Emergency
Emergency Services–police, fire, and ambulance–are provided by the City of Asheville. Call 911. Buncombe County also sponsors a Crimestoppers line: 255-5050. See also the list of other phone numbers elsewhere on this website.
Ground marks – Colored flags or color-dye marks on the ground mark the locations of gas lines, water lines, electric cables, etc. No digging should be done within 30 inches on either side of these utility markers, nor should such markers be removed or erased without permission. You can learn the status of work being done by utility companies by calling 1-800-632-4949.
The color codes are: red–electric power; orange–phone or cable; yellow–gas; blue–water; green–sewer.
Electric
Electric power to Beaverdam Run is furnished by Duke Progress Energy, headquarterd in Raleigh, and is billed monthly.
You can pay bills online.
Gas
Natural gas service to Beaverdam Run is furnished by PSNC Energy, headquartered in Gastonia, and is billed monthly.
The monthly charge for residential service has two parts: a base (“facilities”) charge of $10.00, and a usage charge. Usage is measured in “therms.” which are calculated by multiplying the number of cubic feet used (from your meter readings) by a figure that represents the relative energy content of the gas delivered during the period Currently, the charge per therm is about $1.18470. During some seasons, a so-called Weather Normalization Adjustment of a few cents is added to that figure.
You can register with the company online, after which you can pay bills online.
Water
Water is supplied to the Association, but not to individual units, by the City of Asheville’s Water Resources Dept., which boasts 1,600 miles of lines, three treatment plants, 30 pumping stations, and 27 storage reservoirs. Once water reaches Beaverdam Run, it enters a system that is fully owned, operated, and maintained by the Association. Thus, any interruption in supply is likely to be an Association responsibility, not a City responsibility. Problems that originate outside a unit should be reported immediately to the Water Service Committee.
The water is chlorinated and fluorinated and reputedly of excellent quality, though we have not seen a chemical analysis. Some unit owners have installed whole-house water filters, though these seem to be unnecessary. Others use sink or faucet filters, or filter-equipped pitchers, if only to remove the faint chlorine taste..
As part of our condominium arrangement, the Association pays the water bill for the entire community, so that individual unit owners all pay the same, through the monthly assessment, no matter how little or how much water they use. Excessive water use, of course, ultimately helps boost the monthly assessment.
The City recently installed a schedule of capital charges for all water users. Varying with the pipe size of the water meter, the charge is intended to help pay for capital improvements to the system. Our system brought water through a 6-inch meter, for which a monthly capital charge of $990 (or almost $12,000 a year) was levied. Through negotiations with the City, the Board secured an agreement to divert the normal inflow through a 1-1/2-inch meter, installed in the spring of 2007. The new meter carries a monthly capital charge of only $80–saving the Association almost $11,000 annually. The 6-in. meter connection is still available in the event of an abnormal need for volume, as in the case of a bad fire.
In addition to the new capital charge, the Association’s monthly water bill has two parts: an administrative fee of $4.83, and a usage charge. It’s tough to know the usage charge because the City bundles it with the sewage charge.
The Association maintains an 81,000-gallon water tank (right) near the upper end of Stony Ridge. The tank helps maintain pressure for the more elevated units, and it serves as a backup when there is an interruption in the normal water supply. A booster pump on Ridgeview Drive is activated to push water into the tank when its water level falls too low.
Particularly in view of the recent drought conditions in Western North Carolina, BR residents are urged to practice water conservation.
An overview of our own water system is included elsewhere on this website. A great deal of information can also be found in the FAQ section of this website, including an amplifying Q&A.
Sewage Disposal
Unlike many similar developments more remote from downtown Asheville, we do not have to rely on cesspools or septic fields for sewage disposal. The wastewater from BR sinks, toilets, showers, and bathtubs flows into our own network of pipes, and from there into the City’s pipes, which transport it to the treatment plant of the Metropolitan Sewerage District of Buncombe County.
As in the case of our water supply, it is important to realize that any blockage, leak, or other problem with sewage disposal that occurs on BR property, and outside an individual housing unit, becomes an Association problem, not a City problem. So it is important to avoid practices that could lead to blockages. In particular, do not put the following in any drain:
- Particles greater than 1/2 inch in size (in any direction). This means, for example, that you should not put difficult materials, such as bones, husks, and banans peels in a macerator.
- Liquids that become viscous or even solidify at temperatures below 140F.
- Corrosive powders or liquids. Our piping is plastic, but the treatment plant’s equipment is not.
- Oils and greases. These do not mix with water and can deposit in the pipes. Collect these in a can and put the can in the garbage.
The Association pays the Sewerage District a monthly fee plus a variable fee based on the amount of flow from our system. According to Jim Kehoe, former Association Treasurer, the variable fee works out to about $1.32 for each $1 worth of incoming water we pay for.
Waste Pickup
Tuesday is trash day. Every other Tuesday is recycling day. Each year the City mails a card showing the pickup dates for the calendar year. The dates are also listed in the calendar on this website.
The City picks up non-recycled trash on all holidays except Christmas (and Thanksgiving). If Christmas falls on a Tuesday, collection will be the following day. The City says that containers should be placed at the curb no later than 7 am, and this seems to be good advice for recycling. However, in recent experience, the garbage trucks don’t reach this part of their route until much later. All containers should be removed from the street by 7 pm.
To report a missed garbage collection, phone 251-1122.
Garbage. Garbage should be securely bagged, the bags placed in the green, 65-gallon roll cart, and the cart placed on the edge of the street. The garbage truck is equipped with a mechanical arm that lifts this cart and up-ends it. To make this work, you must position the cart so that the handle and the lid’s hinge are away from the street; the sanitation people will not service a mis-oriented cart. To accomodate the truck’s lifting arm, the cart also must be within 2 feet of the road, and at least 5 feet away from a tree, light pole, parked car or recycling cart. The green roll cart is the property of the City and should be left in your Unit if you move. Call 250-4560 to report a damaged or missing green cart.
Trash left outside the roll cart will not be collected, and overfilled carts may not be serviced. Do not put the following in the roll cart: grass clippings, garden waste, medical waste, construction and building materials, and hazardous waste.
Recycling. The City contracts with Curbside Management for recycling. If you have questions, call 252-2532.
As of March 2012 the City added to the list of recyclables and decreed that residents need no longer separate one type from another. It also made available blue roll carts into which all recyclables should be placed. However, for residents who, for one reason or another, did not want to deal with the new carts (in some cases a matter of limited garage space), it said that the prior green and blue collection boxes could be used instead of a cart. The blue carts and the boxes are the property of the the recycling company and should be left in your garage if you move away.
Recyclables include metal cans, many (but not all) plastic containers, glass bottles and jars (clear, green and brown), mixed paper, newspapers (including inserts), periodicals, and corrugated cardboard. The City’s website displays detailed lists of recyclables and non-recyclables for metals, paper and plastics. In particular, Curbie cannot handle greasy paper (such as the bottom of a pizza box, contaminated paper towels, plastic wraps and bags (including shopping bags, cereal box liners, bubble wraps, polystyrene (e.g., packing “peanuts”), or mirror or window glass. A complete review of the recycling program can be found here.
You can get extra recycling bins by calling 252-2532. The company will not collect more than six at a time. If at some point you are overwhelmed by recyclables you can also call that number to find our the location of the nearest recyling center to which you can take your stuff.
Important Tips & Reminders:
- Only bagged household trash can be placed in the city provided 65 or 95-gallon roll cart containers.
- All trash must be inside the container.
- No yard waste, brush, or construction debris may be included.
- The roll cart must be placed at least 5 feet from obstacles such as your recycling container, light poles, and parked cars. The cart must also be 2 feet from the curb edge.
- The cart handle should face away from the street toward your home.
- Missed service? Please contact the City of Asheville Customer Service Division at (828) 251-1122, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
- The City owns the roll carts and recyclable containers so they must remain when you move.
- To eliminate attracting the bears, please do not put your garbage out until Tuesday mornings, the day of our service. Leaving for a trip, please ask your neighbors if you may include your garbage with theirs or if they will roll out your carts and replace them for you.
Bulky Items
You must call 251-1111 to schedule pickup of the following items:
- Appliances. The City collects appliances such as stoves, ovens, refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers, washers, dryers, air conditioners, trash compactors, and hot water heaters for a fee of $5 per item, which will be billed to you.Note that state law now prohibits the dumping of appliances in a landfill. This law also requires that businesses that sell appliances charge an appliance disposal fee to cover the cost of the appliance, so you may want to ask a seller to dispose of your old appliance.
- Furniture. The City collects chairs, beds, mattresses and springs, sofas and other such items on request. Place items at the curb by 7 am on the scheduled day. Items will be picked up within seven working days.
- Carpets.When disposing of carpet, roll and tie with string or twine (not wire) in 4-foot rolls and place at the curb.
- Small dead animals. Small dead animals, such as a cat, dog or other small, household pet, must be wrapped in a plastic bag and placed at the curb.
- Large collections. The City will collect large amounts of trash, as may be generated in moving in or out of a home, but one time only. per owner.
- Large metal items. Biltmore Iron & Metal, 1 Meadow Rd., open 7:30 am to 5 pm weekdays, accepts such items and pays a modest price per pound. It’s a right turn off Biltmore Ave. past the hospital–behind a convenience store. Phone: 253-9317.
Special Problems
You may need to take some materials to the Buncombe County Landfill, 85 Panther Branch Rd., Alexander (directions from Ingles) or Buncombe County Transfer Station, 190 Hominy Creek Rd., Asheville (directions from Ingles).
- Garden waste–Bundle and leave for the landscape crew.
- Medical waste–Call your medical provider for advice. See also hazardous waste below.
- Construction and building materials–Take bricks, cement, lumber, plaster, roofing material, and sheetrock to the County Landfill.
- Auto parts–Most stores that sell car batteries will take dead ones for disposal; if not, treat them as hazardous waste (see below). Take tires, oil filters, and miscellaneous parts to the County Landfill.
- Paint–You can put empty cans or dried-out paint with household trash. Liquid paint is considered hazardous waste (see below).
- Household batteries–For recycling locations in Asheville for nickel-cadmium batteries, call 1-800-822-8837. Ace Hardware normally will accept them.
Hazardous Waste
Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) are classified as hazardous because of their mercury content and are not accepted at the Landfill. The easiest way to dispose of them is to leave them, carefully protected against damage, on the front porch of 7 Ridgeview Drive, where Rob Walker will take care of them.
The County collects most household hazardous waste at the Landfill each Friday between the hours of 9 am and 3 pm. Call 250-5460 for more information. Hazardous waste includes:
- Paints and related products.
- Insecticides, pesticides, and herbicides.
- Gasoline, motor oil, antifreeze, and other automotive fluids.
- Lead-acid car batteries (but see above).
- Electronics–Devices include fax machines, VCRs, DVD players, telephones, stereos, TVs and cell phones.
Pest Control
The basic concept of BRCA’s pest control program is to establish a chemical barrier around the foundation of each building in the complex and to maintain that barrier on a regular basis. In addition, each building is inspected internally to detect any termite infestation. Individual pest-control problems are also addressed as they arise. Pest control services are provided, under contract, by Dodson Bros. Exterminating Co.
Each year an internal termite inspection is done on every unit and building. This includes inside inspection of the crawl spaces. The chair of the Pest Control Committee is notified as to when the inspections will begin, and the information is posted at the Gazebo. If inspectors cannot gain entrance to a unit, a tag is left on the door and the owner must contact Dodson directly to make arrangements for the inspection. Bob Angore is our area manager and can be reached at (828)-252-8992.
When the inspections are complete, Dodson gives the committee chair a spreadsheet noting that each unit has been inspected for 11 actual or potential problems.
Pesticide treatments are done each month, and the pesticide used is viable for three months. So our complex is divided into thirds, each unit receiving treatment every three months. The service includes pesticide application, sweeping of cobwebs, and removal of pest nests on the outside of the unit, if accessible. The unit owner does not need to be at home for this service. Both the inside and the outside of the Clubhouse and Log Cabin are also treated.
At the beginning of the year, information on the dates on which specific units are to be serviced is printed in Beaverdam News and Views and on this website.
Dodson responds to individual problems in a timely manner. A resident may contact Dodson directly at 252-8992. Most pest control problems inside the unit and within 10 feet of the building are covered by our contract. Problems outside that perimeter are noted, the Chair is contacted, and, upon Board approval, the problem is dealt with and paid for by the Association.
There are exceptions with regard to the removal of, or treatment for, certain animals and insects. For instance, there is no effective method to deal with ladybug infestation, and Dodson will not remove snakes. North Carolina also has laws regarding how to deal with certain wildlife. Dodson will provide monthly service for fleas on an individual basis, paid for by the unit owner.
As for anything caught in a chimney, dead or alive, Dodson recommends calling a chimney sweep; Dodson does not do chimneys. Ditto for anything dead or alive in a vent or duct: call the heating system contractor.
Phone Service
Regular telephone service to Beaverdam Run is provided by BellSouth. Like all phone companies, it offers a confusing array of monthly plans. Costs vary with the size of calling area (local, long-distance, international) and the special features desired. (caller ID, etc.). Even if you already have a connection and a plan, you might want to consult the company’s website, bellsouth.com, to explore the various plans and their costs.
Remember that you may select a long-distance carrier other than BellSouth.
For Internet access, the company also offers an ordinary dial-up connection as well as a faster, more costly DSL connection. And it can install a DirectTV satellite connection as well.
For service, call 1-888-757-6500.
The front portion of the BellSouth directory contains a wealth of information, including calling plans, area codes, special features, contact numbers for government and non-government agencies, a list of local attractions, a calendar of events, floor plans, and maps.
You will probably want to register your phone with the national do-not-call registry. To do this, phone 1-888-382-1222 on the line you wish to register. Or you can register online at www.nocallsnc.com. Registration is good for five years.
Cable phone. An alternative is to add phone service to a cable service package. A cable phone connection often offers unlimited calling nationwide.
Wireless service. It seems to be generally agreed that Verizon is the only wireless carrier with effective service in Beaverdam Run. You can learn about the company’s plans at the company’s website. The nearest Verizon Wireless store is at 242 Tunnel Rd. (phone 251-2335). The customer-service phone number is 1-800-922-0204.
Cable Service
Most units in Beaverdam Run have a physical cable connection with Charter Communications, an Atlanta-based company. And most of those connections are activated, at least for TV reception.
Of the alternatives for TV, even a sophisticated antenna, which would have to be hidden in an attic, is not likely to be effective, given our local geography. As for satellite service, BRCA permits installing an 18-inch antenna on a deck, shielded from neighbors’ view. We understand there have been a few such successful installations.
In 2009, AT&T began to offer its U-Verse cable service in competition with Charter. As we understand it, the company runs optical fiber cables to a node, then copper wire to individual Units. The desirability and economics of one service versus the other depends greatly on the programming desired and the number of TV sets to be connected.
Of those who have activated a cable connection, many also use it for an Internet connection in preference to a less expensive “dial-up” connection. And some go for the triple package of TV-Internet-phone, which Charter pushes mightily and discounts slightly.
The cable internet connection is now available up to 60 Mbps.
For detailed information on Charter, log onto charter.com or phone 1-800-955-7766. Be warned that, if you want more than the most basic TV service, Charter’s offers, deals, and packages are byzantine in their complexity and pricing. It is not uncommon to try to drop a portion of the service and discover that you will spend more, not less.
For more information on U-Verse, click here,
Lighting
Residential lighting is powered through each unit owner’s electric meter. An owner can noticeably lower lighting cost by replacing incandescent bulbs with low-energy fluorescent bulbs (CFLs), now available in configurations suitable for lamps and overhead fixtures–and, of course, turning off lights when they are not needed.
The unit owner’s lighting load includes the three lights on the front of the garage. However, these lights are controlled by the Association, being turned on by timers set to trigger the lights during darkness. These lights are part of the Association’s “nightscaping.” The Association has a program to replace the bulbs in these fixtures as they expire, as well as those in the street lamps, with CFLs.
Exterior garage lights or street lamps that do not light or that stay on during daylight should be reported to the appropriate member of the Nightscaping Committee, as follows:
Any problem with exterior garage lights or streetlights should be rported to the chair of the Lighting Committee, Rob Walker, 350-7507.
Owners are responsible for replacing their own entry and deck light bulbs, and any other lights that they or previous owners have installed on or near the exterior of their unit. The appropriate bulb for entry and deck light fixtures is a 75-watt or 100-watt clear glass bulb. Replacing fixtures or globes for such lights is also the owner’s responsibility, but any change in appearance requires Board approval.
All Common Element lights, such as street lights, Gazebo lights, Japanese Garden lanterns, pond lights, ground and tree lights installed by BRCA, and exterior Log Cabin and Clubhouse lights, are maintained by the Nightscape/Lighting Committee, and problems or questions concerning these lights should be addressed to the chair of that committee. The Log Cabin Committee and the Clubhouse Committee are responsible, respectively, for maintaining the lights within those buildings.