8/06/2025
Water Consumption Restrictions – Drought Stage 2 (8/6/25)
At the 7/31/2025 Special Board Meeting the PAWSD Board of Directors voted unanimously to enter Drought Stage 2 per the PAWSD Drought Management Plan. The goal of Drought Stage 2 is to reduce water consumption throughout the District by 20 to 30%. This requires the following limitations to irrigation:
- Irrigation limited to 6 PM to 9 AM.
- Odd/Even watering days based on address (if your address is an odd number water only on odd numbered calendar days and vice-versa for even numbered addresses).
- Irrigation is only permitted Monday through Friday. Weekend watering is prohibited.
- Gardens (edible and ornamental) may be hand watered using a hose or drip irrigation.
- Restaurants shall serve water only upon the request of customers.
- Hotels are encouraged to replace towels and bed linens for new gusts and at the request of existing guests.
- A water rate adjustment of 2 times the standard tier rate is in effect for residential usage of more than 4,000 gallons a month. (there is no tier-rate adjustment or surcharge for commercial users or residential flows under 4,000 gallons per month).
Non-compliance of the drought stage requirements can result in fines up to $500.
For additional information on the Drought Management Plan please review the 2020 Drought Management Plan located on the PAWSD website.
Thank you for your cooperation.
August Lakes Report (8/6/25)
As we head into the latter part of the summer the lakes are in fair condition. The heat wave we experienced in early July brought water temperatures up dramatically to close to 74 degrees in places. It definitely put some stress on the fishery. Anglers were reporting a slowdown on trout fishing but consistent bass and crappie were still active during that stretch. Some rain in late July has helped conditions, and a slight cool down has improved conditions on the lakes. Mornings and evenings are your best bet for trout fishing where trout are actively feeding in the cooler temps.
We do plan to do a fall lake stocking in late September with around 5000 pounds of rainbow trout which should provide for some great fishing opportunities this coming fall.
We are experiencing an algae bloom in Lake Pagosa, similar to ones we’ve seen in past years in mid-to-late summer. We are treating the lake with algaecide to help bring it under control. It is a blue-green algae which sometimes can produce toxins harmful to humans and animals. We sent off a sample for analysis around the 30th of July and those results came back negative for any potential toxins in the lake and algae. No toxins detected. We anticipate that conditions should improve heading into mid-August.
Lake Level Update – Lake Pagosa Drawdown (8/6/25)
The Pagosa Area Water and Sanitation District is still planning to move ahead with the sewer line repairs on Lake Pagosa beginning in September which will require a drawdown of the reservoir. The plan is to begin the drawdown in mid-August over a couple of weeks to about 6-feet below spill level so contractors can access the sewer repair on the northeast side of the lake. It should be a slow draw-down over a couple of weeks. Lakefront owners will want to keep an eye on docks as the lake level comes down. This is a change from the estimated 3 foot drawdown from a couple weeks ago, PAWSD is now informing us they may need up to a 6-foot drawdown to complete the sewer line repairs.
PAWSD is planning to begin re-filling the lake via Stevens Reservoir after the repair work is completed hopefully by the end of September and lake levels should start coming back up in October and November.
Hatcher Lake is currently down about 3 feet due to heavy water demand in the community. The water treatment plant on the west side of the lake is capable of treating up to 3 million gallons of water per day to supply domestic water to the northerly subdivisions.
Greenbelt Thinning Operations Progressing (8/6/25)
The Association contractors are progressing well in the several large greenbelt tracts in the community. Completed tracts include the large greenbelt properties in Chris Mt II, and Trails/Vista where wildfire fuel reduction work is occurring utilizing Colorado State Forest Service standards for Zone and Zone 3. Contractors have now moved into a couple of medium sized greenbelt tracts in Lake Forest Estates and Lake Pagosa Park. Underbrush is being removed by hand or with mastication equipment and in certain areas Ponderosa Pines are being thinned and removed to create improved spacing.
There are some new firewood log stashes in the community that are available to owners for firewood. One large stash is located at the end of Gary Place which is off Monument Blvd. At this location a significant number of 8-foot-long logs (approx. 8-10 inch diameter) are cut and stacked and ready for pickup. It most likely will require 2 people to handle these logs, please no chainsaws, just take the logs as they are and cut them up at home.
A second log stash is located on Dutton Drive about halfway down on the south side of the road.
Change to Monthly Board Meeting Schedule
Beginning in August, PLPOA Monthly Board Meetings will now be held on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:00 PM.
The new schedule is as follows:
PLPOA Monthly Board Meetings
🗓 Every 2nd Tuesday of the month
🕕 6:00 PM – Open Board Meeting
🕠 5:30 PM – Executive Session (preceding the public meeting)
📍 Vista Conference Room, 230 Port Ave
Next Meeting:
📅 Tuesday, August 12th at 6:00 PM
Understanding Project Application Forms: What Owners Need to Know
When you want to make changes or improvements to your property, it’s important to use the correct application form. Here’s a simple guide to help you choose the right form for your project:
1. Written Request Form (No Fee)
Use this form when you want to:
- Change the color of your home (painting a different color, but using the same material)
- Make landscaping changes
- Demolish or move something on your property
- Install children’s play equipment
- Make changes to something that already has a permit
There is no fee for this form.
2. Material Change Form (Fee Based on Project Cost)
Use this form if you are changing the type of material used for:
- Driveways (for example, switching from gravel to concrete or asphalt)
- Siding, trim, or decking (for example, from wood to composite or metal)
- Roofs (for example, from shingle to metal, or metal to shingle)
- Doors, windows, or garage doors (changing from one material to another)
A fee applies, based on the cost of your project.
3. Major / Minor Project Form (Fee Based on Project Cost)
Use this form if you are:
- Adding or removing something from your property (for example, increasing the size of your driveway or adding a parking pad)
- Building an addition to your home, a detached garage, or expanding/reducing a deck
- Getting a shed
- Unsure which form to use (this is the “catch all” form for projects that don’t fit the other categories)
A fee applies, based on the cost of your project.
4. Special Project Applications (Some Have Fees, Some Do Not)
These projects have their own specific application forms:
- Solar installations
- Docks
- Shoreline work
- Tree removal
- Fencing
- Temporary structures (up for up to 6 months only)
- Seasonal structures (up for a 6-month period, either summer or winter)
- Temporary dumpsters or storage containers
- New construction (new home, new manufactured home, used manufactured home, or new commercial building)
Fees vary depending on the project.
Parks and Trails Master Plan
The PLPOA Board of Directors approved the Parks & Trails Master Plan last evening at their regular general meeting. The Parks & Trails Committee, comprised of volunteer PLPOA owners,
did a presentation to the board on the plan. The purpose of the project was to update the 2013 Master Plan. The Plan identifies 14 trail projects and 5 park projects for consideration in
capital planning. As with all Master plans, it does not commit the Association to completing all the projects in a certain time frame but serves as a guide for the current and future boards
to reference in planning for capital improvements.
VIEWING: Trails Master Plan – Due to the large file size, the Parks and Trails Plan approved at the July 2025 agenda must be accessed through the Owners Portal. Navigate to the Documents folder using the link given, then select “Parks and Trail Plan” within the document folder to view the file: https://portal.plpoa.com/?c=6820
Tall Grass Inquiries:
General Maintenance: PLPOA encourages all residents to maintain the appearance of their neighborhoods, which includes cutting the grass around their homes.
Aesthetic Appearance: Maintaining the property in an aesthetically pleasing condition, including landscaping, is required. This would imply keeping the lawn mowed.
Tall Weeds: Pay particular attention to cutting tall weeds close to the house.
Landscape Improvements: Basic lawn planting and maintenance are considered landscaping improvements that do not require a project permit.
Setbacks and Easements: Any landscaping, including grass cutting, within setbacks or easements may be subject to additional restrictions. You should consult the Department of Community Standards (DCS) before undertaking projects in these areas to ensure they don’t interfere with utilities or negatively affect neighboring properties.
Noise Regulations: While not explicitly related to grass cutting, noise should be kept to a minimum between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. This would likely apply to loud lawn equipment.
Important Considerations:
Specific Rules: For the most detailed rules and regulations regarding grass cutting and lawn maintenance, consult the PLPOA governing documents, which can often be found on the PLPOA website or the owner’s portal.
Contact DCS: If you have any specific questions about grass cutting or lawn maintenance projects, particularly those involving setbacks or easements, e-mail the Department of Community Standards for clarification.
Remember to introduce yourself, talk with your neighbors, and lend a hand when possible. The overall emphasis is on maintaining an aesthetically pleasing property and avoiding tall weeds and excessive growth.
REC CENTER PROGRAMS PAGE:
Click the image below to be redirected to the latest recreation offerings:
Close Forest Gates
PLPOA borders 7 miles of National Forest. Along this border, the Association maintains a fence to keep cows from entering the community and destroying owner’s yards. The Forest Service issues permits each year for ranchers to graze their cattle in the forest. This normally begins in early to mid-June. There are designated gates and parking areas for PLPOA owners to use to access the forest trails. We ask our owners to please remember to close and secure the gates when using them, so the cows do not get out.
REC CENTER HAPPENINGS
