Do you support the current Design Review Guidelines as written today? If not, what changes do you believe need to be made? Please speak specifically to landscaping.
From Jennifer Allran | Salt Cedar
Answers from Candidates:
- Kate Bice: I believe that the DRG’s need a lot of conscientious review and community input over the course of the next several years before we even begin to talk about changing them. Changing governing documents for an HOA is an uncommon practice and should be done reservedly. There is a lot of room for clarification in many aspects of the DRG’s when it comes to landscaping such as turf requirements, edging requirements, and bed redesign. If I am on the Board, I will encourage the DRC to make decisions based on what is allowed or not specifically disallowed in the DRG’s for as many decisions as possible and to work collaboratively with homeowners to find solutions when they disagree on aesthetics.
- Bob Lijana: See comments on Question 3. This process is under transition from Newland to our own DRC and Board. We can learn from how we did this when we transitioned from a Newland Board to an all-resident Board. There will be some growing pains. This is also where patience and persistence will help as we further develop our thriving community together.
- Liz Rolison: I recognize the current Design Review Guidelines (DRGs) as the document that we have today and that all of us as homeowners agreed to when we each bought our homes in the Briar Chapel community. This document was developed by our developer and until they formally hand over their veto authority to the BCCA, we will need to work with this document as is. That said, I believe the document needs to be better organized, inconsistencies clarified, and in some cases, there are some changes that need to be changed. The question is how to do this responsibly.
I have recommended a homeowner survey aimed at gathering homeowner input on areas of the DRGs that need to be considered for change, particularly in the area of addressing sustainability and green practices. This was a concept heavily marketed to the homeowners in Briar Chapel and it is a value we must address in the DRGs. In addition to homeowner input, we need to look at data from the DRC applications and Covenants Compliance hearings that tells us what areas of the DRGs are homeowners requested consideration for waivers and variances. Together that should give us a better idea of the areas of the document that need to be considered for revision. I don’t advocate for us rushing into this process, but rather taking the time to gather the data and carefully determine how best to address these issues for the long term. - Tom Speer: One of the duties of the board is the management of our common spaces. Another duty is the adherence to the community governance. It is the duty of every resident who purchased a home in our community to also adhere to the governance. Home owners who want to change landscaping on the lots have a process whereby they can request changes. Homeowners who do not follow the governance and make changes without approval risk being in violation. This past year there have been many homes adding pollinator gardens (I did as well in my back yard where I also added 9 trees) and that is perfectly allowed if you stick to the established guidelines and when necessary obtain approval. If guidelines need adjustment there is a process for that as well and I look forward to a complete review of our governance and engaging with the community on any necessary changes.
- William Weitz: We have a lot of documents. I have seen various documents also setting out recommendations that may not be real. The design guidelines should be viewed as a way to prevent compliance violations and keep in order. Need updates. Character Limit