What is the GH Neighborhood Association?
The Glenwood Hills Association first meeting was held on Sunday September 12, 1971 at the Academy School for the purpose of establishing a non-profit corporation. The Articles of Incorporation was established on November 16, 1972. The name of the corporation is “The Glenwood Hills Association, Inc”. “This Corporation was created and shall be operated for the purpose of bringing together in closer friendship the residents and property owners of Glenwood Hills Subdivision and to unite in common goals”. At that time the Glenwood Hills Subdivision consisted of Units 1,2,and 3. The annual dues were $2.50 per person or $5.00 per family.
The initial concerns of the association were to support the Architectural Control Committee in their efforts to enforce compliance with the deed restrictions. Other concerns were drainage, security, and maintaining property values. The association organizers believed that through an association such as this, more influence can be exerted on plans for the development of adjacent vacant property and that we can provide valuable recommendations to the city’s proposals for the foothills area. The City Planning Commission and the Planning Department, at this time, expressed interest in working with neighborhood organizations. The is still true today since the association has no enforcement capabilities. The association accomplishs things by “working with” both non-elected and elected personal.
Over the years several adjacent neighborhoods joined the association. These include Glenwood Hills North, Glenwood Hills Units 4 and 6, Tierra Amada Townhouses, the trail head adjacent to Glenwood Hills North, and the Glenwood Hills Lofts (see map for locations).
What are some of the accomplishments of the association?
Fought against inequities in increased in property taxes in1976.
Worked with Planning Department in 1977/1978 to minimize the Glenwood Hills North Subdivision impact on the original Glenwood Hills Subdivision. This resulted in a reduction of density and larger lots boarding the original Glenwood Hills.
The board has worked closely with the city to implement such improvements as sidewalks on Larchmont and Montgomery, the police sub station and landscaping of the common areas.
Vandalism in the park and other concerns led to the formation of the volunteer patrol, one of the most successful in the city. (see What is the Security Patrol)
Prevented a proposed “bridge” from the upper portions of the High Desert development to Glenwood Hills from being built.
Prevented a 3 story storage facility from being built on the land that the Police Station now stands. Instead we worked with the city to build a Police Station and a Park & Ride facility on that land.
Worked with a visionary developer and the city to get a zoning change to residential on land that formerly housed the Wild Plum Restaurant (and other facilities) to build the beautiful “Glenwood Hill Lofts”.
Sponsor the annual Easter Egg Hunt and the summer picnic.
The neighborhood also supports and active garden club which helps in the clean up projects and upkeep of the common area.
Establish the “Bock Captain” program to provide a means of communicating between residents of Glenwood Hills on incidents/trends of crime and vandalism in order to reduce these type of occurrences in the neighborhood. (See what is the Block Captain program).
The association is a volunteer group with over 17 people actively involved in Glenwood Hills activities. An additional 80 residence are involved in the Security Patrol and 8 residence are involved in the Block Captain program. By being a “volunteer” group we can accomplish a lot for a very low annual dues. The annual dues are $40. Currently $28 supports the police portion of the Security Patrol, $8 sustains association activities and administrative expenses, and $4 helps neighborhood landscaping projects.
Most of the neighbors agree that this is a good place in which to live.
What is the Security Patrol?
Craig Loy the police Lt at the Wyoming Sub station suggested a class for all interested residents of Glenwood Hills to form a Protective Patrol for our neighborhood..
We formed one of the first Mobile Patrols in Albuquerque. Ray and Shirlee wrote a computer program to help plan the schedules for the Base Stations and to schedule the Patrol members and hire the Chiefs Overtime Officers to help control the vandals.
Community Policing is a philosophy that recognizes the mutual dependence and shared responsibility of the Police and the community in making Albuquerque safer and more livable.
As patrol members we are eyes and ears only. We contact the Overtime Officers to help solve the problems in the GHNA area. We have had over 1800 scheduled patrols over the past 15 years and have solved many of the problems. Some of the problems solved were Nails spread all up and down Larchmont Drive that cost at least 50 tires destroyed and caused a Medical Doctor not to be able to get to a hospital in time to take care of an emergency patient. The patrol calls residents in case their garage door is left open after the lights are our in their homes to prevent burglary invitations. Most residents say thank you to the base operators after they are called.
We have reduced the number of speeding violations in the streets and have prevented accidents as a result of cars not stopping at intersections where there is a stop sign. Our overall rate of crime in Glenwood Hills is about 30% of what the city average is. It is going down each year.
We always need more volunteers to help with the patrol. We need more residents to help support the Police overtime Officer pay. We have about 50% of our neighborhood residents who pay the dues for the GHNA. Our goal is 100% elimination of vandalism and to have a neighborhood were residents can walk the streets day or night and feel safe in doing it.
How does the patrol work? A patrol consists of two “volunteers”, a base station, and a Chiefs overtime police officer (paid by the Glenwood Hills Association). The patrol members are on duty for 2 hours shifts and watch for “unusual” activities, parties in progress, open garage doors, etc. They report these and any “suspicious” activities to the base station by “CB” radios. The base station calls the police officer by “CB” radio and the police officer investigates the incident. The volunteers do not confront anybody.
What is the District 8 Coalition?
NAME: The name of this organization is the Coalition of Neighborhood Associations District 8.
BOUNDARIES: The boundaries of the Coalition shall be the boundaries of the City Council District 8 of the City of Albuquerque.
PURPOSE: The purpose of the Coalition shall be to provide means of direct communication with the City Councilor representing District 8, Neighborhood
Associations within District 8, and to provide a united voice on important issues.
POLITICAL ACTIVITIES: The Coalition, as a body, shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publication or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office. This does not preclude the Coalition sponsorship of candidate forums to better understand candidates' positions on issues affecting the neighborhoods nor does it preclude the Coalition from public criticism of candidates or officeholders with views detrimental to the purposes of the Coalition.
GENERAL: The D8 CON meets once every 2 months with representatives selected by the various neighborhood association boards within District 8. There are currently 24 neighborhood associations who actively participate in the D8 CON meetings. The District 8 counselor is generally present at these meetings along with other elected officials, schedules permitting.
What is the Architectural Control Committee?
Glenwood Hills (Units 1-3)
The committee was formed June 14, 1961 by the developers of Glenwood Hills. Their purpose was to review building plans and modifications to determine conformance with the protective covenants applicable to Glenwood Hills Units 1, 2 and 3.
The committee has no enforcement authority. They suggest possible changes to new construction or additions, if necessary, to comply with the covenants. They also notify adjacent neighbors of potential violations.
The goals are to keep residents aware of the covenants.
The committee meets whenever plans are submitted for review. If there is a problem, the property owner is called immediately to discuss the situation. In the majority of cases the plans are modified to meet the covenants. A reply letter of approval is usually sent promptly to the applicant.
Glenwood Hills North
The Glenwood Hills North Architectural Control Committee - the GHNACC for short, was formed by American Service Corporation when the Glenwood Hills North development was started in the late 1970's. They were the committee for about the first 5 years when they turned it over to the Glenwood Hills North Neighborhood Association. Out of that organization a committee was formed to assume the duties of the Architectural Control Committee, the ACC.
The purpose of the ACC is to review plans for construction, remodeling, landscaping, or any material change is the appearance of the homes in Glenwood Hills North. In fact, it is a requirement of the covenants for Glenwood Hills North that any of that type of construction requires a review by the ACC. The ACC is purely an advisory board. It is not an enforcement board. The members review plans for compliance with the area covenants and issue a letter indicating compliance or not. This letter is the home owner’s first line of defense in any court case involving violation of the covenants.
Since the combining of the Glenwood Hills and Glenwood Hills North into one neighborhood association, the GHNACC has continued to review plans effecting properties in Glenwood Hills North.
What is the Welcome Committee?
* The Welcome Committee consists of eight neighbor volunteers and was formed to help new residents
feel at home and informed about assets and resources available.
* The welcoming aspect of the Association has been a goal since it's inception.
* The Committee has put together a welcome packet consisting of pertinent information about the
Association and area as well as gift certificates from local merchants.
* Our goal is to help new residents feel good about their decision to choose Glenwood Hills as their
new home.
What is the Landscaping Committee?
The Landscaping Committee This committee was formed by Nick Manole with the goal of beautification and upkeep of the common areas, park and entrance medians. The committee is manned by volunteers, garden club members and several board members, along with occasional paid help. The committee does not report unkempt properties to the city but does encourage homeowners to keep their properties in good shape for the betterment of the whole neighborhood.
What is the Garden Club?
* The Garden Club was formed in 2002 to inform, encourage, and assist gardeners in our unique
foothills area to the How To's of successful gardening.
* We promote beautification through the of sharing of information between residents with like interests.
* The Club has assisted in the maintenance of the Sunset Canyon Park on Larchmont, the entrance
medians, the 2008 Easter Egg Hunt, and sponsored various garden related tours and expert
speakers.
* Our goal is to help ensure the lasting beauty of Glenwood Hills.
What is the “Block Captain” Program?
Why was the organization/committee formed? The Block Captain committee was formed to augment the Neighborhood Patrol and overtime police patrol contract following an increase in vandalism in the neighborhood. The idea is to provide a means of communication between residents of Glenwood Hills on incidents/trends of crime and vandalism in order to reduce these type of occurrences in the neighborhood.When was the organization/committee formed? This committee was formed during the February, 2008 Neighborhood Association meeting.
The purpose of the organization/committee. The purpose of the committee is to recruit block captains in the Glenwood Hills into about 20-40 "block" areas where the block captains are the point of contact for reporting and disseminating information on the details of crimes/vandalism occurring in the neighborhood.
What can the organization/committee do, what can it not do. The block captain committee can pass information from one block to another about crime in the area. The block captain committee can scheduled meetings with APD crime prevention specialists to document trends and received updated information of neighborhood crime over a semi-annual period. The block captain committee cannot report individual crimes to the police - this is the duty of the individual who was the victim. The block Captains and the committee cannot act in any official capacity representing the Albuquerque police department and are not allowed to apprehend any suspects; but they can report suspicious activities to both the police and to the other block captains via the lead block captain. The sharing of video monitoring clips, etc. would make it possible to identify criminals who regularly frequent the neighborhood.
What are some of the accomplishments of the organization/committee. Currently, we are in the process of identifying block captains and their house numbers for the neighborhood. 132 houses already identified with 7 block captains total covering these houses.
What are the goals of the group. Our goal is to get as close to 100% participation in the neighborhood so we can better identify the types of crimes being committed in Glenwood hills and to reduce their occurrence.
The Glenwood Hills Neighborhood Patrol was formed in 1994 by Ray and Shirlee Ostenson to combat the large amount of vandalism that was going on in Glenwood Hills. A group of neighbors had a meeting in the Smiths Grocery Shopping Center to try to come up of a way to stop the smashed mailboxes, graffiti, trash left over in the streets and the high-speed traffic that was prevalent in the area. Why was the organization/committee formed? The Block Captain committee was formed to augment the Neighborhood Patrol and overtime police patrol contract following an increase in vandalism in the neighborhood. The idea is to provide a means of communication between residents of Glenwood Hills on incidents/trends of crime and vandalism in order to reduce these type of occurrences in the neighborhood.