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General Knowledge
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Ben Franklin famously coined this phrase in 1736 as part of his advice to Philadelphians threatened by fire. I felt it fitting as our friends at CalFire will be engaging in an ounce of fire prevention next week when they burn some piles of wood and brush that were collected through trimming work their crew did to reduce the fire fuel load around the ranch. The piles are in tract 1990 near Lakeside Village and Catalina. I wanted to share the information with everyone to hopefully assuage any fears when you see the smoke. CalFire is hoping to avoid a bunch of calls to 911 and wanted us to know that there will be CalFire engines and personnel on scene keeping a watchful eye. It is probably also a good idea to avoid showing up with hot dogs or marshmallows. It doesn’t seem like that’s the vibe CalFire is going for, but you can always thank them for helping to keep us safe when you see them around the ranch.
Speaking of famous Franklin folk wisdom, one of my favorites has always been, “A penny saved is a penny earned.” My cousin once told me that Ziggy would tell you that saving a penny is more trouble than it is worth, and given that they have been discontinued, Ziggy might be right. But I have always been more of a Calvin and Hobbes fan, which tends to have a loose or metaphorical connection to economic principles. What are your favorite comic strips?
As you consider that, it might interest you to know that we continue to work to save our pennies by operating under budget and keeping a tight rein on spending. For example, rather than buying new, we rebuilt the barge we use for moving the marina's courtesy dock and boat slips in-house and are looking forward to launching it soon. We are still working on an appropriate name, as it is bad luck for a vessel not to have a name. We will forego the traditional christening of smashing a bottle of champagne on the hull, as that apparently is now prohibited by CA environmental policy (don’t know for sure, but it probably is).
We have started working on the revision to our Reserve Study, which, for those of you who have not yet sent in enough box tops to get your CA HOA decoder rings, is like a capital improvement program. It is a listing of all the HROA-owned amenities, assets, roads, and buildings. It describes their current condition and expected useful life. It is an important document that guides our capital budget priorities and describes our fiscal health. Making sure that it is accurate is important and has been a priority of our board and membership. We expect to have the draft in front of the board at the March meeting.
I hope you have a great weekend, and next week we will cover how the New England Patriots will win the Super Bowl!
Jim
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Feel free to send me an email at gm@hroa.us
Or call the office at
(805)238-9641 x408
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Help us stay connected - make sure your contact information is current with our office
If you’ve had changes to your
phone number, email, or mailing address, please don’t forget to update us—for all your properties.
If updates are needed, please fill out one form for each property.
Forms can be returned to the HROA Office or emailed to office@hroa.us
Did you know that you can check and update your contact information through the Member Portal on the HROA website? Visit
https://hroa.us/documents-forms/member-portal-instructions
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Vehicle Decals Available at the Main Gate on Gateway Drive
When obtaining your decal, please bring:
- Your Member Card
- CURRENT DMV REGISTRATION ONLY
(No titles, pink slips, registration renewal forms, or temporary registrations will be accepted.)
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To notify the gate of guests in advance, simply email all of the following details to gate@hroa.us:
- Your full name
- Your member/account #
- Your lot and tract #'s
- Your guest(s) names
- The dates of arrival and departure
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If you notice something that
needs attention—
Whether it’s a concern with a neighbor, a common area, or an issue for our maintenance team, please submit a Member Communication Form to the HROA Office or email it to office@hroa.us
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HROA Employment Opportunities
Compliance Inspector
Submit an Employment Application to the HROA Office or email it to office@hroa.us
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Our Fire Department and CSD want to remind everyone that the California Fire Code requires a 3-foot clearance around any fire hydrant in all directions. And, the California Vehicle Code prohibits any vehicle from parking within 7 1/2 feet of a fire hydrant.
Please maintain your landscaping to ensure that clearances are met and there is no delay in securing a water source in the event of a fire. Thank You!
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🏡AEC Approval for Exterior Work🛠️
As a reminder, any work done to the exterior of your home or property—such as concrete pours, certain landscaping, sheds, painting🎨, roofing, fencing, siding, and tree work🌳 —must receive approval from the Architectural & Environmental Control (AEC) Committee through the Heritage Ranch Owners Association (HROA).
📖To learn more about the approval process, please visit: AEC Committee Information
📄If you're ready to submit your project for approval, you can find the necessary forms here: AEC Forms
📞For any questions or assistance, please contact our AEC Department: (805) 238-9641 x422 or via email at aec@hroa.us
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Marina Reminders
To help keep our marina area safe, orderly, and enjoyable for everyone, please be reminded of the following rules:
- No unattached trailers are permitted at the Marina or in the overflow parking area.
- Boats on trailers and empty boat trailers are not permitted on the Point at any time.
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The Point is locked daily at 10:00 PM—please plan accordingly. In the event of an emergency, please contact the Main Gate to make arrangements.
- No property may be left unattended on the Point at any time, including easy-ups, tables, chairs, ice chests, personal items, etc.
- No property may be left overnight on the Point, including easy-ups, vehicles, or other personal items.
We appreciate your cooperation in following these guidelines to help protect our shared spaces. Thank you for doing your part!
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Special Assessment
As a reminder, the Special Assessment was announced on May 23, 2025, in the Annual Budget Mailer and was applied to Members’ accounts on October 1, 2025. Late fees applied after January 1, 2026.
Payments may be made at the HROA Office by cash, check, a completed EFT Form, or online through the Member Portal which allows you to use your credit/debit card or bank account information.
https://hroa.us/documents-forms/member-portal-instructions
Please Note:
The Special Assessment is not a recurring charge, so if you have auto-pay set up, it will not be paid automatically. You must contact the HROA Office to authorize us to charge your auto-payment method on file.
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🚗Entry and Guest Access
Membership Cards:
- Cards may only be used by the person they were issued to.
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All vehicles must display a valid current decal to use the Member Lane. Guest lanes are also available and equipped with card readers for vehicles without a decal.
Owners are responsible for all activities related to identification cards, vehicle decals, and vessel decals issued to their property.
Guests must be registered with the Main Gate to gain access through both the Main Gate and the North Gate.
Members and Tenants may authorize access for guests by phone or email. Call the Gate at (805) 238-9641, Option 2, or email gate@hroa.us with:
Your Full Name, 4 digit Member/Account Number, Lot and Tract Numbers, Your Guest(s) Name, and the date of arrival and departure
All persons listed on a permanent guest list are the responsibility of the Member/Tenant, regardless of whether that Member/Tenant is aware of the individual being on the ranch.
Remember to update your permanent guest list at the Member Services Office with any changes.
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WELCOME TO CHIPPER DAY!
The San Luis Obispo County Community Fire Safe Council is proud to sponsor this Chipping Program!
This free service provides curbside chipping and removal of hazardous vegetation from residential properties. The grant funded program goal is to reduce flammable vegetation in your neighborhood and help you create defensible space around YOUR home in the event of a wildfire.
Experienced, licensed, and insured contractors will chip the vegetation you gather and stack according to the guidelines, then haul it away from your property. Make a reservation to secure your pickup. Reservations must be made at least seven days prior to the scheduled event to guarantee service.
Current events for our area are scheduled in the spring.
The program recommends signing up before building your pile.
For Information, Visit: https://www.chipperday.com/slofsc
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Members may download the Trails of the Beautiful Village of Heritage Ranch guidebook here or request a hard copy be printed for $16 from the HROA Member Services office.
Trail maps are available through the Gaia GPS app. To access them, first register with Gaia GPS, then request activation using your registered email at office@hroa.us. The app can be downloaded here and used on both mobile devices and desktops.
Click here to visit the HROA Hiking and Trails page
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