Not only do colorful fall leaves brighten the new season, traditional Glen Cove Community Association events also highlight this time of the year-the Fall Garage Sale (October 7th) and the year-end General Meeting (October 19th). In joint sponsorship with the Solano County Ridge Trail Committee, the G.C.C.A. Board will be hosting a Mini Trail Dedication Ceremony (October 21st) at the pathway lining the western shore of the Glen Cove Marina. Residents are invited to attend the 10 a.m. ribbon-cutting event that will include baked goodies and promotional maps for area hiking.

It is anticipated that the Glen Cove Waterfront Park will eventually be declared an official trail link connecting Benicia State Park to Glen Cove's western section for ultimate destination to the Zampa Bridge walkway. The Greater Vallejo Recreation District's ongoing project to design an updated Master Plan for the Glen Cove Waterfront Park is intended to replace the excessive 1988 version. LandPeople owner Randy Anderson, selected to oversee the effort, will be a featured speaker at the October 19th G.C.C.A. General Meeting. His expected presentation will include various updates and an outline of remaining steps in the process toward completion.

Glen Cove residents enjoying routine neighborhood walks have noticed some broken car windows and graffiti-marked road signs. A Vallejo Police Department spokesperson urges witnesses of such vandalism to immediately report the incidents. (See Page 11 for appropriate contact phone numbers.)
Information is also being sought for an early-morning September 14th traffic accident that occurred on Glen Cove Parkway near the Glen Cove Marina Road intersection. Nearby residents who might have heard or possibly seen anything in that vicinity should notify V.P.D. Officer Jim Capoot at 648-4329, Ext. 4321.

Leaf raking can be fun!

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Wendy Dugan, Harbor Homes Representative, was the Site Captain for the Glen Cove Waterfront Park's 2006 California Coastal Cleanup Day. Fine job, Wendy!]

The Glen Cove Waterfront Park Committee is pleased to announce there has been a huge reduction of trash and recyclables picked up over the past three years. We have coordinated five events overall: 3 California Coastal Cleanup Days (Third Saturday of September) and 2 G.C.C.A. sponsored Spring Cleanup Day events. With the help of local volunteers and sweet treat donations from Safeway at Glen Cove Center, our clean up days have been a positive and fun experience for everyone.

This year, Glen Cove Waterfront Park had 19 volunteers who picked up 16 pounds of recyclables and 21 pounds of trash. The unusual items picked up were not as exciting as years past, but we did pick up 1 tire, 2 wooden boards, 1 large orange Styrofoam piece, and some metal piping.

Thank you to everyone who participated! Many hands make light work, and our Glen Cove Waterfront Park is looking better all the time!

For more information on California Coastal Cleanup Day, visit the www.coast4u.org website.

Ever wonder what all those sirens and whistles are over at C&H? We asked a friend who used to work there when they had their own fire department, and he updated us on some of them.

Each Wednesday at 11 a.m. C&H does a test tone. You will hear a continuous siren for 2-3 minutes. No need to panic; this is a regular testing of the Contra Costa County Alert System.

The C&H facility also assists the Crockett Fire Department by alerting fire personnel whenever there is a fire or other emergency in Crockett. The routine signal is 4 blasts - pause - 4 blasts - pause - 4 blasts - pause - 4 blasts - pause. Okay, so that's four sets of 4 blasts. Again, no need to worry, the emergency is in Crockett.

So, here's the one you need to pay attention to! If it is not eleven o'clock Wednesday morning, and you hear a continuous siren that does not stop, this could be a "shelter-in-place" alert. Turn your T.V. or radio to a local station; and they will advise you whether a shelter-in-place has been initiated. To be safe, bring the kids and pets inside, shut your doors and windows, and stay where you are until the restrictions are lifted.

Dear Art,

You are really smart to ask this kind of question before you start building! The first thing you need to do is make sure you can build a deck off your second floor. How do you do that?

1) Give the Vallejo Planning Division a call and describe your project to them. They can give you guidelines for your type of construction and should be able to tell you if your project is likely to get a permit.

2) Look at the CC&Rs for your particular development. Each development in Glen Cove has its own set of CC&Rs-there are a lot of similarities between them, but you need to look at yours specifically. Many developments have set up some sort of Architectural Review Committee (A.R.C.). Find out who in your development sits on the A.R.C. (it's usually your G.C.C.A. Development Reps) and give them a call. Describe your planned project to them and ask if they see any potential problems.

3) It's also a really good idea to talk with any of your neighbors who might be impacted by your project. Describe your project to them and ask if they have any concerns. (In most developments, they will be consulted before a project is approved by the A.R.C.)

Once you have done your preliminary inquiries with the Planning Division, your A.R.C., and your neighbors, you will need to have your site plan drawn. Most site plans show (1) what the project will look like from above the house (as a way to show the overall scale of the project in relationship to the house and (2) looking straight on at the project. Don't forget to address other aspects of your project in your site plan drawings like railing designs and paint color.

Now that you have your site plan, you can give your development A.R.C. another call. (You will need to provide an 8½ X 11 inch copy of your site plans to your A.R.C. for their records, so make sure you have one available for them.) Your A.R.C. will come to your house and ask you to explain your project to them. Once they have finished with your house call, they will talk to any of your neighbors who might be impacted by your project. (If you have already contacted your neighbors, then this visit should not come as a surprise to them.) Your neighbors will be asked if they approve of your project. If they approve, they will be asked to sign off on the Glen Cove Community Association's Approval Form for Building in the Development. If they have any concerns, the A.R.C. will try to resolve them with you.

Before approving your deck project, the A.R.C. will usually take several things into account. (1) Does your deck impact your neighbor's privacy? (2) Does the construction conform to the development's CC&Rs? (3) Does the construction conform to the architectural styles and integrity of the development? (4) Will any neighbor's view be impacted? The bottom line is-would the A.R.C. object if this construction was across, adjacent, or next to their property?

If everyone is in agreement, the A.R.C. will complete the Glen Cove Community Association's Approval Form for Building in the Development, as approved. If there are any concerns from impacted neighbors or from the A.R.C., the project might not be approved until those concerns are addressed.

When you go to the Vallejo Planning Division to get your building permit, they will ask for a copy of the approved Glen Cove Community Association's Approval Form. They will not issue a permit without this approved form, so make sure you get a copy from your A.R.C. Once you get to the Planning Division, you are on your own.

G.C.C.A. CC&R Advisory Committee

It's Good to Meet the Neighbors
By Linda O., California View Representative

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Stacey Kennington, Olde Towne II Representative, serves as Glen Cove's link with V.P.D. in promoting the yearly National Night Out and has encouraged Glen Cove participation by preparing and distributing informational packets to interested residents. Thanks for your efforts, Stacey!]

Tuesday, August 1, was this year's date for the annual National Night Out. If you are not familiar with this annual event, it is sponsored and encouraged by the Law Enforcement Community. Residents are encouraged to either get out and meet your neighbors or, at a minimum, turn on your porch light on this night to show your support of anti-crime measures.

My family decided to throw a party for our neighbors on our street. We are at the end of a cul-de-sac-the perfect location to have a block party. A neighbor assisted us in bringing the BBQ grill out front, and we got the hamburgers and hot dogs ready. We had previously distributed a flyer to each house on our street, telling them to come down and meet their neighbors. The designated time arrived. Only one or two neighbors were milling around waiting for the first batch of hamburgers. Suddenly, people started walking towards the end of the cul-de-sac. They brought salads and desserts and empanadas and folding chairs! Soon, the kids were chasing each other up and down the street; the adults were chatting and meeting new friends. Many of our neighbors were relatively new, but the ones who had been here for awhile thanked us for holding the block party-something they said had been done in the past but not over the last few years.

Almost every house on our street participated. We got to meet a lot of our neighbors. Although Glen Cove is relatively crime-free, it is important to know your neighbors, know if there is someone on your street who shouldn't be there. It is a small measure of crime prevention-but most effective. Overall, it was an easy and fun party, and we plan to do it again next year. Watch this G.C.C.A. Newsletter next summer for information on how you and your neighbors can participate in National Night Out, locally coordinated by the Vallejo Police Department.

Mail Safety Measures
By Dennis Albright, Headlands Representative

What can you do to prevent mail theft and personal identity fraud?

Consider replacing your mailbox with one that can be locked and remember to retrieve your mail regularly. Locking mailboxes are available at local hardware stores and can be ordered online.

When vacationing or leaving your residence for an extended period of time, consider requesting the Post Office to hold your mail until your return. They are very cooperative with such requests.

Be alert to strangers in your neighborhood and don't hesitate to call the Vallejo Police Department if you notice suspicious activity around mailboxes or elsewhere.

Keep up the communication with your neighbors. It should be noted that Glen Cove experienced a mail theft problem several years ago in which a culprit was apprehended by V.P.D. officers as a result of residents' involvement.

Residents Cautioned on Mail Theft

By Dennis Albright, Headlands Representative

A Headlands Development resident who was out jogging recently came across several pieces of mail that had been stolen from a Sandy Neck Drive residential mailbox in the Crest Development. The envelopes had been discarded among shrubs in the PG&E easement that runs between Sandy Neck Drive and the Glen Cove Parkway bicycle path.

The contents of one of the five envelopes had been removed. It was a Discover Card billing statement. Obviously, the bank card number could be used immediately by the thief to make merchandise purchases over the telephone or internet until such time as the bank card company was notified to cancel the card. In some instances, thieves use the statements and return envelopes to change the mailing address so statements reflecting illegal purchases are never sent to the card owner's residence; thereby concealing the illegal purchases.

When the mail was returned to the Sandy Neck residence, the mail-theft victim indicated that the card had already been cancelled as a result of the note that the jogger had left on their door pending personal contact. Apparently, no purchases had been made against the card account at that time.

Good neighbor efforts such as this benefit our neighborhood immensely!