How much are dues and how do I pay them?
As of 2018, the annual association dues are $30 - the cheapest in Rochester Hills as far as we know! Per the by-laws, they are due March 1 of each year. Though every Spring Hill property owner is automatically a member of the homeowner association, those with unpaid dues are considered inactive and are therefore ineligible to vote on items that are brought to the membership for a vote.
The easiest way to pay the annual dues is online. Checks can also be mailed to the P.O. Box listed at the bottom of this page.
The overarching goal of the homeowner association is to make this a desirable place to live for all of our homeowners. As such, we strive put the dues to use towards that goal:
Additionally, we have a goal to replace the aging, mismatched entrance signs with new, attractive signs with a unified design. This is not an inexpensive endeavor, but we are finding ways to keep expenses down by doing much of the design work ourselves and looking for ways to use materials that are inexpensive to purchase and maintain.
Unfortunately there is administrative overhead just existing as an association. The largest expense currently is the General Liability and Directors and Officers (D&O) Liability insurance, which is approximately $1500 annually.
Additional administrative expenses include communications (postcards and other mailings, newsletters, web site), the PO Box, and renting a facility for annual meetings.
The association also provides value to the neighborhood in ways that thankfully don’t cost money:
Board members and officers volunteer their time and are not monetarily compensated.
Are fences or sheds allowed in the neighborhood?
Fences and temporary structures such as sheds are prohibited by the deed restrictions without explicit approval by the homeowner’s association Architectural Control Committee (ACC):
Section 17. COMMITTEE APPROVAL No building, fence, wall or other structure shall be commenced, erected or maintained on any lot, nor shall any additions to or changes or alteration therein be made, except interior alterations, until the plans and specifications showing the nature, kind, shape, height, materials, color scheme, location on lot, an approximate cost of such structures and the grading plan on the lot, including grade elevations of buildings to be built upon shall have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Architectural Control Committee or its authorized agent, and a copy thereof finally approved, lodged permanently with the Committee. The Committee shall have the right to refuse to approve any such plans or specifications or grading plans which are not suitable or desirable in its opinion for aesthetic or other reasons. In so passing upon such plans, specifications and grading plans, it shall have the right to take into consideration suitability of the proposed buildings or other structures to be build the site upon which it is proposed to be erect the same harmony thereof with the surrounding and the effect of the building or other structure as planned on the outlook from adjacent or neighboring property.
As stated in the introduction of the deed restrictions, which are a legal covenant bound to the properties and which you implicitly accepted when you purchased the property, the purpose of the restrictions is to ensure that the neighborhood develops “into a residential community of the highest type”.
One of the things that likely attracted you to the neighborhood when you purchased the property was how open the lots were and how the lots flow from one to the other. As an association, we aim to preserve that look and feel.
That said, fences are allowed where required by law, such as those for safety around a swimming pool. The fence should only surround the pool and an appropriate amount around the pool for using it; it should not surround the whole back yard. Additionally, the City of Rochester Hills has ordinance guidelines related to fences.
We understand there may be circumstances where a barrier would be useful:
For containing pets such as dogs, we recommend using a solution such as Invisible Fence.
For issues of privacy, we recommend using landscaping - such as large bushes - that integrate well with the environment. Deer can be a problem for certain types of bushes, shrubs and trees (e.g. Arborvitae and Yews). Local nurseries such as Bordines can recommend deer-resistant varieties and there are many resources available online, such as:
Rutgers University’s Landscape Plants Rated by Deer Resistance
The Spruce’s list of deer-resistant trees
Where landscaping alone may not be feasible or aesthetically appropriate, we generally allow relatively small privacy screen (such as a lattice) to be used. Each screen should not exceed 10 feet in length or 6 feet in height, nor should screens be used consecutively in a manner that they would effectively act as a fence.
In all cases, the plans should be submitted to the association and the ACC in writing so that we can ensure they are in line with the approved guidelines and the goals of the neighborhood. Additionally we want to ensure the proposed changes do not become an issue for your neighbors.
You may have noticed that there are a number of existing sheds in the neighborhood that have been erected over the years. These were likely installed without the consent of the homeowners association or during the time when the association was effectively inactive.
In this day and age of larger vehicles and the trappings of modern life, the storage needs of today’s lifestyle was not necessarily anticipated when many of the houses and garages in the neighborhood were constructed. We do understand the usefulness of having the additional storage that sheds provide.
With that in mind, it is unlikely we will ask for an existing fence or shed to be removed. However, should we receive a sufficient number of complaints from other property owners that convince us that the fence or shed is problematic, as granted by the deed restrictions (Section 18: Abatement of Violations), the association does reserve the right to have a shed or fence moved or removed. Additionally, as declared in the deed restrictions, failure to enforce a past violation of a deed restriction does not prevent the association from enforcing a restriction in the future (Section 21: Enforcement).
For more information regarding the Spring Hill deed restrictions, digital copies can be downloaded from the Spring Hill subdivision web site. If you worked with a real estate agent when you purchased your home, the agent should have provided a copy of the deed restrictions at that time, though we have found that this does not always happen. Additionally, the deed restrictions are on file with the Oakland County registry of deeds and permits.