Townhomes at Claremont Home Owners Association http://tachoa.org/ Quick Guide Version: January 2015 1
Welcome to Townhomes at Claremont - we are a non-profit organization that maintains the common interest of our Association. We are located in the Claremont Ranch subdivision east of Colorado Springs CO 80951. There are 94 townhomes within two locations, built by Pulte from 2004-2006. This guide contains quick answers to common questions about living here; please see our official for more information on compliance issues. HOA Service Provided in your HOA Dues Townhomes at Claremont Homeowners Association MANAGEMENT HOA PAYMENT ADDRESS HOA INSURANCE PROVIDER Diversified Property Management LLC 4325 North Nevada Ave. #100 Colorado Springs, CO 80907 Townhomes at Claremont HOA Diversified Property Mgmt PO Box 29198 Phoenix, AZ 85038-9198 American Family -Mario Aragon Agency 1135 E. Fillmore St. Colorado Springs, CO 80907 Community Manager: (719) 314-4521 FAX: (719) 578-9140 HOA Accounting & Bookkeeping: (719) 314-4503 (719) 570-0707 HOA TRASH SERVICE Friday except major holidays Bestway Disposal (719) 633-8709 Services & Vendors NOT included in Dues ELECTRICITY Mountain View Electric (719) 495-2283 NATURAL GAS Colorado Springs Utilities (719) 448-4800 WATER Cherokee Metropolitan District (719) 597-5080 CABLE TV, INTERNET, Phone COMCAST XFINITY 800-266-2278 TELEPHONE & INTERNET CENTURY LINK 800-244-1111 SATELLITE TV DIRECT TV 888-777-2454 DISH NETWORK 888-825-2557 FIRE PROTECTION FALCON FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT (719) 495-4050 or 911 for emergencies LAW ENFORCEMENT EL PASO COUNTY SHERRIFF Dispatch (719) 390-5555 or 911 for emergencies RECYCLING AND DUMP US MAIL Bestway Transfer Station 543 Air Lane Co Springs 80929 US Post Office 5925 Galley Rd Colorado Springs CO 80915 (719) 574-8989 Approx distance: 2.5 miles (719) 596-9346 2
Quick Highlights Animals Our community is only as good as the commitment from Owners to be involved and maintain decent standards! Dogs must be accompanied and restrained on leash at all times; clean up immediately after your dog; violators may be fined; HOA written approval required for more than 2 animals Building Maintenance Complaints Decorations Fireworks Garages Parking Porches Quiet hours Registration Renting Leasing Speed Limit Signs and Flags Snow removal Trash collection Yard sale and open house No modifications to building, lot, or common elements without written approval from Board of Directors; Common area outside is property of HOA no placement or planting of any items allowed in common area Send your concerns and complaints about noise, pets, property condition, vehicles or activity by email to community manager; Make your complaints affecting safety or civil matters to EP County Sherriff Decorations may be displayed 30 days prior to the holiday, and shall be removed within 14-days after the holiday Lighting of fireworks prohibited upon any lot or in the common area; residents should call Sherriff s dispatch if you have concerns for safety Garages shall not be used for storage which prevents parking of a motor vehicle within, and shall not be converted for recreational use Parking must be within your garage, leaving outdoor spaces for guests; vehicles illegally parked, or unmoved for over 14-days are subject to towing Porches may not be used for storage; porches must remain neat in appearance Quiet hours are 10:00 pm-7:00 am daily; stereo music can reverb through walls more than any other sound; please be considerate All Owners must register annually with Association s management company, and within 30-days of applicable changes Owners must provide tenant with copy of the HOA, and submit a Unit Registration form with names of Tenants, including pet and vehicles info Throughout the community is 10 Miles Per Hour please go S L O W Signs and flags are restricted; please see our rules and regulations for detail Snow under two-inches is the resident s responsibility; over 2-inches the HOA s Trash day is Friday but shifts to Saturday on weeks with major holidays, paid by HOA Yard sale holders must be considerate of their neighbors, and remove signs and banners within 72-hours afterward posting 3
CRIME WATCH FIRE PROTECTION RECYCLING GENERAL INFORMATION We enjoy one of the lower-crime rates in the area, but we are not immune. If you park outside, never leave laptop or laptop-case in your car in plain sight. This is a high-target item by thieves. The same goes for cell phones, and other electronic equipment. If you see something suspicious, write down the license plate number or description and keep it just in case. We live outside the city limits, so the El Paso County Sherriff is our law enforcement agency. We are in the Falcon Fire Protection district; the Falcon Fire Chief has authority over fire protection issues for our community. There are several fire hydrants located upon Association property. The Falcon Fire department is several miles away; therefore they have an agreement with Cimarron Fire District to assist with fire calls. Our current trash company does not offer recycling, so if you want to recycle your aluminum, tin, newspapers, plastics and glass, there are several ways to do it. For starters, you can call El Paso County Solid Waste Management (719) 520-7878. Ask them to mail you their booklet of recycling locations. Most Wal-Mart locations offer recycling or you can also use Bestway Transfer Station. TRASH SERVICE Trash day is every Friday, except major holidays. On major holiday-weeks, the pick-up day shifts to Saturday. Trash totes and weekly trash service are included in your Dues, and do not cost you anything extra. Totes must be stored inside your garage except on trash day. Trash totes are labeled with unit address to prevent mix-ups; please do not remove the address label from your tote US MAIL UTILITIES WINTER FREEZE WARNING! If you get your neighbors mail by mistake, there are two options you can take: 1) return the mail to the postal system for redelivery, or 2) you can take it to the correct address. Feel free to contact the post office because they need to be aware when there is a problem. Note: Our zip code changed from 80915, to 80951 on July 1, 2006. Your electricity, gas, and water are provided by three separate companies listed on the inside cover of this guide. If gas or electricity is disconnected, the owner must ensure the home is professionally winterized to prevent freezing / busting of water pipes. If you leave town and turn your heating system off, or down too low, the water pipes in your home WILL FREEZE and bust during sub-freezing temps. If you leave your garage door open for hours during sub-freezing weather, your pipes in the floor above the garage WILL FREEZE, and break, causing major water damage costing you thousands to repair beware! El Paso County Sheriff Dispatch (719) 390-5555 or 911 for emergencies Falcon Fire Department (719) 495-4050 or 911 for emergencies Bestway Transfer Station 2.3 miles away (719) 574-8989 BESTWAY Disposal (719) 633-8709 US Post Office 5929 Galley Rd (719) 596-9346 See Inside Cover Paragraph 2 4
ASK FIRST DOORS and STORM DOORS LIGHTS SATELLITE DISHES BUILDING MAINTENANCE & MODIFICATIONS The Association is responsible for all exterior building maintenance, not including windows, garage doors and pedestrian doors, except for the painting or staining of such door and window frames. No modifications or additions may be made to the building without first obtaining written permission from the Board of Directors. Peep holes and door-knockers not-restricted; but home owners are cautioned to ensure proper installation. Front doors shall not be stained or painted a different color than the color established at the time of original installment by the builder. These STORM DOORS (in white) may be installed without Board approval. Any other door request must be submitted in writing with model information and photograph for The Board s consideration. Anderson HD 2000/2500 (Home Depot) Pella Hartford 3825 (Lowe s) Pella Montgomery 3800 (Lowe s) Pella Courtyard 3031 (Lowe s) Larson Tradewinds (Lowe s) Larson Tradewinds is not recommended for end units; its door handle only fits when mounted opposite of the entry door s knob. Porch Lights: Bulb replacement is the responsibility of the resident. Please keep porch lights-on at night to discourage illegal activity. Outdoor garage bulbs are replaced by the Association 3- times per year. Residents may replace their own bulb if they so choose. Trouble Shooting: If your exterior electrical plugs and lights all won t work, press the reset-button on the white electric plug in your garage. Sometimes it trips from lighting & power surges. The Association governs placement and mounting of TV satellite dishes. The dish must be roof-mounted on the garage-side of the townhome. This requirement ensures consistency and maintains a quality appearance throughout the community. Regulation paragraph 4. paragraph 4.4 paragraph4.3 paragraph 4.4 5
DOGGY STATIONS INTERIOR VERSUS EXTERIOR LANDSCAPING SNOW REMOVAL TUMBLE WEEDS EXTERIOR MAINTENANCE Doggy-stations throughout our property contain a bagdispenser, and a waste container. Solo bag-dispensers are also placed throughout. These are a courtesy for pet owners; please make full use of them AND please advise the Community Manager of pet violations. Dog owners must immediately clean up after their dogs. Violators or the responsible home owner, will be warned and/or fined $25 to $100 for violations by your residents, guests or tenants All pets regardless of size must be restrained on a leash and accompanied at all times while outdoors. Pets must not be tied unattended anywhere - including your porch. Written approval by HOA is required for more than 2-pets Communicate pet problems to our community manager. LOT DIMENSTIONS: DEPTH: Each lot is 63 feet deep. WIDTH: End-units are 26.67 feet wide Middle units are 21.25 wide. Based on these dimensions, your lot-size includes the space within your walls, plus about 5-feet in front and behind your townhome. Lawn care is performed at Association expense from April through September. Weekly policing of trash by the landscape company occurs October through March; this includes emptying doggy waste bins. No improvements shall be constructed, erected, placed, planted, applied or installed upon any Lot except as approved by the Board of Directors. Snow accumulations of less than two-inches on the sidewalk are the responsibility of the home owner or resident. Accumulations over two inches are the responsibility of the Association. When accumulations are over four inches on the roadway, the Association will pay for plow service. We have periodic problems with tumbleweeds and blowing trash, especially during windy weather. The Board is aware of this and installed fencing to help resolve this problem. Your feedback and suggestions are welcome. Covenants Article IX paragraph 5 paragraph3 Blue print drawings on file with El Paso County Covenants Article V; paragraph 4.1 paragraph 9 Community manager WATERING RESTRICTIONS Cherokee Metropolitan District supplies our water for irrigation. They impose watering restrictions that limit watering days per week April through September. During summer heat-waves our lawns are affected. The Board is investigating options for tasteful, landscaping alternatives to deal with this challenge. 6 Internet webpage cherokeemetro.org
BOARD OF DIRECTORS BOOKKEEPING BUDGET CHANGE OF ADDRESS HOA MEETINGS HOA BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT Your home owners association (HOA) is managed by a volunteer Board of Directors. The Board contracts with a community manager and other companies to conduct the daily business and rule enforcement of our community. The following documents govern our Association: Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions Articles of Incorporation Bylaws We use Diversified Property Management, LLC to maintain our financial books and enforce timely collection of Dues. To contact the Association about your Dues, call our community manager or the accounting/bookkeeping department. The Board prepares a budget for the upcoming year, based on our expected expenses, and obligations. We publish and mail the budget to each home owner in accordance with our bylaws. Report address and phone number changes using the UNIT REGISTRATION FORM located at our website. Our Bylaws require Board to hold at least four board meetings per year; all home owners are welcome to attend. Meetings are normally on weeknights at Diversified Property Management office. Contact our community manager or visit our website for the time and locations. Governing documents Bylaws Article VII 1 (f) Bylaws Article VII and Covenants Covenants Article VII Bylaws Article VI INSURANCE We hold an annual meeting of the Association in October- November, time frame, usually in a meeting room in a nearby location. The purpose of the annual meeting is outlined in our bylaws. We usually invite a guest speaker from the community and include educational information for home owners. Each townhome is insured for replacement value by the Association s insurance policy. Individual owners and renters must purchase their own insurance for personal belongings and personal liability. Our agent is: American Family Insurance, Mario Aragon, 1135 N. Fillmore St., Colorado Springs CO 80907 Claims against the Association s Insurance must be filed through the Association, not directly with the agent. For a copy of your insurance certificate, contact American Family at (719) 570-0707 and provide you one. Individual owners and renters must purchase their own insurance for personal belongings and personal liability. WEBSITE The Townhomes at Claremont website address is: http://tachoa.org This website contains a copy of this guide and important information, and documents about our Association. Covenants Article VI http://tachoa.org 7
ASSESSMENTS of HOA DUES DIRECT DEPOSIT LATE FEES PAYMENTS PAYMENT COUPONS NON- PAYMENT HOA PAYMENT OF DUES Every home owner is required by governing documents to pay monthly Dues. Your Board is committed to keeping Dues reasonable while maintaining decent living standards The following outlines a summary what your Association Dues pay for: Trash removal service Building Insurance Exterior building maintenance Roads and grounds maintenance Landscaping and lawn maintenance Replacement and reserves/emergencies Exterior watering and sprinkler system maintenance Snow removal over 2 inches on walks, over 4 inches on roads Financial Management, bookkeeping, record keeping Property inspections and Covenant Enforcement Home owners are encouraged to use electronic transfer to pay Dues directly from your bank account. To do this, contact the HOA account manager to sign an ACH form, or visit our website Forms button. Payment is due by the first of each month with a 10-day grace period. A $20 late fee is assessed to payments received after the 10 th. After 30 days delinquent, interest charges apply. Payment of Dues must be by check, money order, or direct deposit; Townhomes at Claremont HOA Diversified Property Mgmt PO Box 29198 Phoenix, AZ 85038-9198 Home owners receive payment coupons and envelopes each December. Call the community manager If you have not received your coupons. The Association takes legal action against home owners who are more than 3 months late in their Dues. Contact the Association before your dues become this late we have some latitude to work with you. Covenants; Articles of Incorporation, Article V; and paragraph 5 Diversified Property Mgmt (719) 314-4503 Townhomes at Claremont Collection Policy Diversified Property Management, LLC (719) 314-4503 Diversified Property Management, (719) 314-4521 paragraph 5 MAPS: Property diagrams and floor plans are available at our website: http://tachoa.org/ This guide was prepared by your HOA Board of Directors if you have any feedback on how to make it better, please let us know. Contact the board through our website or community manager. Tim Wilson, President Walter Snyder, VP/Treasurer Clare Borden/Secretary 8