The Cactus Chronicles

/ July 2016
Volume 8, Issue 3
Saguaro Canyon Homeowners’ Association Managed by Snake River HOA Management, LLC
208-855-0505
/ On behalf of all of the residents of Saguaro Canyon, welcome to our new neighbors! The following is a list of the most recent new homeowners:
626 East Segundo St. Nanci & Jeffrey Ulrickson ~ 674 Ocelot Ct. Patricia & Brian Steelman
650 Giant Saguaro Deanna & John McCutcheon ~ 755 Pasacana St. Daniela & Fernando Leonhardt 719 Ocelot Ct. Erik Mathiason~ 675 Senita Canyon Kathryn & Richard Haskell ~ 665 Painted Hills Dr. AnvarImamovic~ 521 East Pasacana St. Brenda & Randal Grohs~ 894 E. Ocelot St. Chrystal & Eugene King ~ 598 E. Pasacana St. Valerie & Nelson Cluff ~ 5369 N. Red Hills Crystal & Jason Curry
July Fourth Celebration!
Calling kids of all ages! Get ready for the Bike Parade on July 4th!
Celebrate our Nation’s Independence by decorating your bike with ribbons, crepe paper and banners! The Bike Parade begins at 10:00 a.m. at the pool area and you can ride through the neighborhood with your banners flying! This is always a well-attended and fun event to show off your creativity.
To Continue the Celebration, The Saguaro Canyon July 4th Bar-b-que begins at 11:00 a.m. following the bike parade. This will be a good time to socialize with neighbors and enjoy hamburgers, hotdogs, soda and chips which will be provided courtesy of our dues! Come enjoy some goodies and even a bouncy house that will be set up in the grassy area on the north side of the pool!
Now to the cautionary note:
Illegal Fireworks can be DANGEROUS! Around almost every holiday, we’ve had complaints about illegal fireworks being used in the neighborhood, especially late at night. Parents and kids: Please rememberthese can cause terrible injuries like loss of hearing, burns, even loss of limbs. If you have questions about what is legal or illegal, the Meridian Police Department will be happy to clarify. These illegal explosions also cause excessive noise, smoky fumes, trash and of course disturbance of people and pets in the neighborhood. Again, please remember to respect the rules about fireworks as well as 10:00 p.m.curfews in the community. Your fireworks display should be reserved for July 4th only and prior to the curfew. There are so many waysto celebrate the holiday in a SAFE MANNER; don’t take chances.
Have a SAFE AND SANE 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION!

Around the Neighborhood ….

Coming Attractions…..A Book Nook!

Book Nook ~ Seeking a Scout’s Help!

Inspired by a quaint Book Nook they had seen in a neighborhood in Boise, Saguaro Canyon residents Diane Covington & Mike Steiner presented photos to the Board at the June meeting seeking approval to introduce one in our neighborhood. The concept of “take a book, leave a book” is perfect for a small neighborhood book nook. The Board gave a resounding “thumbs-up” to the project, so now they’re looking for someone in the community to build the book nook, perhaps a Boy Scout who wants to fulfill his Eagle Scout service project ora Girl Scout seeking a way to earn her Gold Award. If you know of someone looking for this kind of opportunity, please have him or her contact Diane or Mike at 629.8241.

This Year’s Irrigation Schedule ~ Simple But Critical!

Water only 3 days per week for no more than 2 hours on each of those days. *

Your watering time is based on the LAST number of your home address. For example, if youraddress is 413 Segundo Street, you can water at 3:00 am or 3:00 pm. You may water for a maximum of 2 hours. Odd numbered houses: Water on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Even numbered houses: Water on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Sundays are reserved for common areas only.

For irrigation emergencies, contact Settlers Irrigation at 208.870.4292.

Board Meeting Notes

The recent proposed Trailer/RV Amendment did not pass. Therefore, at the June board meeting it was announced that a new policy is being drafted regarding the screening from view of trailers and recreational vehicles. Please check the Snake River HOA Management website at for future updates.

Results of the Recent Amenity Survey

Of 450 Saguaro Canyon homeowners, only 40% responded to the survey.Of those respondents, residents overwhelmingly opposed any improvements either at the existing pool area or at the north lot.If you recall, the possible improvements for the north area were: a small pool, a splash pad, a children’s pool, or a sport court.Potential improvements near the existing pool were:the addition of a small pool, a splash pad, or a children’s pool.Due tolack of resident responses,no improvements are on the immediate horizon.

Enjoy your summer in our beautiful community!

Around the Neighborhood ~ continued ….

Dog Days of Summer

It’s great to get out and exercise with your favorite pal on these beautiful days. Please remember however, that your dog’s pads are vulnerable to burns when walking on asphalt in warm or hot weather. As a test, stand on the pavement for one minute in your bare feet. If it is too hot for you, realize that it is 25+ degrees hotter on your dog’s feet. If the air outside is 77 to 87 degrees F, the pavement may be as hot as 143 degrees. At 125 degrees F skin destruction can happen in 60 seconds. So be kind to your pet and protect its foot pads from harmful burns. And speaking of dogs…….please be considerate and clean up after your dog(s). There are plastic bags and a trash receptical by the pool area and on the south side of the retention pond to facilitate this task. Thanks for keeping our neighborhood clean and beautiful!

Don’t forget about the leash laws!

And While We’re on the Subject………….

There have been a few incidents lately regarding dogs and kids. A couple dog bites (nothing serious) have occurred when children have reached through the fence to pet or play with the animal. This is an unfortunate situation for everyone involved. Please be aware that accidents do happen, and advise children to keep their hands/fingers etc., away from fences around properties on which there are dogs.

Ready, Set, Stain!

Where fences are concerned, moisture is the enemy. Proper staining creates a barrier that prevents moisture from doing damage to the wood. Many experts recommend re-staining every 2-3 years, but a better way to determine your need is to check for beading. On a stained and sealed fence, if water no longer beads up on the surface, but instead soaks in, it may be time for maintenance.

OK, so it’s time to stain! Check the weather forecast ~ It’s best to work on your fence when temperatures are between 40 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit and humidity is low to moderate. Do not stain when precipitation is in the immediate forecast or expected within the time necessary for drying. Avoid painting your fence on windy days to prevent paint drifting into unwanted areas.

In addition to maintaining the seal on your wood fence, be sure to keep moisture away from the surface by having the wood slightly above grass level, keeping grass trimmed and bushes and ivy out of direct contact.

Always use gloves and a facemask when sanding and working with toxic chemicals.

Saguaro Canyon’s Approved Fence Stain Colors

Stain all surfaces of fence with one of the following approved products:

KWAL Super Deck Semi-transparent Redwood
Behr Premium Cedartone 501
Cabot – (2) parts Semi-Transparent Clear Solution 9100 to (1) part Semi-Transparent Pacific Redwood 9105

Update on the Red Horse Island Makeover project - - Your dues at work

The new sprinkler system in the Red Horse Island areas is almost completely installed. It addition, overgrown and dead plants are being removed and replaced. The final phase of this project will be to repair and convert island lighting to new, low-maintenance and more energy-efficient LED equipment.