< Previous18 History, Concepts, Covenants, and Rules Boeke assembled a stellar team of landscape designers, architects, attorneys, ecologists, and planners to construct the underlying criteria of the project and to build some model homes and a condominium. As a crucial first step, they created the definitive conditions, covenants, and restrictions (CC&Rs) that provide the framework for The Sea Ranch community. Endowed with rugged vistas and a rich biome, this place both delights the eye and restores the spirit. The challenge: how to protect the environment and sensitively include a new human community. The solution: architectural and land use rules put in place to avoid haphazard construction, to build homes that were in harmony with their surroundings and neighboring homes, and to protect the common areas shared by all residents. Early Sea Ranchers adopted these principles as critical to the definition and identity of the community. These original CC&Rs are fully embraced by those who live here today and have provided the philosophical and environmental underpinnings for the Sea Ranch community. We are careful to safeguard those early commitments. Today we may say we live lightly “with” instead of “on” the land, expressing our deepening understanding of our shared co- existence with the natural world. “All sorts of different types of people were attracted to this land, and that became their bond.” Reverdy Johnson, from The Magic of The Sea Ranch, 2011, by Rob Elder First buildings: (from left) Condo One (MLTW Architects), The Sea Ranch Store and Marker Building (Joseph Esherick & Associates, Architect), The Sea Ranch, 1965, courtesy The Sea Ranch Archives.21 The Sea Ranch Association (TSRA) How has this Sea Ranch philosophy been put into practice? Answering this question calls for learning more about The Sea Ranch Association and its resources. Sea Ranchers belong to a very well- managed community. All owners of homes and lots are members of The Sea Ranch Association, which administers a wide array of activities and services. Administrative Offices (707) 785-2444 info@tsra.org Tue–Sat, 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. 975 Annapolis Road The Sea Ranch, CA 95497 Quiet, Redwoods and Ferns © Matt Covington23 Our Sea Ranch Governance The Board of Directors Ultimate responsibility for TSRA rests with the Association’s Board of Directors. Elected on a rotating basis by the membership, the seven members of the Board serve three- year terms. Board meetings, held several times a year, are open to The Sea Ranch public, except on occasions when sensitive matters must be discussed in closed sessions. Community Manager Our Community Manager, who is hired by and reports to the Board, leads the staff of the Association in performing current duties and long-term planning, while also representing TSRA as advocate and liaison to a range of organizations and government entities. Administration and Management Services Staff in Member Services provide a welcoming atmosphere at the office. They supply essential information to community members and visitors and, as needed, direct inquiries to the appropriate Association departments. Pick up printed information here. The Association has produced many booklets, available for a nominal fee, covering local geology, wildflowers, and collections of essays on life at TSR. The Trails Map provides a wealth of information, including routes of the more than 50 miles of trails in the community, the location of numbered trail markers, Sonoma County mile markers on Highway 1 (useful when anticipating where to make a turn from the highway onto a TSR road), bicycle trail links, and certain interpretive trails. Department of Design, Compliance, and Environmental Management (DCEM) and the Design Committee (DC) Of vital importance in sustaining our natural and built environment are DCEM and DC. Together, they “One of the original Sea Ranch architects, Joseph Esherick, designed a home for our family that quietly folds into the dunes—a perfect haven that has sheltered five generations.” Phil Zimbardo and Christina Maslach, 2019 Hedgerow Arches © Rozanne Rapozo24 conduct a thorough design review process to maintain the integrity of proposed development and to enable property owners to explore the unique potential of each site. The all-professional (architects and landscape architects) Design Committee, appointed by the Board of Directors, has sole discretion to confirm particular proposed building projects and to guide owners through the process. Before beginning any exterior project, an owner must first obtain approval from the DCEM/DC. The CC&Rs require that reconstructing, refinishing, or altering any exterior element, changing the natural drainage of, or changing the natural landscape or vegetation must be approved by the DCEM. Today at The Sea Ranch, design is not a static process but one based on balancing the traditions that have served the community well in the past with the evolving needs and technologies of the future. Because architecture is meant to blend with the surroundings, it may come as a surprise that we are a community of nearly 1,800 homes with the eventual full build-out of 2,225. Finance & Human Services The Financial Services Department deals with issues related to the budget, including all revenues and expenses. The Human Resources Department helps recruit, hire, train, and retain our staff. Membership Communication Website Whether you want to read a publication, study our governing documents, learn about the Disaster Response program, check for opportunities to volunteer, or be able to plan for upcoming events, information is available on the TSRA Website (www.tsra.org), which also provides links to important documents. Info Alerts An Email Alert System (InfoAlerts) notifies members of upcoming events, facility and road closures, adverse weather conditions, and other significant news. Sea Ranch Governance25 Sea Ranch Governance Super-graphics by Barbara Stauffacher Solomon, Moonraker Recreation Center © Jim Alinder26 Publications The Bulletin, our monthly newsletter, and Soundings, our quarterly magazine, are available in both print and digital form. Both contain much useful information about issues and opportunities of ongoing interest. The inside last page of every Bulletin provides a list of many of the groups and activities open to all Sea Ranchers and a monthly calendar of special events. “From the shores we watch gray whales with calves pass by, harbor seals pup, and black oystercatchers nest; in the meadows and forest California quail, osprey, foxes, and deer abound while elusive predators like mountain lions help maintain the balance. We must constantly learn about what we have been given to protect.” Diane Hichwa, 2019 Volunteer Committees A key feature of living at The Sea Ranch is the enduring spirit of stewardship and volunteerism that puts the talents and energies of interested members in service to the quality of life here. The importance of this tradition is highlighted in the 2013 Comprehensive Environmental Plan, authored by the Planning Committee of the Association. which notes that “this broad- based grassroots participation cuts across all aspects of life at The Sea Ranch, including finance, land use planning, landscape and vegetation management, community facilities, trails and recreation, infrastructure, communications, public safety, and preservation of native biotic communities.” Sea Ranch volunteers often collaborate with other entities to preserve our environment and quality of life. For example, TSRA serves as steward for that portion of the California Coastal National Monument that lies off The Sea Ranch coastline. Sea Ranch Governance27 Sea Ranch Governance Clockwise from top left: Volunteers, Commons Landscape Committee, Replanting Hedgerow, © Scott Smith; Hot Spot Tuesday Night Potluck, © Jim Alinder; Gray Whales © Craig TooleyNext >