| Frequently Asked
Questions This page was updated April 25, 2010 |
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These FAQs are presented below in five groups. For convenience, hyperlinks are shown in dark red.
The Bradfield Farms Homeowners Association strives to keep residents informed about matters that might affect them. When you moved to Bradfield Farms, you should have received a Homeowner's Handbook that provides a good deal of information about living in the community. If you did not receive one, please call our property management company, Association Management Group (AMG) at 704-889-7500 to obtain one or click the link to download a PDF copy. AMG's agent assigned to Bradfield Farms is Randy Fann and he would normally be the first point of contact, but other staff members may be able to help you with routine matters, if she is unavailable.
All of the HOA documents are on this website and can be accessed by clicking the HOA Documents link.
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| THE ANNUAL FEES (DUES) | ||
| How much are they and when are they due? | ||
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The Annual Fee of $330 can be made in three payments due February 1st, March 1st, and April 1st. AMG sends all residents a coupon book and return envelopes for this purpose. You will incur a late fee on the 15th of February, March, and April, (and any other month in which there is a balance owing) if not paid on time. If you cannot make these scheduled payments, contact Randy Fann at AMG to arrange a payment plan. AMG is authorized to work out a payment agreement with a homeowner (and, within certain guidelines, does not require Board approval), but you must contact AMG before your account is past due and has been turned over to the attorney for collection. Such a plan will include late fees, but those fees are far less than having your account turned over to the attorney for collection. The $330.00 will increase to over $700.00 with the inclusion of the attorney collection fees!
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| What happens to homeowners who do not pay their annual fees or late fees? | ||
| They are denied voting privileges,
use of the pools, clubhouse rental, website posting, and other privileges,
and, after proper notification, AMG attorneys will have a lien placed on
their house. The homeowner is responsible for all legal fees.
The Homeowners Association’s position is that
turning over the collection of the unpaid Dues to the attorney is a “last
resort ". The collection procedure in place must be administered in a
fair and equitable manner. If you have any questions or concerns, please
contact any Board Member or e-mail
Randy Fann (rfann@amgworld.com) or
call AMG’s office at 704-889-7500.
Each year, when your fees are paid in full, AMG will automatically mail you a new Resident Privilege Card (RPC). This serves as your pool pass and is required for admittance to the pools.
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| How are they determined? | ||
| The fees were initially established
at $275 in 1989 by Centex Homes, the principal builder in Bradfield Farms.
In 2001, the HOA Board of Directors raised the dues to $300 to cover our
operating expenses and to ensure there would be a sufficient amount in
reserves for major maintenance or initiatives (e.g., resurfacing tennis
courts, pool repairs, sidewalk installation, culverts on trail). The
dues were raised to $330 in 2007 due to sharp increases in energy/gasoline
prices that resulted in higher contract prices.. The Board monitors
our expenses closely, and strives to get quality work for the items that
are contracted.
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| How are they used? | ||
Each year the Board and AMG work
out an annual budget for the upcoming year, a copy of which is provided to
homeowners. The major categories of expenses for the 2005 budget year
were:
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| THE HOA BOARD | ||
| What do they do? | ||
| Centex Homes turned over control of
the HOA Board to Bradfield residents in March 1998, leaving them with
responsibility for enforcing the covenants which Centex provided,
collection of dues, budgeting, maintenance of common areas (grounds,
pools, trails), and general administration. Essentially, the HOA is
a non-profit corporation, and the Board is the Corporation's Board of
Directors. All of the HOA documents of incorporation, the bylaws,
covenants and Handbook are posted on this website. The Board members
also have oversight responsibilities of the various committees, and report
the activities to the entire Board at each meeting..
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| How do they do this? | ||
| The Board has a contract with a
professional property management company to help them with their
responsibilities. The current company, Association Management Group of
Charlotte (AMG) takes care of everything from making clubhouse
reservations to collecting dues, to working with attorneys to put liens on
houses when the homeowners fail to pay their dues.
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| Who is on the Board? | ||
| Regular homeowners/family members
like you, who are elected by residents for two-year terms at the annual
HOA meeting in April. Their names on our website and usually appear in the
monthly newsletter. They are not compensated in any way for their
services.
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| When and where does the Board meet? | ||
| The fourth Monday of every month,
7:30 pm at the Peacock Lane clubhouse.
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| Can I go to these meetings? | ||
| Yes, residents are encouraged to
attend and observe all public meetings, but unless you have asked the
Board President to put you on the agenda, you may not participate in the
discussions or decision-making process unless specifically recognized by
the Board President. Near the end of each Board meeting, Executive
sessions are held to discuss homeowner violations and/or appeals of
decisions and these sessions are closed to the public to protect the
privacy of the homeowners.
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| THE COVENANTS | ||
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| As noted above, the Board didn’t
make up the rules; it enforces the covenants spelled out by Centex. It
would take a vote of 67% of all homeowners in the community to make a
fundamental change to the covenants, which are in place to protect
property values. Considering that it is difficult to get a 10% turnout (to
form a quorum) at the annual meeting, it would take a door-to-door effort
to get to the 67% required for a major change to the existing covenants.
The covenants did allow room for some interpretation by the Board,
however. These are presented as the “Rules and Regulations” in the
Homeowners’ Handbook.
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| How do I get approval of a planned home improvement project? | ||
| Obtain an
Architectural Review Request
form, complete it, then mail the form to AMG, with as much lead-time
as possible or e-mail it to AMG’s Randy Fann at
RFann@amgworld.com.
The homeowner volunteers who make up the Architectural Review Committee
meet once a month (usually the second Monday of the month at the
clubhouse) to review requests. The applications can also be presented at
the ARC meeting, but you will need to bring at least 5 sets of the
application documents, including plat maps and color chips.
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| What happens if I disagree with the ARC decision on my project and go ahead and do it anyway? | ||
| You will be called in to explain
your actions to the ARC and may be required to “undo” the project at your
own expense. You will be subject to fines for non-compliance.
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| THE COMMON AREAS | ||
| What are they? | ||
The common areas, deeded to the HOA
by Centex Homes (the original builder in Bradfield Farms) include:
The median strips at the entrances to the different sections (e.g., Prestwood, Eastbury) belong to the state (NCDOT), but we are free to “enhance” them with plantings. Your dues help to maintain all of the common areas.
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| Can I let my dog run free in the common areas? | ||
| No. County leash laws prohibit it.
And even when you have your dog on a leash, wherever you may be walking,
you have to pick up after it. Failure to do so is a major source of
irritation for non-pet owners and for responsible pet owners as well.
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| What about the well sites? | ||
| They are owned and maintained by
the Bradfield Farms Water Company, which has nothing to do with the HOA
(even though it sounds like it). The company is managed by Carolina Water
Service, an affiliate of Utilities, Inc. It is overseen by the Public
Utilities Commission of the state of North Carolina.
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| THE CLUBHOUSE | ||
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Most Bradfield Farms residents know that we have a Clubhouse for meetings and that it can be rented for private parties and events. However, there seems to be a lot of confusion about who to call, how to rent it, responsibilities, etc., and this section addresses those concerns.
How much does it cost? The actual rental is $50, but you have to make a $150 deposit along with it to cover any cleaning or damages that might be needed. The unused balance of the deposit will be refunded. The rental fee is non-refundable. If paying by check, please write TWO checks, so the deposit check can be returned
How do I know what dates & times are available? The Calendar of Events on the www.bradfieldfarms.com website shows all of the clubhouse rentals and scheduled meeting that use the clubhouse. It also shows the dates that the clubhouse is not available, such as major holidays. Typically, the clubhouse hours are from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM Mon-Sat, and 1:00 PM to 10:00 PM on Sunday
How do I rent it? What about using the pool or the pool deck? Download the Clubhouse Rental form from our website using the Forms & Documents link in the left-side menu, fill it out completely, including the Pool Rental page if you plan to use the pool or pool deck in conjunction with your event. Send the forms and your payment to our property manager, AMG, at the address on the Rental form.
I sent the form in last week, and will send the payment later this week. How come my reservation isn’t on the calendar? Your reservation is not complete until AMG receives your payment (fee & deposit). When it’s received, AMG sends the info to the webmaster each Monday to update the calendar.
What about beer, wine, & booze? Not allowed . All of the details are in the Rental Form. Also, smoking is not allowed in the Clubhouse.
How much time do I get? The standard block of time is four (4) hours which INCLUDES your setup and cleanup time. Extra time is available at extra cost , should you need it, BUT you MUST be out by 11PM regardless. The doors will be unlocked at your start time and locked at the ending time.
What about music? Yes, but keep it down so you don’t disturb or annoy the neighbors. The clubhouse’s elevated location makes it easy to “broadcast” sound, and it always seems louder at night when everything else is quiet.
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| WHO DO I CALL... | ||
| For almost any Bradfield
Farms-related question you may have, you first point of contact is our
property management company:
Association
Management Group (AMG)
704-889-7500 and their assigned manager,
Randy Fann. Be aware that neither the HOA Board nor AMG bears
any responsibility for correcting problems that you may have with your
home or lot.
Call AMG if you: Have a question about the Covenants or their enforcement. Anticipate a problem making your dues payment on time. Did not receive a Resident Privilege Card (RPC) Want to check availability before making a reservation to use the Clubhouse. Want to follow up on a submission to the Architectural Review Committee (ARC). Have a concern about maintenance in the common areas.
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| To get a permanent key to the tennis courts? | ||
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HOA Board Director Bill Colyer (704-568-8805). The key is free and yours to keep. If they are not available, you can borrow a key from the Board president, or you can also borrow a key from a pool lifeguard. A second key or replacement key will cost you $2.00, or you may duplicate the key yourself at your own expense.
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| About a problem at the pools? | ||
Start with the lifeguard or pool
manager, but if it involves complaints about one of them or greater
issues, call (in this order)
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| To get a pass to the pools? | ||
| Each year, when your Annual Fee is
paid in full, AMG will automatically mail you a Resident Privilege Card (RPC).
This serves as your pool pass and is required for admittance to the pools.
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| About a lost or found item or pet? | ||
| Post a message on the website
Community Chat.
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| About a neighbor’s barking dog, or an apparent covenant violation, etc.? | ||
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AMG to
register the violation , and then call Animal Control 704-336-3786 to have
them document the barking problem. Current and past HOA Board
Presidents have volunteered to verify night-time barking complaints as a
last resort/fast-response service, so call Bill Colyer (704) 568-8805
if the barking is persistent and the other folks have been called.
This will allow the President to speak with personal experience at a
Homeowner Hearing.
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| When I have a maintenance problem with my house? | ||
| Your homebuilder, if you are still under warranty. Otherwise, a contractor of your choosing. The HOA Board has no responsibility for problems with individual homes. | ||
| Comments or suggestions for
additions to the FAQs should be e-mailed to
DMorrisPE@Gmail.com.
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