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General HOA Questions
- Where can I get HOA Liability Insurance information?
- Where can I get a copy of the HOA By Laws and legal documents?
- When are HOA dues paid?
- What do my HOA dues pay for?
- Who should I contact about architectural approval, and when should I call?
Grounds Maintenance
- What common grounds does the HOA maintain?
Problems Solved
- My mailbox was damaged or needs repair, what can I do?
- The light pole in my area is out / damaged, what can I do?
- I have lost or found a pet, what can I do?
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General HOA Questions |
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 Q. Where can I get HOA Liability Insurance information?
A:
Title Agent's contact for HOA liability insurance information:
- Tim Kaifer
- Erie Insurance Group
(410) 584-7610
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Q. Where can I get a copy of the HOA By Laws and legal documents?
A: The following Adobe Acrobat files constitute the bulk of the HOA By Laws and legal documents. If you cannot view these documents in your browser, you can download a free copy of Adobe Acrobat reader Here. If you have a dial-up connection to the Internet, you may want to download these files before viewing. You can do this by right-mouse clicking over the appropriate link, and then selecting "Save Target As..." in your browser. Note, these are scans of the original paper documents, so they are of lesser quality than properly formatted text files.
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Q. When are HOA dues paid?
A: HOA dues are $300.00 annually. Dues are paid for a calendar year. The HOA will send out invoices in November and payments should be made to the HOA Treasurer by January 1st.
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Q. What do my HOA dues pay for?
A: The majority of HOA dues pay for maintenance of common grounds and lighting in the community. All of the street lights in River Downs are leased from Baltimore Gas & Electric. Lighting accounts for about 25% of the annual budget. Landscaping, grass cutting, and grounds maintenance accounts for 25 to 30% of the annual budget. The HOA budget is also used for communications (this website, regular meetings, and any necessary mailings), liability and association insurances, assembling and printing the neighborhood directory, Community & Social Committee events like the picnic, Halloween, and Breakfast with Santa, and a small amount for the Welcoming Committee to welcome new neighbors.
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Q. Who should I contact about architectural approval, and when should I call?
A: All architectural approval is performed by the River Downs developer - Gaylord Brooks. Their contact number is 410-667-0800. You should contact Gaylord Brooks before making any fixed-structure modification to your property. This includes house additions or exterior changes, decks, sheds, pools, playgrounds, etc. Minor modifications such as landscaping or other grounds improvements do not require architectural approval. If you have a question about whether or not architectural approval is required for your modification, please Contact the HOA directly.
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Grounds Maintenance |
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Q. What common grounds does the HOA maintain?
A: The HOA takes responsibility to ensure the community property is neat and maintained. Please notify us about any issues using the Problems page. Problems that commonly fall into this category are the following:
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White Fencing - Report damage to the front or rear entrance fence rails or posts.
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Masonry Walls - Report damage to the front or rear entrance walls, including loose material or vandalism.
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Pole and Entrance Lighting - Report lights that are not functional, or any areas where you suggest additional lighting is needed for safety and security purposes.
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Landscaping and Grass - Report damaged, stolen or unsightly landscaping, or any tall unattended grass areas.
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Problems Solved |
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Q. My mailbox was damaged or needs repair, what can I do?
A: The HOA maintains standards that require the conformity of all mailboxes within the neighborhood. If a mailbox becomes damaged or needs repair, our members have several options for resolution, as follows:
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Single Homeowner Mailboxes -
Homeowner Repair - Single homeowner mailboxes may be repaired by the homeowner as long as the standards of the community are followed. The HOA assumes no role or responsibility in this activity.
HOA Repair - The HOA also has arrangements for mailbox repairs. Homeowners can use the Problems page to submit their repair request. The HOA will take care of providing the repairs through a contracted vendor, and will bill the homeowner for repair costs.
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Multi-Homeowner Mailboxes -
Homeowners with multi-homeowner mailboxes must jointly agree how to handle damage or repairs, as follows:
Homeowner Repair - Multi-homeowner mailboxes may be repaired by one or more of the applicable homeowners as long as the standards of the community are followed, and all homeowners that receive mail in that receptacle agree to the repairs prior to any activity. The HOA assumes no role or responsibility in this activity.
HOA Repair - The HOA also has arrangement for mailbox repairs. Homeowners can use the Problems page to submit their repair request (please include the names and contact info of all other mailbox users for repair validation). The HOA will take care of providing the repairs through a contracted vendor, and will bill all homeowners for associated costs for multi-homeowner mailboxes. Each homeowner will be billed for an equal portion of the total repair costs.
Q. The light pole in my area is out / damaged, what can I do?
A: The HOA pays Baltimore Gas & Electric to support all the light poles in our neighborhood, and anyone (not just the HOA) can report a problem by calling BG&E at 1-800-685-0123 (also listed on the Contacts page). BG&E will issue a repair Reference Number that you can check up on until the problem is solved. Please let the HOA know of such problems as well, using the Problems page, so we can help monitor the issue along with you.
Q. I have lost or found a pet, what should I do?
A: If you have lost a pet, please use the Submit page to notify the HOA and we will post a notice. Please provide as much information as you can. If possible we will also pass this information on to the River Downs Golf clubhouse, because lost pets often turn up wandering around the golf course areas. If you have found a pet, please also use the Submit page and let us know.
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