2017 DC Ranch Annual Report

2017
ANNUAL REPORT
One Community, Four Villages: Country Club | Desert Camp | Desert Parks | Silverleaf

DC Ranch seamlessly connects
people to the beauty of both
the created environment and
the natural Sonoran Desert.
Residents feel a sense of
community, connecting with
each other in friendship
and common interest. It is a
thoughtfully crafted community
designed with unprecedented
attention to detail.
DC Ranch has a distinctive
governance structure with
ample resources that exist to
ensure a legacy of an amenityrich
and active way of life.
The highest standards and a
convenient north Scottsdale
location establish DC Ranch as
a nationally desirable place to
live with an exceptional quality
of life and premium home
values.
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2017 HIGHLIGHTS
Dear Neighbors,
It is our privilege to share with you the 2017 Annual Report.
Highlighted are various activities and accomplishments that
contribute to DC Ranch’s legacy of excellence.
Chris Irish
Community Council
Executive Director
Darren Shaw
Ranch Association
Executive Director
Jan Baratta
Covenant Commission
Senior Design Review
Manager
The most significant project undertaken this year was
the Ranch-wide strategic planning initiative, DCR2020.
Hundreds of residents and stakeholders provided input
helping to create a road map that lays the groundwork
for multi-year priorities that will guide future operational
decisions. The goal is to grow the value of DC Ranch by
remaining on the forefront of security and technology, capital
improvement projects and community life initiatives.
Other key highlights include:
• The new DCRanch.com went live in April. The improved
website provides greater convenience and functionality
for residents and is adaptable to easily view on tablet
and mobile platforms.
• A thorough review of operational elements was
conducted, resulting in lower costs and improved
efficiencies. A comprehensive reserve study and
evaluation of Ranch Association assets and maintenance
programs were completed.
• With 30 Custom Homes completed in 2017, 77 percent
of the Custom Lots in DC Ranch are now completed or
under construction. The Icon at Silverleaf Condominiums
broke ground in the fall.
In the pages that follow, you will find additional moments
and milestones from 2017 that help make DC Ranch such a
special place!
Best regards,
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1,800
tennis court reservations
1,700
attendees enjoyed the Starlight Concert Series
800
diners at Food Truck Night
500
residents watched Dive-In Movies
200
Community Center rentals
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THE YEAR IN REVIEW
COMMUNITY EVENTS AND PROGRAMS
In response to the 2016 Resident Survey, several new events and programs
were offered in 2017 to engage residents of all ages including:
• Father Daughter Dance
• Fire in the Sky science fiction dinner presentation
• Salsa in the Garden outdoor culinary tasting
• PJs in the Park holiday movie night
• Arts and Education Workshops
• Comedy Nights
• Mindful Movement through Tai Chi
• Aqua Yoga
Overall, there were 13,500 attendees at
nearly 50 events and activities.
SIGNATURE EVENT
ATTENDANCE
375
DC Ranch Day
733
Eggstravaganza: By the Sea
704
Spooky Carnival: Galaxy Ranch
186
PJs in the Park
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NEW CLUBS AND ACTIVITIES
DC Ranch Men’s Club
In April, DC Ranch founded a new Men’s
Club. The active group has hosted a
Cardinals Monday Night Football Viewing
Party, Whiskey Tasting, Cigar outing,
hikes, and Monday morning breakfasts.
More than 75 men joined the club.
Comedy Night at The Homestead
DC Ranch hosted a summer Comedy Series tailored to residents who live on
the Ranch full time. The three shows were sell-outs in this first year.
ARTS AND EDUCATION
“Shrek, Jr.”
The Homestead Playhouse’s spring musical production of “Shrek, Jr.”
featured a cast of 35 young actors. 725 people attended the performances.
Creative Arts Opportunities
From painting a masterpiece to cheering along at Shakespeare on the Lawn,
160 residents of all ages enriched their minds at Creative Arts programs.
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DC RANCH GIVES
The Community Council launched a comprehensive philanthropic program
called DC Ranch Gives in January 2017. Its mission is to provide residents
with meaningful opportunities to engage with each other while giving
back to the broader community.
Residents participated in nearly a dozen “Gives” events in the first year.
With that, they:
• Packed 1,600 “Bags of Hope” at Kitchen on the Street
• Collected 639 school supplies for Scottsdale’s Back to School Program
• Donated 1,960 non-perishable items to United Food Bank
• Prepared 60 meals for families in need at Homeward Bound
A total of 110 volunteers assisted with DC Ranch Gives service projects,
and almost 10,000 items were donated through collection drives.
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TOUR DE SCOTTSDALE
To date, DC Ranch’s Tour de Scottsdale cycling event has raised $600,000
for the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy through registration, donations, and
sponsorships. In October 2017, nearly 1,500 cyclists rode in the Tour which
starts and finishes on Market Street and circumnavigates the McDowell
Sonoran Preserve.
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COMMUNITY
ENHANCEMENTS
Landscape, maintenance and operations teams worked to maximize
resources and increase the convenience and overall satisfaction of residents.
GATE CAMERAS
All manned and unmanned gates were updated with new overview and
license plate cameras. To enhance residents’ security, DC Ranch also
switched gate access providers. This change improved customer service and
reduced costs.
SPEED DETERRING INITIATIVE
The Ranch Association Board of Directors took
another step toward speed enforcement with
approval to purchase and begin field testing
a camera to capture speeders along the main
thoroughfares in DC Ranch. Based on the
data collected, the Board approved a speed
enforcement program in early 2018.
RECYCLING PROGRAM
To better align with DC Ranch’s core value
of Sustainability, all interior and exterior
trash receptacles at the two community
centers were replaced with dual streamdesigned
containers to accommodate
recyclable materials.
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COMMUNITY CENTERS
New flooring was installed in the recreation
room at Desert Camp and two additional pieces
of cardio equipment were purchased for the
fitness room. The pool furniture was replaced
and a fence was installed around the pickleball
court.
Both the interior and exterior of The
Homestead Community Center received a
fresh coat of paint with an updated color
scheme. The basketball court and splash
pad were resurfaced.
CENTRAL IRRIGATION
In an effort to streamline irrigation, DC Ranch began implemention of an
ET (evapotranspiration) based computerized Central Control system which
can update and adjust watering schedules on a daily basis.
FRESH PAINT
Nearly 90 percent of the light poles and fixtures
along the sidewalks and at the community centers
were repainted, as well as the fire hydrants.
ROAD IMPROVEMENTS
Windgate Pass Drive was repaired and sealed.
2017 LANDSCAPE INSTALLATIONS
10,000 16
plants
saguaros
80 2
trees large monument trees 11

REAL ESTATE AND
CONSTRUCTION
REAL ESTATE REVIEW
In 2017, a total of 233 homes were sold with an aggregate average price of
$1.4 million.
March was the busiest month with a total of 31 sales, followed by May at 29
and April at 24.
Village Average sales price Homes sold
Desert Parks $650,686 77
Desert Camp $684,101 74
Country Club $1,590,659 41
Silverleaf $2,820,735 41
The highest price home sale in 2017 was $7,000,000.
HOME AND LANDSCAPE CHANGES
A total of 192 home and landscape modifications were approved by the
Ranch Association—14 more than in 2016. The most common modification
request was for landscaping, followed by exterior home changes and new
paint.
MODIFICATIONS APPROVED IN 2017
Q1
58
Q2
47
Q3
41
Q4
46
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HOME BUILDING
30 custom homes completed
construction in 2017 vs. 30
in 2016 and 26 in 2015.
Country Club Village 6
Upper Canyon (Silverleaf) 9
Horseshoe (Silverleaf) 3
Arcadia (Silverleaf) 12
31 new construction starts
in 2017 vs. 25 in 2016 and
30 in 2015.
Country Club Village 3
The Parks (Silverleaf) 1
Upper Canyon (Silverleaf) 12
Horseshoe (Silverleaf) 7
Arcadia (Silverleaf) 8
164 lots (23%) are vacant land, down from 189 lots (26%) at the
end of 2016. Of these, 38 lots have some level of active design work in
progress. Most of the vacant lots are located in Silverleaf’s Upper Canyon–
99 of the 164 total.
Camelot Homes
This long-time DC Ranch home builder completed its last production
home in The Parks neighborhood. As one of the initial builders from 1997
through 2017, Camelot Homes built 568 Production Homes in DC Ranch,
more than twice as many as any of the other 12 production home builders.
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DC RANCH COMMUNITY COUNCIL
Income statement for year ending December 31, 2017 (Unaudited)
2017 ACTUAL
REVENUE
Assessments
Community Council Benefit Fee
Events, Programming & Activities
Community Center Rentals & Other
TOTAL REVENUE
$1,953,792
$1,533,782
$225,901
$161,534
$3,875,009
EXPENSES
Events, Programming & Activities
Administration
Community Center Operations
Maintenance & Landscape
Reserve & Capital Fund Contributions
Communications & New Resident Welcome Program
Security
Insurance
TOTAL EXPENSES
$807,011
$791,135
$688,238
$608,099
$491,200
$380,935
$61,224
$18,200
$3,846,042
NET REVENUE (LOSS)
$28,967
DC Ranch received the best report possible during its annual
financial audit conducted by an independent CPA firm.
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REVENUE 2017
Events, Programming
& Activities
5.8%
Community
Center Rentals
& Other
4.2%
Community Council
Benefit Fee
39.6%
Assessments
50.4%
EXPENSES 2017
Security
1.6%
Communications
& New Resident
Welcome Program
9.9%
Reserve &
Capital Fund
Contributions
12.8%
Insurance
0.5%
Events,
Programming
& Activities
21%
Administration
20.5%
Maintenance
& Landscape
15.8%
Community Center
Operations
17.9%
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DC RANCH ASSOCIATION
Income statement for year ending December 31, 2017 (Unaudited)
2017 ACTUAL
REVENUE
Neighborhood Assessments
Master Assessments
Gate Transponders
Other
Disclosure Fee
TOTAL REVENUE
$4,232,741
$2,502,989
$231,211
$210,028
$117,200
$7,294,169
EXPENSES
Security
Landscape
Administration
Reserve Contribution
Facilities
Utilities
Insurance
Depreciation
Taxes
TOTAL EXPENSES
$1,846,921
$1,344,870
$1,271,654
$1,221,816
$602,020
$572,657
$129,741
$43,478
$27,727
$7,060,884
NET REVENUE (LOSS)
$233,285
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REVENUE 2017
Other
2.9%
Disclosure Fee
1.6%
Gate
Transponders
3.2%
Master Assessments
34.3%
Neighborhood
Assessments
58%
EXPENSES 2017
Insurance
1.8%
Depreciation
0.6%
Utilities
8.1%
Taxes
0.4%
Facilities
8.5%
Security
26.2%
Landscape
19.1%
Reserve
Contribution
17.3%
Administration
18%
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COMMUNITY PARTNERS

2017 DC RANCH LEADERSHIP
Community Council Board
Pat Simpson - President (Jan.-Sept.)
Ron Belmont - President
Marc Blonstein - Vice President
Mark Eberle - Secretary/Treasurer
Jill Edwards Resnick - Director
Bud Kern - Director
Jill Hegardt - Director
Ranch Association Board
Susan Grace - President
Fred Green - Vice President
Tom Headley - Secretary
Mike Esparza - Treasurer
Dr. Philip Geiger - Director
Elizabeth Kepuraitis - Director
Don Matheson - Director
Covenant Commission
Debbie Beardsley - President
Dan Kovacevic - Vice President
Steve Loken - Secretary/Treasurer
Jan Baratta - Commissioner
Jim Hoselton - Commissioner
Executive Staff
Christine Irish
Community Council Executive Director
Darren Shaw
Ranch Association Executive Director
Jan Baratta
Covenant Commission Senior Design Review Manager
DCRanch.com
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The Ranch Offices on Market Street
20555 N Pima Rd, Suite 140
Scottsdale, AZ 85255-9158