VUECREST Newsletter December 2019 In This Issue: Community Service: Vuecrest Flag Duty The Grace Lutheran Church Short Plat Development Name Your Newsletter Bellevue City Service App Keep Your Contact Information Current Calendar Items: Vuecrest Monthly Board Meeting Thursday, December 5th at 7:00P Vuecrest Book Club Community Service: Vuecrest Flag Duty Cameron Bodiford, the son of our HOA President Chris Bodiford, has been maintaining the American Flag at our esplanade for the past five years and would like to pass the honor to another Vuecrest resident. The job entails lowering the flag to half-staff as necessary and checking it for repairs and/or replacement. You will be shown how to get half-staff notifications. The flag is lowered upon the death of principal figures of the United States Government and the Governor of a State, territory, or possession, as a mark of respect to their memory. Please contact directors@vuecrest.net <mailto:directors@vuecrest.net> to offer your service. In addition, please join us in giving Cameron Bodiford our sincere thanks and gratitude for all his years of dedication. The Grace Lutheran Church Short Plat Development (Bellevue 97) Reported by David Pitkethly, HOA Secretary The Grace Lutheran Church Property across from Vuecrest on 8th Street was sold and will be developed into a short plat housing development. On Thursday, November 21, 2019 a meeting was called and hosted at the City Hall by Heidi Bedwell, Environmental Planning Manager for the Development Services Department. Also present was Jeremy Smith of BDR Holdings, the owners of the property. About 35 interested neighbors were present and had the option of submitting written questions and suggestions. 97th Ave NE, which is now part of the old church property, will be extended South from 8th street, ending in a dead end and forming a cul-de-sac. There will be four building lots on each side of the new street. The lots will each be 10,000 sq. feet. The houses to be constructed will all be one or two-story structures with maximum height to be 30 feet for flat roofs and 35 feet for pitched roofs with up to four car garages. Basements are not allowed. The City of Bellevue has decided that 30% of the existing trees with 8 inches or more girth at chest height must be retained. Many of the older, taller trees are in poor health and will have to be removed. Most of the remaining tall trees will be on the east side of the property. There was a lot of discussion regarding the AT&T cell tower. It was completed two years ago and is on City of Bellevue easement land. The lease is for 25 years and AT&T, only unilaterally, can opt out of the lease every 5 years. At this time there are 23 years remaining on the lease before it can revert to the City of Bellevue. The City receives $13,000 per year in lease payments from AT&T. It was obviously a bad deal for Vuecrest and for the City of Bellevue, but apparently nothing can be done to change the contract. Site improvements will begin in March 2020. No date has been set for the actual construction of homes. It is not too late to appeal any facet of this property development. For the City contact Heidy Bedwell and her information is above. Jeremy Smith with BDR Holdings can be contacted at jeremy@bdrhomesllc.com <mailto:jeremy@bdrhomesllc.com>. Name Your Newsletter We can go retro and revert back to The Vuecrest View or move forward to another great name from our creative community. Please send your ideas to rebecca@vonderburg.com <mailto:rebecca@vonderburg.com>. We’ll vote for the best name at the upcoming monthly board meeting on December 5th. The winner will receive a Starbuck’s Gift Certificate! My Bellevue City Service App MyBellevue is a mobile app that makes it possible for people to request services and access city news, jobs and social media easily with their smart phones and other portable devices. Here’s a link to get you there… https://bellevuewa.gov/city-government/departments/finance/mybellevue <https://bellevuewa.gov/city-government/departments/finance/mybellevue> Keep your Vuecrest Contact Information UP TO DATE Please make sure that your contact information, renters information, and/or property management information is always up to date. Your information is not shared or distributed to any third party and is only used for your informational and safety benefit. Here’s how to update your information…Go to www.vuecrest.net <http://www.vuecrest.net/>, on the left click “Update Your Contact Information”, Input your information, and click Submit. CALENDAR ITEMS: Monthly Board Meeting Thursday, December 5th at 7:00P The location will be at Lincoln Square South at WeWork on the fifth floor. The address is 10400 NE 4th Street, Bellevue WA 98004. To get to the location… park in the underground parking garage at Lincoln Square SOUTH. Then, take the elevator to the second floor. Walk South through the Food Hall to the bank of elevators that will take you to floor #5. The floor is locked, so Rebecca von der Burg will meet you at the elevators from 6:50P-7:10P to unlock access to the fifth floor. If you arrive later than 7:10P please call 425.785.7050 for assistance. See you there! The usual monthly Board Meeting is held on the first Thursday of each month, but may be changed for holidays or Director’s schedules. Please check www.vuecrest.net <http://www.vuecrest.net/> for updates and contact directors@vuecrest.net <mailto:directors@vuecrest.net> with your questions. Vuecrest Book Club Vuecrest has its own Book Club and all residents are welcome to attend. We meet once a month at 7PM, usually on the first Monday at various members’ homes. It is a very relaxed atmosphere with light refreshments served. Feel free to join us to chat, laugh, nibble and meet new friends. Newcomers are always welcome whether you had a chance to read the book or not! Email Mara Pitkethly dtpit@UW.edu <mailto:dtpit@UW.edu> or Melissa Hambleton mhambleton@comcast.net <mailto:mhambleton@comcast.net> for details. We wish you a very special holiday season filled with family, friends, and community!