Guides
29 common questions, answered in plain words. Each answer sits beside the exact passages it is drawn from, with the document and page, so you can check it against the original. If the documents do not say something, the guide says that instead of guessing.
Your home and yard
- Can I put a shed in my backyard?Yes, but only in a fenced rear yard, and only with written approval first.
- Can I rent out my house, or list it on Airbnb?You can lease your primary residence, but only for a lease term of no less than six months.
- How many dogs and cats can I have, and do they need to be on a leash?No more than four cats and dogs in all, per lot. Animals other than ordinary household pets are not allowed, and the Board decides for itself whether a particular pet counts as one.
- Where do my trash and recycling cans have to go?Either inside your garage, or behind or beside the house where they cannot be seen from any street, alley or neighboring home — behind a privacy fence, for example.
- Can I fly a flag or put up a flagpole?S. S. military, or one flag with the official insignia of a college or university.
- Can I put up a sign in my yard?No sign may be displayed to public view without the Reviewer’s written approval, except for a short list of exceptions.
- Can I put solar panels or a satellite dish on my house?An antenna or satellite dish needs the Reviewer’s written approval first, with some exceptions called “Permitted Antennas”.
- Can I put a fence in my front yard?Security fencing has to be submitted for approval first, along with pool fencing and other security measures.
- Can I run a business from my home?The Declaration limits the community to single-family residential use.
- Can I have an outdoor fire or a fire pit?No outdoor fires are allowed, except a few kinds: barbecues, outside fireplaces, braziers and incinerator fires.
- When can I set off fireworks?The policy is “zero tolerance” for illegal fireworks, which it defines as anything that leaves the ground — bottle rockets, Roman candles, aerials, artillery shells, missiles and the like.
- When can I put up and take down holiday lights?Winter holiday lights and decorations can go up no sooner than Thanksgiving Day.
- Can I install a standby generator?Yes, but you need written approval first. An owner may submit plans for and install a standby electric generator.
Parking and vehicles
- Can I park on the street, and for how long?Owners and residents may not park on any public or private street in the community overnight, or for any period longer than sixteen hours.
- Can I park an RV, boat, or work truck at my house?Only in a garage. The policy’s summary table says “garage parking only” for boats and watercraft, golf carts, recreational vehicles and campers, commercial vehicles, and tractors or trucks of one ton or more.
- When can my vehicle be towed?A vehicle in violation of the policy may be stickered, wheel-locked, towed or otherwise removed, at the vehicle owner’s expense.
Pool and community room
- What are the pool hours, and how many guests can I bring?Pool hours are as posted on the sign around the pool; the Association can close it as needed.
- Is alcohol allowed at the pool or at private events?At the pool, alcoholic beverages are permitted as long as they are not in glass containers.
- How do I rent the community room?m. m. The form lists the Community Room at $200, the patio corridor at $100, and a $200 security check deposit.
Assessments, fines and fees
- What happens if my assessment payment is late?m. on the due date the Board set, the Association may charge a late fee of $25 per month and/or interest at the highest rate the law allows, or, if there is no such limit, one and a half percent per month, until paid in full.
- Can I get a payment plan if I fall behind?The Association shall offer a payment plan to a delinquent owner, with a term of at least three months and at most twelve months from the date it is requested.
- Can the HOA put a lien on my house or foreclose?The collection policy lets the Association’s attorney record a notice of the Association’s assessment lien against your home.
- How does a fine work — notice, hearing, and amounts?Before fining you the Association gives you a written violation notice by certified mail.
- What fees apply when I buy or sell a home here?The management certificate lists fees tied to a property transfer.
How the association is run
- How do I look at the association’s records?Send a written request by certified mail to the Association’s mailing address or authorized representative listed in the management certificate.
- Who controls the board, and until when?Until the tenth anniversary of the day the Covenant was recorded, the Declarant (the developer) has the sole right to appoint and remove every Board member.
- What is the “Declarant subsidy”, and is it a gift or a loan?3 of the Master Covenant lets the Declarant lower the assessments owners would otherwise pay by paying the Association a subsidy.
- Who approves changes to the outside of my home?During the Development Period, the approver is the “Hidden Trails Reviewer”: the Declarant or its designee.
- How can the Master Covenant be changed?It can be changed by a recorded amendment signed in either of these ways.