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Walton's Mountain Homeowners Frequently
Asked Questions
Q: What is the purpose of the dues for the yearly assessments?
Q: How much is the current yearly assessment?
Q: What is the criteria for determining who has an assessment to pay?
Q: When am I required to start construction of a home on my lot?
Q: What if I don't clean up my vacant lot?
Q: What is the WMHA standard for keeping my vacant lot presentable?
Q: Won't the city mow my lot frontage if the weeds get too high?
Q: Should a lot ownwer whose lot is not required by the city to have a sidewalk consider building one if their next door neighbor has one anyway?
Q: What would happen if I choose to ignore payment of my assessment?
Q: How do I get my house plans approved before I start the building process?
Q: How can I contact the board and what is the WMHA mailing address?
Answers
Q: What is the purpose of the dues for the yearly assessments?
Ans: The yearly dues go for landscaping maintenance of the common areas, utilities (entrance lighting, water for the sprinkler system), repairs as needed (for example, damaged sprinkler heads), insurance for property damage of the common area, mailing expenses, Post Office box, video monitoring and any other expenses that may arise.
Q: How much is the current yearly assessment?
Ans: $450.00
Q: What is the criteria for determining who has an assessment to pay?
Ans:
• A Homeowner with a house on one lot has one membership voting right, and one yearly assessment.
• A Homeowner with a house on a combined lot, has one membership vote and one assessment.
• A Lot owner who owns a house and a separate lot or lots, has one membership vote and one assessment for that house/lot. plus one membership vote/assessment per lot if the extra lot(s) meets() the criteria of being capable of containing a home meeting the minimum requirements for a home according to the Protective Covenants and Restrictions, and the ARC Standards.
Q: When am I required to start construction of a home on my lot?
Ans: Owners of vacant lots should remember that the R&C/ARC Standards say construction shall start within one year of closing. This means closing on the lot. Review the ARC Standards posted on this site.
(Start of construction implies initiation of actual house construction, otherwise the lot might only be cleared and left alone for a long period of time.)
Q: What if I don't clean up my vacant lot?
Ans: Owners of lots on which no home stands and who don't keep their lot front footage presentable can be assessed a fine for not cleaning up the area fronting the street.
Q: What is the WMHA standard for keeping my vacant lot presentable?
Ans: Debris such as dead limbs, boulders, and other trash should be removed, allowing the grass/weeds to be mowed to a height not exceeding 8". The mowed area should extend from the curb back 20 feet or to the natural tree line, which ever is less. We believe the City of Huntsville uses this same standard. Several of the lot owners already practice maintaining their lots better than this minimum.
Q: Won't the city mow my lot frontage if the weeds get too high?
Ans: If any lot clearing has been done in preparation of construction, and the front footage is in weeds, the city can give 14 days notice, then mow and bill the lot owner. On lots in the subdivision where no lot clearing has taken place, the Homeowners Association must get involved.
Q: Am I required to install a sidewalk on my lot? Ans: The developer laid out a plan to the city for this subdivision. Streets, drainage, streetlights, sidewalks, etc., what ever the city requires in their ground rules. There was a sidewalk plan approved. The Developer put up a bond with the city to assure that the sidewalk plan submitted by the Developer was carried out. Mr. Michael Webb of the Planning Commission says that the city has a letter of credit from the Developer for sidewalk completion and there is no time limit on it. When the subdivision reaches 75% Certificates of Occupancy, the sidewalks must be installed where they were required (see list here) unless already installed. Sidewalks are not required in front of every home. They basically are not required on the fill side of the street, so every lot is not required to have a sidewalk. The ARC requires a side walk to be installed by a lot owner only where the city requires one, based on the Developers approved sidewalk plan for the subdivision. Our understanding of all this is that out of 106 lots (or however many legal places there are to build a house), at such time as 75% of this number of lots have occupied homes, the Developer must finish out the required sidewalks.
Q: Should a lot ownwer whose lot is not required by the city to have a sidewalk consider building one if their next door neighbor has one anyway?
Ans: It would contribute to the overall continuity of our Subdivision if the lot owner completed a sidewalk installation if the adjoining lot already has one. However, this is only a suggestion, and not a requirement unless that lot is required to have a sidewalk.
Q: What would happen if I choose to ignore payment of my assessment?
Ans: The penalty for willful neglect and non-payment of dues can result in a lien on the lot or home. No one wants this to happen. If the HA is faced with having to bring legal action against a homewoner for refusing to fullfil their obligation, it should be pointed out that the legal fees will come out of the HA bank account, raising the dues for everyone.
Q: How do I get my house plans approved before I start the building process?
Ans: You submit your plans to the WMHA board. They will in turn give them to the ARC to review against the rules. If the plans meet the rules, you will sign the ARC agreement and the board will give permission to start construction. If the plans do not meet the rules, the ARC will work with you to make the necessary corrections to the plans. If there is an impass reached and the homeowner is not willing to make the necessary changes to have the plans approved, the homeowner, ARC and the WMHA board will meet to resolve the issue if possible.
Q: How can I contact the board and what is the WMHA mailing address?
Ans:
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