Hope

From our Resident OA Board Member, Barbara Blackmer, in answer to the question we are all asking:

What does this mean for us?

Today's developments (Zions Bank and Raddon-Ball withdraw their development proposal from Draper City) were a huge disappointment, as we saw our hopes of gaining a new developer in the near future evaporate. Zions Bank heartily endorsed R&B SunCrest as purchaser of the SunCrest development, and offered terrifically strong financial backing in the hopes that they could reach an agreement with Draper City. Raddon invested months of hard work and over $200,000 in the due diligence needed to satisfy Draper City. Today, they had to walk away.

In the early bitterness of disappointment, let's not panic. Let's remind ourselves of what we still have.... We have just what we've had for the better part of a year, nothing less.

Zions Bank still owns the developer's properties in SunCrest, and they have shown us a benevolent and understanding approach, and a willingness to work with us. They have, however, repeatedly reminded us that they are not developers, so we may not look to them to re-open the market, deed the Club over to the OA, or take steps to remedy some of the economic challenges that touch our community. We haven't had the market for quite a while – it looks like we will have to do without one for awhile longer. We have never had the Club. It still sits there, tantalizingly out of reach, but at least right now I don't agonize over not having the swimming pool open.

We haven't really gone anywhere. We had hoped to go forward, and seen those hopes put on hold at least for a while. But we haven't gone backwards, either. We don't have a new developer – but we've been managing as a community without a developer for awhile. Yes, property values are down, and that's hurt us. We're in a recession, all over the country, and most of us here in SunCrest are feeling those painful effects.

What did we lose? We lost, temporarily, a hope that things would get better fast. What we are left with is exactly what we've had all along, and we're making do with that, and most of us are doing okay. Not great, but okay. We're still here.

What do we have? We still have an amazingly beautiful place to live. We have the same services we've been managing with for a long time. We have a management company that is financially solid and working hard; we have an OA Board of Directors who care about resident issues and needs. But we have so much more. We have residents who exhibit a level of commitment, concern, intelligence and ability that is spectacularly different from other communities. As I've talked to you and worked in the community, I'm in awe at the level of experience, interest, and willingness to volunteer found among the remarkable individuals who have chosen to make this home.

What do we have? We have an opportunity to make obstacles into hurdles that can be overcome together. This winter, especially, let's be a little kinder to our neighbors, a little more thoughtful, understanding, and helpful. That's a level of wealth and hope that no city council can either give us or take away from us. Let's make the time to attend community events, and volunteer to help one another in small ways. Think about the place you want to call home, and be that kind of neighbor. It's really not about a bank, or a developer, the size of your lot or your floor plan or how recently the snow plow has been by. It's about a sense of community, of living among friends and feeling a personal responsibility to help solve the problems.

What do we have? We have what we had yesterday, today, and will have tomorrow -- we have each other. (Well, maybe you think that's kind of cheesy – but I'll remind you it is absolutely true.) We use every technology available to communicate rapidly with one another and to organize and work together, because our common interests are stronger than our individual differences. It almost goes without saying that you will be given updates and factual information, as it comes to any one of us. And at the end of the day, what we have is stronger and better than any outside source could give us. I don't know about you, but I'd rather live in this community, with all its challenges, than anywhere else – and that's because of you. We'll tough this out together.

PS – Let me remind you that this Friday is the community sing-along from 7-8:30 pm at the LDS meetinghouse. Dress is casual. Everyone come. The Tonks will be there, and the Blackmers, and a lot of other community members, and we'll sing about laughter and hope, and we can talk together afterwards.

SunCrest Residents-Please Don't Attend City Council Meeting Tonight

The Offer to Purchase SunCrest Has Been Withdrawn

SunCrest Residents, please do not attend Draper City Council meeting tonight.

After months of due diligence and of trying to work with Draper City, Zions, the Raddon Brothers (who spent over $200K) and the investors have grown weary of the game. Millions of dollars had been offered to the City to try to resolve the long list of items that the City attached to our community, but it wasn't enough, so the offer has been withdrawn and we are once again left without a potential developer.

There is no point in attending the Draper City Council Meeting tonight in light of this new information, so the request from SunCrestResidents.org to attend at 9:15pm has also been *cancelled*.

Stay home, stay safe, stay warm.

Our next SunCrestResidents.org meeting will be the first or second week of January, and we will do our best to have the right people in place to answer all of questions, most notably, "What does this mean for my family?"

Thanks for your support!

Meetings

Please come to:

1. The OA Board Mtg. at 3:00 pm Monday 12/15 at the Info Center
Zions representatives and Raddon Brothers Reps will be there as Board Members.

2. Stay after the OA meeting to ask Barbara Blackmer questions from 4-6.
Our resident OA Board Member, Barbara Blackmer, has offered to be at the Info Center from 4:00-6:00pm specifically to answer any resident questions we may have. Please take advantage of this opportunity.

3. Draper City Council Meeting at 9:15 pm at City Hall on 12/16
On Tuesday, 12/16, Draper City will be voting on whether or not they will accept the Raddon Brothers contract and terms to purchase SunCrest. It does not look promising. The meeting starts at 7:00 pm BUT we are last on the agenda found at www.draper.ut.us and the listed time is is 9:30 pm. Please make every attempt possible to be at City Hall by 9:15 pm this Tuesday. The City needs to know that the residents are interested in the fate of SunCrest, (and consequently the Clubhouse, pool, market, parks etc.) and are paying attention to the decisions that are being made that affect our lives and home values.

Thanks!!!

Developer Update-Action Requested!

As we all know, the Raddon Brothers developers along with Ball Ventures investors, have been doing due diligence for the past few months in preparation for the purchase of SunCrest. The closing was originally set for mid-November, and has been postponed indefinitely, pending further approval and information from Draper City.

There are many rumors swirling around as to why the closing date has been postponed, some based on facts, others, not so much.

One thing we need to do as residents, is attend the Draper City Council meeting this Tuesday, December 16th at 7:00pm at City Hall (1020 E. Pioneer Rd./12400 S. west of the library) so that we can remind our elected officials that we are paying close attention to the procedures. There is a possibility that the developer will not be able to meet the requirements laid out by the city, and will have to walk away.

December is a busy time of year, and we all have many things to do. Please put this high on your priority list, and make the time to attend.

OA Board Meeting Date Change

From Resident OA Board Member, Barbara Blackmer:

Because of scheduling conflicts of other Board members, the next OA Board meeting will take place Monday, December 15 at 3:00 pm at the Information Center. We will have a quorum in order to conduct business, but probably not all the Board members will be in attendance.

Please don't park in the street, especially in the snow.

Here's an FYI from Mary Chamberlain regarding overnight parking on the streets:

We’re trying to gear up for winter here, and we need to use any resources available to us. This will be very useful for Residents that have neighbors that are chronic offenders of overnight parking. Most of the parking problems occur when the Management members are out of the office. Residents need to be willing to contact Draper City Police or Code Enforcement (Kasie Hall) in addition to notifying the management company.

Section 14-5-090 Enhanced Penalty.
Any person receiving six (6) or more notices for violating the parking provisions of this Chapter, or those set forth in Title 41 of the Utah Code Annotated, within the
jurisdiction of Draper City, within a 180-day period, which have not been dismissed, shall be subject to having his or her vehicle impounded.

Parents Please Help Keep Your Kids Safe!!!

From the OA Management:

December 9, 2008

To all Parents,

As you are all aware, there is a water feature that runs throughout the Village Green Park. We are quite concerned with the number of children that constantly play around or in the park while they are waiting for the school buses to arrive. We routinely ask them not to play in or around the pond, but this continues to happen. This morning, several children even stood on the thin ice, apparently unaware of the risks of drowning or hypothermia. We were very concerned for their safety and we asked them to leave the pond and to wait up front. Within 5 minutes, the same children and others joined them in standing on the ice again. Around 3pm in the afternoon, another group of boys were playing on the ice. Again, we asked them not to play on the ice as it is dangerous. We try to be vigilant about the children’s safety, but unfortunately, we do not have the ability to constantly monitor their behavior. Please help us to keep them safe by reminding them not to play in or around the pond. Thank you very much.

Sun Crest Owners Association-Mary Chamberlain, Tod Bean, Claudia Pappas

Safety and Transportation Chair-Sara Kocsis