The RHOA Board will meet on the following dates at 5 PM Eastern time.  Homeowners who want to attend or address the Board should contact the RHOA Secretary to receive a Zoom invitation. 

The US Army Corps of Engineers reports water levels were near average in June 2026, seven inches below last year's June level and just over 30 inches from record June highs and record  June lows.  Over the next six months, water levels are expected to remain near long-term average (LTA).  The current 6‐month forecast projects that water levels will continue their seasonal rise into July. Water levels are expected to remain above last year’s levels throughout the duration of the forecast by 6 to 14 inches.  Details are reported in the June 2026 Great Lakes Water Level Summary. Water levels for the previous year and the current year to date are in the Monthly Bulletin of Lake Levels for the Great Lakes.   

 

Two improvements have eased beach access at Grape Lane, where the steep dune was an impediment to pedestrians. First, a contractor lessened the incline at the fore dune.  Second, RHOA purchased a new Mobi Mat, which is a rollout walkway that provides better footing.  As strong winds may blow a layer of sand over a section, RHOA's contractor Gemini Lawn and Landscaping will clear it during their regular weekly service.

 

The stair replacement at Plum Lane that was slated to occur in April has been delayed due to a change in the contractor's schedule.  RHOA will wait until after Labor Day, with the work by Dune Restoration Services scheduled for September 8-18, 2026. 

 

The RHOA Board asks homeowners whose land abuts the six access lanes to trim their landscape so it doesn’t impinge on the paths to be assured that the maintenance is done to their satisfaction. If it inadvertently overgrows into the access paths, Gemini may trim it so that there is no tripping hazard. Thanks for helping to promote homeowner safety.  

 

Image courtesy of Janet Preuss.

The 2026 Recycling Calendar shows LakeShore Recycling and Disposal picks up recycling weekly between Memorial Day through Labor Day and services RHOA biweekly the remainder of the year.  Exceptions to Monday pickup are two Tuesdays--May 26 and Sept. 8.  

RHOA added two boat racks that homeowners can use to store their kayaks or canoes at the Quiet Cove, bringing the capacity to 18 vessels. To store your canoe or kayak there, please register, pay the fee, and put identification on the hull.

 

From the RHOA website's Wetlands page:

 

RHOA members can launch canoes and kayaks from two docks at a slip located near the corner of Ash and Riviera Drive, an area owned by RHOA and referred to as “Quiet Cove”. To find the site, walk down the hill to the first dock (perhaps marked) at the head of the Quiet Cove slip. To find the Canoe/Kayak dock, follow the path at the right of the slip for about 150 yards from the bottom of the hill. The floating launch is on the left side of the path and is installed from early spring through the fall. A storage rack is located on the right side of the pathway near this second launching dock. 

 

To store your canoe or kayak in Quiet Cove, please register, pay the fee, and put identification on the hull, as described in the document:

The RHOA trash contractor is attaching to each trash container a “lid-lock” to help prevent varmints from accessing the bin contents.  The rubber tabs are easy to use, so please secure each lid every time.  Click image to enlarge.

 

Chickaming Open Lands (COL) announced it and its partners, the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians and Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy, earned a grant to improve the Galien River Watershed.  Of course, action that benefits any part of the watershed benefits RHOA and the 128+ acres of wetlands RHOA owns.  Thanks go to COL, its partners, and those who support its mission.  
 
Per the COL announcement, the 3-year, $260,000 grant from the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation will "enhance habitat throughout the Galien River watershed by controlling invasive species, re-introducing disturbance regimes, and re-establishing native plants across 15 protected natural areas to benefit various insect pollinators, migratory and resident birds, reptiles and amphibians, and other wildlife species. The partners will continue management activities across approximately 438 acres and expand restoration work over nearly 1,100 more acres including priority wetland habitat.”  

By day I like to see the houses in Riviera; by night I like to see the night.  I asked a neighbor if he would consider lessening how much he illuminates his house and beyond it.  He responded spectacularly, turning off all the soffit lights when the house is not in use.  A field of stars is visible in the background.  Thank you, Joe, for the courtesy of preserving the night sky.  

One of the opportunities gained from supporting dark skies may soon be realized.  In the next few months, an exploding star may appear as a nova in the constellation Corona Borealis, the northern crown.  With a sufficiently dark sky you can likely see the celestial apparition, which will be about as bright as Polaris, the North Star.  

 

 

Two naturalists from SWxSW Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA) who walked RHOA property identified and commented on flora and fauna that caught their eyes.  See A View of Riviera: Native and Invasive Species for photos, comments, and thumbs up/down ratings of the species encountered.  More details are in the RHOA Members Only blog.

Homeowners who rent their property must abide by New Buffalo Township short term rental ordinance, as must the people who rent the property.  The New Buffalo Township website provides short term rental information, including:

In the left column of this Riviera HOA website is a link to guidelines for Visitors & Renters.  Homeowners are encouraged to include a PDF version in the requisite Guest Book.  

 

The short term rental requirements include the following:

An image taken from The Blow with a hand-held cell phone reveals hidden stars of the Milky Way.  

 

Many Riviera homeowners seek to get away from the impositions of city life and to enjoy the abundance of nature here. Half of that experience--indeed, half our lives--occurs from sunset to sunrise.  Spectacles like twilight, crickets, fireflies, and stars then take center stage.  That is, until the contemplative darkness is disrupted by errant and excessive light.

 

If a thrifty LED light were a scout citing its pledge, it would put up its LED fingers and declare, "I'm useful, targeted, no brighter than necessary, controlled, and have warm colors."  Stick to those key notions and your outdoor light will achieve its purpose responsibly.  Read more for an introduction to light pollution and ways to lessen it in the Riviera community.

 

 

At the 2023 Annual Meeting, several homeowners spoke of issues that concerned them, including the proliferation of invasive species and excessive outdoor lighting.  A new Stewardship group is forming to address the natural well-being of RHOA-owned properties.  If you are interested in facilitating, participating in, or being informed about stewardship opportunities such as invasive plant removal, you can receive relevant emails when you Login to your Profile and select the Stewardship group.  

 

Thanks to the neighbors who responded at the Annual Meeting. As the inaugural Stewardship group launches, see the Members Only Blog for updates.  Contact Chuck Bueter for more info.

 

Image: Volunteer Sarah B. hauls away invasive honeysuckle in the Riviera.

 

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New Buffalo Township restricts the use of consumer fireworks, per Ordinance No. 20130520, to the times shown below.

 

Lakeshore Recycling & Disposal lists recycling tips at lakeshorerecycle.com/recycling-info, reproduced below left.  You can also download and print tips with examples, below right, compiled courtesy of Millie Flannery.

 

         

 

 

While beach fires are allowed, homeowners need to extinguish the fires completely with water and clean up after themselves.  No one wants to step into hot buried embers or have the pristine beach compromised by charred wood and dispersed coals.  A PDF with tips on how to extinguish a beach fire suggests digging a pit for the fire, extinguishing it thoroughly with water when done, and then filling the pit with sand.  Thank you for your consideration of owners, guests, and resources.

 

 

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The RHOA Board shared a Good Neighbors Policy specific to our community, which describes what your neighbors ask of you.  Topics include Beach, Pets, Construction, Fireworks, Noise, Outdoor Lighting, Wetlands Access and Boat Rack, and Trash.  Simple courtesies go a long way, and all neighbors thank you for your consideration.

 

 

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With improved outdoor weather and the seasonal return of homeowners and guests, home construction underway in RHOA becomes more apparent. As a reminder to all Riviera residents, there are limiting hours when construction and its accompanying inconveniences are permitted.  RHOA has a well-established Construction Policy that details construction guidelines regarding parking, dumpsters, hours, debris, fencing, compliance, and more.

 

 

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New Buffalo Township ordinances listed at https://newbuffalotownship.org/township-ordinances include the Anti-Noise and Public Nuisance Ordinance NO. 690720.  

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During the coronavirus crisis, garbage must only be in LakeShore Recycling & Disposal's approved containers.  The garbage haulers will NOT pick up items that are outside of the garbage cans.  Please place your containers 3-4 feet from the edge of the road and 2-3 feet apart from each other.  

 

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An amended ordinance to regulate the use of fireworks in New Buffalo Township went into effect August 31, 2019.  The terms include the dates and hours during which consumer fireworks are permitted, specifically around the New Year's Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day holidays.  On limited days detailed in the ordinance, hours are limited to 11:00 AM to 11:45 PM  A violation results in a fine of $1,000.00.  

 

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New Buffalo Township publicly posted a notice of adoption of a Residential Rental and Short Term Rental Licensing Ordinance on August 29, 2019, with the new ordinance going into effect 31 days later.  A copy of the ordinance, which was adopted by the New Buffalo Township Board on August 19, is provided by New Buffalo Township Deputy Clerk Kathie Butler.

 

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Two freaks on Lake Michigan may not be so rare after all.  Weather phenomena known as seiches and meteotsunamis give rise to sudden waves that are capable of washing beachgoers out to sea. A recent article in the Chicago Tribune suggests the surging wave that overwhelmed eight Chicagoans in 1954 can be attributed to a meteorological tsunami, with smaller versions occurring multiple times per year.  Lower Lake Michigan has a history of high-wave tragedies, including a "Great Wave" that wiped out a bridge in New Buffalo in 1908.

 

The Berrien County Sheriff's Department invites the public to sign up for Berrien Warning, Alert, and Regional Notification, dubbed the B-Warn Alert Program, which is an opt-in mass notification service that sends alert messages to you. They write, "You get control over the types of alerts you get, when you get them, and for what locations.  We also have a form built in to allow you to communicate issues that may affect your ability to take protective actions."  For more information and to subscribe to the service, visit the B-Warn registration.