News from Sea Pines - February 2020

Welcome to the Winter 2020 edition of the Sea Pines e-newsletter! The newsletter and website aim to keep you up-to-date on all the Sea Pines news you'll need. All e-newsletters are posted on the website and printed copies are maintained at the Club House.

We welcome your comments to the editor at the email address below.

These remains of a campfire pit off Grove Lane may be the last visual reminder of the girls school that thrived here for 70 years.

To learn more about Sea Pines' early history, see the article below.

Parking — a community challenge, a community fix

The FMB heard you loud and clear! The owner survey reported that parking during the peak season is our highest quality of life and safety concern. The FMB continues to discuss strategies to address this challenge, including an offsite option, but the bottom line is that the Sea Pines site offers very little capacity for additional parking. Nor does it seem prudent to expand existing paved or gravel areas, compromising the original natural beauty of Sea Pines, when the problem is self-limiting in that it typically lasts from July through mid-August. So, what can we do?

Use your garage!

The garage buildings at Sea Pines were originally built as carports and were intended for parking, not storage. These spaces were part of the parking capacity plan for the community. While the increased numbers of vehicles per family is part of the problem, unit owners not regularly using these garage spots for parking or using them solely for storage areas has also contributed greatly. When a unit owner does not use their garage space, and parks instead in an outdoor spot, that translates to one fewer parking place for everyone.

If 15 unit owners would simply park in their garage instead of using an outdoor spot, that would effectively double the number of overflow spaces at the clubhouse parking area….at no cost or change to the landscape! So, please use your garage as a parking space during peak summer periods. In addition to making more room for your neighbors, you get the benefit of always having a place to park and your vehicle will be protected from the elements.

What else can we do?

Make sure that guests and other family members park at the clubhouse.
Minimize the number of guest and other family vehicles.
Encourage carpooling to limit the number of vehicles on site.

As we approach the beginning of the summer season, we would like to remind everyone of the importance of adhering to the general parking guidelines that follow. These rules apply to all unit owners and their guests.

General Parking Guidelines

Vehicles should be parked in designated parking places only.
Parking on the grass or on the sides of roads is not allowed. It can damage sprinkler heads, impede traffic flow, create a hazard for pedestrians and prevent emergency vehicle access.
Contractors should only park in your parking space, driveway or garage and should never use beach parking spaces.

Beach Parking

For the convenience of unit owners whose physical limitations prevent them from walking to the beach, there are a limited number of parking spots near the entrance to the beach path. These spaces are designated with “Beach Parking” or “No Overnight Parking” signs.

Beach parking is for unit owners who have an absolute need to drive to the beach. Whenever possible, please walk to the beach rather than drive.
Only park in the designated beach parking spaces noted above. Other parking spots in this area are for the sole use of unit owners.
Use a wagon to transport beach equipment or store it in the convenient equipment shed at the top of the beach path.
Drop off people who cannot walk to the beach and then drive your vehicle back to your own parking space.
For Sea Pines Drive, Overlook and Duneward unit owners, remember that the designated beach parking is not intended to be used for overflow or overnight parking for unit owners or guests.

Get to know your FMB representatives

Phase III (Duneward, Friendship & Hollow)

With this issue we continue our series of short profiles of members of the Facilities Management Board. These hardworking volunteers devote countless hours in service to the Sea Pines community. They want to know their constituents and hear their opinions and concerns – so step up and introduce yourself!

Carol Austin

Carol & her husband Joe Korecki have been residents of Sea Pines since 1993, originally on Overlook Lane and then on Sea Pines Drive after the arrival of their twin granddaughters necessitated a larger unit. Carol has served on several committees at Sea Pines including the Pool Committee and the Clubhouse Committee and has been on the FMB since 2017.

Before retirement, Carol was Vice President of Global Accounts for Herman Miller, an office furniture manufacturer in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Much of the clubhouse renovation furniture and posters are the result of Carol’s connection with Herman Miller. Carol is also one of the owners of the Cape Cod Sea Camps in Brewster, a summer camp for children that has been in her family for 98 years. In the “off season” Carol and Joe have a home in Enfield, Connecticut. They are currently working on their travel “Bucket List” and recently traveled to Portugal with fellow "Sea Piners" Bob and Anne Smaglia.

Bob Smalgia

Bob and Anne Smaglia have frequented Brewster since the 1980s when Anne’s parent’s moved to Sea Pines. Residents since 2007, they recently introduced the next generation of the family, granddaughter Remy, to our community. Bob has served on the FMB since 2008 and been treasurer since 2014. He has contributed his skills to the electrical, reserve, siding and party committees.

Bob grew up in the North End of Boston next door to Mike’s Pastry. His father was a chef at several local restaurants and his mother worked for Schrafft's Candy. The couple currently has an apartment in Boston’s West End but plans to eventually “retire” to Sea Pines. Bob is a pharmacist (one of three pharmacists currently serving on the FMB!); he and his wife Anne, a nurse, met at Tufts Medical Center.

Before semi-retirement Bob was a founder of two national home infusion pharmacies, Chartwell Home Therapies and Critical Care Systems, where he oversaw 50 compounding pharmacies. He also worked for the Joint Commission, the organization that accredits hospitals. An adjunct faculty member at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences University in Boston, Bob is also on the Advisory Board to the College of Pharmacy at the University of New England in Maine.

Bill Dennett

Bill is one of the trio of pharmacists (Bill, Bob Smaglia and Peter Smiledge) currently serving on the FMB. Like Anne and Bob Smaglia, Bill and his wife Deb visited relatives at Sea Pines (Don and Ann Kerr) for a number of years before purchasing a unit in 2003. He has served on the FMB since 2014 and says he finds great interest and satisfaction in his involvement with our community.

Bill and his wife live in Milford. Bill has been at CVS Health at its Lincoln, RI headquarters for two years as a Medical Affairs Advisor. This role followed a long career at Fallon Community Health Plan, where he worked in formulary development. Deb recently retired from Siemens where she served as a financial analyst. Bill and Deb love Sea Pines' unique setting, wonderful amenities, and friendly people and are among those who would like it to remain a well-kept secret.

The Dennett family includes a Golden Retriever named Brett (Deb's dream dog) and two cats. Bill is a golfer and avid fisherman and long-time member of a fly fishing club that owns a private fishing pond.

Eliminating invasives

These gnarled vines near the club house are invasive plants that are harming these trees and choking out native vegetation. The Harwich Conservation Department website describes an invasive plant as "a species non-native to the ecosystem, and whose introduction, whether accidental or intentional, causes or is likely to cause harm to the environment, economy, or human health. An invasive plant has the ability to thrive and spread aggressively outside its natural range. A naturally aggressive plant may be especially invasive when it is introduced to a new habitat."

Concern about invasive plants at Sea Pines was one of the top issues identified in the owner opinion survey conducted last fall and the FMB has taken action. A subcommittee was formed, a survey performed with Whitten Landscaping, and four problem areas were identified for remediation this year. Other areas will be tackled in subsequent years.

New rubbish & recycling supplier

You'll be pleased to know that the dented metal trash cans are gone from the trash sheds, replaced by 96-gallon rubbish and recycling containers ("toters"). These are designed to be mechanically emptied into the trash trucks and make for much more efficient rubbish collection and removal. Our new supplier, Cape & Island Disposal, will pick up the rubbish and recycling once per week on Friday from January through March and October through December. Service will increase to twice per week on Tuesday and Friday from April through September. Because of the larger capacity of these containers, you will hear the "beep, beep, beep" less often!

The containers are separately labeled for rubbish and recycling.

All rubbish must be bagged because the toters do not have rubbish liners.
All recycling must be placed in the appropriate recycling toters and should not be bagged.

Sea Pines School of Personality for Girls

Advertisement in The World's Work, 1916.

The Old Sea Pines Inn was once the centerpiece of a 300-acre estate, extending from Old King's Highway to the bay, known as the Sea Pines School of Charm and Personality for Young Women. Most of that original acreage is now occupied by our Sea Pines community.

Founded as a summer camp in 1902 by the Rev.Thomas Bickford and his daughter Faith, by 1907 the estate had become a school for girls that operated until the 1970s. A 1919 biography of Rev. Bickford enthused that, "A more nearly ideal location for such an institution is unimaginable. In this happy environment the students, inspired by wholesome and beautiful ideals, grow to efficient womanhood. Here, sheltered by friendly pines, the pupils receive instruction and acquire those habits which time will ameliorate but not destroy; counsel which will render age venerable and life more dignified and useful."

Questions or comments about this e-newsletter should be directed to Lynn Smiledge [Email ]