Hiking/snowshoeing trails are accessible now. Come check them out and/or volunteer!

The Timberlakes Common Area Committee and volunteers have started work on several key projects in our common areas across the mountain.

The first is called Jones Lake. It will have a picnic and improved year-round parking area with hiking, snowshoeing trails, and pond exploration around Jones Lake.  This area includes Plats 9A, 10, and 11, and is accessible from Lake Pines Drive across from lot 946. Volunteers are designing the picnic area, which will include a natural play area. The hiking trail meanders through stands of cottonwood, around marshes (for good bird watching), and eventually into a large aspen grove. It will be marked for both winter and summer use. To prevent off-road vehicles from disturbing the common areas, a natural barrier will be included to prevent access where possible.

Chris Bala is volunteer trail boss for this site. Trail-building volunteers to date include: Gil Miller, Craig Jeppson, Matt Anderson, Carrie Bala, Barbara Stone, Tom Metcalf, Monty Botoson, Terrie Schultz, and Carolyn Rose.

The second project underway is improvement of the Moose Trail, on Plat 19, off of Raccoon Drive near the top of the development. This is a fabulous wildlife and wild flower viewing trail that cuts down the canyon through aspen and pine forest, crossing the creek several times. Trail bosses Barb and Jeff Meierhofer have led a team of volunteers to site the northern trail, build natural bridges, and place stepping stones in several creek crossings.  This volunteer team includes Jim and Dixie Carroll, Daryl and Twila Sparti, Judy Eddins, Marie Barton, and Theresa Gubler. A four-car parking area is available on the north side of the street and is marked.

A survey has just been completed for this fall’s third project –a hiking/snowshoeing trail on Plat 13, called West Views. The plan is to create a scenic trail on this parcel, which is accessible from Ridgeline, Oakview, and West View drives. All of the sites are required to have safe, legal parking, so a four-car parking area will be created to access this site as well. Dan Shroyer will be the trail boss of this area.

The Clyde Lake common area, Plat 2, has been surveyed. Watch for announcements as work starts in this area. This area will be wonderful for pond exploration and hiking in the scrub oaks on the northwest side of the subdivision.

If time and weather permit, the committee also hopes to complete surveys on the Bench Lake area (Plat 7), the south side of Raccoon Drive (Plat 19a), and the Harry/Parry Lake area (Plat 20a.)

Jim Barton is building kiosks that will be in place at each common area. The kiosk will contain trail maps, rules and regulations, and information about the local flora and fauna. If you have building materials to donate, please contact any member of the committee.

Thanks go to the Timberlakes road crew and owner Don Christian for time and equipment required for the large-scale parts of these projects.

These projects are part of a master plan created by a committee of the TLPOA board this spring and are based on a commitment to create clean, safe, attractive, low-impact recreation areas that respect flora, fauna, and adjacent property owners, and are low maintenance and sustainable. To the best of the committee’s knowledge, Timberlakes currently has 23 common areas.  These areas range from 1 acre to 40 acres in size. They are spread across the mountain. The committee polled property owners, to learn our owners’ priorities; the results leaned heavily toward hiking trails, nature walkways, sledding and snowshoe areas, and docks and picnic areas around the common area lakes.

Engineering surveys will be completed to clearly define the boundary of each individual common area before any projects are initiated. These areas will be posted to keep users from trespassing on adjacent lot owners’ private property.

Common areas are accessible to all TLPOA members and accompanied guests, but not open to the general public. Access to these areas will be controlled/maintained by proper signage. Motorized vehicles will be restricted from common areas in summer. Rules for the use of each common area will be posted on an information kiosk at the entry of each area. Offenders can be reported to Timberlakes’ security or to the Sheriff’s department.

Please take a moment to review the Common Area Master Plan on the Timberlakes website. We would love to have additional owners on the volunteer committee. If you have questions or would like to get involved, please contact TLPOAcommonarea@gmail.com.  Watch the newsletter and the Timberlakes blog for updates on additional projects.

Mike Durr, TLPOA Board