Blakefield Homeowners,
General Information & Previous HOA Meeting Information:
We hope everyone has had an eventful and pleasurable summer! Most importantly we are planning a final quarterly meeting for Saturday November 5th or 12th, 2016. During this meeting there will be several things discussed that will have a significant impact on the neighborhood. We would like to see a larger turnout than the 12 residents that attended the last meeting, so that your voice may be heard as your input is important. This is our neighborhood and your investment! Come be a part of the decisions and improvements being made to secure your investment! You can’t be upset with new and progressive decisions that are made if you’re not there to voice your concerns and opinions.
With the end of summer closing rapidly and the approach of a new school year starting, we are looking forward to some of the roads within Blakefield being taken over by the State. For the neighborhood this means school busses will hopefully be utilizing our roads to pick up children. As this happens it is imperative that all residents adhere to the soon to be posted neighborhood speed limit of 25 mph or slower to avoid any mishaps or wrecks with vehicles, property or pedestrians. Please continue to keep your yards in good shape. How yards look shows visitors that we care about our neighborhood. We would like to remind all residents that it is your responsibility to maintain the easements to the rear of your property. This is your property and not the developers therefore you are required to maintain it as you would any other part of your yard. Thanks for all your hard work.
There are a few covenant restrictions that are currently being violated by various residents. In the near future, those residents will be notified via mailings to have them correct their violation. It was previously discussed in a prior meeting that there should be some form of monetary fines associated with these violations however no conclusion could be reached at that time. There was a mixed review to the proposal however this will be an issue tabled for discussion and voting during the November meeting.
We are establishing a billing cycle so everyone will receive a bill for your annual dues. It is the property owner’s responsibility to notify the HOA if they decide to move and either sell or rent their property. The property owner is still responsible for paying the annual assessment and unless otherwise notified, your assessments will be mailed to the address maintained on file with the HOA. By owning a lot in Blakefield you agree to the covenants which require, currently, a $100 assessment each calendar year. We would like to receive the payments for the 2017 dues by January 31, 2017, otherwise a late fee will be assessed. Anyone not currently paid up as of December 31, 2016 for this or any previous years, to include late fees, will be referred to an attorney so payment can be obtained through legal action. This will be accomplished by either the placement of a lien on the property or foreclosure of the property. The attorney fees assessed will also be the responsibility of the homeowner. To avoid this, if you still need to pay HOA dues for this or previous years, they can be made out to Blakefield HOA and mailed to PO Box 20016, Fayetteville, NC 28312.
As discussed at the last meeting, property management companies have been looked at to conduct the business aspects of the HOA such as collecting and receiving payments, notifying residents of violations, assisting with the payment of bills, conducting quarterly meetings and assisting with the selection of landscapers that maintain the entrance and common areas to mention a few. There was a mixed review to the proposal however this will be another issue tabled for discussion and voting during the November meeting.
Also discussed at the last meeting was the idea of planting trees and plants in the aforementioned rear easement as a way to beautify the neighborhood and liven up the areas. It was determined that the current covenant prohibits the planting of anything in the easement and also prohibits the building of anything there including fences. It is being checked on as to the validity of a covenant change being the only thing required to move forward with this project. This will be a pricey project and there was a big mixed review to the proposal however this will be another issue tabled for discussion and voting during the November meeting should it be allowed by county code enforcement.
Tentatively, we are planning to have a neighborhood block party Saturday October 1, 2016 to get residents together and fellowship. Keep up with this and other information on the web site at www.blakefieldhoa.com.
Safety and Security:
We are still looking for someone to start a “Neighborhood Watch” program. Let a Director know through the web site or send us an email at: info@blakefieldhoa.com if you are interested. Should you see anything that appears suspicious or that needs our attention please email us at the aforementioned email and let us know.
Covenant Spotlight:
Article VII. USE RESTRICTIONS, Section 3(b). page 9,
No residence or other building, and no fence, wall, utility yard, driveway, swimming pool or other structure or improvement, regardless of size or purpose, whether attached to or detached from the main residence, shall be commenced, placed, erected or allowed to remain on any building lot, nor shall any addition to or any exterior change or alteration thereto be made, unless and until building plans be submitted to and approved in writing by the declarant (HOA) and until a copy of all such plans and specifications, as finally approved by the declarant have been lodged permanently with the declarant.
Simply put, any NEW additions to a pre-existing residence to include but not be limited to permanent or semi-permanent swimming pools, fences, driveways, buildings, sheds, garages or addition to the existing residence, should all be approved by and filed with the HOA prior to them being erected. As clearly stated in the covenant it is the responsibility of the homeowner to ensure the covenant is followed and failure to do so will result in legal action being taken by the HOA. If you do not have approved plans submitted to the HOA please do so. All plans can be mailed in to the HOA for approval and filing to: PO Box 20016, Fayetteville, NC 28312. This includes any structures on your property you have added or had added since the purchase of your property. I myself am guilty of violating this restriction and have since filed plans with the HOA regarding the addition of a storage building in my back yard so I am no longer in violation.
Thank you for everyone’s continued support to help ensure Blakefield remains an enjoyable neighborhood to live in!