This Saturday: March 14th Neighborhood Clean Up Day

Get ready..... we're going to do it again.....

It's just about time to meet at the B-BAR-H Ranch Arch located on the North end of the B-BAR-H Ranch to get our neighborhood cleaned up and lookin' good! The photos are from last year's event, and we'll take more photos this year!

Everyone is planning to meet at the Arch at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 14, 2009. Riverside County's Chaka Ferrel is the Community Improvement Specialist assigned to our area. Officer Regina Keyes from Code Enforcement will be with us throughout the morning.

The neighborhood met, we discusssed a simple plan and now we'll make it all a reality this Saturday morning. Join us at the Arch at 8 a.m. this Saturday.

We're going to clean up and fix the Arch, too. Bring a ladder, bring your creative ideas and some muscle. This is a neighborhood team effort brought to you by the B-BAR-H Neighborhood Association.

Clean Up Day Planning Meeting a Success!

Meeting:
B-BAR-H Neighborhood Association, VFW, 6:00 p.m.

Meeting Minutes:
March 4, 2009

Many new people came to the meeting on March 4th. It was good to see and meet new neighbors. The purpose of the meeting was to plan the March 4th Clean Up Day sponsored by Riverside County Code Enforcement.

Discussion Topics:

1. March 14th Clean Up Day. Everyone will meet at the B-BAR-H Ranch Arch on Bubbling Wells and El Serape Roads at 8 a.m. We will discuss and assign specific duties at that time.
   
2. Repairing the Arch. It was suggested we finish fixing the Arch and adding some solar lights to preserve the hisorical landmark built in 1929. We will discuss this more on the 14th and make plans to complete this project to the best of our ability. We already looked into preserving the Arch as a historical landmark. We spoke to the Historical Society, City Planners, and the State of California. The piece of land is privately owned.
   
3. Neighborhood problems. Many people are upset about some of the homes not being kept up properly or being overrun by vehicles. Code Enforcement visits our neighborhood frequently and will address these items.
   
4. Vandalism. Some people are seeing strangers in the area. We discussed a recent break in. If anyone sees suspicious things, they need to call the Sheriff's Dept. We are not to take anything into our own hands. Be safe. Call the Sheriff.

The meeting discussion was on task and was over by 7:00 p.m. We'll see everyone at the Arch on March 14th at 8:00 a.m. Special thanks to everyone who wants to preserve the integrity of our neighborhood!

Clean Up Day Saturday March 14, 2009

B-BAR-H Community Association News
Please RSVP -- Thank You!
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Last year our small area participated in the Riverside County Code Enforcement's Clean Up Day at Bubbling Wells Elementary School, and it was a huge success for us all. Our neighbors pitched in and helped to remove trash along roadsides and houses. The team effort really made a difference in our neighborhood.

For this year, we have Very Good News! We get our own dumpster!

We met with Code Enforcement, and here's the details for Saturday, March 14, 2009:

1. We will have one large dumpster located under the Arch on Bubbling Wells from 8 - Noon
2. We also get 6 people to walk the area and pick trash and litter
   We get trash bags, trash pickers, gloves, T-shirts, a table, tools, etc. on loan from Code Enforcement
3. The B-BAR-H Community Association has $20 in the Treasury, so we are getting Orange Juice and DoNuts for the event. Plus, if anyone wants to donate food, please bring it to the Arch that morning.

WE NEED YOUR PARTICIPATION to ensure this event is meaningful and worthy.

Here's what you can do:

1. RSVP to confirm you have trash items to bring to the dumpster.
2. If you have a truck and can help bring items to the dumpster from the roadsides within our neighborhood, please confirm.
3. Volunteer to help supervise at the event.
4. Confirm if you want to bring food or donuts.
5. Talk with your neighbors about the event, and with those who don't use email.
6. Invite neighbors to the March 14th event - 8 a.m. til Noon.
7. Volunteer to help distribute paper invitations to our neighbors, please reply.

Last year Doug, Ford, Andy, Curtis, Jim, Kathy, George and many others created a successful team.

Let's do it again on March 14th! Any questions? Please write to Webmaster(at)PaintbrushTrail.com.

Please "Think Twice" before saying, "No." The coordination of a clean up event takes time, money and effort. If we do not receive neighborhood participation for the March 14th event, it will be the last clean up event the B-BAR-H Ranch Community Association sponsors.

March 14th Neighborhood Clean Up Day

Volunteers at the Octbr 11, 2008 Riverside County Code Enforcement Clean Up Day held at Bubbling Wells Elementary School

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Mark your calendar for March 14, 2009. We're having a clean up day in our area coordinated in partnership with Riverside County Code Enforcement Community Improvement Specialist, Chaka Ferrel.

Plans are for us to have one dumpster located near our area, probably under the B-BAR-H Ranch Arch shown above on the corner of Bubbling Wells and El Serape Roads. Specific details will be posted here after a meeting with Code Enforcement next Friday. The event will be held from 8:00 a.m. until Noon on Saturday, March 14, 2009.

Our neighborhood actively participated in last year's event and brought truck loads of trash to the dumpsters. It truly made a difference in the neighborhood to see garbage and trash removed from yards and from alongside houses. This year's event will give everyone an opportunity to do the same by cleaning out old items too bulky for pick up by our weekly trash removal service.

This year, our neighborhood will get one dumpster placed nearby so we can dispose of unwanted items without driving to the school. However, the March 14th main event will be held at Bubbling Wells Elementary School just like last year's event.

If you have items not accepted in a dumpster, like tires, chemicals, paints, etc. contact County Waste Management for a list of their clean up events. They are held almost every weekend. The website is www.rivcowm.org and the schdedule can be found there for the disposal of tires, paints, and chemicals, etc.

Chaka Ferrel, Riverside County Community Improvement Specialist is sponsoring this event and will be available at Bubbling Wells Elementary School to answer your questions.

We anticipate this year's event to be as successful as last year's, and we'll keep you updated with news about the event. If you have a question, want to volunteer at the event, or suggestions for Code Enforcement, please send an email to Webmaster(at)IGMproducts.com.

Desert Hot Springs Code Enforcement Cases & Foreclosure Stats

Mountain views surround Desert Hot Springs, California

by Anna Miller, Secretary
B-BAR-H Ranch Neighborhood Association

Desert Hot Springs, California is probably one of the best kept secrets in the State. It's a quiet city nestled between Palm Springs and Yucca Valley. It has a beautiful landscape with many new homes for sale. The cost of living in Desert Hot Springs isn't quite as high as its neighboring Desert Cities, and it has all the conveniences with short travel times to many other areas.

B-BAR-H Ranch Arch constructed in the 1920's is in need of repair

Our Community, the B-BAR-H Ranch neighborhood, is located in Riverside County between Desert Hot Springs and Palm Springs. We're about a 10 minute drive to either city. Palm Springs is well-known and developed. Desert Hot Springs is smaller, mostly residential with a few shopping centers and many, small, well-known spa resorts. It's the perfect, quiet area to live and raise a family. Dining out is less expensive than other Desert Cities, and there are restaurants to please all sorts of traditional Thai, Italian, Mexican and American diners. The service is great and the people are friendly.

The B-BAR-H Ranch organized a neighborhood community watch program in 2008. Under the direction of a group of neighbors, the B-BAR-H Ranch Community Association holds meetings and helps organize neighborhood functions to maintain the property value of the new homes located in the B-BAR-H Ranch neighborhood.

View from Pierson Blvd in Desert Hot Springs, California

An important function held throughout the year is a neighborhood clean up day sponsored by Chaka Ferrel, Community Improvement Specialist, Riverside County Code Enforcement Department. The B-BAR-H Ranch works in partnership with Code Enforcement to obtain annual clean up goals. Chaka, and fellow associate, Regina Keyes, Code Enforcement Officer, attended and presented at the B-BAR-H Ranch Community Association meeting held on January 17, 2009.

Courtesy of City-Data.com

As follow up to our in depth discussion with Code Enforcement on January 17th, Chaka responded to our request with details about our area. According to Chaka Ferrel, as of November 2008 statistics, the Desert Hot Springs area has about 253 properties in foreclosure, and 39% of the 253 foreclosed homes have open, active Code Enforcement cases. There are about 98 Code Enforcement cases as summarized below:

• 20 – Accumulated Rubbish (20.4 %)
• 7 – Construction without Permit (7 %)
• 60 – Substandard Structures / Dwellings (61.2 %)
• 2 – Vehicle Abatement (2.4 %)
• 9 – Zone Violations (9 %)

Our goal is to continue to work in partnership with Riverside County Code Enforcement to keep the B-BAR-H Neighborhood clear of violations. Our next neighborhood clean up day is being planned for Spring 2009. The date, location and activities will be defined and posted here. We'll also send out an email and notify the neighborhood by printed newsletter. The tasks and activities sponsored by the B-BAR-H Ranch Community Association are accomplished by a team of concerned neighbors. We work together to uphold the quality of our neighborhood.

For more information, to Subscribe to our emails, to submit an article for this blog, or to become a part of the B-BAR-H Ranch Community Association, please send your email address to Webmaster(at)PaintbrushTrail.com.

Clean Up Day a HUGE success!

The Clean Up Day sponsored by Riverside County Code Enforcement on October 11, 2008, at the Bubbling Wells Elementary School was a huge success. There were six large dumpsters filled to the brim with throw-away items.

Volunteers arrived in the masses to be a part of something greater than themselves and for the common good of us all! One of the area churches drove in with over 12 strong, eager helpers to assist people with the loading and unloading of trash. Neighbors from the B-BAR-H Ranch Community Association helped, too.

Here's a list of volunteers from the B-BAR-H Neghborhood: Kathy and George Munoz, Curtis Schway, Andy Biswas, Doug Gordon, Ford Wathen, Anna Miller and Jim Fosbinder. Curtis and Doug volunteered to use their trucks and canvas the neighborhood for trash. They made several trips back and forth removing large items from the street sides in our area plus went into the fields to clear large items from the hiking trails.

Hats off to all the people for volunteering their Saturday morning in an effort to help create a clean community.

Chaka Osborne, Riverside County Community Improvement Specialist coordinated this event. Her Associates from Code Enforcement attended the event and included Officers Cindy Black, Tom McMullen and Tony Green. Everyone was in attendance to make the morning's event a huge success. Steve Hernandez, Legislative Assistant from the Board of Supervisors rolled up his sleeves and pitched in to help. It was definitely a true team effort.

People from all areas of the DHS Unicorporated areas filled their trucks, cars and trailers with unwanted items and arrived between 7 a.m. to Noon to this free clean up day. Driving home it was obvious the day was a success. The neighorhood looks better! Special thanks to Chaka, her team at Riverside County Code Enforcement and all the volunteers who made this event a HUGE success!