Month: April 2023

  • April HOA Newsletter

    Greetings, Grand Lake HOA Residents!

    We hope this newsletter finds you well. We have some important updates and information to share with you regarding the happenings in our community. Please take a moment to read through the following articles for important updates and news.

    Book Club: Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

    Date: Apr 24 2023 Time: 7:00 pm

    Join us for our next Book Club meeting! Bring a snack or drink to share if you wish!

    “Lydia is dead. But they don’t know this yet.” So begins this exquisite novel about a Chinese American family living in 1970s small-town Ohio. Lydia is the favorite child of Marilyn and James Lee, and her parents are determined that she will fulfill the dreams they were unable to pursue. But when Lydia’s body is found in the local lake, the delicate balancing act that has been keeping the Lee family together is destroyed, tumbling them into chaos. A profoundly moving story of family, secrets, and longing, Everything I Never Told You is both a gripping story and a sensitive family portrait, uncovering the ways in which mothers and daughters, fathers and sons, and husbands and wives struggle, all their lives, to understand one another.

    Report Comparing HOAs in Our Area

    Are you curious about how our HOA compares to other HOAs in our area? We have conducted a comprehensive cost-to-value report to provide insights into the financials and amenities offered by HOAs in our region. You can find the report here. It’s a great resource to help you understand the value and benefits of being a part of our community.

    Proposed Amendments to the HOA CC&R

    As a community, it’s important to review and update our governing documents periodically to ensure they align with the evolving needs of our residents. We have proposed some amendments to the HOA’s Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CC&R) to address various concerns and improve the overall functioning of our community. You can review the proposed amendments and vote on them at this link: [https://www.grandlakehoa.com/2023-proposed-covenant-amendments/]. We encourage you to review the proposed changes and provide your feedback during the upcoming community meeting on April 17th to help shape the future of our community.

    New Outbuilding Guidelines

    We have recently updated our guidelines for outbuildings in our community to ensure safety, aesthetics, and compliance with local regulations. If you are planning to build or modify an outbuilding on your property, please review the new guidelines at this link: [https://www.grandlakehoa.com/outbuilding-guidelines/]. These guidelines will help you understand the requirements and process for obtaining approval from the HOA Architectural Review Committee (ARC) before proceeding with your project.

    Enhanced Camera System for Clubhouse and Pool Area

    The safety and security of our residents and community amenities are of utmost importance to us. That’s why we are thrilled to announce a significant upgrade to our camera system at the clubhouse and pool area to ensure enhanced surveillance and monitoring capabilities.

    The new camera system comes with advanced features, including high-definition resolution, improved low light performance, and enhanced audio capabilities. This means that even in challenging lighting conditions, the cameras will capture clear and detailed video footage, allowing us to better identify and address any potential safety concerns or incidents.

    This upgrade is part of our ongoing commitment to continuously improve our community’s safety measures and ensure that our amenities, including the clubhouse and pool area, remain safe and enjoyable for everyone. We believe that this enhanced camera system will serve as a valuable tool in deterring and preventing any potential security incidents, and in case of any untoward incidents, it will aid in identifying and addressing them promptly.

    Pool Season Reminders

    This year the Pool will open on Saturday May 13th. Samuel Hilson will be at the clubhouse most of the opening day to help provision key fobs and help any residents with key fob issues.

    During pool season the board would like to remind all residents to be familiar with the pool rules and to treat each other kindly while at the pool.

    Pool Hours are:

    Sunday – Thursday – to 10 pm
    Friday – Saturday – to 11 pm

    Pool Rules

    • Swim at your own risk. No lifeguard on duty.
    • Keep gates closed and locked at all times. Do not prop open.
    • No running, horseplay, or foul language.
    • No Diving
    • No Smoking or Alcohol in the pool area.
    • Swim Diapers are required for infants and toddlers.
    • Children under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
    • No pets are allowed in the pool area for any reason.
    • No glass containers or bottles are allowed on the pool deck.
    • All members are responsible for cleaning up after themselves. Any items left at the pool may be discarded by the HOA.
    • Proper swimming attire is required at all times.
    • No more than 4 guests per member without prior approval from the pool committee. All guests must be accompanied by a Grand Lake Homeowner.
    • Additional Guidelines:
    • You must have your key fob to enter the pool.
    • If you are the last one to leave the pool, please make sure the gate is closed.
    • Observe all pool rules posted at the pool. We have no lifeguard on duty. Swim at your own risk. There is a first aid kit in the women’s restroom, as well as a fire extinguisher.

    Arc Compliance

    As a reminder to the community, it is essential to submit a proper ARC Request for any Improvements or changes to your property. Adding a Fence to your property also requires an ARC request. Additionally, the community guidelines detail the allowed stain colors for fences. Residents can find the Fencing Guidelines listed on our Residents page. Residents can submit an ARC request through the AppFolio Portal provided by Elite Housing Management.  Residents should also remember to read the Grand Lake covenants concerning street parking.
    Residents can submit an ARC request through the AppFolio Portal provided by Elite Housing Management.

    HOA Board Meeting

    Our Neighborhood HOA board meets monthly on the 3rd Monday of the month at 6:30 pm. These meetings are open to all homeowners who wish to attend.

    To help make sure that all discussion topics are covered, the board asks if you are attending for a specific issue for discussion that you email communication@grandlakehoa.com with a brief description/explanation at least 24 hours before the board meeting so the agenda can be updated and the board can provide time for you to speak about any concerns or issues you are having.

    2023 Board Members:

    Teddy Schell (President)
    Tim Horning (Vice President)
    Ela Perry (Treasurer)
    John Maginot (Secretary)
    Sam Hilson (Communication)

  • HOA Cost-to-Value Report

    HOA Cost-to-Value Report

    Report on Similar HOAs

    HOA Amenites Houses Dues/yr Operating Budget
    Riverside Landing HOA Clubhouse, CH Rental, Pool. Pond 201 $400.00 $80,400.00
    Hermitage HOA Clubhouse, CH Rental, Pool 161 $425.00 $68,425.00
    Hampton Ridge HOA Clubhouse, CH Rental, Pool, Pond 335 $450.00 $150,750.00
    Dairy HOA Pool, Clubhouse rental, Common Area Maintenance 253 $500.00 $126,500.00
    The Bridges HOA Clubhouse, CH Rental, Pool 104 $480.00 $49,920.00
    Grand Lake HOA Pool, Clubhouse rental, Playground, A large community Lake, and Common area maintenance 169 $500.00 $84,500.00
    Foxfield HOA Clubhouse, CH Rental, Pool 135 $750.00 $101,250.00
    Aldrige HOA Two Large Lakes, Comman Area Maintenance, Greenway Access 107 $900.00 $96,300.00
    Sumerset Lake HOA Larger Lake, direct greenway access, Common Area Maintenance 70 $1,400.00 $98,000.00
    Woodmill Trace HOA Clubhouse, Gym, Pool, Comman Area Maintenance 132 $1,560.00 $205,920.00

    Analysis & Findings

    The board was able to gather data about similar HOAs to Grand Lakes through Elite. We did find that several HOAs had lower dues than us. Some have the same or lower dues but have more members resulting in a much higher operating budget. Raising our rates to $650 will have us closer to the higher range of dues on the list. However, we questioned Elite about the HOAs that had very low dues or operating budgets and they said that a significant difference for those HOAs is that they do not have debt that was turned over to them by their builders. Additionally, Hermitage HOA, which is the most similar to our community, will be raising their dues this year to $650 because they had to do a major renovation to their clubhouse and it used all their reserves and left them with 20,000 in debt. 

    Based on this report and that information the board still believes that moving forward with increasing our dues to cover our significant debt is the correct course of action. 

  • Meeting Minutes – 20 March 2023

    Role Call

    • Board (all present)
      • President: Schell (Virtual)
      • VP: Hornung
      • Treasurer: Perry
      • Communications: Hilson
      • Secretary: Maginot
    • Committee Members
      • Social: Cobbs
    • Residents: None

    Redstone Federal Credit Union Denying Deposits Due to Incorrect Recipient Name

    •  If any residents are making checks payable to “Elite Housing” instead of Grand Lake
    • HOA” the checks are being kicked back. All checks must be made payable to Grand
    • Lake HOA, not elite housing management.
    •  Either we can return checks to homeowners requesting they write the correct name, or
    • request homeowners enroll in autopay.
    •  Signature Cards: we need to update signature cards; this will require all signature card
    • holders to be present at the same time (3 people, president, treasurer and
    • representative from Elite)
    •  Discussing movement of HOA account to another location: Synovus on Whitesburg. Will
    • explore the possibility of changing accounts to Synovus bank.
    •  Closing this out, we need to assess the scope of this problem. How many people need
    • to switch the name they are writing checks out to; is it worth the effort to change the
    • entire financial institution for the HOA due to other effects, changing internet and utilities,
    • changing autopay/billpay for people who bank through Redstone FCU.
    •  Will revisit in next HOA meeting.

    Discuss/Revise Outbuilding Guidelines and Adopt: 

    • https://www.grandlakehoa.com/outbuilding-guidelines/
    • Will begin maintaining a clearer definition of outbuilding requirements for garden boxes,
    • cabinets, other storage solutions for public knowledge in the neighborhood.
    • Clause limiting the size and number of these storage solutions will need to be added.
    • The board approved the introduction of Outbuilding guidelines pending the improvement of the requirements and review by ARC.
    • Increase in guideline pages for other difficult to understand sections of the HOA
    • covenant ie: Fence construction.

    Pool Opening Date: May 13, 2023

    Bathroom to Pool Door Repair

    • Quote for replacing the door through “Access Control”
    • All would prefer to use another vendor, will request another service quote from Elite
    • Housing: seek contractor to replace door, Sam Hilson will likely re-install electronic lock system.

    Discuss finding on other HOAs: 

    • HOA Value to Cost
    • GL HOA dues aren’t unreasonable; the thing that sets our HOA aside is that we have significant debt to overcome.
    • Moving forward with the vote to raise annual fees to address budget shortfalls
    • Agreed to use proposed raise to $650/house/year
    • Discussion around revisions to CC&R and By-Laws
    • 120 clause: change to requiring a ¾ vote to raise budget unless over 120% change in value
    •  In-Absentia vote: If you have been notified 30 days in advance but elect not to vote, the
    • board may vote in your stead.

    Tree Removal

    • VP volunteered to conduct tree removal.

    Financial Update

    • February
      • Net Cash $-335
      • Check: $16181.88
      • Money Market: $33K

    Resident Time as Needed: No residents in attendance
    Committee Updates

    • Social
      • Easter Egg Hunt April 8th Easter egg hunt 8APR, in search of donations to secure the event. Event will have two age groups, executed at the same time.

    Any Additional Board Business

    • Camera Equipment has been ordered; Hilson plans to install.

  • 2023 Proposed Covenant Amendments

    BALLOT

    2023 Covenant Amendments


    Download PDF

    This vote has closed! The results will be presented at the next monthly HOA meeting.