RANCHO MURIETA, CA (MPG) - Requests from the Rancho Murieta Pickleball Club, final approval of new e-bike safety rules, long-awaited improvements at the south gate entrance, and an update on the search for a new general manager were among the primary topics at the Rancho Murieta Association board meeting Feb. 17.

The board also approved the purchase of two flail mowers for fuel-mitigation work and a $31,200 contract for this year’s Fourth of July fireworks show.

Pickleball Club Seeks Shade Structures

Pickleball Club President Alan Chase asked the board to partner with the club to install two permanent shade structures at the Stonehouse Park courts, a project estimated at just over $17,000. The club is requesting $7,000 from RMA for maintenance department labor, with a $10,000 Summerfest pledge covering the remaining cost.

Chase said the club, founded in 2019, has raised more than $20,000 to improve the dedicated pickleball courts at Stonehouse Park and has primarily funded windscreens and lighting for the facility. He added that club members also maintain and clean the courts with their own volunteer crew.

Club member Jeff Kolhardt added that the courts serve about 184 members and see roughly 15,000 player visits per year. He expressed disappointment that three additional courts previously discussed have been delayed two to three years due to other projects.

General Manager Rod Hart explained that major 2026 priorities – including south entrance improvements and perimeter security fencing – are consuming available staff time, pushing pickleball court expansion down the list.

Board President Patrick O’Hern asked Chase to work with Hart to finalize details on the shade structure proposal before bringing it back to the board for consideration.

E-bike Rule Adopted to Applause

After months of drafting and revisions, the board unanimously approved a comprehensive e-bike safety rule, drawing applause from all attendees.

Director Scott Adams said the Governing Documents committee began working on the rule in July in response to growing e-bike use within the gates and new state regulations that took effect Jan. 1.

The rule addresses helmet use, lighting and reflector requirements, tampering with manufacturer labels, and modifications to speed. Although California law requires helmets only for certain classes of e-bikes and riders under 18, the RMA rule requires helmets for all riders. The board also agreed to specify that helmets must meet Consumer Product Safety Commission standards.

O’Hern, a former law enforcement officer, cited serious bicycle accident cases he had seen over the years and said higher-speed e-bikes pose additional risks.

“These things are dangerous,” Adams said, noting that Class 3 e-bikes can reach speeds up to 28 miles per hour.

O’Hern added, “That’s one of those really critical things that we have an opportunity to do today, to make people safer.”

 

Pickleball Club member Jeff Kolhardt tells the board he is disappointed that funding for three additional courts has been delayed.

South Gate Work to Begin

Hart reported that demolition of the aging water feature at the Murieta South entrance will begin within two weeks, weather permitting. The existing feature is leaking and considered beyond repair. The maintenance committee has recommended eliminating the water feature and enhancing landscaping instead.

Work will also include surveying and layout for new perimeter security fencing, as well as electrical service planning.

Hart said the south entrance renovation has been pending for about five years.

Equipment Purchases Approved

The board approved the purchase of two upgraded flail mowers for $43,548.95, funded from reserves. The equipment will replace three older units used for weed abatement and firebreak work throughout the community.

Maintenance Supervisor Troy Schaffner said the heavier-duty mowers can handle rocks, brush and debris more efficiently and are built stronger than the current units, which require welding repairs several times a year and can be out of service for days at a time.

The board also approved up to $6,870 from reserves for post-and-cable fencing materials used for ongoing repairs along levees, trails and parks.

Fireworks Contract Approved

Directors approved a $31,200 contract with Pyrotechnic Spectacular for the July 4 fireworks show, approximately $10,000 more than last year. Recreation Committee Chair John Havilland said the committee had recommended spending an additional $5,000 for a special, front-loaded show with enhanced effects to mark the nation’s 250th anniversary. The remaining increase in cost was attributed to tariffs.

General Manager Search Update

Director Ernie Cowles reported that nine candidates have applied so far in the search to replace Hart, who is retiring in May.

The board is screening applicants and plans to narrow the field to two or three finalists for interviews. The goal is to bring on a new general manager in early April to allow time for a transition.

 

Director Ernie Cowles updates the board on the search for a new general manager to replace Rod Hart, who is retiring in May.

Bring Me Home Safe

During his Compliance Committee report, Director Tom Reimers announced that RMA and the Rancho Murieta Community Services District Security Department are developing a voluntary safety initiative called “Bring Me Home Safe.”

Reimers said the idea was initiated by RMA Compliance Officer Chris Smith. The program would allow residents to voluntarily register identifying information for loved ones with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease or similar conditions who may wander, helping first responders quickly reunite them with family.

Reimers said the effort grew out of recent incidents in which it took hours to identify lost residents. Application forms are being developed, with broader promotion planned once finalized.

Resident Comment

During public comment, resident Tom Shewchuk thanked management for progress on non-member barcode compliance. He is also working with the Rancho Murieta Community Services District’s Water Vision Working Group on efforts to re-permit Lake Clementia as a potential emergency potable or irrigation backup supply during drought conditions. He said the goal would not be to eliminate recreational use of the lake but to ensure water is available in extreme shortages.

Shewchuk also raised questions about the future of the ranchomurieta.com website and whether its historical content could be incorporated into RMA communications, and he once again suggested revisiting the idea of unifying Rancho Murieta’s various homeowners associations under a single structure.