Long Meadow Ranch Property Owners Association
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Included Below:
Description of the Community
History of the Area
LMR's Trail Plan
Prospective Buyer Inquiry Process
LMRPOA Board Members
Contact Information
Community Committees


Description of the Community
We are located approximately 20 miles northwest of Prescott, Arizona in Williamson Valley and in the shadow of Granite Mountain. The west and south borders of the community adjoin the Prescott National Forest. We enjoy the amenities of Prescott but have easy access to the 800,000 plus acres of the National Forest. Our elevation is 4700 feet and, therefore, we have four mild seasons. This is the high desert - average rainfall for us is between 12" and 15" per year. The community has several miles of trails that can be used for horseback riding, hiking or biking. Non motorized use only. A map of the community can be veiwed by clicking here.

History of the Area
Current history begins with the Yavapai and Apache Indians, who lived here for centuries. When gold was discovered in 1863 prospectors made fabulous sums from placer mining in area creeks. Miners poured in, the Indians resented the newcomers, and about one-quarter of the entire U.S. Army followed, to protect the miners from the Indians.

The Army needed food, and hay for their horse, so farmers and ranchers followed the army. In 1868, Williamson Valley's first cattle herd arrived in Yavapai County, Arizona Territory. Two years later, there were about 27 ranches in the valley - a long, level stretch of well watered low land with hills along the east and west side, surrounded in turn by mountain ranges dominated by 7,600 foot Granite Mountain. During floods, the whole valley would be inundated; in winter the snow could be three feet deep. The valley's abundance of grass and water made it ideal for grazing cattle. Note that climate changes currently give this area a designation of high desert.

By 1872 Phil McDonald was growing hay for the horses at Fort Whipple (Prescott) in the area now known as Long Meadow Ranch and Harry Clark was grazing the first registered Hereford cattle on the meadows of what is now known as Las Vegas Ranch. Phil McDonald's ranch, originally called Rancho Valindo - ranch of the pretty valley, became the old Joe Stevens place, and went into Arizona history with the story of a Mrs. Stevens and one old man holding off attacking Apaches for six hours until a group of passing cowboys rescued them. The cowboy foreman took her note into Prescott to her husband: Dear Henry: Apaches come. I am almost out of buckshot. Please send me some more. Your loving wife.

In 1932, Robert Wilson, a Pittsburgh steel and Texas oilman, bought Long Meadow Ranch and began its nationally recognized breeding program of registered Hereford cattle, raising breeding stock for ranches and for range use by commercial cattlemen. Long Meadow Ranch continued as a well-respected cattle ranch under succeeding owners.

Recently, Arizona's ranches in Yavapai County have been bowing to economic realities, selling off land to developers who have subdivided the land into small parcels. Long Meadow Ranch followed a different course. The original ranch has been split into three sections: (1) The original ranch, (2) Units One and Two, and (3) Units Three and Four. LMRPOA represents the 66 parcels in Units One and Two that comprise approximately 2500 acres. Lot size is maintained at a minimum of 36 acres, guaranteeing preservation of open space. When our community plan was presented to the county, Gerald Brownlow, Yavapai County Supervisor, called it one of the best setups in the county.

The first annual meeting of LMRPOA was held May 22, 1995, electing five members to the Board. At that time, no completed homes existed, streets had been named but the signs were not yet up, and lot sales were only in Unit 1. By 1997 all 66 parcels had been sold by the developer and only resales are currently available.

Trail Plan
The LMRPOA Trail Plan can be downloaded as a jpg click here

Prospective Buyers Inquiry Process
Long Meadow Ranch (LMR), Units 1 & 2, adopted community "Association Documents" (CC&R's, By-Laws, Procedures, Animal Management Plan, Architectural Guidelines), creating a uniform plan, esablishing the "nature, use and enjoyment" for all LMR property owners. When property owners purchase an LMR parcel, they agree to be bound by those adopted "Association Documents". LMR's members want to maintain the "coveted rural residential community lifestyle" all have come to enjoy and appreciate. It is extremely important that existing and new community members work cooperatively to that end.
Parties interested in acquiring property in LMR need to familiarize themselves with those "Association Documents", before purchase.
Any proposed construction or uses, not specifically addressed in the "Association Documents", should be detailed in writing to the LMRPOA Board prior to purchase. Such inquiries will be informally reviewed, providing a prospective buyer a sense of whether such construction or uses would be acceptable within LMR.

LMRPOA Board Members
John Harbicht President
Jim Sheehan Vice President
Neil Cooperrider Treasurer and Road Committee
George Price Secretary and Trail Committee
Karen Austermiller   Chair, Firewise Committee
Ed Baxter Chair, Road Committee
Ray Beckage Road Committee

Contact Information for the LMRPOA Board
Mailing Address: LMRPOA, 12110 N Antelope Run, Prescott, AZ. 86305
To email LMRPOA or any Board member use lmrpoa@gmail.com

LMRPOA Community Committees

Trail Committee
The trail committee monitors and improves the community trail system. Members are Daryl Austermiller (Chairperson) , Karen Austermiller, John Harbicht, and George Price.

Road Committee
The road committee maintains the 7.5 miles of gravel roads within the community. Typically they develop a plan and budget which is presented to the LMRPOA Board. Once approved, they manage the contracts to implement the plan. The bulk of LMRPOA funds flow through the road committee. Members are Ed Baxter (Chair), Ray Beckage, and Neil Cooperrider.

Firewise Committee
The firewise committee works to minimize fire danger within the community. They work with the Fire District (WVFD) and the Prescott Area Wildland Urban Interface Commission (PAWUIC). Members of the committee are trained to provide firewise assessments privately to each homeowner, if requested by the homeowner. Members are Karen Austermiller (Chairperson) and Neil Cooperrider.


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