MAKAUA VILLAGE NEWSLETTER
KEEP ALERT!!!
Where, Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone?
A cute song? Sure!!! But when it comes to being a responsible dog lover we need to KNOW WHERE our little (or big) dog 'has gone' or else you'll earn the "Stink Eye" from other Makaua Villagers. Also, you are subject to a hefty fine (up to $150.00 per violation). Of course we don't want folks to look after their pets for these reasons, but because more importantly, it is a way of showing respect for your neighbors. It has been reported from time to time that residents have just opened their door...let the dog out on his own to do his business wherever...and then call him back in. This happens apparently because the owner is too lazy to walk the dog. AUWE! We also want to remind folks that just because an area is out of site of others it does not mean it is OK not to clean up after your dog.
From time to time the issue arise between residents as to where one has the right to walk their dog to let them do their ‘business’ and whether anyone has the right to (kindly) request that a dog owner please refrain from using a limited area close to their residence for that purpose.
. Before you read on....what would YOU say???
Would you say: ‘Its Common Area and I can use it as I see fit?’ or ‘Their should be designated areas for animals to do their business’? Well, those are two common responses that come up. But let’s look at this from a Promoting Peace in the Neighborhood standpoint. WE, for some reason may not be an animal person. Maybe it’s an allergy, a fear, the smell or maybe we believe a dog needs a big yard to run free in. On the other hand others enjoy the companionship of animals. Whatever our preference, neither resident should want to antagonize the other by words or actions if they want to promote peace. Conflicts like that just seem to disturb the peace of everyone around. People begin to take sides and before you know it a dozen people are upset with one another. IF our opinion is ‘Its Common Area and I can use it as I see fit’ you would be right, to a point. If everyone would insist on doing something because we claim the right, relations would deteriorate quickly.
Sure. You have the right to walk in common areas. But think about this. The person living above you or next door has the right to move about in his/her unit. To YOU they are loud when they walk, talk, open/close doors, etc. etc. (We are not talking blasting-music-yelling-at-the-top-of-their-voice-loud.) Yet they have a right to live a normal life in their unit. How would YOU handle THAT neighbor? I think most if not all of us would hope that making the person(s) aware of the noise situation and how living in close quarters is not easy, etc. would move them to take in consideration how their actions affect you and others. How would you feel if they ignored your feelings on that matter? That is just one example of what could happen if a resident were to insist on their RIGHTS, indifferent to the feelings of others. Wouldn’t this be a situatio where consideration, compromise and tolerance could nip a problem in the bud?
While we are talking about our dogs we also want to remind owners to always keep control of their leashed dogs. Just recently I have heard of two incidences where a dog on one end of a leash (and nothing on the other end) attacked other dogs. Along with the dogs, a young girl was also injured that was close to the incident. We don’t want anything even close to that happening here. It certainly would be a shame if someone or another pet was injured because of not showing due caution. No one wants to remove a dog from the property because an owner makes the same mistake that you hear about all the time. (“My dog would NEVER do that!” or after an incident, “My dog has NEVER done that before!”) Even worse would be a dog owner that is stubborn or arrogant and believes the rules don’t apply to them too. These dog owners and their landlords are put on notice by a unanimous decision of the Makaua Village Board of Directors that the House Rules will be followed in dealing with this safety issue. These are just reminders folks. The overwhelming majority have no problem conforming to the rules that are there for the peace, health and safety of everyone. Your neighbors, the Board of Directors and the Resident Manager thanks you for contributing to the pleasant atmosphere we have here. Keep it up! (See House Rules under: Section E.1-4 “PETS” & Section I. 4 . a, c “ENFORCEMENT”)
KEEP ALERT!!!
We all certainly enjoy our peaceful surroundings here at Makaua Village. Although we would like it to be free of ALL illegal activity we are reminded on occasion that a 100% crime free environment is an elusive goal. But to the credit of those who have taken an active part to deter crime we have a pretty good record of dealing with criminal activity. What we would like to do is encourage everyone to keep their eyes open as to what is going on around them and who they see on the property. Trust your instincts. If something or someone looks suspicious make a mental note or write down: license plate numbers, a clear description of facial features, distinguishing marks, clothing, along with the approximate date and time you saw them in your mind. As a deterrent many residents here have said they have had great success in just walking up to people on the property they don't know and ask them if they need help looking for someone, or just introduce themselves to them. That may be enough to put someone with bad intentions on notice that they are being observed. As long as it’s done in a friendly way so as not to offend folks it can be very effective. Something else that can be done is to just take a slow drive up the hill or to one of the side parking lots before you park your car. Look for suspicious persons or activity and jot down notes when you get in your condo. In the evening and especially late at night and the wee hours of the morning is this helpful. Folks here have different work schedules that can make for a pretty good "patrol" of the property. One thing we want to stress to everyone is to let the police apprehend anyone acting illegally. Don't be afraid to call the police when you see something. Call your neighbors as witnesses to things you are seeing. It’s hard if not impossible to undo the consequences of a crime. Through the years the Resident Managers receives reports, long after the fact, from people that say they, “I saw this and that happening” but figured someone else would call the police or they didn't want to be embarrassed in case it was a false alarm. It turns out the embarrassment and regret over NOT having reported the event is worse. Now property is lost or damaged and the criminal is long gone. Something else we encourage everyone to do is report any criminal offenses against you or your property that occur here. At times we have had multiple auto break-ins in one night or over a few nights and yet we may not find out until much later. It helps us to know when and about what time a vehicle break in (or any other event) took place. True, it may or may not result in catching the culprit(s), but it may alert us to a pattern. Our NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH PROGRAM tends to wax and wane especially when crime is slow, but it is an effective deterrent against crime when it is active. If someone would like to step up and reinvigorate the program we invite you to contact the Resident Manager today. |
MakauaVillage@Hotmail.com
Question Box
There Is A Beautiful Tree That Would Look Nice At Makaua Village! If I Purchase It Can I Plant It Here?
While all of us enjoy the beautiful varieties of plants and trees in Hawaii, there is much more to that goes into planting anything besides beauty. With good intentions and a generous spirit we have had folks that have gone thru the time, expense, and work of planting certain things without consulting anyone that was authorized to allow it. We then later have had to remove the plantings because of various reasons. They were too close to a structure or were planted on top of plumbing pipes, electrical or cable lines, etc. From personal experience I can tell you...the nice LITTLE tree you might find to plant may grow up to be a BIG not-so-nice tree because of underestimating the room it needs for branches and roots. Some tree roots can cause many, many thousands of dollars as they spread their powerful tentacles. So before you go out and buy or plant anything...please consult with the Board of Directors and the Resident Manager.