Upcoming Association Meetings:

  • THOA: 11/13/24 @ 6:00 PM Via Zoom

  • MHOA: 11/21/24 @ 7:00 PM Lake Villa Library

    -Contact Premier Management if you need Zoom access information to THOA meetings


11/12/24 Winter weather will be upon us soon, so here are some snow removal reminders from our vendor:

Winter Preparation Plan Townhomes of Cedar Crossing II

INFORMATION FOR A SAFE SEASON FROM YOUR CONTRACTED SNOW REMOVAL SERVICE APEX LANDSAPING INC.

Contracted service is from November 15th, 2024 to April 15, 2025

All driveways, hydrants, private and public walks and front entries are included.

*Plowing and shoveling will be timed to provide access to the property and scheduled as close to the storm ending as possible. All efforts will be made to complete operations as safely and quickly as possible.

*Snow services will commence after 2” of snow has fallen.

*If none of the drives near you have been done, we have not missed you, but simply have not reached you yet. Storms over 8 inches will be plowed to the best of human and equipment efforts. The amount of equipment is the same for all events according to your association’s contract. If blizzard conditions occur, operations may take longer to clear the property. Your patience during these events is appreciated.

•Please remove any decorative items, lights or obstructions along the driveways or walkways.

•All vehicles should be removed from private drives during storm events. We will not hand shovel around parked vehicles or plow near them for your protection.

•Please do not to move or relocate the driveway markers as this aids our drivers in minimizing damage. De-icing agents are applied upon approval by your board or managing agent.

If your household has a handicap need please contact your property management company so they may inform us.


10/3/24 Our Property Manager spotted this little blurb on the Village Of Lake Villa’s Facebook page today:

“The Annual Curb and Sidewalk Replacement Program will begin next week. The contractor will work in coordination with the Village’s Public Works staff to replace damaged curbs and sidewalks on portions of the following streets: Red Cedar Ln., Pine Tree Dr., Shoshoni Trl., Arapaho Trl., Park Ave., Wild Rose Crl., Pineview Pass, Violet Ct., Kenz Ct., Fairfax Dr., Hubbard, Ln., Mulberry Dr., Wesley Ave., Eaton Ln., and Berkshire Dr..

The map below outlines the specific locations of the work schedule. Additionally, a separate contractor will continue throughout the Village raising trip hazards. Please note that not all subdivisions within the Village will be addressed this year. We appreciate your patience.”

I didn’t copy the map as it only has push pins on each street, not any specific locations on each street. Hopefully they will address some of the dangerous raised sidewalks in our community as well.


8/29/24 The Board has added another meeting to the schedule this year for Oct. 16th @ 6 PM. This meeting is to review and discuss the recent Reserve Study report findings.

For those that are not aware, a Reserve Study is something an Association should get done every 3-5 years. The purpose of the study is to have professionals analyze and assess the Association’s current and future expenditure needs. It involves an on-site inspection to calculate the estimated remaining life of common elements and the estimated cost of repairing them.

We already know we have some big projects ahead of us for the community. We are working on mailbox replacements for 2025. We have set up reserve funds in anticipation of having to replace our buildings siding and driveways in the near future. This study will help us to determine the order of these projects.

We hope all owners will join us as we discuss the findings of the Reserve Study, to have a better understanding of what is going on in the community and how our monthly assessments are utilized.


8/22/24 We wanted to share that one of our neighbors in the community will be participating in a 1 hour seminar at the Lake Villa Library, focusing on protecting our precious pollinators. This will take place on Mon, Oct 7th, and you will need to register in advance. Please see flyer below for additional information.


7/25/24 Insurance Special Assessment: The Special Assessment for the insurance increase was approved at last nights meeting and payment is now due. Each Unit’s share of the Special Assessment is $317.12. The Special Assessment can be paid either as a lump sum payment due by August 15th, 2024, or in monthly installments of $63.42 beginning August 1, 2024 and continuing through December 1, 2024 with a grace period of the 15th of each month. Payment should be made out to Townhomes Of Cedar Crossing II and sent to Premier Residential at 4180 Route 83, Suite 14, Long Grove IL 60047


7/23/24 Accessing Zoom Meetings

Sharing some easy log in directions to access our Zoom meetings, for those who might not be aware of how to join or may find one of these ways an easier option.

Here are 3 options:

1) Go to www.zoom.com, then go to the top right of the page and click on the word “Join”. You will then need to enter the meeting ID code found on the July 9th email/letter from Premier, which is typically 11 numbers long. Then it will ask you for the passcode, which is 6 numbers. After typing in the passcode you are placed in the waiting room and will be let in when the meeting is ready to start.

2) Type this link into your browser as shown in the underlined section: zoom.us/join and hit enter. This will take you to the same screen as described above. Enter in the meeting ID, then the passcode, and you will be put into the waiting room and let in once the meeting is ready to start.

3) Set up an account with Zoom for free (www.zoom.com) and then go to 'Join Meeting'. This will take you to the same screen as described above. Enter in the meeting ID, then the passcode, and you will be put into the waiting room and let in once the meeting is ready to start.

We hope one of these options helps to make it easier to access our Zoom meetings!


7/23/24 Downed Trees/Large Branches: The THOA completed the removal of debris from downed trees and branches last week. The Board was just informed that unfortunately the MHOA’s tree vendor cannot start on clean up of their removals in our community until next week. If this is a concern for those that have existing debris in their yards, please contact the MHOA Board directly at contact@cedarcrossing.org.


7/17/24 Solicitor Scams: We received an email from our community police officer today, wanting us to tell residents to be wary of door-to-door solicitors who wish to do sealcoating, driveway-asphalt replacement, home remodeling and repair. Unfortunately a lot of these solicitors are not affiliated with legitimate businesses and are often a scam. There have been many in our area recently and the police are doing the best they can to find them, but need our help in spreading the word. Lake Villa currently does not have a soliciting ordinance to monitor these people. The police advise everyone to call (847)587-3100 if they have a solicitor, so they can come see if they are legitimate or not. Owners can place a no soliciting sticker on the inside panel window by their door, and if solicitors ignore it, the police can catch them and ask them to leave. Any additional questions, please reach out to our management company.


7/11/24 For those concerned about the white Semi truck parking on Berkshire and Park Ave:

A nuisance violation letter was sent to the owners from the THOA, as well as a member of our Board spoke with the owner personally. After seeing that additional help was needed, I stopped at the Police station and spoke with an officer about the situation. He gave me a copy of the official ordinance, which I have copied below. They will be sending an officer to speak with the owner, so hopefully this will be the end of this situation before someone gets hurt. But just in case, its good to know that trucks are prohibited, and that we have a course of action moving forward.

7-2-12: PARKING OF CERTAIN VEHICLES RESTRICTED ON PUBLIC STREETS:

   A.   Except as specifically provided below, truck-tractors, buses, courtesy buses, public transit vehicles, hauler trailers, travel trailers, camping trailers, campers, motor homes, pop up campers, house trailers, mobile homes, recreational vehicles, off road vehicles and/or all-terrain vehicles, farm or lawn tractors, or other implements of husbandry and/or landscaping maintenance equipment, storage containers or pods, boats and boat trailers, personal watercraft and personal watercraft trailers, and snowmobiles and snowmobile trailers, all watercraft and all watercraft trailers, horse trailers, or carriers, construction equipment or machinery, motorcycle trailers, or any other similar vehicles, trailers or equipment, whether loaded or empty (all hereinafter collectively referred to as "restricted vehicles") shall be and are hereby prohibited from being parked, maintained, or permitted to remain parked on any public highway, road, street, alley, or other public right-of-way within the Village of Lake Villa. All terms used in this section shall have those respective definitions provided in the Illinois Vehicle Code, as amended from time to time, except as otherwise modified herein.

   B.   The foregoing notwithstanding, restricted vehicles may be parked on any public highway, road, street, alley, or other public right-of-way within the Village of Lake Villa as follows:

      1.   When said restricted vehicles are owned, leased, and utilized by someone other than an owner or occupant of any premises in the vicinity, and only if such restricted vehicles are parked on any public highway, road, street, alley, or other public right-of-way within the Village of Lake Villa, for the present and immediate purpose of either making deliveries to or a pick up from premises in the vicinity or for the present and immediate purpose of rendering service to the owners or occupants of such premises; or

      2.   For the purposes of the safe loading or unloading of persons, equipment, or goods to or from premises in the vicinity for a period of not more than a total of six (6) hours within a seven (7) day period (said period commencing with the first day during which a vehicle is so parked). (Ord. 2005-09-03, 9-28-2005)


7/10/24 Some additional information has come our way that we wanted to pass on to everyone. Questions have surfaced on whether electric grills will be permissible, and if grilling will be allowed in driveways with the grill stored in a garage.

Electric grills would be allowed, but again, the grill must be at least 10 feet away from the unit. And no propane tanks or grills of any kind will be able to be stored in garages.

This information will be in the new rules section that our attorney is currently working on, and will be sent to all homeowners once completed and adopted.

Any additional information we get will continue to be passed along.


7/9/24 Special Meeting of the Board of Directors for Townhomes of Cedar Crossing II
This letter is being sent out to all homeowners via email or mail today:

Dear Owners,
There will be a Special Meeting of the Board of Directors for the sole purpose of adopting a Special Assessment pursuant to Article IV Section 4.08 of the Association’s By-Laws. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, at 6:00 pm via Zoom. Please join using the credentials below. *(credentials are never posted on a public site, if you need them prior to the meeting, please contact Premier for them)
The sole purpose of the Special Assessment is to fund a shortfall in the Association’s annual budget created by an unanticipated increase in insurance premiums. The amount of the contemplated Special Assessment is $23,466.64 and is the amount the Association’s insurance premium was increased. Each Unit’s share of the Special Assessment is $317.12. The Special Assessment can be paid either as a lump sum payment due by August 15th, 2024, or in monthly installments of $63.42 beginning August 1, 2024 and continuing through December 1, 2024 with a grace period of the 15th of each month.


7/3/24 A couple of items pertaining to the grill restrictions that we have to follow:

The Board is looking into the feasibility of adding some type of permanent charcoal grill stations to the gazebo island areas. This certainly won’t replace the ability to have a personal grill on your deck or patio, but hope it might be helpful to some if it is something we are able to do it, and to do in a cost effective manner.

For those that will need to have their grill or patio furniture removed due to lack of space, here is some information on garbage pick up from LRS:

-Each unit is allowed 1 large item to be picked up each week, max weight 50 LBS. For grills, propane tanks must be removed or they will not take it. Propane tanks can be dropped of at SWALCO in Grayslake, they will take full or empty tanks. Their number is (847)377-4950 if you need more information.

-For items over 50 LBS, you will need to call in advance for pickup. LRS requires payment in advance, at $25 per yard, cost based on weight and size. If you are unsure if it meets the free pick up qualifications, you can text a photo of the item to (227)477-3196 , then call LRS to get a price estimate. LRS phone number is (844) 633-3577.


7/3/24 Regarding individual homeowners insurance, our broker/agent Trevor Pachis made an excellent recommendation to all owners at the meeting last night. With our new Association insurance policy, we now have a $60K deductible for wind and hail damage per building that we didn’t have before. Trevor recommends that all owners look into getting Loss Assessment coverage with their current carrier. When gathering information, he stated that you should get as much as they offer (Ex: $50K) and to get it in writing that the coverage will cover any hazardous type of Association assessment from an insurance deductible. (this type of coverage does NOT cover assessments due to Association fund shortage to pay for community projects, only for hazards that would require assessments to repair)

I received some information from my State Farm carrier yesterday-I didn’t request an amount, just inquired. I was quoted $25K of coverage for only an additional $8 per year, to give you an idea of cost.


7/3/24 This letter will be coming to all homeowners shortly, put together by our insurance broker/agent Trevor Pachis. There is some good information here, so thought it was worth posting it on the site. It covers what the Association insurance policy is required to cover versus what you, as the owner, should cover.

Dear Owner,

The Townhomes of Cedar Crossing II Association has asked us to send out an assessment of

the Association’s declarations and bylaws as they relate to insurance coverage. We want to assist

you in having a clear understanding of what the association covers, versus what you, as a unit

owner, should cover. Please use this information to make sure you have adequate coverage. This

information can be found in the Association’s declarations First Amendment document starting

on page 5 under Section 7.01 and following:

 -Page 5, paragraph a.: the Association’s board is responsible to have General liability

insurance to protect the Association against claims and liabilities in connection w/ the

ownership, use, management and operation of the property. No minimum coverage limit

is mentioned.

 -Page 5, paragraph b.: the Association is responsible for Property Insurance on all the lots,

townhome dwellings and property improvements that the Association is responsible to

maintain (common elements). Coverage is to be all risk at RCV. Coverage for the

townhome dwellings is considered to be “bare walls and out”. This means the

Association is not responsible to insure water heaters, HVAC equipment, built-ins,

fixtures added by any dwelling owner, electrical fixtures, any decorating, floor, wall &

ceiling coverings, painting, trim, appliances, personal property & furnishings.

 -Page 6, paragraph c.: the Association must have a fidelity bond in place in order to insure

against the possible loss of the Association’s funds and for the protection of those funds

in the Association’s custody or control. The coverage must include persons including any

property management employees who control or disburse the Association’s funds.

 -Page 6, paragraph d.: the Association is responsible for having Directors and Officers

liability insurance coverage. This coverage is to protect the Association’s board and its

officers for any claims that might arise due to the actions of the Association’s board and

officers in their official capacity.

-Page 6, paragraph e.: the Association’s board has the authority to obtain other insurance it

deems necessary and/or is required to comply with applicable law. Such insurance can

include workers compensation coverage for employees, umbrella liability insurance,

employment liability and employment practices liability insurance, errors and omissions

insurance for board members and insurance for any environmental hazards.

-Page 7, Section 7.02.: unit owners are responsible to insure their personal property and

contents in their units and anywhere else on the Association’s premises, furnishings and

contents. Unit owners are responsible to insure all of the decorating and improvements

made to their units that the Association’s insurance does not cover as noted above found

on page 6 under Section 7.01, paragraph b. Unit owners also are responsible to obtain

insurance for their personal liability associated with the occupancy, use and maintenance

of the units and for their personal actions.

-Please consider the purchase of Loss Assessment Coverage from your homeowners’

carrier. Your association has a wind and hail deductible which could be special assessed

to unit owners at a time of loss, and your homeowner’s carrier may pick up that

assessment, reducing your exposure and out of pocket costs. Please consult your current

provider or give us a call to further assist you.

Trevor Pachis-(847) 905-1905


6/25/24 *****Important Board Of Director’s Meeting*****

There will be an important Board Of Director’s Meeting held on July 2nd, 2024 at 6:00 PM. This meeting will be held through Zoom-you will be receiving an email or letter in the mail (if you haven’t signed the Electronic Consent Form) with the Zoom credentials and password.

It is strongly recommended that at least 1 member from each household attend the meeting, as some important information will be shared that affects our community.

We realize this is a holiday week, but we are under a time constraint and it can’t be helped. For those who may be traveling, please remember that you can always call in to Zoom and listen to the information being shared.

If for some reason you have not received the Zoom credentials by the afternoon of 7/2, please contact Premier or your Board to get the information.


6/24/24 As stated in an earlier post, our insurance company American Family did not renew our Association policy, as they are getting out of this type of residential insurance. We are not alone, as many other insurance providers are following suit. Some new information has come in about what our new plan will look like, and there is no other way to put this, but it is shocking. Not only are we looking at a substantial (which is putting it mildly) increase, but there are some rules that have to be implemented before they will even consider insuring us.

We are working on these rule changes currently. We will be scheduling an Association meeting very soon to explain the changes. We feel it is extremely important that at least 1 member from each household attend the meeting to become educated on what and why these changes need to take place.

Stay tuned…..


5/30/24 Warm weather is here so it’s a good time for some seasonal community reminders:

  • Fire pits of any kind are not allowed anywhere in our community.

  • Owners are not allowed to plant or remove plant material in both the THOA and MHOA common areas without prior Board approval. This includes the common area beds in the fronts and sides of units. Placing a small pot with flowers in the bed is acceptable as long as it does not interfere with the landscape crew being able to weed, trim, etc. Please note that if any decorative item placed in the bed gets broken by the landscape crew, they (nor the Association) are liable.

    If an owner is interested in filling in some dead spots in their side beds, they must get prior approval from the BOD before doing so. Simply fill out an ARC form (on the document page) or submit a drawing with the desired plantings and submit to Premier. Any plantings installed without this approval will need to be removed.

  • Some owners may be receiving new plantings for their common areas in the next few weeks. The landscape team will leave watering directions on the front patio. It is the owners responsibility to water these new plantings to insure their growth. If you can not do this, please make sure you notify Premier immediately after they have been planted so that other arrangements can be made. If the plantings die due to lack of water, it will be the homeowners responsibility to replace them.

  • Fishing is not allowed on any of the ponds for insurance purposes. There are signs that clearly state this, but often are ignored. If you do see anyone fishing, all you need to do is contact non-emergency police and they will ask them to leave.

  • Pets must be kept on leashes at all times and owners need to clean up after them when walking throughout the community.

  • Overnight parking is not allowed in driveways. If there are special circumstances an owner would like the BOD to consider, please contact Premier.

Please understand that your BOD does not police these activities, but when made aware of a violation, they must act on it, same as Premier.

You can get additional information regarding these reminders in your Declarations and/or Rules and Regulations documents (see documents page on this site) or feel free to contact your BOD or Premier with any questions.

Enjoy the summer!!


5/17/24 Lots of changes coming our way due to shifts in industry wide insurance coverage, and unfortunately these changes look to be costly. While we are on a wait and see for what our new coverage will cover and the cost, one heads up we can share is that we have been told that policies will be requiring connected townhomes to have inspections and cleaning of dryers and vents done on an annual basis, providing receipts to the Association that it has been done. Leaving your dryer vent to collect debris can be very dangerous. A blocked or clogged dryer vent not only prevents your machine from working properly but it can cause a fire, which puts ALL connected units at risk, not just your unit.

On our recent Spring walk-through, we did notice quite a few dryer vents that need to be cleaned out. While letters will be sent to these select homeowners, the Board strongly recommends that all homeowners be good neighbors and inspect/clean out their own vents immediately.

This will soon become a part of our regular homeowner responsibilities to maintain, so we’re hoping that everyone will get a jump start on it now.

Any questions, please contact our management company directly. We appreciate everyone’s cooperation!


5/7/24 Last week 3 emails went out to all owners from our management company with information about upcoming work activity that will be taking place in the community. If you haven’t received them, please check your spam folder (Premier has experienced some issues with email recently) for more information. A reminder of these activities will be pinned on this page until completed. Please remember these dates are also weather permitting. Any other questions, please contact Premier Mgmt.

6/3-6/7: Supreme Cleaning will be on site starting between 8-8:30 to perform the exterior wash of all buildings. Please make sure your windows are closed on the day your unit is scheduled.

Breakdown By Unit:
Day 1 Monday, June 3rd
Building 1 - 222, 224, 226, 228 Berkshire Drive
Building 2 - 214, 216, 218, 220 Berkshire Drive
Building 3 - 208, 210, 212 Berkshire Drive
Building 4 - 202, 204, 206 Berkshire Drive
Building 5 - 201, 203, 205 Berkshire Drive
Day 2 Tuesday, June 4th
Building 6 - 207, 209, 211, 213 Berkshire Drive
Building 7 - 215, 217, 219, 221 Berkshire Drive
Building 8 - 223, 225 Berkshire Drive
Building 9 - 227, 229 Berkshire Drive
Building 10 - 231, 233, 235, 237 Berkshire Drive
Day 3 Wednesday, June 5th
Building 11 - 614, 616 Farmington Court
Building 12 - 608, 610, 612 Farmington Court
Building 13 - 600, 602, 604, 606 Farmington Court
Building 14 - 603, 605, 607, 609 Farmington Court
Building 15 - 314, 316, 318, 320 Berkshire Drive
Day 4 Thursday, June 6th
Building 16 - 301, 303 Berkshire Drive
Building 17 - 305, 307, 309, 311 Berkshire Drive
Building 18 - 313, 315, 317 Berkshire Drive
Building 19 - 324, 326, 328 Berkshire Drive
Building 20 - 327, 329, 331, 333 Berkshire Drive
Day 5 Friday, June 7th
Building 21 - 335, 337, 339, 341 Berkshire
Building 22 - 334, 336, 338, 340 Berkshire


4/25/24 Just a reminder that Waste Management will be picking up their garbage bins after final pick up on Friday, so leave your bins out at the end of your drive.


3/18/24 A reminder to all dog owners in the community:

Now that the snow is melted, please make sure that you clean up your yard and remove/dispose of any waste from the winter season that you have in the front, side and back lots. This is the homeowner’s responsibility per our Rules and Regulations and those who don’t clean up will be in violation.

Thanks for doing your part to keep our community clean!


3/18/24 By now everyone should have received a postcard from our new waste and recycling service provider LRS. The Village also recently provided more information about the upcoming change:

‘On May 1, Lakeshore Recycling Systems (LRS) will take over the weekly collection of trash and recycling for residential properties in the Village.

At the February 20, 2024 Village Board meeting, the Board of Trustees approved a 6-year contract with LRS as the Village’s new garbage and recycling hauler. The decision to change haulers was driven by cost considerations, the Village’s commitment to customer service, and interest in maintaining current service offerings.

In October of last year, the Village engaged in a competitive bidding process for waste hauling services in anticipation of its expiring contract with Waste Management on April 30, 2024. Sealed proposals from three firms (Waste Management, Groot, and LRS) were opened publicly on October 30, 2023. LRS was the only vendor to provide a bid on leaf vacuuming services and offered additional savings to the Village overall.

For more information, visit, http://www.lake-villa.org/egov/apps/document/center.egov...

The key things to remember:

-Service with Waste Mgmt remains the same through the end of April-WM will pick up the bins left at the curb the following week. (I can’t find a specific date but will update if I get one)

-Service with LRS starts effective May 1st. Bins will be dropped off before then. We keep the same service schedule of Friday pick up.

-You can find out more about LRS services at service@lrsrecycles.com or call (844) 633-3577


2/11/24 Our landscape team will be on the property in the coming week(s) to finish up our winter tree removal/trimming project. One tree fell before the crew could remove it, but thankfully there was no damage to any property. Any of the orange snow markers that have fallen will be removed as well.


2/1/24 Great news for our community!

From the Lake Villa Township website: (www.lakevillatownship.org)

We are excited to announce that Lake Villa Township has been awarded the $600,000 Open Space Land and Development (OSLAD) Grant for the development of our new park. This grant will enable us to create a wonderful community space that includes a pickle ball court, a community garden, and a refrigerated ice skating rink.

We are grateful for this funding opportunity and look forward to providing our residents with this new, exciting space. We will keep the community updated on the progress of this project as we move forward.

*Click on map to enlarge*


From our snow removal team, now that the snow storm is over:

Crews have been back overnight on sites or are scheduled back to all sites this morning. As final cleanups are completed, salt will be applied per your contract, or by already received “opt in” approvals.

This was an unprecedented storm in many areas. Several major roads were been found to be impassable & closed at times yesterday and overnight. Rain mixing in complicated matters in certain areas.

Hand shoveling crews are experiencing extraordinary circumstances on properties and we ask for your patience as we get to everyone.

All areas had new snow overnight from 9pm to 6am requiring additional plowing & shoveling today.

Additional snow showers today will add only minor accumulations.


UPDATE!

Garbage pick up will now be on Monday, 1/15, delaying services for all 1 day to allow them to catch up. After Monday, our next pick up date will be Saturday, 1/20.

Waste Management has made the decision to pull all residential trucks off the street for the day-the trucks are sliding all over the roads and creating a very dangerous situation. They are in the process of formulating a recovery plan and the new pick up date will be posted on this site as soon as available.

For garbage pick on on 1/12/24-

Please make sure to put your garbage and recycling out tonight. Waste Management will be starting an hour early tomorrow due to the weather. If it’s possible, place containers on the grass versus the driveway to help out the plowing crew.


SNOW REMOVAL REMINDERS:

It looks like Winter is finally ready to drop some snow, so it’s a good time to remind owners to please keep driveways clear of vehicles and garbage cans for easy snow removal when snow is forecast. Plowing will take place once a minimum of 2 inches has fallen.

Also keep in mind that per a Lake Villa ordinance, there is no parking allowed in the street when 2+ inches of snow are expected.


Landscape work for the 2023/2024 winter season:

Once again the Board has contracted with Apex Landscaping to remove and/or trim dead or problematic trees as well as the removal of dead or dying Juniper throughout the community. This work will be done over a period of 2 days in the coming winter months. Please note that there will be no replacements for trees/plants removed. The list below covers the majority of work being done by unit, based on a recent walk of the entire community.

314B-Removal of Yews and Scotch Pine

326B-Trimming of Crab Tree

328B-Removal of Juniper and Spruce

334B-Removal of dead Juniper

West Monument-Removal of Crap Tree

341B-Removal of Juniper

333B-Removal of Yews

327B-Cut/Trim of Hydrangea and Magnolia, trim dead off Spruce

305B-Removal of Juniper

301B-Removal of 2 dead Yews

237B-Removal of Spruce

231B-Removal of Spruce

229B-Removal of Spruce

223B-Removal of Arborvitae and Crab Tree

221B-Removal of 3 Arborvitae and Crab Tree

215B-Removal of Crab Tree

201B-Trimming tree on left of unit

202B-Trimming of Birch

214B-Trimming of Crab Tree

220B-Removal of Crab Tree

222B-Removal of Sand Cherry tree

224B-Removal of Crab Tree and trimming of Honey Locust Tree

616F-Removal of Juniper, trimming of Crab Trees

614F-Removal of Spruce

600F-Removal of Arborvitae

603F-Trimming of Magnolia

609F-Removal of Evergreen, Juniper and trimming of the Japanese Lilac

If time permits:

341B-Removal of Spruce

205B-Removal of White Pine

The discount we receive to do the work over the winter months has saved the Association THOUSANDS of dollars in landscaping costs, so the Board also plans on doing this again during the 2024/2025 winter season to remove the last of the Spruce and other problematic trees.

Any questions, please contact Premier.


A heads up to anyone who likes to walk in the single family home community!

One of our neighbors has had 2 run ins with a coyote over by the Tot Lot off of Park Ave. Both instances have occurred very early in the morning while she was walking her dog. The first time the coyote barked aggressively, then went back into the woods. The 2nd time it actually followed the owner for a good 2 minutes after she turned to walk back to our community.

Anyone with children and pets should be on alert and cautious in this area and anytime they see a coyote in the neighborhood.

Stay safe out there!


With so many new members to our community, this repost from last season may be helpful reminders to all:

  • Overnight parking is not allowed in driveways. If there are special circumstances an owner would like the Board to consider, please contact Premier, our property management company.

  • Fire pits of any kind are not allowed anywhere in our community.

  • Make sure to keep any grills/smokers far enough away from the unit so no damage is done to the siding.

  • Owners are not allowed to plant or remove plant material in any THOA common area without prior Board approval.

  • Some owners may be receiving new plantings for their common area in the coming months. It is the owners responsibility to water these new plantings to insure their growth. If you can not do this, please make sure you notify Premier immediately after they have been planted so that other arrangements can be made. If the new plantings need to be replaced for lack of watering, it is done so at the homeowner's expense, per our Rules and Regulations.

  • Pets must be kept on leashes at all times and owners need to clean up after them when walking throughout the community.

Please understand that while your BOD does not police these activities, when made aware of a violation they must act on it. Our management company also performs random community walk-throughs throughout the season.

You can get additional information regarding these reminders in your Declarations and/or Rules and Regulations documents (see documents page on this site) or feel free to contact Premier with any questions.

Enjoy the summer!!


From our landscaping company, Apex Landscaping:

The Chicagoland area is having unseasonably dry weather.  This week our maintenance crews will only be mowing as needed, where needed.  Irrigated properties and shaded locations on properties may need to be mowed.  We have many water trucks and water crews available should you need supplemental watering of your turf, plant materials, trees or flowers. 

The next few weeks our teams will be focusing on weeding and shrub trimming.  The weeds are one thing that thrive in this dry hot weather.  Shrub trimming will commence as horticulturally dictated after flowering and once the new growth hardens off.  Per the landscape maintenance contract the completion time of shrub trimming is July 15th.  If an area has not been trimmed it is likely not missed but rather the plant is not ready for the trimming to be completed or the crew has not made it to that area of the property.

Any questions, please contact our management company.


It’s that time of year! Please slow down and keep an eye out for turtles crossing the road!!


REMINDER!

Aerex Pest Control will be performing an exterior insect barrier and wasp power spray on Wednesday, May 31, 2023 between 7:00 am and 3:00 pm, weather permitting.
They will be spraying the exteriors of all buildings. While work is in progress, please make sure people and pets are inside, toys and furniture are moved away from the buildings, and your windows are closed that day while spraying. Once the spray is completed, you may open your windows. Their products are safe for pets and children, are odorless, and will leave no stain. Please do not take up any window washing until after their treatment. Once the product dries, usually in 1 hour, you can resume normal outdoor activities.


For end unit homeowners:

The Board has received some requests from owners asking if they can throw grass seed down on the property between the side beds that were recently cleaned out. We understand that with the clean up and recent tree removals, there are now areas that will get sun for the first time in years, where grass can now grow. This property is owned by the MHOA, and they have given permission to interested owners to go ahead and seed at their own expense. If this is a large section, we recommend that it be roped off, as long as our landscapers have access to getting to our back areas from an area nearby. Also, it’s important that you DO NOT use any fertilization and/or weed spray on ANY common areas, as this will interfere with both Association’s chemical drops that will be starting next month. There will be a letter coming soon to all owners regarding landscaping in the MHOA and THOA owned common areas, but feel free to contact the Board with any questions in the meantime.


By now all owners have received the annual Board of Director’s election information via email (dated 3/13/23) or by mail. The Board asks all members to please vote and submit their ballots in to Premier before 4/4/23. We need the ballots in to establish quorum, so that we can save the cost of having to have 3 seat elections every year. We appreciate those who take the time to send it in!


The annual election of our community Board of Directors is scheduled to take place at the upcoming 4/4/23 meeting. There are 3 seats open for election. Anyone interested in applying for a Board seat needs to complete the Self-Nomination Application form that was sent out to all owners on 2/24/23, and make sure to get it returned to Premier no later than Sunday, 3/12/23. Any questions, please reach out directly to our management company.


Community alert!

Last night, there was an incident that we felt should be shared with the community. One of our neighbor’s garage door opened randomly on it’s own. After checking their security camera, they noticed a vehicle driving by at the same time that the door opened. They believe that this was a ‘fishing’ incident, where someone uses a universal garage door remote while driving through a neighborhood, identifying doors they can open, then coming back later when they think the owner isn’t home. The owner disabled the door from remote access as a safety precaution, and later found that the camera showed the garage light came on twice, as if someone was trying to open the door. The police have been contacted.

Incidents like these are good reminders that we all need to be alert and keep an eye out for any suspicious activity near our homes and within the community. Stay safe neighbors!


Reposting again in hopes of getting more of our members signed up. It’s convenient and saves us money!

Are you signed up for electronic communication?

Signing up is easy (form is copied below and in the documents tab of this website) and saves our association printing, postage and materials cost. We encourage all those not currently set up to please complete the form below and send in to Premier.

Any questions or if you need help getting set up, please contact Premier or your BOD.


There will be a letter coming out soon to all homeowners regarding some winter landscaping that will be taking place over the next several weeks. Outside of the side beds getting cleaned up, there will be a separate crew that will be removing as many of the dead/dying and problematic trees in the side beds that they can within 1 day. We hope they will be able to get through the whole list below, but if not, those trees will be included in round 2 next winter. Any questions, please contact our management company.

These are listed in order of removal priority:

  1. 311 Berkshire – Pine behind the Maple

  2. 313 Berkshire – Pine on the left side of the garage

  3. 305 Berkshire – Pine of the left corner behind Maple

  4. 227 Berkshire – Pine on the left side of the garage

  5. 225 Berkshire – Pine on right side of house

  6. 213 Berkshire – Pine on right side behind tree

  7. 317 Berkshire  - Evergreen on right side of garage

  8. 603 Farmington - Evergreen on right side of garage

  9. 606 Farmington - Evergreen on right side of garage

  10. 214 Berkshire – Left side of garage broken Arborvitae

  11. 202 Berkshire- Evergreen on right side of garage

  12. 215 Berkshire- Evergreen on left side of garage

  13. 225 Berkshire- Evergreen on right side of garage

Optional if time permits this season:

  1. 222 Berkshire - Evergreen on right side of garage

  2. 220 Berkshire - Evergreen on left side of garage

  3. 614 Farmington-Evergreen on left side of garage


The Board is happy to share that a signed settlement agreement has been been reached with the MHOA regarding the neglect of the MHOA owned common areas in our community. We are now able to start the clean up process of the side beds and take advantage of our landscaper’s winter discount. While we plan to get a lot accomplished in the next few weeks, the clean up will require more work in the Spring and Summer, so please continue to be patient as we work out the most cost effective way to get the beds back in shape.

More information will be shared about the settlement and clean up process at the upcoming meeting.


Waste Management’s 2023 Holiday pick up schedule:

  • New Year's Day

  • Memorial Day

  • Independence Day

  • Labor Day

  • Thanksgiving Day

  • Christmas Day

Weekday holidays will delay collection by one day for the remainder of the week. For example, if a holiday falls on a Thursday, Thursday customers will be collected on Friday and Friday customers will be collected on Saturday.


The December 20th, 2022 MHOA meeting has been rescheduled to January 9th, 2023.

Moving forward, all future dates and times for both Association meetings will be pinned at the top of this page. Zoom information for the THOA meetings has already been mailed out and cannot be posted publicly on this site. If needed, please reach out to customerservice@premierresmgt.com.


Criminal Activity Alert!

We were recently notified there was a car theft that took place in our community. Please let this serve as a reminder to keep a watchful eye for any suspicious activity around your home and within the community. It’s important to report any such activity to the Lake Villa Police Department. The non-emergency number is listed on the ‘Contact Us’ tab of this website. Residents AND guests are advised to keep car doors locked and to not leave important personal belongings in their vehicle.


With snow season officially here, it’s a good time to remind owners to please keep driveways clear of vehicles and garbage cans for easy snow removal from our vendor when snow is in our forecast.

Also keep in mind that per a Lake Villa ordinance, there is no parking allowed in the street when 2+ inches of snow are expected.


FYI: All American Exteriors will be on the property the week of November 21st (weather permitting) to clean all the gutters and downspouts.


Save the date! The Village of Lake Villa holiday parade and tree lighting ceremony is on the calendar. Parade starts at 5:00 from Palombi School headed towards Cedar Ave, followed up with the tree lighting at Lehmann Park Pavilion. Rumor has it Santa will be making an appearance!

For more information, visit: Village of Lake Villa


We need your help!!!!! Our roads are in bad shape and really need some attention.

The Village has committed to repairing some of our curbs next season, due to our new driveway project coming up. But we can’t stop there. The best way to get the Village’s attention is for individual homeowners to contact them directly and complain. With a new Village Administrator in place, maybe we can make some headway if we work together as a community.

The new Administrator’s contact information:

Michael Strong P: 847-356-6100 Email at mstrong@lake-villa.org

Please be as detailed as possible when contacting them (provide addresses of all locations that are bad, pictures are even better to include)

If anyone receives information back that is worth noting, please share with the Board and/or Premier.

We appreciate all those who take the time to bring this to the Administrator’s attention!


Are you signed up for electronic communication? Stop with the snail mail and help the association save money!

Signing up is easy (form in the documents tab and below) and saves our association printing, postage and materials cost. We encourage all those not currently set up to please complete the form below and send in to Premier.

Any questions or if you need help getting set up, please contact Premier directly.


The next THOA meeting is scheduled for November 17th @ 6:30 pm. This meeting will be for the adoption of the 2023 budget. Zoom information to come soon.


Our neighbor Joe Gannon (a member of the MHOA Pond Committee) recently made the THOA BOD aware of a workshop being hosted by the Stormwater Mgmt Commission of Lake County. This workshop supports Associations and Property Owners who are responsible for maintaining detention ponds, wetlands and other natural areas. While the ponds are maintained by the Master Association, as President of the THOA I have to say this seminar was very informative and I learn a lot! I think it is something that others might find worthwhile as well, so I have added a link below for interested owners to view online.

A shout out to the Pond Committee members (from both associations) who have come together and invested their time and energy into finding ways to better care for and maintain our ponds throughout both communities.

Click on the box below for more info:


Work on the gazebo roof replacements has started on Farmington Court, with the Berkshire gazebo to follow. Please be mindful of our vendors vehicles and equipment around the area when they are working. Each roof replacement should take approximately 2-4 days to complete.


The next THOA meeting is scheduled for October 5th @ 6:00 pm. This meeting will focus on the 2023 budget. More info and Zoom information to come soon.


!!!!! The Meet & Greet with our community liaison Officer Demski has been cancelled due to weather. A new date will be announced when it becomes available.


Some helpful information given to the BOD to share with the community regarding the benefits of trees. Thanks to our neighbor Joe Gannon for sharing with us all! Click on the link below to view.



It was recently brought to the attention of both association BOD’s that some kids have been fishing in the big pond in the TH community. There is no fishing, swimming, skating or any activity allowed in any of the ponds in both communities. While there are signs posted, sometimes that’s not enough to detour people.

If you see any of this activity taking place, owners can contact the non-emergency phone number for the Lake Villa Police Department at (847) 356-6106 and request an Officer to come by and tell them to leave. (It does NOT have to be our assigned community representative)


For owners who aren’t aware, the Lake Villa Police Department has a Neighborhood Policing Program, where Officers are assigned to subdivisions in the area to work with residents in helping to keep their neighborhoods safe. Our Patrol Officer is Officer Demski. Residents can call or email our representative with general questions and safety concerns at any time. His contact information is listed on the ‘contact us’ page of this site.

From the Lake Villa website:

The Lake Villa Police Department would like to remind residents of our Neighborhood Policing Program. This program is designed to promote a partnership and facilitate communication between the residents and the police department.  The Lake Villa Police Department wants to give the citizens a contact within the police department that they can use for non-emergency reasons. Each subdivision is assigned a neighborhood police officer that the resident can contact. You can ask questions, report activity (speeding vehicles, graffiti, extra patrol requests, etc.), give anonymous tips regarding criminal or suspicious behavior, or other general concerns.  This program is not meant for in progress or emergency situations. Please call 9-1-1 for emergency assistance or (847)356-6106 for non-emergency. 


!!!!! Phase 3 painting homeowners—-Our vendor Inside Out apologizes for having had to miss a few scheduled appointments this morning!!!!!

There was a mishap with the paint that caused the delay but has since been corrected. The remaining scheduled appointments for the day will be on time, and they will work on rescheduling those that were not able to be completed this morning as soon as possible. Any additional questions, please contact Premier Residential directly.


!!!!! Phase 3 homeowners who are scheduled to have their front door painted AND are a part of the last phase of sealcoating-Inside Out has suggested allowing painter’s to come in through the back patio door to keep things on schedule!!!!!

If owners cannot accommodate this, please reach out to Premier to figure out an alternative solution.


!!!!!! Due to the weather, driveway sealcoating has been pushed back a day!!!!!

The new schedule is as follows:

August 4th: All even numbered units 202-228 Berkshire

August 5th: All even numbered units 314-340 Berkshire and ALL units on Farmington Court


New and replacement plantings were recently installed throughout our community by Apex Landscaping. Owners who received new plantings were left a card with watering instructions at their front door. As a reminder per our declarations, homeowners are responsible for the care and watering of new plantings, so if an owner needs assistance with this, please contact Premier or your Board of Directors immediately.


A notice has been sent out (7/21/22) regarding driveway sealcoating. Information and the schedule, weather permitting, is listed below. (This site will post any changes to the schedule if it is needed, as information becomes available)

The Board of Directors contracted with Fireman’s Sealcoating this year. The sealcoating is scheduled to begin on August 1, 2022, weather permitting. The project will last four days and they plan to be working from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm.

The building order is as follows:

Day 1 – August 1st: All odd numbered units 301 – 341 Berkshire

Day 2 – August 2nd: All odd numbered units 201 – 237 Berkshire

Day 3 – August 3rd: All even numbered units 202 – 228 Berkshire

Day 4 – August 4th: All even numbered units 314 – 340 Berkshire, and ALL units on Farmington Court

Please have all vehicles and any personal items you may have stored on your driveway removed by 8:00 am the day your unit is scheduled to be serviced. Fireman’s Sealcoating will stake and tape-off your driveway after the sealcoating and they will remove the stakes and tape when you can access your driveway. While your driveway access is unavailable, you are welcome to park your vehicle in guest parking. Please contact the Village of Lake Villa if you plan to park in the street.

If you have any questions regarding this notice, please do not hesitate to contact Premier directly.


The next MHOA meeting is scheduled for July 13th at 7:00 pm, to be held at the Lake Villa library. This is an in person meeting only.


A reminder that the next THOA Zoom meeting is scheduled for July 12th at 6:00 pm. Notification for this meeting was sent out on 4/25/22. If you are in need of the Zoom log in information, please contact Premier for access.


With so many new members to our community, the Board of Directors (BOD) thought it would be helpful to share some reminders to all:

  • Overnight parking is not allowed in driveways. If there are special circumstances an owner would like the BOD to consider, please contact Premier, our property management company.

  • Fire pits of any kind are not allowed anywhere in our community.

  • Owners are not allowed to plant or remove plant material in both the THOA and MHOA common areas without prior Board approval.

  • Some owners may be receiving new plantings for their common area in the next few weeks. It is the owners responsibility to water these new plantings to insure their growth. If you can not do this, please make sure you notify Premier immediately after they have been planted so that other arrangements can be made.

  • Pets must be kept on leashes at all times and owners need to clean up after them when walking throughout the community.

Please understand that your BOD does not police these activities, but when made aware of a violation, they must act on it, same as Premier.

You can get additional information regarding these reminders in your Declarations and/or Rules and Regulations documents (see documents page on this site) or feel free to contact your BOD or Premier with any questions.

Enjoy the summer!!


Phase 3 of painting and wood replacement will begin at the end of the month. This includes the painting of your front door. Further information will be sent out next week to those homeowners that this will affect.


ATTENTION MEMBERS!! There was a recent home invasion attempt made on one of our neighbors homes! (around the area of Berkshire and Bretons Dr) This happened after 11:30 PM—windows were broken and the police were called, but no suspects have been caught. Please be vigilant! Make sure your vehicles are locked if parked outside, as well as interior doors and windows. If you see anything suspicious, please contact the police at (847) 356-6106. Stay safe neighbors!


Unfortunately the July 16th BBQ will have to be canceled due to lack of people signing up to attend. There is still strong interest from many neighbors and the BOD for this to take place, so hopefully we can continue to work toward making it happen at some point. Feel free to email your board with any questions or suggestions on making this event easier for all to attend. Example: should this be held closer to fall when summer vacations are over with, etc?


New MHOA Board email address! Please use this email address for any future communication with the Master BOD: contact@cedarcrossing.org. This information is also updated on the Contact Us page of this site.


A MHOA meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday May 24th @ 7:30 PM, to be held at the Lake Villa Library. This is an in person meeting only.


FYI: Aerex Pest Control will be performing an exterior insect barrier and wasp power spray on Tuesday, May 31, 2022 between 7:00 am and 3:00 pm, weather permitting.

They will be spraying the exteriors of all buildings. Please make sure people and pets are inside while work is in progress, toys and furniture are moved away from the buildings, and your windows are closed that day while spraying. Once the spray is completed, you may open your windows. Their products are safe for pets and children, are odorless, and will leave no stain. Please do not take up any window washing until after their treatment. Once the product dries, usually in 1 hour, you can resume normal outdoor activities.


A follow up to Joe Gannon’s blog post about pollinator container gardening. Fellow neighbor Jan Scheske has edited the blog post with some new pictures and created a PDF version for easy printing! Thanks Jan!! You can get access to the blog here: https://berkbf.blogspot.com/2022/04/starting-pollinator-garden.html


For those looking for native and pollinator friendly plants for container gardening, UOI Grayslake campus is having a plant sale on 5/21/22! Click on the link below for more information:

https://extension.illinois.edu/events/2022-05-21-lake-county-master-gardener-2022-plant-sale


The MHOA annual election results are in! Welcome to Nancy Massman (President) and Bruce Swenson (Treasurer), with Scott Pacatte (Secretary). The THOA BOD looks forward to working with this new board to resolve issues (old and new) and move forward with ideas and plans for what’s best for both communities.


The next THOA meeting is scheduled for 5/10/22 @ 6:00 PM. Zoom information has been sent, or you can contact your board for information.


A message from your Board of Directors:

To all THOA members:
By now most all of you have received an email or mailing from the Master Board of Directors (BOD) regarding a lawsuit filed by Apex Landscaping against the MHOA. This mailing, which was sent without input from or advance notice to the TH Board, included the names and addresses of past and current board members, and a survey of 2 questions.

Here are some things your TH BOD thinks you need to know:

-Neither the TH Association nor its management company is a party to this lawsuit. The lawsuit involves matters only between Apex and the MHOA and, the MHOA Board has literally known about this dispute for over a year.

- We believe the MHOA has a responsibility to include ALL MHOA members in any communication it puts out that impacts the entire community. This mailing was targeted and sent to ONLY TH members. The prior MHOA board members named in the mailing were not even made aware it was sent.

-We do not know what the Master board wanted to accomplish by sending this mailing or why it was sent to only TH owners. We hope it was not intended to interfere with TH business or its relationship with a current vendor.

-We do not support this action and believe it to be a reckless waste of MHOA resources.

-There is an election coming up for the MHOA and 2 seats are open. One is for a TH representative, the other is for someone from the single family homes. Make your voice heard and VOTE!!! Members need to mail in their ballots so that quorum is established. Vote for qualified and EXPERIENCED candidates who are willing to work for the best interests of the community.

Thanks for your time,

Your CCII Townhome Association Board of Directors


For those who enjoy planting flowers and would love to attract and help pollinators this season, please check out Joe Gannon’s newest blog post! We may not have the yard space for ground plantings, but we can still create some beautiful areas around our homes with container gardening. Joe did his research and has some great tips and advice to help get us started. Joe would love to see photo’s of your container gardens this season, (as would I!) so please forward to the board and they might be included in Joe’s next post. https://berkbf.blogspot.com/2022/04/starting-pollinator-garden.html


SAVE THE DATE!! The THOA’s first annual Community Barbeque is scheduled for July 16th @ 1:00. Rain date is set for August 27th @ 1:00. More information to come soon!


The next MHOA meeting is scheduled for 5/3/22 @ 6:30 PM to adopt 2022 budget. The annual meeting is scheduled to start immediately after @ 7 PM.


Our neighbor Joe Gannon is working on a new blog post that will share tips and advice on how owners can attract hummingbirds and other important pollinators to our small outdoor spaces. Until then, check out his blog for some additional great posts! https://berkbf.blogspot.com/


The THOA annual meeting and election is scheduled for 4/5/22 @ 7:30 PM. Nomination forms and Zoom information have been sent out. More election information will be sent after March 15th.


The next THOA BOD meeting is scheduled for 3/9/22 @ 6 PM. Zoom information has been sent out or contact your board for details.


The MHOA Annual meeting and election has been rescheduled for 5/3/22. More information to come, closer to that date.


MHOA Special Meeting for the purpose of updating documents on Thursday 2/17/22 @ 6:30 PM.


Voting deadlines for the upcoming MHOA election are the following: US Mail and E-mail ballots will only be accepted until 5 PM on 2/22/22. Drop off ballots are accepted at designated drop off locations on Monday 2/21/22 between 5 PM and 8 PM. Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, 2/22/22 @ 7 PM.


Based on ballot results from both special meetings for the pending budget and dues increase, the budget has been rejected and the MHOA board will work on a revised one. Until this is accomplished, last year’s budget and assessment has rolled over into this year. Please make sure that your annual payment is sent in. Any questions, contact the MHOA board directly.


Regarding the upcoming Special Meeting and assessment increase vote. There have been 2 meetings called, the first one coming from concerned homeowners and is scheduled for January 25th @ 7:30 pm. The second is coming from the MHOA BOD, scheduled for January 27th @ 6:30 pm. Attendance information was sent to all homeowners along with ballots for voting. Please send in your ballots for BOTH meetings, to make sure your vote gets counted. Check back for further updates and contact your board if you have any questions.


The MHOA BOD has sent out invoices to all homeowners for the annual assessment. As the 2022 budget is in dispute, it is advised to contact the MHOA board before sending in any payment to make sure that the dispute has been resolved. You can contact them at cc2mhoa@gmail.com


With snow season officially underway, please remember to keep driveways clear for easy snow removal. Also keep in mind that per a Lake Villa ordinance, there is no parking in the street when 2+ inches of snow are on the roadway.

 **2/22/22 @ 7:00 pm     MHOA Annual Meeting and Elections: For Zoom log in information, please contact cc2mhoa@gmail.com

Happy Holidays!!!


12/21/21 @ 6:30 pm MHOA Association Meeting: for Zoom access/information, please visit Townsquare or contact cc2mhoa@gmail.com


12/14/21 @ 6:00 pm MHOA Association Meeting


11/29/21 @ 6:00 pm THOA Association Meeting