January 2014 — N 1401
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Next HOA Meeting
The next HOA meeting is the first Tuesday of February 2014 (2/4/14) at 7:00PM at the Depot (at Pass and Katherine Rds.) You should attend and meet more of your caring neighbors.
Residential Toxic Waste Disposal
Ventura County provides monthly opportunities to get rid of your household toxic waste—such as batteries, paint, flourescent bulbs, electronics and others. For a complete list of what is household toxic waste and when and where the county disposal events are please download the flyer here. Or call the county Integrated Waste Management Division at 805.658.4321
Living With The Wild
Predators and Prey
Rabbits, gophers, rats, mice and squirrels are natural prey for hawks, coyotes, foxes, owls and bobcats. Living in the Knolls means living with these predators and with a responsibility to think about the safety of your animals or pets as well as the native species that call the Knolls home.
For example, an opportunistic coyote can and will make a meal of your house cat or beloved dog if given the chance. These predators are awesome survivors that are hunting to live: .They do not realize that your small dog or cat is your friend and not food. Keep your pets safe and be aware of your surroundings if you let them outside. Coyotes' natural food consists of rabbits, mice, rats and reptiles, but a hapless dog or cat is just too easy to pass up.
Owls and coyotes keep the rodent populations in check, but suffer when humans take irresponsible actions such as setting out poison. Poison works it way up the food chain, and kills not only vermin, but anything unlucky enough to ingest a poisoned animal. Rat poison is an anti-coagulant poison (illegal in Ventura County) that kills slowly and cruelly, causing its victim to die in agony by bleeding internally over hours and days. Look for natural solutions to rodent control. Poison should never be an option in this environment.
Pet food attracts scavengers such as skunks and raccoons. And raccoons can be fierce when cornered (and we all know what can happen if a skunk is cornered... the ramifications are severe)! If you feed your dog outside, you will also end up feeding the local wildlife, causing them to behave in an unnatural way. Scavengers always prefer an easy meal, instead of hunting for insects or other natural food. Try to keep pet food away from wildlife: don't leave it outside, especially overnight.
Living in the Knolls offers a unique opportunity to co-exist with animals in a natural environment, away from city lights, sidewalks and streets. We are blessed with native plants, rock outcroppings and old growth oak trees, all of which form a thriving ecosystem that includes predators, scavengers, prey and us.
Rocketdyne Clean Up Status Meeting
The SSFL-WG (Santa Susana Field Laboratory-Work Group) will host a community information meeting on Feb 5th to share current information about the Nuclear and Chemical Contamination at the Santa Susana Field Lab (Rocketdyne) and Efforts to Clean it Up. Anyone living in nearby areas —West San Fernando Valley to Moorpark, Simi Valley to Calabasas—will want to be there.
Wednesday February 5, 6:30 pm
Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center
3050 E. Los Angeles Street
Simi Valley, CA 90365
For more specific info please download the SSFL-WG flyer here or see it on-line here, or visit the website or email the work group directly.
Fire Zone Saftey
On the night of December 25th a brush fire broke out on the Pass Rd. near the Rocky Peak bridge. Despite the Santa Ana wind condition at the time the Ventura and LA County fire departments were able to control the fire by dawn on the 26th. Our fire fighters are heroes, fighting fires even on Christmas Day!
This small fire event was another reminder that we in the Knolls live in an urban-wildland interface where brush fires are a possibility and always dangerous. We should all avoid dangerous activities which can cause conflagrations and be prepared for when fire threatens our community. The Ventura County Fire Department has very useful fire safety information on their website such as their "Wildfire Action Plan" booklet which you can download here.
This newsletter is a production of the Santa Susana Knolls Homeowners Association (SSKHA). If you have any questions, comments, or feedback, please let us know. Please share this newsletter with your neighbors. You do not have to be a member of the SSKHA to be on our email list. To subscribe to this newsletter click here. If you are a member of the HOA we really do not want you to unsubscribe but if you must, you can use this link: unsubscribe. The newsletter is produced from the spacious Santa Susana Knolls town center offices at 1409 Kuehner, No. 5, Santa Susana, CA 93063.