Mommy, there's a rat swimming in the IAC swimming pool!

irvinesinglemom_IHB

irvinesinglemom_IHB

New member
So my little guy and I were hanging out in the hot tub at our IAC development (Santa Rosa) when a couple of kids in the big pool started laughing and pointing. I went over to look. A rat - as in, animal of the rodent persuasion, complete with cute little whiskers and long tail - was gamely making his way across the pool.



Now, I have to tell you that the cleanliness of the pool has been becoming questionable over the past few months. Most of the time when we go to swim, it's cloudy, with yucky stuff floating in it. It hasn't been overtly gross enough for me to keep my son out, but it definitely hasn't been very clean either.



I left a message on the emergency maintenance line and within 10 minutes, good old Alfred was there to check things out and lock up the gates until the pool could be sanitized.



This solidifies my decision to get the HELL out of dodge. I would move immediately if I could, but I don't want to risk my son getting kicked out of his kindergarten class at Plaza Vista. He has Mrs. Jones and is getting a world-class education, as far as I can determine. My next move is going to be to North Irvine - either Woodbury or PS, probably. I'm dreaming of the perfect 3/2 detached rental that we can live in until our new home is built in OH, oh, about 2012 or so???



Meantime, no more pool for the little guy! Yuck. Yuck. Yuck.
 
Awwwww, what's the big deal ISM?



<img src="http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x159/wchrisbird/5645.jpg" alt="" />



JK, yuck !
 
[quote author="irvinesinglemom" date=1220103496]within 10 minutes, good old Alfred was there to check things out and lock up the gates until the pool could be sanitized.</blockquote>


I would be happy to get that kind of quick service. Do you think you'll have a pool in your next place and, if so, will it be better?
 
It seems to me that there are rats in just about every area in So Cal. There are rats in Beverly Hills, Newport, Irvine, Manhattan Beach, Brentwood, Encino, Coto, Laguna, etc.
 
[quote author="Trooper" date=1220103913]<img src="http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x159/wchrisbird/5645.jpg" alt="" /></blockquote>


<img src="http://www.irvinehousingblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/irvine-renter.jpg" alt="" />



That was just IrvineRenter getting some much-needed R&R;. Don't sweat it, ISM. Check the uncanny resemblance.
 
You are over reacting. I have pulled a snake out of our pool and we have

pulled mice, alive and dead out of the pool and lots of frogs. (Turtles, countless

bugs. The hub takes

good care of the pool. The cloudiness and the rats are not related to each

other.



If you have critters around, that is not a bad thing. If the pool is not

caged in the occasional critter will jump or fall in.



Heck, we once (in Miami) had a stray DOG in our pool. In the middle of the

night. The pool was caged in, but the screen had a rip, which the dog

enlarged. I heard this strange noise and we thought it was the pump

acting up. Finally the hub got up and discovered the dog, which was

too stupid to find the stairs and get out. He terrorized the cats, who lived

out there, and at one point our old siamese was hanging from the hub's

arm by one claw. . .he had the presence of mind not to hurl her off and

kill her.



If it had been a snake, would you have been so upset?



The cloudiness is another issue, and it seems that the pool should be

cleaner, but a rat can jump in even the cleanest pool. And rats are

flat out impossible to completely eliminate.
 
[quote author="irvinesinglemom" date=1220103496] I would move immediately if I could, but I don't want to risk my son getting kicked out of his kindergarten class at Plaza Vista....</blockquote>


ISM: Check out IUSD's page regarding <a href="http://www.iusd.k12.ca.us/enrollment/OpenEnrollmentPolicy.html">open enrollment policy.</a>



It would seem as though your son could not be kicked out of Plaza Vista if you moved because he is already enrolled and even with a transfer student they would only review their case once a year. Plus if you moved after Feb. 1 that would additionally guarantee he wouldn't be going anywhere since they don't transfers after that date. I hope the link helps. I am sure you could run it by the office and see what they say but I would imagine he would not be booted. (I also have a Kindergartener in this district.)
 
When we had a pool, it was a daily occurrence to find some creature floating around.

We had rats, mice, frogs, snakes, chipmunks, beatles, lizards, bees, turtles, etc.

Every day was a new creature.

Most of the time we were lucky where we could get them out safely and return them to the natural environment.

I would just be impressed that IAC reacted as quickly as they did.



I guess it's better than finding a bear in your pool.
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I wouldn't be in such of a hurry to move. You may end up living next to people like <a href="http://www.laweekly.com/content/printVersion/266640">these rat ladies in Pacific Palisades</a>



And if you hate rats so much, why on earth would you even consider buying a home up in Orchard Hills? I can almost guarantee that in addition to rats, you will find lots of snakes crawling around in the nature preserves.
 
I'm not surprised IAC responded so quickly to an issue like this. The biggest fear they have is LIABILITY and pool issues rank right up there.



I've heard stories of pools being immediately shut down, completely drained and refilled if a beer bottle rolled in (fear of chipped class at the bottom) or the more scandalous floater was dropped by a member of the diaper wearing summer horde.



Some things like insects and rodents are nearly impossible to control. If you really are concerned with overall cleanliness and the front office isn't doing enough, you may want to consider contacting IAC corporate. A few mentions of "small children" and "concerning pool conditions" will likely set off the liability buzzer and have them look into it more thoroughly.
 
It's not necessarily the rat by itself that is the concern. It's the continuing degradation of the pool area since Memorial Day - the rat was just the icing on the cake. There is one other pool in this development and that one has been gross for the whole time we have lived here. There is a family of ducks that call it home. They swim (and poop) in it all the time. It's as though no one cares.
 
[quote author="irvinesinglemom" date=1220192724]It's not necessarily the rat by itself that is the concern. It's the continuing degradation of the pool area since Memorial Day - the rat was just the icing on the cake. There is one other pool in this development and that one has been gross for the whole time we have lived here. There is a family of ducks that call it home. They swim (and poop) in it all the time. It's as though no one cares.</blockquote>


Once migratory birds establish a nest, even on private property, it is illegal to remove it, or to harass the birds. Even the bird's feathers are protected! So IAC is constrained from taking measures to remove the birds.
 
[quote author="GoIllini" date=1220221266][quote author="irvinesinglemom" date=1220192724]It's not necessarily the rat by itself that is the concern. It's the continuing degradation of the pool area since Memorial Day - the rat was just the icing on the cake. There is one other pool in this development and that one has been gross for the whole time we have lived here. There is a family of ducks that call it home. They swim (and poop) in it all the time. It's as though no one cares.</blockquote>


Once migratory birds establish a nest, even on private property, it is illegal to remove it, or to harass the birds. Even the bird's feathers are protected! So IAC is constrained from taking measures to remove the birds.</blockquote>


I thought that only applied to certain species, like sparrows. Besides, this family of ducks is not migratory; they are settled in!
 
[quote author="Ambiepants" date=1220148389][quote author="irvinesinglemom" date=1220103496] I would move immediately if I could, but I don't want to risk my son getting kicked out of his kindergarten class at Plaza Vista....</blockquote>


ISM: Check out IUSD's page regarding <a href="http://www.iusd.k12.ca.us/enrollment/OpenEnrollmentPolicy.html">open enrollment policy.</a>



It would seem as though your son could not be kicked out of Plaza Vista if you moved because he is already enrolled and even with a transfer student they would only review their case once a year. Plus if you moved after Feb. 1 that would additionally guarantee he wouldn't be going anywhere since they don't transfers after that date. I hope the link helps. I am sure you could run it by the office and see what they say but I would imagine he would not be booted. (I also have a Kindergartener in this district.)</blockquote>


Hmmm, I don't interpret this the same way as you do. I see nothing in here that specifically addresses what happens to a student who moves within Irvine to another village. I asked my son's teacher, hypothetically, what would happen and she warned me not to move until June or he'll get booted out. Maybe I'll call the office, see what they say. IR2, would you happen to know?



I have been checking out the Woodbury houses that are for rent and am getting hot under the collar to move (kind of like Trooper lusting after her Palm Springs bungalow :)
 
[quote author="irvinesinglemom" date=1220221727][quote author="GoIllini" date=1220221266][quote author="irvinesinglemom" date=1220192724]It's not necessarily the rat by itself that is the concern. It's the continuing degradation of the pool area since Memorial Day - the rat was just the icing on the cake. There is one other pool in this development and that one has been gross for the whole time we have lived here. There is a family of ducks that call it home. They swim (and poop) in it all the time. It's as though no one cares.</blockquote>


Once migratory birds establish a nest, even on private property, it is illegal to remove it, or to harass the birds. Even the bird's feathers are protected! So IAC is constrained from taking measures to remove the birds.</blockquote>


I thought that only applied to certain species, like sparrows. Besides, this family of ducks is not migratory; they are settled in!</blockquote>
Of course they're settled in... Some of your neighbors (non-swimmers) are probably thrilled to see the little duckies and are feeding them. But yes, they are covered by the protection.
 
[quote author="irvinesinglemom" date=1220221899]Hmmm, I don't interpret this the same way as you do. I see nothing in here that specifically addresses what happens to a student who moves within Irvine to another village. I asked my son's teacher, hypothetically, what would happen and she warned me not to move until June or he'll get booted out. Maybe I'll call the office, see what they say. IR2, would you happen to know?</blockquote>


I think you're ok to move, ISM. Two big sentences in red:



<blockquote>Reflecting the belief that parents should have a choice of schools, the Irvine Unified School District established at its inception an Open Enrollment Policy. <span style="color: red;"><strong>This policy provides the opportunity for parents who reside in the district to enroll their student in any school within the district on a space available basis.</strong></span>



Each school is required to serve the students who live within its attendance area prior to accepting any students from outside its boundary or from outside the district. Students residing inside the district receive priority over students residing outside the district.



Though the district supports parental choice and is committed to open enrollment, once enrollment reaches school capacity, that school or grade level, will be closed to open enrollment. Some schools are currently closed: some are closed to open enrollment from inside the district; some are closed to enrollment from outside the district. The following conditions also restrict the opportunities for open enrollment:



<span style="color: red;"><strong>approvals are for one year, and are reviewed each year, </strong></span></blockquote>


Obviously, check with your school's administrators before making the switch.



-IR2
 
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