News & Community Happenings

Approval For Projects is EASY,...
(and Mandatory)

There seems to be an increase in the number of projects started without having DRC approval. Please remember our Declaration of Covenants and Development Guidelines require Development Review Committee (DRC) approval for any significant changes to a property. Fences, planters, paint jobs, roofing, parking pads, sheds, garages, swimming pools, swings, shutters, RV parking, new construction, etc., are examples of the types of projects SCA members must coordinate with the DRC. Please see the Declaration and the Development Guidelines in the Covenants section of this website, or contact us directly for hard copy. Also, Coweta County needs an approval form from the Association for any work requiring a building permit.

Projects done without DRC approval:

Earn a $50 fine for the first occurrence with the amount of the fine doubling for every occurrence thereafter. Fines are added to the property’s balance.
Still require DRC approval.
Will have to be removed or modified if not approvable.
May be vulnerable to further covenant violation action.

Over the past several months, several properties have had $50 fines added to their property’s account. This is unfortunate for at least a few reasons:

It creates more work for the Board and DRC members. They are all volunteers. Volunteer time is better spent on making things better, not working on recurring problems.
Generally, any activity in conflict with the Declaration of Covenants lowers property values.
The $50 fine denies the property owner the Zero-Balance Credit on the next semi-annual assessment, since there will be a past-due balance on the property at the time of the assessment.

Please, please contact the DRC if you are thinking of modifying your property

Assessments

The second-half assessments were mailed out in July. The Single Family Residence (SFR) assessment was $78. SFR property owners who had a zero balance when the assessments were computed received the 20% Zero-Balance Credit, reducing what was owed to $62.40. Please keep in mind the assessments will vary based on revenues, budget requirements, and the Coweta County numbers we are required to use for property values. If the percentages of members that pay keeps increasing, the assessments may decrease some more, assuming the other factors don't increase.

More members are paying due to:
1. the Zero-Balance Credit, and,
2. more effort on collecting from past-due accounts.

Bank of Coweta

The Association has moved its checking account to the Bank of Coweta, Lakeside Office. Branch Manager Jena Parks, the lady between the blue board members, took care of everything for us immediately, pleasantly, and professionally. The Association has set up a group of "laddered CDs" for the rainy day fund. A member of the Association in good standing, the Bank of Coweta seems to us the perfect blend of a local business that knows and focuses on its customers, but with the resources, expertise, and connections that come with being part Synovus, one of the Southeast's strongest financial networks.

Bad Guys WATCH OUT!!

Our Neighborhood Watch Program is Underway! Sgt. Stephen Crook of the Coweta County Sheriff's Office kicked off our Neighborhood Watch Program while the voting was taking place. The meeting went on longer than anticipated because of the high level of interest shown by the 90 or so community members in attendance.

We will have larger Neighborhood Watch signs at each end of Shenandoah Blvd to make it obvious to all those passing through, that we take security seriously.

All kinds of info and materials are available at www.sheriffs.org and www.usaonwatch.org. These websites show how to get everything from individual signs for our houses to brochures and training. Thanks go out to Sheriff Yeager for the Coweta County Sheriff's Office involvement in the Neighborhood Watch program, and especially to Sgt. Crook for his time, his attitude, and his devotion to public service. Thanks again to the Church for the use of their Sanctuary for the meeting. Look for the new signs over the next few weeks, and keep a wary eye out for the bad guys!

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