Brookfield Village HOA, Inc.

Brookfield Village FAQs

Here are some answers to frequently asked questions.  We get these through e-mail, conversations with neighbors and our 2009 survey.  Please feel free to contact BVHA with any additional questions! bvhainfo@yahoo.com 

• Q1: I really need some extra storage space, can I build a shed?
  A1:  We hear you!  I think we could all use a little extra storage!  Unfortunately, sheds are not allowed according to our Deed Restrictions. 
• Q2:  Please!  I really need a shed. Can I attach it to my house or make it look like part of my house?  Maybe I can get a small one and put it right behind my chimney so it's kind of out of sight?
  A2: Sorry, sheds of any kind are not allowed.  Vinyl, wood, metal, attached, unattached, hidden, etc.  Unfortunately, sheds present ongoing targets for crime, unwelcome guests (vermin and bugs) and can pose maintenance issues. 
• Q3: There's a house I've noticed is looking real run down, what should I do?
  A3:  With 558 lots in Brookfield Village, BVHA relies on neighbors to be the eyes and ears of what is going on.  We first suggest you review the "Resolving Homeowner Disputes" posted on the BVHA.info website.  It can provide some suggestions for approaching a neighbor with your concerns.  If you do not feel comfortable contacting the neighbor, please drop us a note at bvhainfo@yahoo.com and let us know your concerns.  We'll try to work with the neighbor to make improvements and keep you anonymous.
• Q4:  What does BVHA do?
  A4:  BVHA has a number of roles.  Our goal is to ensure a sense of community as well as help improve the safety and desirability of Brookfield Village.  We do this by maintaining the 2 entrances on Willow Glen/Roberts and Whispering Oak/Frazellroads.  These entrances are very large and extend several hundred feet requiring a professional mowing service each year.  We coordinate volunteers, neighbors like yourself, to garden the entrance beds so our neighborhood is attractive to prospective buyers. We work with the Police Department to follow up on crime activities and communicate important information to our neighbors.  We also put on community events like the neighborhood-wide garage sale to the 4th of July picnic and bike parade.
• Q5:  Do I have to join BVHA?
  A5:  BVHA is not something you necessarily join.  It is an inclusive group; everyone in Brookfield Village is a member of the Homeowners Association.  
• Q6:  I don't want to attend any of the BVHA events.  Do I still need to pay my yearly dues?
  A6: Yearly dues primarily go to entrance maintenance and communication costs.  Those are our main priorities.  We feel ALL neighbors should contribute towards entrance maintenance as it reflects positively on the neighborhood.  Our shared responsibility for the entrances welcome neighbors, visitors and shows neighborhood pride.
• Q7:  I don't live near the entrances and frankly don't drive by them- ever.  Why do I need to pay my yearly dues?
  A7:  When Brookfield Village was first built, there were only a couple ways into the subdivision.  Now there are several ways to get in and out.  You may never need to drive by the entrances, but the builders entrusted all of us to share in the maintenance of them.  As an analogy, we don't live by Canada or Mexico, but all Americans have a shared responsibility to secure the borders. While our entrances can't really be compared with our international borders, they convey a first impression to visitors and prospective home buyers. Watch any HGTV show on selling houses, and curb appeal can have a huge impact on the value of your home investment.  By taking care of the entrances, we hope that prospective buyers will go "Wow, this place is nice" before they even get to your driveway.  For $35 a year, that's not a bad investment in the desirability of the neighborhood and your house.
• Q8:  My Aunt Sally is coming to visit next week on the way back from her whirlwind camping trip.  Is it OK if she sets up camp in my driveway or on the street?
  A8:  Campers, trailers and boats are only allowed for a 72-hour period within 30 days according to the Brookfield Village Deed Restrictions.  This is adequate time for maintenance of your camper, boat or trailer, but it is not meant to be for temporary housing of guests.  You have to think about this from the perspective of aesthetics and home value.  Let's say a neighbor is trying to sell their house and had an open house the same weekend Aunt Sally parks her pop-up camper in your drive.  It probably wouldn't help if potential buyers drive by Sally relaxing under the awning of her pop-up camper grilling some weenies. 
• Q9:  I have a really great dog and want it to have puppies.  I plan on selling these little gems. Where's the best place to set up my kennel?
  A9: Congrats on the dog!  Brookfield Village has lots of dog owners and is a great place to walk your dog, meet neighbors and socialize your pet!  Unfortunately, a kennel is out of the question according to our deed restrictions.  You can have pets for domestic purposes, but should not be breeding or running a breeding business out of your house.
  
  
• Q10:  What are deed restrictions?
  A10: We do talk a lot about deed restrictions, don't we? I know a lot of us have forgotten or blocked it out of our memory, but remember when you closed on your house?  It's probably a day your hand will never  forget after signing that huge stack of paperwork!  Well, within that stack, somewhere, was a copy of your deed restrictions or sometimes referred to as the deed covenants.  This is a legal document that stays with the property.  By purchasing the property, you basically agree to all the terms and conditions within the deed restrictions.  If you need a copy, e-mail bvhainfo@yahoo.com or check in the documents section of the bvha.info website. They differ slightly by section, so you'll need to know your section.  That can be found in your tax documentation or the Franklin County Auditor's website (http://franklincountyoh.metacama.com/altIndex.jsp).
• Q11:  What if I don't follow the deed restrictions?
  A11:  Not following the deed restrictions can have a number of different repercussions.
       First, neighborhoods with deed restrictions that are actively followed usually have a higher property value than a similar house in a neighborhood without restrictions.  Deed restrictions give all neighbors and potential buyers a sense of how the neighborhood should look going forward and helps protect their investment. Consider the most recent financial collapse- a lot of it stemmed from people not knowing what they were buying.  If you had a choice of two homes, both for $220,000, but only one has deed restrictions that specify how all homes will be maintained, you have less risk with the home that has deed restrictions because you know the standards in which your investment will be maintained. 
        Second: If you do decide to sell your house and have done something outside of the deed restrictions, the buyer could stipulate at closing that you make changes to keep it in-line with the deed restrictions.
        Third:  A lot of our deed restrictions also mirror Hilliard City Code.  Code enforcement officers can enforce the violation which can include a fine and a trip to court if it is not resolved quickly.
       Fourth: BVHA or an individual neighbor can get a judgement against the homeowner in Court.  This would mean the neighbor has to comply or face contempt of court.
       Obviously, no one wants to get the city or courts involved.  If there are deed restriction issues, we try to resolve them amongst neighbors.  Usually, most neighbors are not knowingly violating the deed restrictions and are quick to resolve the issue.