Royal Troon Home Owners Association

Royal Troon Home Owners Association

Royal Troon Home Owners Association

Bulletin – June, 2017

Greetings

Hello and welcome to the return of the Royal Troon Bulletin which has been on hiatus for about the last year or so. Members of the Board along with others serving on various neighborhood committees thought it would be beneficial to again publish as a means of sharing information of potential interest to the Association. So here we are. The Bulletin will be published episodically as information and news of interest warrant. Distribution will be accomplished via my member email list with hard copy delivery to only those who do not have email. The Bulletin will also be available on the Royal Troon webpage available on the CAS website at .

Irrigation Update

Our irrigation systems were tested, repaired where necessary and placed into service in mid May. Operation has been limited due to the abundance of rain in recent weeks. Maintenance is being accomplished by Sands Landscaping this year. Royal Troon follows the City of Durham policy for operation of automatic watering systems. We will be operating on a two day per week schedule this season with odd numbered addresses operating on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Even numbered addresses are on a Wednesday, Sunday schedule. Operation is in the early morning hours to minimize evaporation. Our systems are equipped with automatic rain gauges which temporarily stop operation when we get one quarter inch of rainfall. Watering run times will be adjusted during the summer as moisture and temperature warrant. Residents may water by hand plantings or landscaping on any day. Should you encounter a maintenance problem on your property please report the issue to our property manager. (See pg. 4)

Refresher – Owner/Association Maintenance Responsibility

Recently, there have been some questions regarding owner versus Association responsibility for pest control issues, crawl spaces and any associated repairs or maintenance. I will try to recap the pertinent rules and governing regulations for everyone’s information.

Article VIII of our Declarations of Covenant covers Exterior Maintenance responsibility for the Association. Applicable language states “….the Association shall provide exterior maintenance upon each Lot which is subject to assessment hereunder as follows: paint, repair, replacement and care of roofs, gutters, downspouts, exterior building surfaces, trees, shrubs, grass, walks, patio fences and other exterior improvement made prior to the transfer of title to the Owner. Such exterior maintenance shall not include glass surfaces, areas fenced for patio purposes, awnings or other appurtenances added by the Owner.”

The language of our Declarations is further clarified within the NC Planned Community Act, paragraph 47F-3-107 (a) which may be summarized to say that the homeowner is responsible for the maintenance of their property except for what is specifically stated in the Declarations as being the responsibility of the Association to maintain. Foundations and crawl spaces are not specifically identified in Royal Troon’s Declaration; therefore they are the responsibility of the homeowner.

On the issue of repairs due to pests. The Association currently subscribes to an annual contract for termite inspection and treatment of any termite infestation that may be found or subsequently recur throughout the year of the contract. While this is not a responsibility of the Association per our Declaration, the membership voted some years ago to have the Association arrange for this community service and to include the annual fee in our dues structure. The contract does not include insurance for any damage repairs resulting from termite infestations,only re-treatment as necessary at no additional cost.

The contract does not cover damages or treatments due to any other insect or pest. Property insurance also does not typically cover any damages resulting from pest damages or infestations as well. The Association is neither assigned nor does it assume any responsibility for repairs due to pests. Individuals desiring additional coverage should consult with their personal insurance provider.

Informational Tidbits

  • Replacement Windows
  • There have been occasional questions regarding sources for replacement windows. Information has come to our attention from homeowners that have previously had windows replaced. The vendors who were used wereAluminum Company of North Carolina (Durham) and Rice Glass Company (Carrboro).. Homeowners may wish to use other vendors or products but please keep in mind that any replacement of windows in the front of units or on a side facing a street require Architectural Committee approval. Architectural Request forms may be downloaded from the CAS website or by contacting our CAS Property Manager.
  • Financial News
  • Bill Keadey, long time treasurer and financial advisor for the RTHA, recently resigned from the position. The Association thanks Bill for his many years of faithful service and financial guidance to numerous Boards and his steady oversight of Royal Troon financials.

Following Bill’s departure, Bill West was appointed to the position of Treasurer by the Board and two of our long time Association members agreed to serve in the capacity of “financial advisors” to the Association. Bill Self and Nancy Lockamy will share those responsibilities to ensure high standards of financial practice are continued. The Association is grateful to these members for their expertise and assistance.

  • Consideration of a “Rainy Day Fund”.
  • The Board is currently considering the prudence of establishing a modest “Rainy Day Fund” within future annual budgets. More frequently now unexpected needs surface at Royal Troon due to age of our development, older infrastructure and erosion issues. We all want to ensure that the image of our development is maintained to complement property values. We remain one of the few regional HOAs that have never imposed a special assessment to meet needs but rather have been able to contain cost within the annual budget structure. The creation of a “Rainy Day Fund” will help in the response time required to address unanticipated needs and lessen the likelihood of having to resort to special assessments in the future. Should you have input to this process please convey your thoughts to one of your current Board members.
  • Refresher on Rules and Regs
  • We have found it is helpful to occasionally publish a copy of our existing Rules and Regulations just as a refresher for everyone. In that spirit of sharing, a copy is attached at the end of this Bulletin. There have been no recent changes but our neighborhood is helped by hitting the refresh button on the oldies but goodies.
  • Scheduled Building Maintenance for 2017
  • The units scheduled for external painting and repairs this year are 3,5,7 and 9 Crail Court. Work will typically be done in the September/October timeframe. Additionally, the Buildings and Grounds Committee plans to include painting of the iron work at the front entrance and painting of iron work at 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 306 and 308 Kinross. We were not including iron work painting concurrent with exterior painting when those units were completed two to three years ago.

How to Access the CAS website, Royal Troon Webpage and Your CAS Property Manager

You may access the CAS website at . There you can check the documents that are available download including the Architectural Request Form. The form has instructions as to what information is required and any supporting documentation that may be required.

Once on the CAS website scan down the list of communities until you locate Royal Troon. Click on Royal Troon to access the webpage where you can access and download all current Declarations, By-laws and Rules governing the Association along with Royal Troon Bulletins. All material is available for download.

Our Property Manager is Johnny Grindstaff who may be reached by email at or by phone at 919 403 1400 (ext. 1205).

Rules and Regulations of Royal Troon

(As Amended April 20, 2016)

Ronal Troon Homeowner’s Association has been formed for the benefit of owners and their guests of Royal Troon. The following Rules and Regulations are guidelines for protecting all owners. The Homeowner’s Association may add or delete rules and regulations at its own discretion.

I.General

a.Swamp Fox LLC owns Troon Lake. Access to the lake is controlled by Swamp Fox LLC. Use of the lake may be restricted by the owner.

b.Parking has been provided with a two-car garage and a double driveway at each unit. As a general rule, cars should not be parked on the streets. Owner’s social events being an exception.

c.Campers, Travel Trailers, Commercial Vehicles and other Recreational Vehicles will not be allowed unless they can be stored out of sight in the garage space provided.

d.Pets classified as ‘House Pets’ will be allowed. Pets should not be allowed to roam unleashed through the neighborhood or other properties.

e.Each unit is equipped with window mullions. Mullions should be kept in all front windows and in windows that face the side street.

II.Architectural Control

a.Additions to any unit need to be approved by the Architectural Committee of theHomeowners’Association. Additions must conform to the existing architectural and construction materials. (Also, see Rule III. d. under Landscaping.)

b.Satellite Dish Installations – Article II, Section5 of the Amended Covenants for Royal Troon reads in part “No television reception antennas shall be erected on a residence other than eighteen-inch digital satellite dishes.” New rule II.b acknowledges that current satellite dishes installed by major service providers exceed the eighteen-inch restriction. Thus, inorderto comply with the original intent of Article II, Section 5, the inclusion of such size satellite dish that is provided by a major satellite service provider is deemed acceptable for properties located at Royal Troon.

In addition, the board urges all subscribers to satellite services to refrain from a roof installation in order to minimize the disruption in the uniform appearance of buildings and the disfigurement of cables extending from the roof and down exterior walls. Whenever possible the owner is urged to opt for a pole mounted satellite dish located away from the front of the building and in the most unobtrusive location as may be feasible given the limitations of satellite reception. In no case is a pole mount to be located in the front of a building. The property owner is reminded that in those cases where a rooftop installation is necessary that any damage or subsequent cost to the roof or building resulting from the installation will be the responsibility of the owner.

III.Landscaping

a.TheHomeowner’sAssociation provides outside maintenance of the units and lawns. Owners should not change the landscaping plan of the units or obstruct the use of mowers or other lawn care equipment.

b.Items not allowed in front of units: Birdfeeders or Birdhouses, Signs (other than realty and security signs), Flags (other than patriotic), Vegetable Gardens, Statues or other yard decorations that are not uniform.

c.Items allowed in front of units: Small items such as feeders, etc that are hidden from public view are acceptable but still must be in good taste. Flowers are acceptable in pots and may also be placed in the mulched areas, keeping a certain degree of uniformity with the landscaping design of the subdivision.

d.Any modification of the landscaping in the front of units, other than as provided for in rule III. c. above requires the approval of the Architectural Control Committee as prescribed in Article V of the Covenants. While ACC approval is not required for the changes to other landscaping adjacent to units, members may be required to change or remove any plants or shrubs placed in the landscaped areas which are deemed to interfere with or increase maintenance cost for the Association for lawn maintenance or irrigation. Members may also be billed for abnormal charges incurred by the Association as a result of landscaping modifications by members.

RTHA Board of Directors:

Donald Yarboro, President

Jeff Dawson, V. President

Barbara Self

Bill West, Treasurer

Daryll Powell, Secretary

Edited and published by Daryll Powell and Ron Roberts

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