Submitted 7/7/08

Back in 2004, a long range planning questionnaire asked the membership what they considered important for improving Seven Lakes West.  It consisted of about 50 items and asked for members to rate these items 1—4 (with 4 being the highest).  701 property owners responded (47%) with about two-thirds being residents at the time.  A place for additional comments was included.

Some of the items were related to covenant and regulation enforcement, several were for more amenities for our members and several were for the projects that would benefit the community and its members.  In reviewing these items, many have been accomplished and many are currently under study or are in progress.  Some fall under the auspices of the SLWLA Board of Directors directly, while others of a more project-oriented nature are pursued by Long Range Planning.  It is the responsibility of the LRPC to recommend, and the Board to provide, amenities and aesthetics for the community that will result in improving the property values for all of us. The LRPC also provides ongoing continuity to the Board, whose make-up, personnel-wise, changes on an annual basis.  Real estate values are a function of supply and demand, and we certainly want to keep pace with other developments and insure that SLW continues to be a desirable place to live.  Home buyers have to want to live in a community first, before they select a particular home in that community to purchase.

To that end, the LRPC has been meeting regularly to develop, debate and evaluate many projects received from multiple sources.  Some were feasible, some not.  Some had a time and/or sequencing factor involved.  Some involve covenant and/or regulation changes.  Finally, a list of about 25 items was developed.  We then developed a system to prioritize these items.  These projects were graded as (1) being needed by the community, (2) would be nice to have, and (3) not needed now, but maybe later. 

From this list, the top eleven projects were selected.  In addition, two other projects are not optional but are longer term in nature – the repaving of our roads over a period of many years, and the replacement of our dam valve sometime in the future. These thirteen projects were presented to the SLWLA Board earlier this year.  A discussion of these items can be found in past copies of the Newsletter and the Seven Lakes Times.  Some of the items that are still on the original list, but prioritized at a lower level are (1) an upgrade to the recreational use of Pine Knoll Island, (2) an upgrade to the East Gate entrance, (3) selective perimeter fencing, (4) West Side Park beautification, (5) reverse 9-1-1 communications, etc., etc.

The LRPC is always open to more ideas, from anyone, which can improve our life styles, amenities, and aesthetics so as to improve our community and improve our real estate, and real life, values.  In order to provide a structured procedure, please forward any ideas in writing to the SLWLA Board Secretary, who will get it to the LRPC. 

Thank you.