Frequently Asked Questions: About The Spyglass Homeowners Association

Q. When was the Spyglass Homeowners Association formed?
A. The Spyglass Homeowners Association was incorporated on June 28, 1971 as a Non-Profit Mutual Benefit Corporation under the State of California’s Corporations Code.

Q. Who owns and maintains the slopes?
A. Individual homeowners own the all the slopes and, by way of easements, our Association is required to maintain certain slopes, and the center medians, defined as Slope Areas in the C. C. & R.’s.

Q. Which slopes are maintained by the Association?
A. The Association-maintained Slope Areas are depicted in Exhibit C (maps) of the C. C. & R.’s as recorded with every deed on every home in Spyglass.

Q. How often are the Slope Areas maintained?
A. The regular maintenance cycle for the Slope Areas is three times a year and once a week for the center medians. During the rainy season, the Association’s surface drainage system is cleared monthly and before and after every major storm.

Q. Does the Association have the right to go through my yard?
A. Article VI, Section 4 of the C. C. & R.’s gives the Association and its representatives the right to have access to the Slope Areas through all the properties in Spyglass.

Q. Do I have to get approval from the Association to repaint my house?
A. Yes, if you are going to repaint the exterior of your home with a color that is neither the original color nor a color from the Association-approved Color Chart. You need to obtain approval from our Association by submitting paint chips and an Architectural Approval form prior to repainting the exterior of your home.

Q. When are the Association meetings held?
A. Our Association’s Board meetings are held at least four times a year, sometimes more. All Spyglass homeowners are notified, via the Spyglass Newsletter, at least 15 days before the next meeting

SLOPES

All of the Association-maintained Slope Areas are constantly inspected and are in good overall condition. If you feel that a certain Slope Area needs to be looked at, mail in or fax in a Slope Service Request form to Muggee Management. The Association looks into every written request received and our Operations Manager records them on a computer tracking system. There have been a few incidents of unauthorized trimming or removal of trees on the Association maintained slopes. Debris has been left on the slopes, creating a fire hazard and obstructing drainage. It the Association has evidence that a homeowner (or his gardener) has done unauthorized trimming and left debris on an Association-maintained slope, that homeowner will be assessed a fine pursuant to the CC&R’s and they will be subject to liens. Annually, in June, The Los Angeles Fire Dept. conducts an inspection of the slope for compliance with L.A. County Fire ordinances. The Association will clear those slopes, which are Association-maintained. If you are cited, then contact the Association and the slope will be cleared. Maintenance cycle is three times per year with extra weed cycles behind homes in the summer.

DELINQUENCIES

The Board of Directors, our Association’s general counsel and Muggee Management are continuing to utilize various means to reduce our Association’s delinquencies. These methods used against delinquent homeowners include assessing late fees, charging attorneys’ fees, filing liens on homes, filing Small Claims Actions, initiating foreclosure proceedings and levying bank accounts.

ARCHITECTURAL APPROVAL

If you are going to alter the exterior of your home, or install a satellite dish on your property, you must submit plans and a Request for Architectural Approval (RAA) form for approval by the Association’s Board of Directors. You can receive these forms by calling Muggee Management.

STREET SWEEPER

The Street Sweeper cleans all the streets and curbs on Spyglass every Friday morning. It can perform a much more efficient street cleaning if there are no cars parked on the streets on Fridays. Please don’t park your cars on the street on Fridays, if possible. This will help the Street Sweeper do a cleaner job and help eliminate the unsightly lines that are left around parked cars.

REMINDER

It has been observed that a few homeowners in Spyglass don’t remove their trash containers from the curb until the day after trash pick-up or sometimes longer. We request that all homeowners return their trash receptacles and recycling containers from the curb by the night after the trash pick-up. All containers should be returned to a location so that they are not in public view.

SPEEDING

There have been reports from Spyglass homeowners of drivers traveling at dangerous speeds on the streets of our community. If you want to report speeding motorists or have such concerns, call the California Highway Patrol at (323) 906-3434. All Spyglass residents should drive within the posted 25 M.P.H. speed limit and keep our streets safe, especially for small children.

PESTS

Some homeowners have reported problems with skunks, raccoons, etc. Call the Los Angeles County Agriculture Commissioners office at (626) 575-5462. However, they stated that they will only come out to remove raccoons or skunks that have already been trapped by homeowners. Homeowners can purchase humane traps from most feed stores. Homeowners are reminded to keep their trash in the proper containers and to avoid leaving out pet food at night.

TRASH CANS

It has been observed that a few homeowners in Spyglass don’t remove their trash containers until the day after pick-up, or sometimes longer. All Spyglass homeowners should retrieve their trash receptacles from the curb by the night after the trash pick up. All containers should be returned to a location so that they are out of public view.

ADDRESS NUMBERS

Los Angeles County Fire Department requires all homes in Spyglass have their address numbers affixed to the front exterior of the house. Address numbers on curbs and mailboxes is not sufficient since vehicles parked in the street may block the numbers from view. Numbers should be a minimum of 3” high and 1” wide.

CALL THE SHERIFF

If you see any suspicious activity in our neighborhood day or night, call the Pico Sheriff Station at (562) 949-2421.

MAILBOX THIEVES

There have been reports of thieves stealing incoming mail from mailboxes. Homeowners should install locking mailboxes. Outgoing mail should be placed in the blue U.S. Postal Service boxes or the Post Office.