Be BearWise!
 

2020 LRAA bear sightings

Every Spring we have a couple of black bears roaming around the community looking for food near the river and throughout the community. But now, with habitat loss due to last year’s fires and a bad berry crop this summer… they’re still here!

We do not want the bears to learn they can get food here. We are asking all members to do their part to keep the bears away. 

Please make sure the garbage shed slider doors are closed and the dumpster lids are secured with the bear bar and lock.

• Store all garbage indoors at your own home/cabin, feed your pets indoors, clean and cover your outdoor grills, and remove food from bird feeders. 

• Be BearWise around your property!

Thanks for your help!


Be BearWise!

“When bears emerge from dens, their digestive systems are sluggish and may take a week or two to gradually normalize. Then, hunger hits hard, and despite eating Spring foods, such as grass, dandelions and tree cambium, their bodies slowly lose more and more fat reserves until WA berries start to ripen.”

For additional facts and (safety) tips for how to live responsibly with black bears, please visit BearWise.

The policy of the DF&W is NOT to capture and relocate bears. If a bear becomes a problem, they will euthanize it. As Sargent Christensen said, “a fed bear is a dead bear.”

If you encounter an actively aggressive bear call the Washington State Patrol at (509) 227-6650 and they will dispatch enforcement officers. Also contact the LRAA through the Contact Us form on our website.

 
Okanogan County Burn Restriction Effective June 15, 2022!
 

An Okanogan County Burn Restriction will be effective from June 15, 2022 12:01 AM (midnight) through October 15, 2022 at 12:01 AM (midnight)

  • NO field/pile/rubbish/rule/slash/yard vegetation or non-emergent agricultural burning on private lands within Okanogan County.

  • Recreational Fires ALLOWED (see definition below)

  • When Extreme fire conditions become present a County-Wide Burn Ban will be implemented prohibiting ALL outdoor burning including recreational fires.


Recreational Fire Definition:

Recreational fires must be contained in a concrete, rock, or steel ring (made from non-combustible material), no larger than 3 feet in diameter and no less than 8 inches in height. The fire (flames) shall be no higher than 2 feet and not conducted within 25 feet of a structure or combustible material. Recreational fires SHALL be attended to at all times.
Please read the entire resolution for specifics and definitions pertaining to the Burn Restriction. Okanogan County Commissioners Resolution 79 - 2022 [PDF]

This resolution does not apply to areas within city limits, silvicultural burning on lands, regulated solely by DNR’s outdoor burning rules and regulations, fire in DNR recreation sites and campgrounds, or on U.S. Forest Service protected lands and within the Colville Reservation. The DNR, U.S. Forest Service and Colville Tribes may have similar burn restrictions/ban in effect. Some private parcels may also have DNR restrictions if it includes a DNR Fire Tax Assessment. This can be found on County Tax Statements.

For more details visit: Okanogan County Emergency Management

 
LRAA Annual Member Meeting Notice (2022)
 

Please join us for the Annual Membership Meeting on Sunday, May 29th over Memorial Day weekend at the Firehall on Mink Road.

Starting at 9 a.m. members can begin to sign-in, update contact information, meet the current trustees, ask questions, and socialize with members. The official meeting begins at 10 a.m. At the end of the meeting, we will serve a picnic style potluck lunch. Bring your own chairs.

This year we have several important agenda items to discuss that would benefit greatly from broad participation and input from the membership. Specifically, we will be reviewing and seeking membership approval of the 2023 budget, discussing our progress adopting WUCIOA, election of new Board members, and discussing the strategic road maintenance plan.

We have some big topics to discuss so please save the date and plan on attending. We look forward to seeing you on May 29. If you have any questions, or if you would like to receive paper copies of the Annual Meeting documents, please contact our Business Manager, Annie Sparrow, at lraa.business@gmail.com.

View 2022 Annual Meeting Documents

 
LRAA Members Adopt WUCIOA
 

At our Annual Meeting on September 5, 2021 the membership voted to amend our Bylaws to be consistent with the mandatory sections of the Washington Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act (WUCIOA, which is RCW 64.90). 

At that meeting we discussed a proposed amendment to LRAA’s governing documents. That amendment, drafted with the assistance of legal counsel, would result in all sections of WUCIOA applying to and governing LRAA. The previous board concluded that it is in our best interests to be governed by WUCIOA and our new board unanimously agreed with that conclusion at our September 19, 2021 board meeting. 

On Monday, December 20th, the returned WUCIOA ballots (52%) were counted in person by Annie Sparrow - Business Manager, Pat Sullivan - Secretary, Sylvia Silberhorn - Treasurer and Don Davidson - Outside Witness /Non-LRAA Resident.  Adopting WUCIOA in its entirety was approved by 92% of the ballots returned. The board is in the process of working with a local attorney to have a plat amendment adopting WUCIOA submitted to the county. 

  • Opting into WUCIOA provides our board and community a transparent set of rules to be governed by. 

  • WUCIOA provides a legal framework to ensure everyone pays their fair share of association costs by simplifying the collection of dues, fees, assessments, and fines. 

  • WUCIOA protects property values and aids property transactions by providing purchasers a clearer picture of the financial health of the association and the status of the property they are buying. 

  • WUCIOA provides a more predictable and transparent legal framework for the Board and property owners. 

Additional information about WUCIOA can be found on the Governance page.


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