Woodland Farms HOA
Notice to all Woodland Farms Homeowners
Thanks to everyone who
attended the picnic and HOA meeting held in the community park on Sunday, October
25, 2015. It was our highest turnout ever, but unfortunately not the fifty
percent participation necessary to make any final decisions regarding how best
to fund the repair and future maintenance of our roads. The Woodland Farms HOA
Board of Directors (“the Board”) has been working on a plan for the repair and ongoing
maintenance of our roads since taking over the HOA from Block One in 2014.
There were many questions and concerns raised by the homeowners that the Board
had to consider in order to create a comprehensive plan going forward:Notice to all Woodland Farms Homeowners
1. Were the roads adequately constructed?
2. Could 4Corners be held responsible for any of the damaged areas?
3. Where would funds come from for repair and maintenance?
4. Should repairs start while the construction of new homes was on-going?
The roads in Phases I and II are now over five years old and have held up relatively well considering all the construction traffic. 4Corners did repair several areas when there was obvious construction damage prior to turning the roads over to the neighborhood. Since then, 4Corners has made it clear to the Board that it was our responsibility to identify any construction vehicle damage and address it with individual subcontractors. Phase III roads were poorly constructed and the Board investigated the possibility of filing a lawsuit against the builder.
Information obtained by contacting other neighborhoods has shown that the road situation in Woodland Farms is not unique. Some surrounding neighborhoods have had to make the difficult decision to propose a mandatory special assessments of up to $12,000.00 per household to completely replace their roads (Bella Terra). Sources have also reported that other neighborhoods have spent in excess of $100,000 to pursue legal action against their developers only to lose.
Based upon the information we have at present, the Board feels that now is not the time to pursue legal action against 4Corners, although it is not out of the question in future. Efforts will continue on that front, but our most pressing need is to commence the repair of the considerable damage that has been done to our roads before winter sets in. Now that the majority of the construction in our neighborhood has been completed, it is prudent for the Board to pursue a plan to repair the damaged areas and adopt a long term strategy to effectively maintain the roads going forward.
At the HOA meeting, the Board discussed our options with the homeowners, and based on previous cost estimates, there was a favorable response to raise our annual dues by $100 (to $340 a year) beginning in 2016. Several contractors were contacted to solicit bids to solidify the repair costs and to develop a long-term financial plan for ongoing maintenance.
Howard’s Excavation and Fuller Paving to get repair bids for the most critical areas. Total cost quoted by Howard’s was $54,788 and Fuller Paving’s estimate was $15,795 (some of the difference in price was due to the actual areas being repaired. Fuller’s quote was not as extensive as Howards but a map of the proposed repair areas will be posted on the HOA website). The contractors also suggested that as our roads age, they dry out, making them more prone to damage, so sealing should be done about every five years. Both companies quoted approximately $40,000 to completely patch and seal the roads to protect against future damage and were willing to split the sealing process over 2 years so that the homeowners do not have to incur the total cost all in one year.
Fuller Paving was the lowest cost per area quoted and has already completed road repairs in our neighborhood, which gives us an example of the quality of their work. For this reason, the Board voted to contract Fuller Paving to repair our most critical areas, as well as maintain our roads going forward. The critical repairs will be commenced in late November 2015 and the patching and sealing will be stretched out over 2016 and 2017, if the funding is approved. Based on the current estimates, the $100 increase discussed at the HOA meeting will not be adequate to keep up with the future repair and maintenance of the roads. The Board has determined that raising our annual dues by $160 (to $400 per year) will enable the proper maintenance of all the roads in Phases I, II, and III and will build a fund necessary for the repair of any subsequent damage that may occur.
With all the above in mind, you will find attached an Official Ballot Letter asking for your vote regarding the increase to the Woodland Farms Homeowners Association dues. Our covenants require at least 51% of the homeowners to vote for this proposal before it can be implemented. Also attached is a spreadsheet showing our annual dues and expenditures and how this increase will be spent.
Please take time and consider your vote carefully, then fill out the attached Official Ballot Letter and mail to the Woodland Farms HOA at P.O. Box 30174, Edmond, OK, 73003. If it is more convenient, you may also return your completed Official Ballot Letter to any board member or email it to info@woodlandfarmshoa.com. Please remember to include your name, address, phone number and email address on the Official Ballot Letter so we can maintain the best contact information for our homeowners.
Speaking of communication within our neighborhood, Scot Trower volunteered at the HOA meeting to help facilitate a mass communication method for us in order to create a more cohesive neighborhood. More information on that process will follow. It was also brought to our attention that some homeowners’ aerobic septic systems spray into the street instead of on lawns where intended. In winter this becomes a potential slip hazard, as well as the water permeating the street and with freezing and thawing creating more damage to our roads. We ask that everyone please inspect your system’s spray pattern and reposition the heads accordingly, or call Red Dirt Septic for help.
Thank you for your attention to these important neighborhood issues that affect all our home values.
Best regards,
Woodland Farms HOA Board
