Big Laguna trail, leading into the meadow
More photos here

Newsletter                                                                                    

Hot off the press... the Summer 2009 newsletter. Kudos to Marilyn Wallar for putting this award-winning quarterly newsletter together. Plus older issues through 2008.

2009 Summer  2009 Spring  2008 Winter  2008 Fall  2008 Summer  2008 Spring

Water, Water Everywhere                                                          

We enjoy the idea that every time we come to the mountain all it takes is a turn of the tap to have water in our cabins. It hasn't always been this way. To accomplish this, MLIA was established as a Small Water System operator and as such we have to comply with local, state, and federal water system requirements.

Over the years we have created a part-time water employee to monitor, treat, and repair the system as needed. In an effort to maintain the high quality of our system, we just completed a major improvement to our larger water tank at a cost of over $85,000.00. The county and state requirements for testing and treatment have increased over the years and the cost of compliance continues to increase.

At the annual meeting this year, we voted to increase the water fees to support the increasing costs of operation. For the majority of us we will see little or no change as the basic rate stays the same. The larger quantity users will see an increase of pennies a gallon for usage over the basic rate. This increase will help insure the continued quality of our water and maintain our "in compliance" status with the water regulators.

Stan Jasek, MLIA Board Member, Cabin #802 stan@golden1realestate.com

Cabin Life - Liquid Gold                                                              

Gold closed at over $500 an ounce today! Yet we pay pennies a pound for the liquid gold we receive out of our tap from the MLIA water system. This is certainly a bargain when you consider the options. We don’t have to struggle without it, haul it up the mountain to have it, worry about running out of it, lift those heavy bottles to get at it, or boil it prior to using it. For most of us, here on the mountain, our only concern is the taste of the water we use.

Because we are a state monitored water system there are many other concerns that have to be dealt with on an ongoing basis. Water quality is a major concern. MLIA is required to monitor the quality of water that is delivered to your tap. These tests are designed to identify potential problems and insure that the quality of water supplied meets certain standards. Over the past year, these testing requirements have been increased by the various water authorities.

The monitoring of our water system here on the mountain is a vital service performed on a continuous basis. The results of this testing sometimes requires treatment. Our drinking water is disinfected to kill or inactivate microorganisms, bacteria, protozoa, viruses, and other pathogens that could cause serious diseases. The health benefits of disinfecting our drinking water are indisputable. Unfortunately, this disinfection process does produce a new set of problems. One of these problems is taste.

The most common disinfectant used is chlorine. Today, approximately 98% of the U.S. drinking water supply is treated with chlorine. Our own water is treated as needed, based on the test results returned to us. It is this treatment process that is the cause of the chlorine taste we experience at times. These tests are performed to insure that the quality of water that reaches your tap is the best it can be. We notice the chlorine taste more today because of the increased testing activity.

Stan Jasek, MLIA Board Member, Cabin #802 619-691-1423 stan@golden1realestate.com

To ensure the safety or our water supply, MLIA has instituted monthly testing for coliform in compliance with new San DiegoCounty water regulations.

Visitor Center Remodel Complete

Many of you recently stopped by to see our beautiful new Visitor Center at Mount Laguna designed by Tammie Mathers, Civil Engineer with the Cleveland National Forest.

There are many questions and a big interest in what products were used in the re-design. Isn't that vinyl "wood" floor absolutely amazing?    What about those wonderful stone walls?    And, the stamped concrete porch.....how cool is that?

So, by popular demand, Anne Carey from the Forest Service has supplied the following list for interested cabin owners.

VIC Product List

Roofing: Classic Products, Rustic Shingle, Aluminum Simulated Wood Shake, Color: Mustang Brown

Concrete Walks & Steps: Davis Colors, Color: San Diego Buff 5237

Exterior Paint: Sherwin Williams, Pelican Tan SW2036 Semi Gloss

Exterior Trim: Sherwin Williams, Falcon Brown SW2069 Gloss

Windows: Milgard Fiberglass Wood Clad Single and Double Hung, Divided Light, Color: Milgard Brownstone Fiberglass, Clear Satin Polyurethane on Douglas Fir Wood Interior, Brownstone Color Screen

Doors: Milgard Fiberglass French Door, Simulated Divided Light Grids, Exterior Color: Brownstone, Interior Color: Douglas Fir Wood Veneer with Clear Satin Polyurethane Finish

Siding: James Hardie Hardi Siding, 5/16 Inch Horizontal Lap, Select Cedarmill Texture, 6 ¼ Inch Nominal Width

Exterior Trim At Corners & Doors: James Hardie Rough Sawn Trim, 7/16” Select Cedarmill Texture, 3 1/2 Inch Actual Width

Soffit: James Hardie Soffit Panels, Non Vented Soffit, Select Cedarmill Texture

Porch: James Hardie Harditrim Planks, 7/16 Inch Trim Select Cedarmill Texture, 6 Inch Nominal Width

Stamped Porch: Weathered Wood Plank Pattern Stamped Concrete: Masterpiece Concrete Compositions, 1040 Whaley Street, Oceanside, CA 92054, 760-966-1123

Exterior Rock: Owens Corning Cultured Stone, Romano Old Country Fieldstone CSV-368168

Glaze ‘N Seal “Natural Look” Penetrating Sealer: Railings & Basement

Door: Commercial Openings, San Diego, CA

Color: Sherwin Williams, Falcon Brown SW2069 Gloss

Interior Flooring: Armstrong Natural Options Rustico Wood, Color: Pacific Coast Gray Brown, Planks

Wall Base: Armstrong Color Integrated Vinyl, 4 inch Height, 1/8 inch Gauge, Color: 54 Black Brown

Interior Rock Wall: Owens Corning Cultured Stone Summer Standard CSV-2071 Stream Stone

Glaze ‘N Seal “Natural Look” Penetrating Sealer

Interior Hearth: Owens Corning Cultured Stone, Stream Stone Summer Waterwash Pavers TC-3432

Hearth Stones; Glaze ‘N Seal “Natural Look” Penetrating Sealer

Interior Paint: Dun Edwards Suprema Eggshell, Color: Cottage White

Interior Trim: Douglas Fir Allheart with Deft Semigloss Clear Brushing Lacquer

Architectural Beams: Vintage Timberworks, 47100 Rainbow Canyon Road, Temecula, CA 92592, 909-695-1003

6”x8” Seasoned Dry Douglas Fir with Medium Hand Hewn Surface Appearance

Sherwin Williams Woodscapes, Color: Blue Shadow SW3531

Propane Stove: Pot Belly Stove Shop, Ramona, CA, 760-789-5212

Lopi Berkshire Direct Vent

Blinds: Home Depot Levelor Native Stone Finish, Color: Canyon Stone

National Forest Homeowners - New MLIA Tract Membership

Our association membership information and payment have been forwarded to NFH headquarters. Thank you all for your support! Our numbers will add to the impact NFH representation has in the continuation of recreation cabin programs across the country. Twenty-two of our members had already paid their membership fee to NFH. If you inadvertently included it again in your annual fees to MLIA, you will be credited on your next billing.

Water System Announcement

If you experience any problems with the MLIA water system please report it to Dan Fritz at (619) 405-1452 or (619) 749-4553.

The Dead Wood Gang

The Dead Wood Gang is riding Mt. Laguna in search of dead hazard trees! We are asking for your help to identify hazard trees with in 30 feet of your cabin or that could hit your cabin or out buildings. The Gang rides under the banner of the Mt. Laguna Fire Safe Council.

Once the clearing in complete around your cabin the Forest Service fuel reduction teams will have marked the trees they are not going to remove. If you have trees marked with yellow and black hazard tape let us know, we will start a list and prioritizes these trees for cutting.

The Mt. Laguna Fire Safe Council will use the grant money we have received to hire private companies for this work. They will be bonded and insured to do this type of work. We will cut the trees and chip the slash but leave the large branches and trunks.

We have limited funds for this project, so your information is important to us. The final responsibility is up to each cabin owner to remove the marked trees to be compliant for permit renewal.

The time frame for tree cutting will depend on the information and the weather, as it needs to be wet enough to run power equipment.

Please contact the gang leader, John Wallar.
949-361-5572 home
949-361-0139 fax mwallar@cox.net

 About the Mount Laguna Improvement Association

Founded in 1935, the Mount Laguna Improvement Association acts as a liaison between cabin owners and the Forest Service addressing water, roads and wood removal.

This web site was created by San Diego Photographer Rebecca Lawson and is currently maintained by Alan Dawson.