General Manager's Update

By Shari Haldeman - sharih@landings.org
General Manager/COO
Dear Residents, The Landings Association is forming a new committee, the Renovation Committee. Resident volunteers are being sought to serve on this committee to help people see the potential, the possibilities, and the value equation that home renovation offers. The development of our community occurred in phases over time since the early 1970’s, so of course, there are traditional home designs from various periods that may not appeal to today’s owner. We’ve identified some issues that residents often seek to address, and these present an opportunity for the Renovation Committee to focus on renovation issues unique and common to our community. If you’d be interested in serving on the committee, please review the charter and consider applying online at landings.org/committee-membership-application. In related news, the Architectural Review Committee (ARC), established in the Association’s Covenants as the review body for new construction, additions, exterior changes or alterations, and landscaping, undertakes periodic review of the architectural review guidelines for improvements. Their most recent review resulted in 18 recommended amendments to increase the efficiency of the review process and provide clarifying language. These recommendations, displaying current and proposed wording, are posted on our website for community review (Proposed Revisions to the 2018 Architectural Guidelines) and are scheduled for adoption by the Board of Directors during the April 23 meeting. Please feel free to share your feedback on these changes by emailing webmaster@landings.org. Separately, we are in the process of restructuring our Community Development Department and our plan review process. The mission of the department is to strengthen the long-term competitive position of The Landings by maintaining, protecting, and improving the quality of the community housing stock through plan reviews, approval, and construction inspections, as well as inspections for Private Property Maintenance Standards. Recent turnover in the department staff, including the manager, provided an opportunity for a thorough review of the structure and operations. We are in the process of a reorganization designed to improve both our capacity to execute our mission and increase customer service. The changes are as follows:
  1. Staffing levels have decreased from four positions to three positions.
  2. The department manager position will report directly to the General Manager, rather than to the Public Works Director. We are currently recruiting for this vacant position.
  3. A consulting Architect, Linda Ramsay of Ramsay Sherrill Architects, has been retained to perform plan reviews for new construction, additions, and alterations.
  4. The cutoff deadlines for plan submissions requiring Architectural Review Committee (ARC) review have been revised to address volume issues and are based on the relative complexity of plans. Previous deadlines created a deluge of submissions late in the week prior to the ARC meeting, ranging from new builds to simple paint color applications. The revised schedule was designed to improve the quality of plan review and increase the probability of first-pass approval by the ARC, while continuing to hold ARC meetings biweekly. The new schedule is posted online. Just click 2019 ARC Schedule and Deadlines.
Finally, thank you to everyone who took time to attend our 2019 Annual Meeting at Plantation on February 28. More than 300 residents attended the meeting, where we reviewed the highlights of 2018 and recognized the 2018 Volunteer and Volunteer Group of the Year. The printed version of the March Landings Journal mistakenly listed the winner of the Volunteer Group of the Year as Skidaway Audubon instead of Sustainable Skidaway. Although these groups are very closely affiliated, they are separate organizations. I apologize for this mistake and congratulate Sustainable Skidaway on this stellar achievement. They are the team of volunteers responsible for the designation of The Landings as an Audubon International certified Sustainable Community, the first in Georgia to achieve this recognition! Happy spring!



This article was originally published by The Landings Association on their website.

Visit landings.org to read the original article.
https://landings.org/news/2019/03/27/general-managers-update