When we voted for gates I was under the impression we were getting 24/7 manned coverage at Vineyard so anyone with a legitimate need for access could get in (golfer or on our personal lists). That meant 100% phone coverage and no sleeping or uncovered potty breaks. It looks like that isn’t happening according to the HOA. They have only one person between 10 pm and 6 am.

My story:  We travel a lot. About a month ago we called Uber for a 4 am pickup. Driver arrived at Walerga gate (per google maps) but for whatever reason was unable to get our code entered. After several tries I called the Vineyard gate for assistance. NO ANSWER!  The driver dropped the ride in frustration. A new driver was dispatched. He arrived and had the same difficulty. Running late now and frustrated, my wife drove over to the gate while I kept him on the phone. She let him in. On our return a couple of weeks ago we used Uber and had him go through the Vineyard gate at 2:05 am. There was no greeter anywhere in sight.

When we travel we often have little or no cell coverage  Even at home we often have the phone on silent.  if an emergency arose while we were gone (e. g. burglar alarm, water leak) there would be no access for family members if the Vineyard phone went unanswered.

A side benefit I thought we were getting when I voted was the second greeter could act as a rover at night for increased security when not needed as backup at the gate.

So, what do you think?  Anyone have similar concerns?  Should we have the Board reconsider, or should I suck it up and put up with the status quo?  Comments welcome.

The gates are now operable, and we are in a transition period.  Twenty-three home owners still need to complete their applications and obtain their RFID tags, adjustments need to be made to the mechanical systems for the gates and new procedures developed and approved by the Board.  Following are some adjustments that are in progress that will improve access and egress from the community and reduce confusion in the operation of the gate system and call boxes.

• The old Morgan Creek Golf & Country Club green stickers ARE NO LONGER VALID. Residents need to remove them and replace with the NEW RED STICKERS (with numbers only) in the lower driver side of their windshield.
• Currently, many residents and visitors do not understand how to operate the scroll feature on the call boxes and are pushing the button and advancing name by name.  This takes an inordinate amount of time, it causes lines to back up and it is frustrating for everyone involved.  A clear instruction sticker will be placed on each call box next to the call button.  It will read “PUSH AND HOLD TO SCROLL”. This is an easy but important fix and will happen soon.
• Currently, numerous residents and visitors are waiting for a car with an RFID tag to open the gates and then they are tailgating the car into the community.  And, shockingly, a significant number of people wait for a car to exit the community and then recklessly enter through the exit gate.  On more than one occasion, this dangerous maneuver has placed exiting drivers in serious jeopardy. The plan to mitigate this problem is to reduce the delay time before the gates start to close after a car passes through the gate. This should prevent drivers from entering through the exit gates and significantly reduce tailgating for entry.
• Discussions are in process with gate contractor to determine if the sound quality for the call boxes can be enhanced.
• Entry procedures for large parties and events are being developed.
• A new system for gate violations and fines are being developed.
• The effort continues to enroll the remaining 23 homeowners that have not submitted applications and received their RFID tags.

We know there has been a bit of a learning curve for everyone and we still have some technical issues to work out, but we hope you will bear with us until everything is up and running smoothly. We’d love to know what your experiences with the gates have been so far, and what you think can be done to improve their operation?

It’s almost here.  Next week the security gates are due to become active.  PLEASE…PLEASE…PLEASE, if you haven’t done so already, get your free RFID vehicle tags.  No one wants to wait in long lines for entry because of inconsiderate neighbors.

After a long and somewhat painful process our access gates are finally here.  They are nearing completion with a planned May 7 kickoff.  Letters have gone out to all owners explaining how they will work and providing applications for transponders for two family vehicles to operate the gates. More can be purchased if needed.   To date, approximately 30% of homes have not yet applied for the free transponders.  So, what’s up with that?  Residents who do not get their tags will inevitably cause initial long delays at the gates creating a problem for everyone.

Sign up now.  Urge your neighbors to sign up.  This can work smoothly if we all cooperate.

As of now we are paying for both the gate loan and full guard staffing.  The longer that goes on the more of our dues are squandered!

We’ve come this far, let’s get those apps in  NOW!