone else should be cleaning up their garbage and not them hauling it off themselves. When the bins are full, I take mine with me to my office and use the dumpster there instead of leaving it for the rest of my full time neighbors to put up with. I get sick and tired of the ATV’s and snowmobiles that race up and down the roads, one day they may end up getting in an accident and then who will be at fault, not them most likely. We have been here 7 years and love the area and the quiet when it occurs. We have decided that the board is continuing to raise our rates and not do anything to benefit us living here so we too are contemplating a move. There was a rumor that they were going to increase our (full-timers) rates to 1500.00 a year, (which is illlegal) but finally they came to their senses and decided that wasn’t a good move. But now you have the other “goon” that is “supposed to” take care of the roads and is an employee of the HOA has assualted a homeowner. I am sure this bodes well for the entire community if there is a lawsuit. How will this affect the rest of us who would actually like to see him fired. Thanks for a spot to rant and rave.
June 30th, 2007 at 12:41 am
Gary, in reply to your rants, categorically:
1. I bought property in Timber Lakes because it is dog friendly. I frequently see owners walking their dogs here off-leash. I find it refreshing after living in California where your neighbors pepper spray off-leash dogs while dialing an attorney on their cell phone.
2. The gate is a bit of a joke, but any security is a good deterrent to criminal activity; criminals don’t like to take chances. Besides, Wasatch County has a very low crime rate.
3. I believe the “Delarant” is the Bureau of Land Management. The Timber Lakes Estates HOA was never sold the grazing, mineral or water rights to the land. The HOA can write all the rules it want to in the C&Rs but, the land is still “free range.”
4. I’ve seen nothing stating that Timber Lakes is a recreation community. In fact, it has no recreation facilities at all.
5. If you’ve read the minutes of the last HOA meetings you would know that they have taken some steps to deal with the weekend trash problem. If you do not like the job they are doing you can run for a seat in the next election — you have my vote.
6. There are no rules about using non-powered boats in the lakes (ponds really). If you want to paddle around, go for it.
July 6th, 2007 at 10:50 am
Hey Dan, Thanks for taking the time to comment. I have calmed down a bit since the rant above but I am still not thrilled with a lot of things up here. To your great comments:
1. I wouldn’t necissarily call this place dog friendly. Sure you can walk your dogs off leash but not without people crying over it. In fact, the whole state of Utah to me is whacked when it comes to dog friendliness. Did you read the thread on the Timberlakes forum about Dogs Outta Control? Gimme a break with that! Yeah I’ll bet it sucks even worse in Cali for dog owners. that doesn’t surprise me. I guess I am spoiled. Where I grew up (small town in central NY) dogs were everywhere and on their own. Sure you had a dog scuffle now and then. Sure some got hit by cars. But a population of happy dogs that were socialized, and that got to explore, are a happy population of dogs. Translation: No 5 year olds getting mauled! To me, the attitude towards dogs in this state are lame…maybe not as bad as Cali…but still pretty dang lame. And I’ve lived in Salt Lake, Sandy (the shittiest attitudes towards dogs are in the SL valley…that I have ever seen!), Park City, Moab and now TL.
2. I still think the gate is idiotic. It doesn’t serve jack of a purpose as it’s working right now. Anyone can get through. Including criminals. Don’t kid yourself. My opinion is unless someone is there full time, and strictly enforcing the rules of entry, then get rid of it. Might as well get county maintenance of the roads and some other county amenities b/c the big goofy gate just doesn’t do squat. More on the gate issue at the TL forum, as well. For example, here’s a good one. The HOA tells people to not tail gate (tells residents with clickers!), yet they fail to post a sign for non-residents. That makes perfect sense. Oh wait, that’s right…signs aren’t allowed!
3. According to the document I linked to above the “Declarant” is not the BLM. It’s the Timberlakes Corp. – whoever the hell makes that up. But, I will admit, I am not about to sit down and read through the nonsense to be sure. I didn’t when we bought up here (didn’t really plan on long term living up here) and I am not going to now. I’ll just go on doing what I want to do on my property as long as no one else is threatened by my action. For example: I ain’t building no fires…but I may just get me some chickens!
4. I see nothing stating that it’s a recreational community, either. Although that’s all the part-timers refer to it as. AND I don’t consider stinking, loud and polluting ATVs in excess and everywhere up here to be recreational vehicles regardless of what people say or how they’re billed. I was taught that ATVs are for 1) work or 2) exploring remote areas. NOT joy riding around a community. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen young kids with no helmets on adult ATVs sharing the road with dump trucks. What kind of parent allows that?! I actually saw an ATV the other day with THREE people on it. A guy driving, a lady sitting on the back.. and in between them was an infant not older than 1 year old. This is NOT BS. I couldn’t believe it. I had the dogs with me and one of them stepped out in the path of the thing. The guy had to hit his breaks hard…then he gives me a dirty look. Ha! What a joke that is. First of all, SLOW YOUR ASS DOWN when you’re going by someone, especially with a little baby on board, and you wouldn’t have to worry about hitting the brakes too hard and smushing your infant!
Here’s the thing. I am tolerant of the 4wheeler thingies but it’s obvious I don’t care for them. I can bitch about them, but I tolerate it. What gets me is people not tolerating the things that we’re up here for like having some space for the dogs or creating a sustainable environment with livestock and gardens.
5. Trash issues have gotten better but it’s still not completely fixed. I just drove by the “dump”. It’s two days after July 4th and there is CRAP everywhere on the ground. Bags open.. typical BS. I pay for the trash service. Not the 10 people up from the valley visiting their “cabin owner friend.” From my observation, all I see is most (not all) of the part timers come up once a month or less to trash the place and then go home. They ruin the roads with dirt bike and ATV donuts, they litter, they speed around the whole place, and I can here Yahoo screams and ATV motors until midnight on our road! When they return 60 days later it’s all nice and clean and the roads are smooth…just in time for them to trash it again…must be nice. There are a bunch of spoiled rotten, wealthy people that come up here to “get away” and they are disrespectful to the neighborhood and their neighbors. Mind you not all part-timers suck. They know who they are. If you’re (speaking to anyone reading, not you Dan) offended by these comments your one of the sucky ones.
6. Nice to hear we can paddle around Witts Lake. I’ll have to get my hands on a canoe and float around to catch all those massive Cut Throats I saw trying to make the water fall last month on the only stream inlet (northeast corner). It’s a shame we can’t have access to the beach though. I would like to take a swim and let the dogs play without having to sneak around to do it.
Thanks again for the comments. Glad to see some people are finding this blog post. Maybe I’ll hold the content ransom with the HOA! Haha! It’s first page in Google right now for ‘Timberlakes Utah’.
Hope we have a chance to meet soon and take care Dan, Gary M
November 5th, 2007 at 11:05 am
I stumbled across this site while looking for Timberlakes Water Site. It seems they have increased my rates (and maybe yours) from a minimum of $45 a month to what may be now $105. Keep in mind I am one of those dreaded parttimers (and no I not one of the rich ones) and I have probably used a total of maybe a 100 gallons of water all summer as we rarly come up any more.
anyway some thoughts.
Vee Commings was the original property owner and retained his grazing rights when he sold the property. You may still see an occasion cow during certaion times of the year. He also retained rights to the so called lake.
You complain about the 4 wheelers, they are a mess. They are also cited as a central reason why many of the owners do not want to incorporate and begin to operate as a municipal entity. If we were a city we would have to register our 4 wheelers and could not drive them on the roads. Cant have that as we need a private play ground.
timberlakes is a good place, but it could be better. There is a good ol’ boys mentality that in some ways is OK, but in too many other ways works to the detriment of the rest of those not in the group.
Jt
November 5th, 2007 at 1:36 pm
Hey Jim, Great to hear from you on the TL rant
haha. Thanks for checking in. Please know I am not bitter with all part-timers. I hope you realize that. You seem like one of us 
I feel for ya with the water increase. What a joke, and especially for people like yourself who don’t use much water. I posted this rant last winter and nothing has changed in my mind. And in many ways my experience here has gotten WORSE! But it’s not worth my time or energy to go into detail on why. Scott Mason (a friend and neighbor up here) says the HOA is the biggest “dog and pony show” he’s ever seen…and in my opinion that pretty much sums it up. They are in so far over their heads it isn’t even funny.
As far as Vee what’s his name is concerned. His “rules” mean nothing to me. Much like everyone else up here, I am going about doing whatever the hell I want to do until we leave (which isn’t far off BTW!).
>> If we were a city we would have to register our 4 wheelers and
>> could not drive them on the roads.
Well welcome to the world! C’mon. TL doesn’t exist so a few people with stink ass machines can create their own retirement community. ATVs are NOT for racing around a neighborhood. Period.
How about some walking trails? For the life of me I can’t understand why people want to race around a neighborhood breathing dust and exhaust before taking a nice, quiet and peaceful walk through the woods. I guess I am just nuts to want that.
At any rate, thanks again for the comment. The more people who comment here (and create relevant content) the more favorable this rant will rank in Google et al for Timberlakes related searches.
-Gary M
ps/ I don’t know the reliability of this source but chew on this gossip going around up here.. Misappropriation of funds? Gee, what a surprise. Ha!
November 26th, 2007 at 11:54 am
Gary, I’m looking for this huge lodge up there in Timberlakes that I stayed in once about four years ago. I was there with an organization that rented the whole place, but I’d like to come back for a weekend with my husband. I have no what the place was called, and I can’t find anything in the phone book or on google. It was this big lodge (I’m sure that’ll really narrow it down for you
with fire places in every room and a pool. Any info you might have as someone who actually lives there would be helpful.
Thanks
AE
November 26th, 2007 at 7:38 pm
AE all I can think of is that maybe you mean Hamelot (?) I think that’s it. It’s the only thing that would remotely fit your description. It’s kind of this monstrosity looking thing and last I saw there was a for sale sign on it.
I do know there is http://www.powderdoor.com though.. enterprising fellow there. Full on snowmobile retreat lodge action
November 28th, 2007 at 9:45 am
I see, I’ll look into those suggestions. I’m really more into snowshoeing than snowmobiling. Thanks for the help.
AE
December 20th, 2007 at 3:04 pm
Gary,
I agree with you. I bought a lot up there a couple years ago thinking it would be a great place to build to get away but now I am so disgusted with the politics and the atv/snowmobiling mentality that I am ready to sell my lot. I don’t even have water hooked up to my lot and now I am paying $85 per month.
January 17th, 2008 at 7:32 am
Yes the WATER> iT APPEARS THAT THEY PRESIDENT OF THE TIMBER lAKES WATER BOARD DAVID HANSEN IS GOING TO BID ON THE PROJECT TO FIX THE SYSTEM. TO ME THIS IS JUST WRONG, UNETHICAL AND TOTALLY A CONFLICT OF INTEREST. THIS IS WHY OUR WATER BILLS HAVE GONE UP. A meetin will be comin up soon regarding this and everyone needs to attend to stop this . there are other things they can do so we don’t pay an arm and a leg just to get adrop of water. I have also been told by the Presdient of the Timber Lakes Board that they have no obligation to plow the roads and that it is non of my business who is working on the roads. I guess I’m just suppose to pay my dues and keep my mouth shut. When I came home the other day there was room for my car and I could not see over the hill by my house. I was going way slow but if another car or snowmobile was going fast they would have plowed into me.
February 13th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
OK, I just found this site, so please allow me to also vent. First, I do love the area; it has many outdoor activities that can be taken advantage of! Unfortunately, I am appalled at the general mentality of the Timber Lakes boards in general. How they could make a decision about that kind of impact without a shareholder vote is beyond me. I presently own a lot there, but live elsewhere (the desert). Now here is a place that you would think that water would be worth its weight in gold. I pay about $65 a month for water/sewer (hot tub, pool, lawn watering, couple kids etc), and a trash and recyclable pickup every week. Here we are in an area with a hefty winter snowfall and natural springs, and we are paying $85 a month, and don’t even have water hooked up to a house. Is this bad management, lack of intelligent thinking…or both????
I also have a beef with the road department. I have requested that T/L plows my road (which is covered in my dues). They have refused by stating the road is not graded properly. Unfortunately, they are mistaken; the road “was” graded by their department. If they now feel that the road was not graded properly, than why didn’t they grade it properly to begin with? Excuse me, isn’t that the job of the “road” department. To keep the roads within county code (also which is included in the dues). Bonnie Hueter has got to be the most incompetent individual that I have ever come across. It has been a constant battle to get ANYTHING done with the roads since I purchased the lot. She NEEDS to be removed from her position, and replaced by someone with the understanding and knowledge of her responsibilities.
March 27th, 2008 at 7:27 pm
My goodness! My husband is going to make an offer on a home in Timber Lakes tomorrow. Thank heavens I ran across this blog. Our agent naturally did not mention any of these “little” problems. I chose T/L for the quiet beauty I saw. Sounds like I was just there on an exceptional day. Thanks to these comments we will consider looking elsewhere. What a shame the Timber Lakes Board is so incompetent. This is really discouraging.
March 27th, 2008 at 7:51 pm
Any landslides in T/L lately? Just saw a site that says much of T/L is situated on ancient landslide deposits. Is there a concern there about development -related slide movement? I don’t want to regret moving here.
March 28th, 2008 at 6:50 am
CC, I thought I should mention that there have been some changes for the better on the board. A personal friend of mine, Mike Durr, has been elected to sit on the board.. as well as at least one other person who seem to have it together more. I think these folks could make a difference, however; we’re still moving. Our house is on the market now.
I believe the conditions that generated all the rants here will slowly but surely improve, but we don’t want to wait. Plus we don’t have the growing season we want at this high elevation.
As far as your landslide concern, I am not sure. My thought on that though is that you should worry much more about potential fire issues. I lost sleep over the summer worrying about that. Cig butts on the side of the road flung from trucks, hot ATVs sitting in tall grass, I even found a few expended fireworks around the 4th near Jones lake!
At any rate, I am glad these comments are helping you make a more informed decision.
May 28th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
Gary, I am going up to TL’s this weekend to look at two homes up there. My husband and I are young and would love to live there year round to change the pace of our lifestyle and of course be in the moutains which have always been our favorite, but the following blog has definitely given me some things to consider. I was happy to hear your last entry in March stating that things have gotten a little better though. If you have anymore info about TL’s living, I would love to be informed. I don’t want to get into something that we will regret and obviously the people that live there know best. Oh, also…we have two dogs and I know a lot of your blog has been about dogs. Would you feel that has gotten any better or worse?
Thanks so much for the info…greatly appreciated!
September 19th, 2008 at 7:05 am
Gary,
I would like to read the documents regarding Witts lake that you refered to. “so called ‘Declarant’ I keep reading about in all these fancy documents.” I did a quick search and couldn’t find anything. Where can I find them? Thanks
September 19th, 2008 at 7:19 am
Kelly,
There is a new site (and they did a great job with the new site BTW, although you have to “email” the site admin if you want to post a comment, which is corny).
At any rate, here is the link to the assoc. docs @ the new site:
http://timberlakesutah.com/association-documents/
BTW re: Witts Lake. There is new legislation in the State of Utah. The public now has legal access to any body of water or river in the state, so long as there is public access to the high water mark. Which there IS at Witts Lake! Don’t let any of the self-proclaimed vigilantes around here deny you. Walk up the spill way, or to the lake itself from the high point near the road (north side – forget the name of the road). Once you’re at the high water mark or below…Paddle, fish or swim ’til your heart’s content.
July 15th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
Anyone doing due diligence can acquire a landslide map, including fault lines. As for the noise, I have been on property several weekends (mainly on the weekends) and have not witnessed the noise, but I have heard reports of the ATV problem. I have been a land owner in TL for about a year now.
I knew of the garbage issue, water issues (under improvement now), ATV issues, and weekend trespassers all prior to buying in TL area. I have also spent time in other areas (Brian Head, Alta, etc) and every place I’ve been sees the same issues . . . ATVs, fire danger, snow machines, loose dogs/pets, gate jumpers, and weekend warriors. I have yet to find a place that deals with these issues reasonably.
My thoughts? If it bothers you, get on the board and make changes. Start imposing fines for those who violate terms (like renting out your place). I’m rarely in TL, but I don’t rent my place nor do I support those who violate the CC&Rs. When (or if) I’m ever a permanent resident of TL and there are still these issues I will gain a place on the board and do something about it.
July 17th, 2009 at 3:13 pm
From what I understand it’s up to the county to enforce the nightly/weekly rentals up here. HOA can’t do anything. And the county won’t enforce this *unless they can prove* money changed hands. They’ve tried. In fact Wasatch county fired the pvt investigator who was working on this because of budget cuts. Yeah, the county is really concerned about this issue.
And I can tell you that even if nightly/weekly rentals were stopped, it wouldn’t matter that much. People still come up to their vacation homes to raise hell and snowmobile laps around the neighborhood until 1am. Yep, that works out great for full time residents like us.
Let’s face it folks TL is now, and always will be, a recreational community. Took us three years to realize this, and things are not going to change.
Renter or home-owner vacationer (and if the owner isn’t there the keys go to friends and extended family members anyway), no difference.
Cory, I appreciate your comments, but it’s not as simple as “getting on the board”. Good luck with that..
Bottom line: Things are slowly improving but there are still many issues that need to be dealt with up here, and they have a long ways to go. And these are quality of life issues…