PMLA General Managers Message
Joe Powell, PCAM, CCAM-LS, CMCA, AMS
PG&E Powerline Undergrounding Project update
PG&E continues their undergrounding work down Pine Mountain Drive. Their plan is to be completed before the July 4th holiday. So far there have only been a couple of member complaints regarding temporary traffic delays and concerns regarding the asphalt patch work. Most traffic delays are no more than 15 to 20 minutes. Last month, there was a 30-minute delay where both lanes were closed on Pine Mountain Drive. One of the subcontractors ran into an underground utility that was not mapped. PG&E said that this was an isolated incident, but this happens with these types of largescale projects.
We put out the weekly project work schedule on our PML eSNAP direct email program and our official PML Website. We encourage all members to sign up for our email communication platform so that they can stay informed regarding this project and other important Association information.
Draft PML Editorial Policy
A draft copy of the updated PML Editorial Policy was published in the May edition of the PML News Magazine and posted to the Official PML Website for member review and comment. The Board will consider any feedback from members regarding this draft policy and it will be on the June 21st board meeting agenda for consideration of adoption by the Board.
Draft PML ECC Rules, Guidelines and Construction Standards
A draft copy of the updated PML Environmental Control Committee Rules, Guidelines and Construction Standards Policy was published in the May edition of the PML News Magazine and posted to the Official PML Website for member review and comment. The Board will consider any feedback from members regarding this draft policy and it will be on the June 21st board meeting agenda for consideration of adoption by the Board.
PHI Medical helicopter transport membership discount
Our management team has secured a discount rate for PML members for the PHI medical emergency helicopter flights service. The PML member rate is $55 a year per household with zero out-of-pocket costs for air ambulance transport. More information can be found on the Official PML Website.
Removal of the Marina Fishing Dock
The fishing dock on the shoreline near the PML Marina boat slips was removed for safety purposes. We received multiple complaints from PML members who moor their boats at our Marina boats slips, that anglers using the fishing dock were casting into boats and causing damage with lures and fishhooks. Additionally, fishing line was getting caught in boat propellers causing damage and becoming a potential liability to the Association. As a result, we removed the dock. Fishing anglers have several areas to fish from the lake shore at Fisherman’s Cove, Water Taxi docks before 10 am, Dunn Court and Lake Lodge beaches in areas at least 25 feet from designated swim areas and the left side of the Marina Jetty.
Marina staff inspecting boats for signs of the Golden Mussel
Our boating Members appear to be on board with getting their boat inspections performed and their boats are clean. We have not received any complaints so far and everything is going smoothly as we continue inspections looking for signs of the Golden Mussel invasive species.
Staff has performed 60 motorized boat inspections, and 15 non-motorized boat inspections. We have applied 19 inspection seals, and removed 11 inspection seals. 5 of the motorized boats were from out of state, 1 has been in positive (mussel-infected) waters so they were not allowed to launch their boat in our lake. We have completed 550 boat registrations so far for the 2025 season. All boats slips have been rented out for this season. Over-night docking is full for 4th of July weekend.
PML Advisory Committee Openings
We currently have openings on two committees, specifically, the Covenants Committee and Equine Advisory Committee. Members can apply online by going to the PML Website. We also have a PDF version of the form that you can fill out that is on the website. These are all voluntary position and a great way for members to get involved in the governance of our community.
Until next month, wishing all dads a Happy Father’s Day!
President’s Message
MIKE GUSTAFSON – PMLA BOARD PRESIDENT
The High Season is upon us and I hope you have lots of fun events planned in and around Pine Mountain Lake!
I attended a Hetch Hetchy Water and Power Conference last month; a key topic was the Golden Mussel. The Golden Mussel is one tough critter! The leading Golden Mussel expert is a university professor in Brazil. He dropped a few mussels into Chlorine and left them there for a day or two, pulled them out, then dropped them in 65 degree water and they spawned!! There is no known treatment once the mussel gets into waterways. The only hope is to contain them. If the alkaline level is 3.0 Mg or lower the mussel cannot reproduce. Unfortunately, our alkaline level is around 5.0 Mg. They lay literally millions of eggs each!
DNA Testing has found the mussel is in most of the waterways from Stockton to Bakersfield, but they are not in our local lakes, yet. Don Pedro is also clean so far. Our boat inspections are even more important to protect our lake.
As mentioned last month, GCSD is considering water and sewer rate increases. The next meeting to discuss the plan and possibly approve the increases will be June 18 at the Resilience Center from 5:00pm to 7:30pm. I recommend attending to understand how the proposed plan will affect you.
A PG&E representative attended our May board meeting and provided an update on the Power Line Undergrounding project designed to reduce fire risk. They will be putting power lines underground on Elder Lane and from the PML entrance to Casaretto Court. There will still be fire-resistant poles to carry telephone and internet cables. In some cases, power transformers will be mounted on the ground. PG&E reps will contact each homeowner to discuss how the project will affect them.
The project should be completed the first week of July. They work Monday thru Saturday from 7am to 5pm and you can expect 15 minute delays, so plan accordingly! Learn more about this project at pge.com/undergrounding.
Also at the May meeting the Association’s insurance provider, Alliant, presented an update on our 2025 insurance plan. Like many of you, PML is in the California Fair Plan. Based on the report, we expect either a flat renewal or up to a 5% increase in our premiums, that’s relatively good news! Not sure how this might transfer to our personal home insurance, but we hope our rate increases are low as well.
One financial note, our CPA Auditors completed their 2024 yearend financial audit and we received an “unqualified” report! That is auditor-speak for we passed with flying colors.
Lastly, your Long Range Planning Committee is developing the 2025 Membership Satisfaction Survey. Every three years the LRPC builds a survey seeking membership input on your priorities and concerns. The board uses the results to inform decisions on many different topics over the next few years. The survey should go live by July 1, look for it; we want your input.
Hope your summer is off to a good start.
Let’s Ask Angela
Angela Hicks-Church - PML Administration Office
Greetings from the PML Administration Office. I’m Angela Hicks-Church – your front desk guru - and I’m here to help! As you can imagine, the PML front desk is a busy place. So, we thought it would be a great idea to give residents a new platform where they can ask questions and receive helpful hints, reminders and tips to make their overall experience in PML as smooth and peaceful as possible.
Before we begin our ask and answered journey, let’s take care of some general housekeeping.
The PML administration offices are open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The office closes daily from noon until 1p.m. for lunch and is closed on weekends.
Feel free to call 209-962-8600 or email me at admin@pinemountainlake.com with any questions or concerns. Keep calm and ask! I’m here to help!
I thought I would begin this monthly column by responding to a few common concerns residents bring to the office on a regular basis.
What happens if I forget my pin number?
Give us a call and after a few identity confirmation questions, we will gladly give you that information. TIP: If you put the main gate’s number in your phone you can add your pin number along with your unit and lot numbers and it will scroll across the top of your call to always remind you. This pin number will never change and was automatically generated when we created your account with us. The main gate will always ask you for this number when adding people to your guest list. It is confidential to you.
How many gate clickers can I have for my property?
Property owners are allowed to purchase two clickers. Gate clickers are $75 and this is always optional for everyone. If you need additional clickers due to having more drivers or vehicles, we ask that you provide current registration for each additional vehicle. Also, if you have any additional drivers in the home, the drivers must be listed on the deed to be able to obtain the extra clicker. Special user cards are available to household drivers who are not listed on the deed.
Helpful Tips
When making out your monthly HOA payment by check, it is very helpful if you add your account number to the check. This helps us quickly locate you in the system and aids in processing checks in an exact and sharper manner. If you are enrolled in the ACH program, please make sure your bank is also adding your account number to the check. It is helpful to everyone involved.
When you come to the office for the first time, you will receive an informative PML magnet which contains important numbers you should have at the ready. We advise you to keep this magnet in a place that is easily accessible and enter the numbers into your phone. You can even take a photo of the magnet with your phone and save it to your gallery. Doing so will allow you to always have those numbers with you. Without question, calling 911 is paramount for any emergency.
That’s a wrap for this month. Give me a call or send me an email with any questions or concerns because I am happy to help you find a solution.
Be kind…it will take you a long way!
Angela Hicks-Church
19228 Pine Mountain Drive
209-962-8600
PMLA Money Matter$
By Dan Szathmary, Association Controller
The burning question that seems to be on everyone’s mind lately: “What is going on with the economy? and how can we be prepared for it?”
Not only are warning indicators flashing everywhere on a global scale, there is no consensus, even among the most reputable economists, on what they think is going to happen. The only thing they can agree on, is the winds of change are blowing.
Even when we look past YouTube and Google “experts,” and review what professional economists and financial managers have to say, the consensus ranges from “a correction is happening already or on its way, but it isn’t a big deal” to “get ready for a global financial meltdown.”
So, what does all that mean for our micro-economy here at PMLA? Even in our current era, with the most globalized economy in human history, all economies are ultimately local. Given our mission to manage and protect the assets and economy of PMLA, we must plan for the best; and prepare, within reason, for the worst.
There are a few questions we have to answer, at least to the best of our ability with the best information available. What will the impact be, in a realistic worst case scenario, on assessment income? Sales revenue? The Cost of Goods and our supply chain? All of those critical items that we have to plan for to manage and shape our economy.
To date, the best data we have is what happened during the 2008 financial crisis. The parallels (or lack of ones) between what we saw in 2008 and what we are likely to see in the near future is a hotly debated topic, and we all know the past is often not a great predictor of the future. However, we have really good information on what did happen when things were as dire as they may be in the near future.
When we took a close look at PMLA leading up to and after 2008, there were some very consistent trends and indicators that give us a good picture of how the national and global markets experiencing major corrections impact our local economy in PMLA. Some of these results are counter-intuitive, which means we really want to pay close attention to them as we anticipate and manage how the remarkable changes around us may impact the financial world within our community.
Sales Revenue. This represents merchandise, food sales, and basically all money generated by our amenities we don’t get from fees. This revenue stream moved along through record foreclosures, the collapse of several banks and legacy investment firms, and the rest of the crisis like nothing happened. PMLA saw a roughly 7-9% increase each year leading up to and immediately after the big crash. Cost of Sales related to sales revenue didn’t budge either.
Other Revenue. This income stream includes vehicle access fees, green fees, ad revenue, and everything else that generates income that is not tied directly to food, beverage, and merchandise sales. This stream of money saw small increases of under 3% in 2007, to losing the previous year gain in 2009, and another 6.5% in 2010. There were smaller declines for the two years following, and an upward trajectory did not resume until 2013.
In terms of absolute dollars, PMLA trended down a total of about $200k fewer dollars from this revenue stream between 2007 and 2013. This isn’t a small number, but when you spread it out over five years against a top line of about $3 Million a year, it isn’t nearly as impactful as what was going on in the world around us at the time.
Dues Income. This stream represents most of our revenue and most directly impacts the members as it is 100% funded by them as a direct investment in the community. As expected, this is also the area most impacted by disruptions in the broader real-estate market. When market pressures lead to fewer people paying assessments, each owner needs to pay more to reach the same total number for the association.
Overall, dues income did increase every year leading up to and following the 2008 crash. However, when we look at the actual increase in income against the budgeted percent increase for each member, we still lost about 5% in 2008 and 2009, and quickly reversed trajectory in 2010. While that still does not point to a decline in absolute dollars, it gives us a good picture of the impact of a major real estate correction in the broader market, on individual monthly assessments here at home.
All that being said. PhD’s that manage economies for a living can’t agree and what is coming in the next couple of years, so we can’t hope to with a high degree of certainly. What we can see based on our history, is PMLA did and probably will be impacted by major changes in the national and global economy; though to a much lesser, and likely very manageable degree.
Until then, your money management team is always planning, and always ready.
What are your thoughts? Would love to hear from you. Questions or comments? Feel free to contact me anytime at Controller@PineMountainLake.Com or 1-209-962-8606.
Yard Sales in PML
Carrie Harvey- Community Standards Specialist
Hey Neighbors, its June, the sun is shining, weather is warm, and if having or going to yard sales is your thing, you will need to change your plans. Per Resolution 92.16- Elimination of Yard/Garage Sales in PML- yard sales are prohibited on residential lots within Pine Mountain Lake. We understand that after some Spring cleaning you want to get rid of those unwanted items, you may not be able to have a yard sale, but you can join in on the fun at the PML Flea Market! Our Flea Market will run June 7, 2025. Setup is at 11:00 am, open to the public Noon- 4:00pm. If you are interested in having a booth at our Flea Market, please reach out to our Equestrian Center at 1-209-962-8667, they can assist you, spaces are $10.
If you are not interested in joining our Flea Market, you may donate your items to Helping Hands in Groveland, or your thrift store of choice. Please do not leave your items just sitting out in front of, or around the outside of your home for your neighbors to see. Doing so will create storage issues, that is for another Article! Please keep your lot nice and tidy. If you have any questions on yard sales, or any other concerns you may have, please do not hesitate reach out, I will be happy to assist you. You can reach me at 1-209-962-1242 or compliance@pinemountainlake.com . Happy Summer!
Tee to Green
Rob Abbott-Golf Course Superintendent
Summer officially starts June 20th, and even though we have had a slow start to the heat it will be upon us soon enough.
The hot weather brings a lot of issues for our cool season grasses. Staff will need to cool the grass in the afternoons with our irrigation system and hoses, this practice is called turf syringing. We are not trying to water the turf heavily with this practice, just simply cool the top of the plant to give it a break from the afternoon heat. While our nightly irrigation performs most of our watering needs the practice of cooling turf is quite common. Our nightly watering will be ramping up with the heat, and my goal is to keep the course alive and playable through the summer and not have any extensive turf loss. Typically, we will hear from our early morning play that the course is wet, or that we are overwatering. This is usually not the case; we water enough to carry the turf through the heat of the day and until the evening watering cycle begins again. The course plays completely different for members that tee off at 7:30am than it does for those members teeing off at noon.
Originally, when the course was constructed, the greens were planted with a variety of Bentgrasses. As the years go by, Poa Annua (annual Bluegrass) has invaded the greens here as well as most courses in the region. Poa is different than bent in its fertility needs, water needs, and can be more prone to disease. As many as 30 different strains can be growing on a green, it also produces a seed head that makes the greens be a little bumpy and white in color. Poa requires more spot watering due to being shallow rooted, we do every morning prior to play for the entirety of the summer months. Spot watering is the practice of hand watering with hoses the dry spots on our 3 acres of greens turf. We do this to prevent any excessive damage to the greens, tees, collars and even fairways. Another difference between Poa and Bent is the need for fertility. With our fertilizer program and our frequent applications, we do not see the extreme seeding from the Poa that we have seen in the past, meaning that it is in a healthy state of growth. Nitrogen is a crucial nutrient for bentgrass and Poa, contributing to its growth, color, and resilience.
Enjoy your summer of golf. Play well, play often and
remember to do the little things such as ball mark repair and raking a bunker
following that sand shot so the players behind you can enjoy the same course
you are.
From the Fringe
Mike Cook, PGA Head Golf Professional
The Golf Shop is open 7 days a week from 7:30am until 6:00pm and our staff and I are here to assist you in any way we can. Please call us if you have any questions or need to make a reservation for golf at 1-209-962-8620.
Upcoming Events Event Date(s)
Ladies 9-Hole Golf Club Weekly Play Day Tuesdays (New Day for 2025)
Ladies 18-Hole Golf Club Weekly Play Day Thursdays
PML Men’s Golf Club Club Championship (Net & Gross) Sat/Sun June 7/8
PML Men’s Golf Club June Grand Slam 2-Man Team Wednesday June 18
Pine Mountain Lake Golf Course Rated #4 in the USA by Golf Pass
Golf Pass is one of the Nation’s leading promoters of the game of golf. Golf Pass brings together the best golf courses, instruction, entertainment, travel information and much more to help golfers enjoy more golf, more often. Each year Golf Pass customer’s rate the Golf Courses that they play and in the latest list of the top 25 Golf Courses in America, Pine Mountain Lake Golf Course is rated #4 in the Country. We are truly blessed with a great Golf Course and thank you Rob Abbott our Golf Course Superintendent and his crew for the wonderful condition of our Hidden Gem.
2025 Men’s Mother Lode Invitational
Due to a number of issues, we find it necessary to cancel the 2025 Mother Lode Invitational. If you have already signed-up your entry fee will be refunded. We will reevaluate the 2026 Tournament to see if we can make some adjustments and possibly lower the entry fee without compromising the quality and history of the event. If you have any questions, please call the Golf Shop at 1-209-962-8620.
Driving Range
As of June 1, the Driving Range will be open from 7:30am until 5:00pm (Last Ball Hit at 5:00pm).
Golf Services (Lockers, Bag & Push Cart Storage)
If you have a locker, bag storage or push cart storage, please come to the Golf Shop to submit your application for 2025 and make a payment. If you would like to rent a locker or store you bag or push cart, there is space available. Call or come to the Golf Shop for more information or an application.
NEW Pine Mountain Lake Golf Webcam
On the pinemountainlake.com website we now have a live webcam that looks down the 10th hole. Click on the Amenities tab, then go to and click on the 18 Hole Championship Golf Course tab, then scroll down to and click on the Golf Course Webcam. You will be able to see the live conditions at the Golf Course.
Callaway Golf Club Trial Sets
We NOW have the NEW Callaway ELYTE line of clubs available for testing in the Golf Shop. We have trial sets that you can take to the range or out on the Golf Course. For more information, call or come in to the Golf Shop.
We now have the NEW CALLAWAY REVA LADIES trial sets.
Southern Valley Seniors
If you are a PML Property Owner, a Member of the PML Men’s Golf Club and are 50 years of age and above, you qualify to join the PML Southern Valley Seniors (SVS). The SVS play home & away events with other Golf Courses in the Southern Valley, such as Turlock CC, Oakdale CC & Spring Creek CC, to name a few. If you are interested call the Golf Shop and we will put you in touch with the SVS PML Captain.
Punch Cards
Pine Mountain Lake Association Property Owners can save up to $6.00 per round by purchasing a Punch Card in the Golf Shop. There are; 9-Hole & 18-Hole Punch Cards available. For more information call or come into the Golf Shop.
NEW Pine Mountain Lake Property Owners
If you are a new Pine Mountain Lake Property Owner and you are interested in getting acquainted with other Property Owners who play golf, call the Golf Shop 1-209-962-8620 and we will let you know what golfing groups you may be able to join or what golf activities are planned for the year.
Men’s & Ladies Golf Clubs
If you are interested in joining the Men’s or Ladies Golf Clubs, you can call the Golf Shop 1-209-962-8620 and we will give you the information you need. Applications are available in the Golf Shop. The Men’s Club has a website (www.pmlmgc.com) that you can visit to sign-up online for your membership (see Men’s Club eligibility rules) or to print an application. Once you are a Men’s Club Member, you can sign-up for tournaments online.
Property Owner Annual Golf Cart Rental Agreement
Every person who drives a golf cart on the course, is required to sign a golf cart rental agreement at the time of registration, before they can drive a golf cart. PML Property Owners sign the agreement one-time and that covers the entire year. If you have not signed your agreement you can go to the PML website (www.pinemountainlake.com) and fill it out and sign online or you will be asked to sign the form when you register in the Golf Shop. Click on amenities, then click on golf and you will see the agreement with other forms available. If you have any questions, please call the Golf Shop 1-209-962-8620.
Care of the Golf Course
TAKING CARE OF THE GOLF COURSE IS EVERYONE’S RESPONSIBILITY; PLEASE DO YOUR PART!
Replacing Divots – PML is a DIVOT FIRST facility; that means that if the divot is intact or even a portion of the divot is intact, we want you to replace the divot first and press the divot down firmly with your foot. When an intact divot is replaced, it will begin to root right away but a mulch filled divot will take weeks to fill in. If the divot hole is not totally filled in by the divot that you replaced then fill the rest of the hole with mulch and press down the divot firmly with your foot. If the divot is not intact, then fill the divot hole with mulch and smooth the mulch with your foot so it is level with the ground.
Repairing Ball Marks – This is one of the major negatives in our great game; players either do not know how to repair ball marks correctly or don’t even attempt to repair them. Here is the correct way to repair a ball mark:
Insert the divot tool just outside the edge of the ball mark, use the divot tool to mend in the outside portion if the ball mark towards the middle. Then use you putter to tap down the repaired turf. If a ball mark is repaired properly, you will not even be able to tell that there was a ball mark. NEVER PULL UP THE MIDDLE OF THE BALL MARK.
Raking Bunkers – We are back to normal procedures concerning bunkers; PLEASE make sure that you rake the bunker after you have hit your shot.
Golf Carts – Driving golf carts on the fairways has a negative effect on turf conditions over time. PLEASE use the 90-degree rule posted in each golf cart in order to minimize the cart traffic on the fairways.
