In the middle of December the Woodlake Entrance Sign and center entrance island went dark. With the help of volunteer residents ( Tom Purcella and Lee Richardson) and board member (Mike Cooney) efforts were coordinated and the problem has been temporarily fixed. Tom and Mike were able to trouble shoot the problem and determine the general area that was causing the issue with the electrical service. We then hired The Repair Works Electrical company to locate the actual underground wire path line and also any faults that could be detected using specialized equipment to determine breaks in the underground electrical line. Mike then spent the day digging up the line and found the area that was causing the issue. Mike coordinated with Tom and Lee and the repair was made so we could get the power back on to the frontage.

What has been discovered during this repair is we have several issues with our underground power line feeding the frontage. The main issue is the underground wiring is outdated and in many places needs repair and to be brought up to code (cleaned up for lack of a better term). The frontage sign is still out due to wire corroding and will need to be re wired. We will also need to determine best way to proceed with the underground line that feeds the frontage. We are very fortunate that we have resident volunteers and board members who are skilled in these areas and are willing to step up and donate their knowledge and time to help with these repairs. The volunteer efforts associated with this project alone have saved us a considerable amount of money and we are appreciative of their time spent helping out the neighborhood. With the information we have and the help of our volunteers and board we will be determining the best way forward with this issue.

Woodlake Residents,

We are sending this information out to you as a courtesy notice to help keep the neighborhood informed. The annual safety inspection of common area trees was performed by a certified Arborist. Common area trees do not belong to residents and these areas include the frontage,green belts, pond and islands that border our homes. This inspection is performed annually and its primary focus is to detect dead, dying, dangerous or diseased trees that are or pose an imminent safety threat for our neighborhood.

We took the Arborist recommendations and filed a report with the City of University Place. The City of University Place met with the Arborist and a board member and walked our common areas to inspect the findings. The good news is overall we have a very healthy stand of trees in our common areas. The safety inspection noted several dead trees in the common areas that will need to be removed for safety and overall health of the urban forest that surrounds our homes. Most of the trees are very small and several do not even meet the standards the city uses for tree removal guidelines ( less than six inches in diameter ). The City of University Place has agreed with the need to remove the dead trees identified in the report. We have followed all procedural guidelines with the city and this work is scheduled to take place October 20th.

We are also receiving information from the city in regard to establishing an Urban Forest Plan. This plan will help maintain our stand of trees and preserve the beauty of our wooded neighborhood while taking the necessary steps for maintenance and safety due to the size and proximity of trees to homes in our development. This was highly recommended by the City of University Place and we are told that the other heavily wooded neighborhoods in our area are also getting on board or have already have this in place. We may be seeking additional volunteers to help with this plan.

Woodlake Residents

Looks like a significant wind storm is headed our way for Saturday afternoon and evening. We would like to remind all residents to stay informed on news updates, prepare for power outages and have important contact numbers in place. The Tacoma news tribune has several good articles on preperation and emergency plans.
If there is a need for a tree service company our HOA has used Archon Tree Service in the past and they are available to help if needed. Thier contact number is 253-858-8733.

CRIME ALERT:

Over the past week there have been several neighborhood area burglaries and thefts in this area.  Thieves have targeted bikes, open garages, and other areas of opportunity.  The most recent in Woodlake this morning at 4:30 am.

Secure your property, remain vigilant.  If you see something say something.  Call 911 to report suspicious activity!

The pool closes for the year Thursday.  Thanks for your work on the pool Ed Archer.

Pond clean up and repair project underway

We have drained the pond and are currently in the process of having it cleaned by a contractor certified to clean water collection ponds and water ways. We received his information for a list of recommended contractors by Pierce County and he will be onsite until the clean up project is completed. We will also be inspecting the condition of the 40 year old liner and making repairs as needed. We are then going to repair or replace the fountain pump that recently stopped working. In addition we are also looking into adding aeration, testing our well supply and pressure and looking into a scheduled maintenance plan to help with water quality and clarity of our pond. This project has required countless hours and time consuming research and we are all looking forward to getting our pond repaired and looking good again. We are very appreciative of the time and effort by our Volunteer board members and also Mr. Richardson. Your time spent investigating the many different aspects of this project has made a big difference and without your help we would not be where we are at today.

The Lifeguards start tomorrow.  Lifeguards will be on duty Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 12:00pm to 5:00pm.  They are the authority at the pool and will enforce all applicable rules.