VM Meeting Notes, Jan. 2012: VMs Pass Bulk of Changes to Westchase Rules
After lacking enough votes to pass amendments to Westchase’s governing rules in November, VMs opened 2012 by passing all but two of the proposed changes. At the November meeting of the Westchase Voting Members (VMs), VM absenteeism prevented attending VMs from mustering enough votes to pass proposed amendments to the Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CCRs), Bylaws or Residential Guidelines. VMs therefore agreed to retain the homeowners polls on the CCRs and Bylaws changes and carry them forward to the January meeting. In the time period between, absent VMs submitted their votes via written consent. Thus, all amendments to the Guidelines and Bylaws – and all but two proposed amendments to the CCRs – were approved.
VMs rejected amendments that sought to reduce the threshold needed for VMs to approve future changes to the CCRs. The rejected amendments would have lowered the approval threshold from 75 percent to 66 percent, the threshold required for amending Bylaws and Residential Guidelines. The Documents Review Committee had proposed lowering the threshold because absent VMs made reaching it very difficult. In a previous session, VMs, however, had voted unanimously to keep the threshold at 75 percent, so the failure of these amendments to pass came as no surprise.
In New Business, the village of Chelmsford presented a proposed change to their village-specific guideline for fences. The proposed change was published in the January WOW. Chelmsford is proposing to allow “composite fencing” in addition to the materials permitted in its guidelines. The composite fences, however, must be wood tone or weathered wood tone in color. Prior to the meeting, the proper percentage of Chelmsford homeowners had approved the proposal. Voting Members quickly voted to approve the proposed amendment with only one VM, David Love (Bennington), opposed and one VM, Gene McArthur (Woodbay), abstaining. VMs will have to pass the rule again in February for it to take effect.
Under VMs’ old business, Stonebridge had requested a change to its neighborhood-specific guidelines for new mailboxes. Public notice for the change appeared for the second time in the January WOW. Stonebridge proposed changing their current white mailboxes to black metal mailboxes like the ones in West Park Village. Voting Member Ralph Caputo (Abbotsford) inquired about what happens if homeowners in the subdivision decide that they don’t want to change their mailboxes. Arrillaga explained that the violation process would be followed. The homeowner would first receive a violation later then could even end up with fine. Eventually a lien could placed on the property for continued noncompliance. When the vote was taken, the Stonebridge guideline change was unanimously approved.
VMs also approved Woodbridge’s screen/storm door amendment, which requires all screen doors within Woodbridge to be white.
As this was the second month of consideration for the Stonebridge and Woodbridge changes, both rules have been formally approved as new village-specific guidelines for those two neighborhoods.
In closing, Arrillaga asked if the VMs would be open to moving February’s meeting, currently scheduled for Feb. 14, because of Valentine’s Day. When most VMs expressed no preference, Arrillaga said it would be scheduled for Feb. 7 at 7 p.m.
Arrillaga also told the group that a February sand volleyball tournament was being planned in which neighborhoods teams would compete at the Westchase Swim and Tennis Center court. He told VMs to look for additional information about the tournament in the future.
Villages with no VMs in attendance or VMs who didn’t warn management of their absence included Glenfield, Kingsford and The Vineyards. Villages with no voting member include Arlington, Stockbridge and Worthington.
Approved CCR and Guideline Changes
CCRs
• VMs updated language by removing inaccurate descriptions of multifamily dwellings.
• Conversion vans (except those used by disabled or handicapped residents) are prohibited.
• The ban on temporary structures was amended to permit FEMA-approved structures immediately following a natural disaster.
• VMs empowered themselves to fill a VM vacancy when no alternates are available.
• An exception to a ban on awnings was made for original, developer-installed awnings.
Guidelines
• Rules added for materials and designs of front doors.
• Rules added for shapes of windows and materials for window frames and window glass.
• Rules added for roofing materials, warranties, colors and styles.
• Exterior walls that extend beyond roof line were banned.
• A new rule strengthens ban on above-ground pools by better defining them.
• The list of acceptable yard plants was expanded.
• New rule states fences must be constructed on or adjacent to boundary lines; dog runs were banned.
• Vinyl fences were permitted with approval of village-specific guidelines; new rules delineate materials, colors and dimensions of vinyl fences.
By Brenda Bennett