RSFA Board Candidate: Paul Seitz

Author: Phil Trubey

Date: July 02, 2020

This article is part of a series of interview articles we are doing for the 2020 RSFA Board election. 

Paul Seitz's future vision for Rancho Santa Fe is a community where members want to submit applications to the Art Jury and interact with the Association. I guess you could say he doesn't shy away from a challenge. But in all seriousness, Seitz stressed many times during our interview that his number one goal is to get teamwork back into our community. "The word Association means a group of people, a team, not disparate people trying to do their own thing", Seitz explained. 

By example, he said that he likes the function of the Art Jury, and the fact that they follow the Protective Covenant. He appreciates their emphasis on what he calls "eye appeal". On overbuilding, a current Board bugaboo, he thinks the way the Art Jury looks at it, being mindful of the protective covenant regulations but also looking at overall aesthetics, is appropriate.

However, he also believes that the Association should pay attention to new technologies when it comes to building materials. In particular, given the new County fire regulations, it is almost impossible to get approval to use real wood as an exterior building covering. He thought the Board's prohibition against cement fiber board as a higher performance, yet still aesthetic wood replacement (Hardie Board being an example trade name) was misguided. He thinks the Association should not be stagnant, while still remaining true to the intent of the Protective Covenant.

Paul is not a fan of the recently adopted Art Jury IDR process. He is appalled that people can get an Association permit, be in the middle of construction, and have their construction project put on hold while any of the other 2,000 HOA members can challenge their "approved" permit. Paul is sensitive to this as one of his properties got held up by an IDR after he had won approval. He eventually won the challenge, but it cost him valuable time and money.

A lot of his specific ideas have the general theme of the little guy versus the big government agency. He wants the Association to help homeowners, not be adversarial. "Fines shouldn't be impersonally mailed to homeowners and left to ratchet up week after week, they should be hand delivered", Seitz stated. If the Association needs to fine someone, a staff member should visit the homeowner (if possible) and personally deliver the fine. This would enable discussion and maybe on the spot remediation. Mailing out fines is a legalistic processes and definitely not community friendly. As Seitz says, "The Association should be helping members, not be their adversary.".

Seitz loved seeing how many people where out in the Village and using the trail system during the shutdowns. He would like to keep that momentum going and maybe have weekend BBQs in the Village. Parents could bring their kids to play in the Village parks while grabbing a burger from a temporary BBQ facility. Seitz, being a horseman, would also like to get a 4H program going in our community. And he thinks our playing fields and trails could use more attention and budget. Simple things, like directional signs on the trails, would go a long way towards making trails safer and easier to use.

Overall, Seitz has many specific ideas on how to foster a better community. His overall theme is one of bringing people together into an improved association. 

Click here to read Paul Seitz's official campaign flyer that the Association mailed to all members as part of the official election packet.