It has come to the attention of some that Saddler's responsibility of enforcing the neighborhood CC&R's has expired and should now be the responsibility of the home owners. It was explained that the CC&R’s state that it is now necessary to elect three neighborhood residents to form a committee to ensure that the covenants are being kept within the neighborhood. At the meeting Saturday, some nominations were made for these positions. Their names should be included on a ballot, along with a space to write in nominations.
Each resident is encouraged to become acquainted with the covenants. Those without copies may request them.
Those wanting further information may wish to contact someone listed on the ballot who has been nominated to serve on the neighborhood committee.
30 comments:
In order to be fair and to keep our neighborhood unified (we have an incredible neighborhood), I feel we should hold off voting until the majority of the households are represented at a meeting. Could we hold off the voting until after the second meeting in April? It would give a chance for more people to attend and become aware of what is going on.
Also, not every household has a copy of the CC&R's. Is there a way to either post them here on the blog or somehow get everyone a copy? Again, to be fair and unified, it would be nice if everyone was aware of what is stated in the CC&R's.
Thanks!
please please plaese be informed this is one to vote on. do we need some people to police the naighborhood what kind of committee, what bi-laws, enforcment, checks and balances, and most in portant do we really want it at all by law we are not foeced to have it if the majorty dont want it. there are also isue with proper papper work, filing for irs fees. what we want needs to clear and defined before any committee is formed. and thats a few. thanks just be a neighbor and be nice. if you have a problem talk with you neighbor not at them.
I would agree with both of whoever these people are:
1. Let's not vote on anything until everyone is aware of what is going on, what the covenants are, etc. etc. etc.
2. Is a committee really required to police things? If you have a beef with your neighbor, go talk to them - you shouldn't have to go through a committee to do that. Granted, a committee could help resolve conflicts, but I would hope that since we are all friends, conflicts will not arise.
Something I forgot to mention in my previous comment:
I have not read the covenants in a long time. If they are all spelled out, do we really think that Saddler (I take it they put the covenants together) should dictate how our neighborhood operates?
Maybe we should get together the interested parties and draft our own covenants. They may or may not be similar to what is already in place, but that way everyone has a voice.
One of the deciding factors for us to build in this subdivision was the covenants. We previously owned a home in a subdivision without covenants and it was a nightmare. No one knows what future neighbors may be or do. I agree with John I see no problem with waiting until after the meeting on the 30th to vote fair enough. In the meantime we should all review the covenants (we signed them at closing they are in force and binding) and ask questions to gain a better understanding Kelly Imlay is a great resource he knows them inside and out. In my view this is not because of actions completed but instead to protect our futures.Its cool to me that we have such an engaged neighborhood!
The 1st comment from me is from Zak. When we decided to build here, the covenants were a HUGE factor in us deciding to build here. Also when we decided to build here the Saddler sign about the subdivision said that the homes in this subdivision were $200,000 plus homes, off course we were mislead on that one, but our home is over that $200,000 range, we were promised alot when we built here, alot of it has gone to the wayside. So the one thing I want of this subdivision is the covenants so that the subdvision is kept nice looking- it doesn't require spending alot of money, but keep the yards looking nice, weeds mowed down. The covenants are here to PROTECT us. All of us have spent alot of time and money on our homes and we want to keep the value of our homes up---
We do have a great neighboorhood, but as homes are sold and people move in, it is hard to say what will happen, I think we do need the covenants, just to protect ourselves and the effect of the value of our homes. We all signed those covenants so at the time you agreed upon them! My intentions is not to hurt anyone's feelings or cause hurt feelings but the value of my home is important to me too, we have alot of money invested in our home.
I have a digital copy of the covenants that I would happily email to anyone that needs a copy. Just let me know.
Randy
Not everyone signed and agreed to the covenants. We were not aware of these. I am from Richmond, and hence wanted to live in a good neighborohood, so after living in SLC we decided to raise our family here. We specifically asked if there were any type of HOA's or anything like that. We were told no, and have never received anything about covenants. At our closing the loan officer said, that it is so nice to not have covenants or an HOA in a newer subdivision, that we were lucky. However, we were mislead by the State, who were unaware of them also. We feel that there needs to be some general guidelines to protect our homes. But as John had said, it needs to be the majority of the people say and not just a few who represents the neighboorhood. I would agree with holding off on the voting until we can all get together and jointly decide.
I agree with Candice, we should not judge each other and get along as neighbors. We need to be sensitive to others situations and their circumstances. I feel that this whole situation in causing alot of un-needed conflict in our neighborhood. And it is sad to see this happen, we need to find a way to hear everyone's opion and to try to come to an agreement. So our neighborhood can continue to live in peace.
Here is another thought (I will let the person who I discussed this with remain anonymous if they would like):
A committee would be a great thing to have to help welcome people into the neighborhood, inform everyone of upcoming events, attend city council meetings and be a voice for our subdivision, etc.
I think people's biggest worry is that the commmittee is there to boss others around and to try and force people's hand to uphold the covenants.
I don't think the committee should be looked at as a way to enforce the covenants per se, but the keep our community closely knit. As I mentioned before, since members of the committee may have a better relationship with some, they may be able to approach some people in a non-threatening way with regards to an issue with said covenants.
Anyway, let's all look over the covenants and come prepared to discuss things at the upcoming meeting.
Randy, you're providing burgers for everyone, right?
Oh, and learn the words to Kumbaya...
Just kidding.
like! Where's the like button? Thanks Jon!
So agree John, that is an awesome idea!! Randy, could you email us a copy of the covenants, so we can be prepared to discuss them at our next meeting! Thanks, I think we should have a neighbordhood BBQ, that would be fun!! We have a grill we can bring and if everyone brought there own meat and a salad to share? You know, just thinkin'
I need your email address to send the covenants. You can post it in the comments section or email me at baygetter@msn.com.
Randy
The commitee wouldn't be there to police eveyone, but to make sure a problem is resolved if one arises. Also, the covenants are legal and binding, there is no taking them away. You are actually more protected with a commitee, then without.
This really is a great subdivision, everyone is very friendly, but some of us don't know our neighbors very well and would have a hard time going to that neighbor and telling them the problem (worrying about offending them and to cause hurt feelings or affect the relationship) if a problem ever arose (right now I don't see any problems, but we really don't know what the future could hold), it would be great to have a committee that could be turned to incase a problem ever arose. This is a great neighborhood, and those names who were on the ballot, don't seem like the type that would police and boss around, I think they would be understanding of situations, but to be there if needed.
Wow it looks like the meeting will be a big one, that's great!!! We're in with the potluck idea too! Jenny our email is johamsctr@gmail.com we would really love a copy of the covenants too!
I think as any community would, would to think about the future, things change, things happen, what needs to happen now for the future? I feel bad for those names who were on the ballot- they are great people, but they have been already accused of way things would be if there was a commitee, maybe give them a call and talk to them and get a better understanding.
I hope my comments did not come across as accusing anyone - I am sorry if they did.
All I was trying to say is that I would hate to see the committee abused - meaning they would be used to do people's dirty work.
I agree that everyone on the ballot are great people and that they would not abuse the power of the committee or let it be abused by anyone else.
I echo the sentiments of the majority of comments here that we have a great neighborhood. Tania and I are impressed with and grateful for the way everyone demonstrates an interest in each other. It would be unfortunate to see these issues impact that culture that has been created in a negative way. In my profession I work with a lot of feuding couples and families. It always amazes me how much time an emotional energy they spend fighting each other. I frequently wonder what would happen if they directed that time and energy to joining hands and fighting the problems they face, instead of fighting each other.
We are accustomed in our very charged political environment to experience intense emotional reactions and defensiveness when we face community issues on which there may be some disagreement. Comments on blogs can further charge the dialogue where assumptions can easily be made about a person's intent, and we aren't able to fully communicate and clarify. Furthermore, a few comments by a minority can make a conflict appear larger than it is. I'm not saying that any of the comments have been inappropriate, I don't think they have been, just that it's easy to misunderstand via electronic communication. I don't think the issues we're facing as a neighborhood need evoke community drama.
I think there is actually a lot of room for us to empathize with and understand the perspectives of our neighbors to come to some agreement.
1. I think we can probably all agree that we want a clean, safe, and orderly neighborhood. We want to see homes and yards maintained over time. We all have an interst in preserving the value of our homes and properties. The covenants seek to ensure that and a committee would be empowered to promote that.
2. I think we can all agree that the majority of homeowners should be involved in any decision to create and invest responsibility in the aforementioned committee. In fact, the covenants require it.
3. I think we can all agree that we need to be sensitive to the needs and unique circumstances of individual homeowners, e.g., in a difficult economoy without a job it would be difficult to put in a yard and fence.
4. I think we can all agree that there needs to be a balance struck between the rights of individual property owners (I can do whatever I want with my property) and the impact of our actions on the people and properties around us (my right to swing my fist ends when it hits your nose).
5. I think we can all agree that we want to preserve and promote the goodwill and sense of community that many in the neighborhood have so wisely and kindly worked to establish.
I would encourage all of us, myself included, to lower our defenses, listen to one another, and work to address these challenges in a rational and balanced manner through a democratic process. We can work from a perspective of mutual respect and understanding if everyone participates and we don't take the process personally.
I propose, in an effort to promote order, that one or two leaders be nominated to conduct and guide the meeting on the 30th. I also propose that prior to the meeting or during the meeting, some basic by-laws and procedures for the committee be presented beyond what is written in the covenants. For example, public notice of meetings, transparency of procedures and voting, etc. I think this would go a long way to mitigate the fears of a "big brother"-like gestapo or a yard police.
I apologize for the length here, but hope that my long-winded rantings will be enough to discourage anyone from writing my name down on the ballot! :)
I totally agree with you C.J.
I really like the idea of having people head up the meeting - that we it doesn't just turn into a BBQ (which would be fun) and we lose the reason for getting together in the first place.
Any volunteers?
Cj your awsome amen. Kelly imlay has probably the best understanding of the covenants and cjs logic and even temperment make cj and kelly seem like good choices to me
CJ- you are totally awesome. I really appreciate your thoughts. Sorry for my comments, if I came across snoty, so not my intentions. But my home, neighborhood is something I care about and it has always been important to me to keep things looking nice. After what happened to us with our first home we owned, when we decided to buy or build again one of the main things we were looking for is to have covenants, so when peoples reactions were negative against the covenants, it got me really, really, stressed out(I mean I cried half the day!!!! I'm not kidding!) I don't want what happened what we experienced with our first home to happen again!
So I hope others can understand where I am coming from.
CJ- We totally agree, I hope we didn't come off offensive. Now that we have the covenants and have read them. We know what is actually in them and not what people have told us are in them. We appreciate everyone. I agree that we need to keep this meeting for the purpose it was intended for. Although food never hurts :)
We want to protect our home and community. This will be a great meeting in having a starting point where everyone is on the same page and by having a committee it will resolve a lot of conflict for what could arise in the next 20 plus years.
Lets make an effort to get all homes represented at the next meeting. I for one was hoping for a better turnout than the last one had. If we can get everyone there, then we can ensure getting more good nominations, and maybe more volunteers for the committee that have a vested interest in keeping our property values and over-all well being of our community up! We are proud to call this subdivision home, and I want to do all I can to help out. Since not everyone is comfortable in talking to their neighbors about issues, it will be a very big help to get this thing going! Since i have volunteered, if anyone has any questions for me please feel free to come by or give me a call.
Eric Larsen
friends and neighbors,
as blog administrator i've changed the comment settings. Please be kind and respectful.
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