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Meadowglen truly is a pool community and I feel really fortunate that we were able to make it happen this summer among all of the craziness in the world. It has been a joy seeing many of you around the pool over the last month and catching up. Overall, the operation of the pool has been going… swimmingly. The cleaners and check-in staff are providing our required cleaning and reminding people of the COVID rules on entry. I also do not know of a single issue that has arisen not having the lifeguards on site either. Thank you all for taking on some personal responsibility while at the pool and honoring the rules that keep us all safe. I do want to provide some updates and send a reminder of some rules.

First, the Jefferson County Public Health department issued Order 20-008 on 7/24 which requires people to wear masks or face coverings indoors and outdoors when unable to maintain 6 ft social distancing. This is especially important to remember when entering the pool facility through our common gate, when traversing the pool deck, and when inside the bathrooms. Thank you for your compliance.

Second, after analyzing the pool usage since we started allowing guests on 7/11, the Board feels comfortable increasing the guest policy to allow up to 4 guests per home per reservation block during the week. The high demand blocks of time on the weekend (12-2, 2-4 PM) have been at capacity, so we’d prefer to restrict the weekends to just homeowner access for now. During the week however, if you’d like to bring 2 guests per homeowner (our normal guest policy), up to a maximum of 4 guests, that is permitted starting Monday 7/27. You must accompany your guests as they are your responsibility. Any violation of this guest policy may result in losing pool access.

Third, with COVID cases at near peak levels in Colorado we must stay vigilant to keep our community safe. Make sure to wash your hands before and after coming to the pool. While the chlorine will kill everything in the pool, you are still human and touch many things while traveling to and from the pool. We must also prepare for any changes to local policies. Should the Governor take actions that affect our community and pool operations, the Board will follow State guidelines and communicate the plan to you.

Lastly, a reminder of some rules that will keep us all safe and the pool operating smoothly:

• The disinfectant spray bottles are there for you to spray down the furniture you used. We have plenty of disinfectant, so don’t be shy. If your bottle is running low the cleaners will refill it.
• Start packing up with 10 minutes to spare. When you take extra time to leave it prevents the next group of people to enter on time, cutting their time short.
• Don’t book back-to-back blocks in advance. Yes, this is possible in the reservation system, but don’t be selfish. The reason this is possible is to allow you to book the next block if you are there for your time and would like to stay longer. If there is capacity in the next block, feel free to stay longer, but you must reserve the slot and check-in with the staff to let them know. Booking multiple blocks in advance may prevent others from accessing the pool at all. We have limited capacity and people have varying schedules, so lets be civil.
• Cancel your reservation if you can’t make it. Others may want to be there at the time you have booked, especially for a high demand blocks. Please be considerate.
• Throw away all of your trash/recycling on the way out. To limit movement on the pool deck, keep your trash with your stuff and dump everything on your way out.
• Do not share pool toys or food with others. As neighborly as you’d like to be, the CDC discourages sharing anything with anyone outside of your group.

Breaking any of our normal rules, or our COVID rules, exposes you and our HOA to unnecessary risk. The Board stuck their necks out to make our pool season happen, so please respect the rules that are in place to keep people safe and protect our common resources so members of our community can use it as safely as possible.

As always, your feedback is appreciated and carefully considered. Feel free to email me at arifeldman@meadowglen-hoa.com.

Cheers,

Ari Feldman
President
Meadowglen HOA

You are likely aware that Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), an invasive, high-destructive, non-native insect that threatens the health/lives of ash trees, has been officially detected in Arvada. If left untreated, the bug will kill ash trees within three to four years. The BOD is taking a proactive approach to the inevitable effect EAB will have on Meadowglen HOA ash trees by

1. Taking an inventory of ash trees on HOA property.
2. Establishing the health/viability of each ash tree to determine if it should be chemically treated or removed and replace.
3. Getting bids from tree specialists to treat chemically or remove and replace the ash trees.

Former board president Jason Zack has generously volunteered to spearhead that approach. In addition to getting bids from tree specialists, Jason will be advocating for neighborhood discounts to be offered for residents who wish to have their ash trees treated or removed. Thank you, Jason for volunteering your time to this really important task ahead of us.

If you are interested in being on the list to have your ash tree assessed, treated or removed at a discounted rate, please fill out the form by visiting our EAB Treatment Interest Form.

For information regarding identifying an ash tree, determining its health and deciding on treatment options, visit csfs.colostate.edu/eab or  colorado.gov/emerald-ash-borer.

An important aspect of living in Meadowglen has been our commitment to a strong social fabric by providing a minimum of five neighborhood-wide events per year: The Spring Fling, the 4^th of July picnic, the Doggy Swim and the Halloween and Winter Holiday family parties. In recent years, we have added a 5K run and teen nights to the list. As you all know, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of all events so far this year, and we do not know what the future holds regarding resuming the events as they once were.

As a Board, we support the continuation of our strong social fabric of the community both during this pandemic and after. We invite you to help make that happen by brainstorming with us, and with your family and neighbors, the various ways our traditional social events can be reimagined to adhere to the social distancing and other COVID restrictions/health orders issued by the public health agencies. For example: The 5K run, if held this year, will be done so in a way that staggers runners to maintain social distancing. The Halloween event could become a Porch Scarecrow decorating or Halloween decorating exhibit; the winter holiday event might be a snowman, winter wreath or other holiday decorating exhibit, etc.

While such activities can’t replace the interactivity of in-person events, they do invite neighbors to take walks around the neighborhood and chat while social distanced. They do allow us to celebrate without putting anyone’s health at risk. So get creative! Pool your ideas! And share them with the board by visiting: https://www.meadowglen-hoa.com/social-events-reimagined-submission-form/

Recently the City of Arvada notified the organizer of many of the food truck events that it is against municipal code for food truck vendors to conduct business on public property in within 50 feet of a residential zone district (Article 5.4.2). The Board was approached with the request to allow the food trucks to park in the HOA-owned clubhouse parking lot. The BOD consulted with the MSI community management team and have been advised by legal counsel that due to the potential liability with regard to the coronavirus and the uncertainty regarding how coronavirus spreads, that sanctioning such an activity puts the HOA, the Board, and the community at unnecessary risk. We were advised NOT to permit the activity at this time.

We understand that this is a disappointment to many of our residents, especially during this challenging time, but it is important that we err on the side of caution during this global health crisis and do our best to abide by public health orders, municipal code, and follow the advice of our management company and legal counsel.

Now that it is apparent that having food trucks in the neighborhood is a popular feature, once the COVID restrictions subside and there is no longer risk to health or liability risk, the Board will work with the social committee to manage the activity and provide permission for them to park in the pool parking lot. We appreciate your understanding and thank you for your patience.

Based on the pool survey and the desires of the community for the pool to open, the Board is pleased to announce that the pool will officially be opening on July 1. At the June meeting, the Board officially voted to open the pool. We have secured a company to do the cleaning and check-in, and the Board has worked hard to setup the pool to ensure social distancing and cleanliness.

The survey had 85 unique respondents with 84% of those responding that they did want the pool to open. There were lots of great questions and concerns raised that helped the Board make their decision and even change some proposed rules. Please check out our FAQ to find answers to commonly asked questions.

The reservation system is live and can be found at www.meadowglen-hoa.com under the Meadowglen Pool menu. You will need to create an account with our new reservation system and then input your family members. When you make a reservation, you can select which time block and which family members will be attending. You will need to accept our waiver (click here for full text) to use the pool which is accomplished by accepting the Terms of Use during the reservation.

As a reminder, there will be no lifeguards this year, so swim at your own risk. We will have a cleaning company on site that will help check you into your reservation, ensure social distancing is happening, and clean high-touch surfaces hourly. They cleaning company may also close the pool during inclement weather and early on July 4th (6 PM). They will cancel all reservations during those times.

There are additional rules to be followed this summer to keep people safe and pool access equitable:

• If you feel sick or have any COVID-19 related symptoms, please do not come to our common areas.
• No more than 50 individuals in the pool area at one time. Signage/visual cues/social distancing markers will be installed in the pool area. Social distancing is required.
• The pool will be open for Open Swim only when the cleaners are on site. They are permitted to close the pool temporarily or for the rest of the day depending on weather and safety.
• Household adult must make reservations through online process and complete a release for each reservation.
• To check-in for your reservation, you will need to provide proof of identity to the check-in attendant.
• Only 2 families at the wading pool, reservation required.
• To allow fair use of pool time by all interested, reservations will be limited to 1 2-hour block per day, made only up to a week in advance.
• Masks are required when entering/leaving facility, and highly encouraged when sitting pool side. Masks are not needed when in the pool.
• Household groups to remain in chosen areas unless in the pool or restroom.
• No rafts or large flotation devices.
• No pool parties
• Lost and Found items will be disposed of at the end of each session; valuable items (cell phones, keys, etc.) will be bagged and retained for a limited time.
• Spray bottles with disinfectant will be provided at the door, and families will be asked to spray down their areas of use before and after use.
• PACK IT IN, PACK IT OUT. To minimize movement on the pool deck, please dump all trash/recycling only when exiting your reservation.

If you have any questions you can direct them to Ari Feldman (arifeldman@meadowglen-hoa.com) or Lewis Moses (lmoses@msihoa.com). We look forward to seeing you around the pool! Lets have a fun and safe summer!

We had such a great response to our pool survey! Thank you all for taking the time to respond and many of you for the thoughtful comments. There were many ideas that the board hadn’t considered and have changed our mind about too. Overall we had 85 unique respondents with 84% of those responding that they did want the pool to open.

There were a lot of questions that people asked about how the Board came to the decisions we did, the cost of cleaning, the Board’s responsibility, and the guest policies. As I mentioned above, we have changed some of our positions on certain topics (guests and trash). I have written up a FAQ page that we will update as often as needed. As restrictions ease, we may be allowed to change our policies as well. Please find the following link to the Pool FAQ:

2020 Meadowglen Pool FAQ

Thanks again for participating!

We had 16 amazing submissions to our first Chalk Art Festival! Fortunately the rain held out and didn’t wash away any of the art. Let’s hope the sprinkers are just as friendly!

Take a walk through the neighborhood on this lovely Sunday morning (6/14) and submit your vote for the best art. Submissions with the top 3 most votes will receive a Yogurtland Gift Card!

Please head over to this link to vote by 6 pm on 6/14: 2020 Chalk Art Festival Voting

Winners will be announced at 6:30 PM on 6/14

At every board meeting (March, April, May) since the pandemic hit, the Board has been discussing what the governor’s Stay-At-Home, Safer-At-Home and most recently, the “Safer-At Home and in the Vast, Great Outdoors�? orders mean to our community.  With the health and safety of our residents and the potential liabilities to the HOA in mind, several things occurred: the Board ceased accepting reservations for clubhouse use, canceled community-wide events, canceled the ARC’s spring walk-thru, began holding its board meetings via Zoom and began discussing what the 2020 pool season might look like in Meadowglen, especially after we learned that lifeguards would not be available this summer.

Recognizing that the pool is the hub of Meadowglen families’ summer activities, board members made a commitment early on to do everything they could to open the pool for use if allowed to do so under the public health organizations guidelines and following the required safety practices in those guidelines. On June 4 those guidelines were finalized and HOAs were given the thumbs up to open UNDER VERY STRICT CONDITIONS. Those conditions include: 

• Limiting pool capacity to 50 people or 50% capacity, whichever is less. 
• Maintaining physical distancing between non-household members. 
• Keeping restrooms open. 
• putting a reservation system in place to limit pool capacity 
• Ensuring hourly sanitization of restroom surfaces and all high touch surfaces around the pool during pool operations (this task requires a licensed, insured and bonded professional (not neighborhood volunteers). 

With guidance from our community manager Lewis Moses at MSI and the HOA’s legal counsel, we are considering the following requirements in order to comply with the state guidelines:

• Signage outlining the pool rules and social distancing guidance will be posted. 
• ONLY Meadowglen residents (and caregivers) will be allowed to use the pool. No guests will be permitted. Considering the capacity limits, this is necessary to enable as many Meadowglen residents as possible to have access to the pool.
• An online reservation system will be put in place, and a corresponding check in system will be employed at the door. Residents who do not have access to the internet may call a board member (numbers listed in the Meadowgram) who will access the system for them. See the Meadowglen community website for the reservation system: www.meadowglen-hoa.com 
  • Reservations will be for 2 hour blocks
  • Reservations can only be made up to 3 days in advance
  • No more than 1 reservation per day per household may be made
  • If you are unable to make your reservation, please cancel so other people can use your spot.
  • When making a reservation, you will need to sign a waiver
• Staff at the pool:
  • There will be NO lifeguards. The pool will be a swim-at your-own risk pool this summer.
  • A cleaning company will be hired to comply with the hourly disinfecting guidelines to sanitize the bathrooms and table/chair surfaces. 
  • A person from the cleaning company will help check in reservation holders
• Social Distancing:
  • Deck sections will be taped off designating areas where families can gather. 6 foot sections in between these sections will be taped off to allow social distancing between families.
  • Swimmers must do their best to maintain 6 feet of distance in the pool between non-household members and the sharing of pool equipment/pool toys is discouraged. There will be markings around the pool for you to use as a visual guide.
  • Masks, when not in the pool, are required. This includes entry and exiting the pool property. 
  • The check-in person will be ensuring that you are following proper social distancing guidelines.
• Cleaning
  • Spray bottles with disinfectant will be provided at the door, and families will be asked to spray down their areas of use before and after use.
  • The cleaners will disinfect the frequently touched surfaces including railings, gate, tables, and the bathroom hourly.
  • PACK IT IN, PACK IT OUT. Food or beverages brought into the pool MUST BE PACKED OUT. We will NOT have a system in place for emptying garbage. 
• Pool use is allowed ONLY during the following hours : 
  • 7 AM to 8 AM – Lap swim only
  • 10 AM to 8 PM – 2 hour blocks of open swim, only 1 per household per day
  • 8 PM to 9 PM – Lap swim only

We want to know your opinion on these restrictions! Is it worth the cost and risk to open the pool this season? To fill out our survey please visit our website at www.meadowglen-hoa.com and fill out the 2020 Pool Survey under the Feedback tab.

Pending your opinion, we would like to shoot for a target opening date of July 1, but there 2 make-or-break conditions to remain open. We are in the process of securing a company to provide the cleanings, but if we are unable to get a contract in place or they are unable to continue through the summer, then we will close. Secondly, as uncomfortable as it may be, we are asking the assistance of all Meadowglen residents to support compliance from all pool users. If you see these rules being abused, suggest compliance, and please report abuse to either Lewis Moses, the MSI community manager, or a board member. If the state’s guidelines and pool rules are not complied with, the pool will be closed. In order for this pool season to be successful, everyone must take personal responsibility for and comply with these requirements. 

If you have any questions or comments about these measures, please email Lewis Moses (lmoses@msihoa.com) at MSI or Ari Feldman (arifeldman@meadowglen-hoa.com). Stay safe and healthy out there!

This spring we updated our access control system to the pool and clubhouse areas which comes with a bunch of new features and reduced monthly fees. The new features include the ability to more quickly enable cards for access with the clubhouse, remotely unlock the doors, and use your smartphone as a key. Furthermore, it will also be backwards compatible with the existing cards, so no need for new cards. If you do have trouble with your keycard, please let Ari Feldman know ASAP (303-900-2746).

All key requests are handled by our website key request form. If you need a pool and/or tennis, or if you are interested in getting a mobile pass, please submit a key request.

Meadowglen Key Request link