Quorum Article - May 2000
Thunderbird
Property Owners Association governs 274 individual properties in the southern
part of Rancho Mirage. The properties are laid out among 5 separate areas,
namely, Sand Dune, Thunderbird Heights, Cypress, Fairway and Country Club. Three
of these are reached from Country Club Drive and two from Highway 111.
Thunderbird, which derives its name from the automobile, was originally a large
ranch.
Thunderbird is one of the oldest clubs in the valley. It
has been and still is the haunt of celebrities, including movie stars, writers,
producers and CEOs of Fortune 500 companies. Ginger Rogers lived there at one
time and former President Gerald Ford currently lives there complete with his
Secret Service security detail.
The development of Thunderbird began with the
construction of the golf course, which opened in 1950. It is a planned unit
development. All homes are custom homes and are on lots ranging in size from 1/3rd
acre to a surprising 17 acres. Construction has been somewhat sporadic and has
continued from the 1960s through the present time. There are still 12 to 18 lots
remaining to be built upon.
All homes, except for those in the Heights, are on or
very close to the golf course at Thunderbird Country Club. They range in size
from 2 bedrooms in 2,000 square feet to 7 bedrooms in 9,000 square feet. Sales
prices in the past year have ranged from $350,000 to $3,000,000.
Thunderbird Property Owners Association was self-managed
until 1994 when PCM/Desert Resort Management took over. Since then many changes
and upgrades have been introduced. These include repaved streets, new walls, a
new guardhouse, new gates and landscaping on Highway 111. The previously direct
employed security staff was replaced by Guardsmark, which provides gate control
and a roving patrol. Board and management took the view that an independent and
professional security company provided a better solution to the relatively
limited security needs of Thunderbird, particularly with regard to liability
issues.
Thunderbird’s governing documents were another area
requiring a completely fresh look and have been completely overhauled. There are
no rules and regulations as such, except for th4e CC&Rs use restrictions,
but landscaping and view policies have been introduced. The view policy
prohibits any substantial interference with views by new construction.
There is a 7 member Board of Directors and an active
Architectural Review Committee. Homeowner association responsibilities are
confined to gates, walls and streets. This fact is reflected in the association
dues, which are a relatively low $260
per month. Thunderbird’s reserves are fully funded.
Sally Brown manages Thunderbird for PCM/Desert Resort Management. This being an “off-site” management operation, Sally emphasizes the importance of an off-site property manager having a close rapport with the guard service. While Sally drives the entire property at least once per week and visits it at least three times per week, she values the extra eyes and ears provided by the guards.
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