Committee Corner

Th e ARC Needs You By Debbie Seymour

Do you like people? Are you curious? Would you like to see what other Cresswinders are doing to the exterior of their homes, maybe get some inspiration for your own home and hardscaping? If the answer to one or more of these questions is a yes, you may be the perfect candidate to join the Architectural Review Committee (ARC). Currently, there are nine members on the ARC, however some members are rotating off the committee, and we are looking for two or three new members starting January 2021. Being on the ARC is very interesting. Typically, the workload is fairly minimal. There is one meeting (presently these are Zoom meetings) per month, approximately one hour in length, and then a few visits and/or telephone calls each week. For the sake of consistency and fairness, ARC decisions are done by majority rule. Besides meeting new people and discussing what they want to do to with their outside living space, another pleasure of working on the ARC, because of the myriad requests we receive, is that it is a continuous learning opportunity. Please email Mark Soss at marknsoss@gmail. com with your name, contact information, pertinent personal background information, and why you would like to be a member of the ARC. Having a strong and diverse ARC is necessary to maintain our home values and the ambiance of the Cresswind Community.

An Important Addition to the ARC Regulations: Front Sitting Areas

Front porches are important. A front porch will help you get to know your neighbors and passersby, and allow you to observe what is happening on your street. Would you like to be more social with your neighbors and friends but does your Cresswind home lack a covered front porch? If yes, we may have some exciting news for you. Our Cresswind at Lake Lanier Rules and Regulations Manual was recently updated, and for homes without a covered front porch, we now have options for adding a front sitting area. The intent is to allow homeowners to create a relaxing, casual sitting area that reflects established Cresswind aesthetic standards. To that end, the following guidelines were established: With prior ARC approval, a sitting area can be created in the green space located in the area leading to the front door from the driveway. The proposed sitting area cannot proceed past the front edge of the garage and must have landscaping in front of it. Pavers and stones may be used to create the floor of the sitting area. The size of the sitting area will be limited to what will allow placement of two chairs or a small bench, one or two small tables, and up to two earth tone flower pots. Please refer to the Cresswind Rules and Regulations Manual, Section 5-3.2 (q), Front Sitting Area, page 60, or contact any member of the ARC for more information if you have any questions. Lastly, please be patient with us as we fine tune this new addition to our repertoire!

Welcome Committee News

By Sue Joninas

Our Cresswind Welcome Committee is still reaching out to new residents with all of them being resales. Our members are sending cards, calling, and offering their support. We let the residents know they can call us and we will help them in any way we can. We also find that neighbors on their street are reaching out to make them feel welcome. We hope some new residents will accept a visit very soon. We held a New Resident Orientation on September 9th for all new residents since March on the back patio. We had several speakers and they enjoyed the reception and left with much more information about Cresswind and Gainesville. If you do not hear from a Welcome Committee Member within four to six weeks of closing, please contact me at sjoninas@gmail.com. We do not want to miss any new residents. Welcome to Cresswind!