Caroline Ridge Owners Association, Inc.

Covenant Changes...

May 21, 2003

With two sets of revisions to the Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions just completed, we thought it might be helpful to recap what the changes are and what they mean to you.
We would like to begin by thanking all of you who got out and voted on these revisions, as they go a long way in clearing up ambiguities that were in the covenants and they will certainly help in the enforcement arena.
The First Amendment filed in January moved the due date of your annual assessment from January 1st of each year to March 1st of each year. That was probably the biggest change that many of you had been asking for. You can mark your 2004 calendars now for this new due date.
The Second Amendment filed in April added the provision that allowed for home-based businesses that do not have any vehicular or pedestrian traffic coming to a home. (Contractors, E-Bay sales, Internet sales, and other such enterprises). Businesses like Daycare are banned.
Then we added the ability to have a shed erected that was built to city codes and mounted on a concrete slab. We also extended the repair time you could work on a vehicle in your driveway from two to four hours and we clarified that no boat, trailer, truck, RV or similar vehicle could be parked overnight on any residential lot or street within the neighborhood.
We also added the provision that stopped vehicles from being driven alongside homes with zero lot lines after a number of you complained that your neighbors were driving their vehicles alongside their homes to move trailers and boats to the back yard, especially at very early or late hours.
In the notice for the next homeowners meeting in the Fall, we will be sending you another ballot for more revisions that are still being developed as this newsletter was being completed.
As a result of your input, we are looking at including a restriction on Rocks, Stone, Rubber, PVC and similar materials being used as ground covering. The proposed amendment, which will be our third amendment to the covenants, would restrict these type of ground coverings to flower beds immediately next to the foundation of a home and extending no more than 2 feet from the foundation. This type of ground covering could not be used to cover an entire lawn nor could it be used to fill flower beds or tree root areas away from the foundational beds mentioned above. In addition, all changes in the materials, makeup or design of a residential lawn would require approval from the Architectural Control Committee on a standardized form.
We hope you will seriously consider approving this amendment recommendation as we have seen where this new type of chewed-up rubber material now comes in a variety of colors and do not think any of you would like to see your neighbor?’s lawn become ?“purple, pink, aqua, or black?” because they happened to like this new material and think their lawn would look great if it was covered with it. The association feels this issue needs to be resolved soon as we have already had an inquiry about these type of coverings. We also experienced a homeowner who illegally installed an unapproved ground covering and had to have it removed after it became weed infested.
Another area you have asked us to consider adding to the covenants is a restriction on barrier walls being constructed in place of a fully fenced-in rear lawn. While the Architectural Control Committee will not currently approve the erection of a partial fence in place of a fully enclosed rear yard, we felt it was necessary to spell out this restriction in the governing Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions in case a homeowner goes ahead and erects one anyway. With this restriction being clearly spelled out, there can be no interpretation that a disapproval by the ARC is based on personality, race or religious conviction and strengthens our case in court.
As with all revisions to the Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions of Caroline Ridge, the aim is to clearly spell out and rectify ambiguities that may lead to confusion. Each one of you purchased your home in a neighborhood that has restrictive covenants and we think clarifying them will only help make the neighborhood operate smoothly and help the association in cases where we have to begin enforcement to ensure compliance.
You only have to look at neighborhoods that don?’t have or don?’t enforce their covenants to see how rapidly things can get out of hand. It is our intent to help keep all of our property values growing. If we do not make these changes or if we allow enforcement to suffer because of loopholes in the current restrictions, then our hands will be tied and the neighborhood could suffer.
If you see other areas in the covenants you aren?’t clear of or feel need to be better explained, drop us a line and tell us how we should make them clearer. As you can see by the two examples above, both of these two suggestions came from homeowners like yourself who felt these were areas that needed better defining.
Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to give us their input and an especial thank you to everyone who does take the time to vote and return their ballots. Wouldn?’t you agree, with all our busy schedules being able to vote by absentee ballot sure does help.