December 2015 Newsletter
Annual Meeting Minutes
The Annual Meeting of the HOA was held on Thursday, October 22nd from 7:30-9:00 PM at the Zions View Park Building. In addition to the 4 HOA Board Members, 12 residents attended. The meeting lasted roughly 1 hour and the following items were discussed.
Detention Ponds:
Our neighborhood does NOT currently have a detention pond. These are typically installed when the subdivision is constructed to detain storm water run-off and/or treat the water before leaving the subdivision and entering our lakes and streams. These ponds are NOT maintained by York County. It is up to the property owners or in some cases the Homeowner’s Association to maintain these ponds. In the latest Conewago Township Newsletter, it explained that York County will be taking action to reduce the amount of pollution entering its streams. This could involve surveys throughout the county to ensure neighborhoods and subdivisions have proper storm water run-off and detention ponds. To be prepared financially, the HOA board has increased our Storm Water Management money reserve to $100,000.00. Having this money set-aside will allow us to take on these costs without raising our HOA fee. Read the latest Conewago Township Newsletter:http://www.conewagotwp.com/PDF/2015%20News%20Letter.PDF
Drainage Pipes:
Another part of our storm water management system is our drainage pipes. It is our responsibility to ensure they are clear of debris and waste. It has been brought to the HOA’s attention that some of the drainage openings are getting overgrown and obstructed by yard waste or even garbage. The HOA’s contract for landscaping services includes the cleaning and maintenance of these drains. We will work with our landscaper to ensure they are performing their job as expected. Please stop anyone from disposing of garbage in the drains and remind your children to dispose of their trash appropriately. If you should have any concerns with a drain in our neighborhood, please contact an HOA board member.
Dog Waste:
Reminder to ALL residents, please clean up after your pets! Though we live in somewhat of a rural setting, your home is NOT isolated on 20 acres of private land. We must be considerate of our neighbors and NOT leave pet waste ANYWHERE in our neighborhood. This includes common grounds and even your own backyard. Remember that your backyard is next to someone else’s and they might not prefer the smell! To report a neighbor for not cleaning up after their pets, a photograph would be required as proof to the HOA before a fine can be issued.
Plows and Shoveling:
We’ve had several complaints about having to “re-shovel” after the township’s plows come through the neighborhood. Plowing is completely controlled by the township; therefore our HOA is very limited in what we can do. We encourage homeowners to contact the Conewago Township at 717-266-2122 or adm@conewagotwp.com with questions and concerns.
Speed Limit & Stop Sign Heights:
It was brought to our attention that a resident bumped their head on a road sign while going for a walk. We contacted the township about the minimum height (from ground to bottom of sign) and it was explained that PA State rules required a 5 foot minimum. Though the bottoms of our signs are over 5 foot high, we asked them to consider raising a few signs near the sidewalks that barely meet the 5 foot minimum. We argued that anyone over 5 feet tall could easily hit their head on these signs while walking on the sidewalk. We will continue to pursue a resolution in this matter.
Board Members:
With this year’s few nominations, voting ballots will not be required. The HOA board welcomes our new member: Kimberly Phillips. She will officially join the HOA board starting January 1st 2016.
2016 HOA Fee:
This year, we have reduced the HOA fee from $140.00 to $120.00. This is possible due to proper management of our money and the amount of recent settlements on late fees/past-due amounts. We also have enough reserve money for emergencies and possible storm water management costs. Next year, we will re-evaluate the fee to ensure we sustain a proper operating budget. Please note it is possible that we return to $140.00 next year. For any questions regarding the annual fee amount, please contact David Spieles at 717-266-0439.
Email Subscription:
If you haven’t already done so, please sign up for our Email Subscription service to receive helpful reminders and notices from the HOA. We send a few emails each year and feel it is an effective way to communicate with our residents. Simply go to http://huntercreekhoa.wix.com/home and click the ‘Sign Up Now’ link. THANKS!
