Dear Greenbrier Neighbor,
I hope this letter finds you well. The fiscal year 2013-2014 was a successful year for the Heritage Manor Greenbrier community, and we look to build upon that momentum to make Greenbrier as enjoyable and desirable as possible.
Accomplishments
Environmental Services Incorporated completed storm water management (SWM) systems repairs in April. Now that the SWM systems have been repaired, annual upkeep is required to maintain them in accordance with Maryland regulations.
The HOA has been very successful collecting back dues from delinquent property owners. I would like to give special recognition to Ms. Kathy Younger, HOA Treasurer, for her level of effort and attention to detail in this effort. To date we have eight (8) court cases which remain open.
Dates to Remember
07 June 2014 – Community Yard Sale, 7:00am
21 July 2014 – Quarterly Meeting, 7:00 pm, Lexington Park Library
05 August 2014 – National Night Out, 6:00-9:00 pm, Greenbrier Park
Chairman’s Initiative
Past administrations have done a wonderful job improving the Greenbrier community. With past major upgrades to the common areas, storm water management system repair and annual maintenance, our budget will not allow for any additional projects at this time. Additionally, several members of the community have expressed to me concerns about the perceived degradation of the aesthetic properties of the community. Therefore, my initiative is to use the tools already available to us to improve the community without expending any more HOA funds. To that end, I am pursuing a strengthening of enforcement of HOA Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CC&R). The HOA will begin issuing violation notices to community members whose properties are not being maintained in accordance with our CC&Rs. Moreover, I enrolled the Greenbrier community in the St. Mary’s County Clean Community Program. More information on the Clean Community Program can be found at Protecting the value and desirability of the community may be the purpose of the HOA, but it is only accomplished if each individual property owner maintains their property in accordance with the HOA CC&Rs. I respectfully request that each community member audit their property to ensure compliance with community rules and regulations.
Community Concerns
The following paragraphs address complaints received by the Board from community members about violation of the CC&Rs. These items fall squarely in the purview of the Chairman’s Initiative, and represent a sample of the types of CC&R violations which will be cited.
Lawn Care –Greenbrier HOA Property Upkeep Requirements mandate that grass be trimmed so as not to exceed six (6) inches in height. Also, please bag and properly dispose of clippings and do not blow clippings into the street. Improperly maintained lawns are not only unsightly, but they represent a health hazard to the community. Overgrown lawns attract insects and rodents, both of which can carry serious diseases. Please be a good neighbor and maintain your lawn in accordance with the CC&Rs.
Vehicle Storage – Greenbrier HOA Property Upkeep Requirements expressly prohibit the storage of vehicles in disrepair on the street for more than twenty-four (24) hours. Please remove all such vehicles from the street immediately. The Upkeep Requirements also expressly prohibit the storage of commercial vehicles, boats, or recreational vehicles on any Lot. These items must be stored in the garage. If you have any vehicles in disrepair on the street, please remove them immediately. If you are storing a commercial vehicle, boat, or recreational vehicle on your lot, please store it in your garage.
Animal Waste – St. Mary’s County Animal Control Regulations Section (§) 212.11 states:
- No person shall keep or maintain any animal in such manner as to cause or permit the animal to be a public nuisance. A public nuisance is when an owner or custodian allows an animal to:
8. Defecate or urinate on property other than that of the owner, custodian or keeper. Owner or custodian must clean up excrement when on public areas, parks, schools, etc.
§ 212.15(A) (212.11) states that the first offense will result in a $50.00 fine; each subsequent offense will result in a $250.00 fine. Note that HOA common areas are not the property of the dog owner and the owner must clean up after their pet or risk being fined. The HOA even provides waste bags for this purpose. There is no excuse to not clean up after your pet. And, it should go without saying that leaving your dog’s waste on someone else’s property is disgusting and in very poor taste.
Dirt Bike Riding on HOA Property – The HOA’s properties on which we maintain storm water management systems, fire lanes, etc. is not public property. The Board has fielded multiple complaints about people riding dirt bikes across HOA storm water management systems and other HOA properties. These people are trespassing. Therefore, they are exposing themselves to criminal and civil liability to any damage done to HOA property. Please do not ride dirt bikes, all-terrain vehicles, bicycles, etc. on these HOA properties.
Portable Basketball Nets – Greenbrier HOA Architectural Control Guidelines expressly allow portable basketball nets. However, they may not be left on the street or on the sidewalk after use. Please remove portable basketball nets from the street and sidewalk after each use.
Thank you for your time and attention. I hope everyone has a safe and wonderful summer!
Very Respectfully,
Mel Blade
Chairman
Heritage Manor Greenbrier Homeowners Association