LETTERS TO THE COMMUNITY

Maintenance Responsibility Chart
Simplify

May 19, 2009

Walden Townes Homeowners,

The Walden Townes Homeowner Association Board has approved a Maintenance Responsibility Chart. It is designed to answer in a simple, straightforward format what you can expect the HOA to do for you and what you must do for yourself.

The creation of the chart coincides with the development of a new set of guidelines the board has approved in regard to fences, decks and patios. These new guidelines were carefully crafted in an effort to develop a more equitable, uniform, consistent and cost-effective approach to the maintenance of fences and decks.

The guidelines take into consideration an important legal distinction in regard to fences and decks. The HOA is legally required to maintain, repair and ultimately replace all decks. Over the past year, unpainted decks have been power washed and protected with a clear seal to preserve them as long as possible. (The HOA will not power wash painted decks because deck floors tend to peel when power washed because of the standard wear-and-tear of foot traffic.)

On the other hand, all fences are the responsibility of the homeowner to maintain, repair and ultimately replace, subject to standards established by the Architecture Review Committee.

As part of a systematic maintenance program that the board is initiating, the HOA will power wash fences throughout the entire neighborhood on a rotating, as-needed basis.

The power washing will also serve as a trigger point for homeowners to paint fences that need painting in a coordinated, orderly fashion. After a power washing has been completed, owners of fences that need painting will receive notification letters that require them to paint their fences within 30 days of the letter date. If a fence is not painted within 30 days, the HOA will hire a contractor to paint the fence and assess the cost to the homeowner.

This order is not meant to be punitive. A clean surface is needed for paint to properly seal to the wood so that the paint job will last longer. Setting a 30-day time limit ensures that painting is done while surfaces remain clean.

The secondary benefit is that all the fences along a particular building or buildings will be put on the same maintenance schedule. If properly done, a paint job should last years. In this regard, the whole neighborhood will take on a more consistent, clean-looking appearance.

A third benefit is that fence owners, if they choose, could band together to hire a contractor to do all or most of their fences, then split the costs between them. Owners should refer to the website or call the property manager to find out the type and color of paint that must be used. These savings would be in addition to the cost of power washing that fence owners will be spared.

The power washing of fences will be done at the same time buildings are power washed. Similarly, the HOA will also power wash builder-installed concrete patios in conjunction with the power washing of buildings and fences. 

The chart also clarifies that the HOA is responsible to paint doors and doorframes, including garage doorframes. A paint maintenance schedule for all red-brick units may not be established until after the three-year painting project of all white-brick units is completed in spring of 2010.

All fences and patios in white-painted units will be power washed or painted as needed as part of this ongoing paint project, which is set to resume later this month. As definite dates are set for scheduled power-washing and painting, a schedule will be sent to the homeowners so that they will know approximately when their units will be serviced, and also notify the homeowners of any preparations they should make (patio furniture moved, pets kept inside, and cars removed from drive-ways to allow access to the front of the buildings). 

These systematic processes of cleaning and painting are designed to create a consistent and cost-effective way to deliver services to all homeowners over time. With it in place, the property manager will no longer respond to individual requests for paint jobs.

Individual homeowners may paint doors and doorframes at their expense on an “as-needed” basis if they have damage to the paint that cannot wait for scheduled service, provided they use the color and paint specified by the board. This information can be obtained from the property manager or website.

For years, homeowners have asked the property manager and board members questions about specific services and have not always received clear and consistent answers. With this two-page chart, homeowners will now have a comprehensive set of definitive answers at their fingertips. We recommend that each of you file it away so you can refer to it as needed. If you lose it, you can download it from the website.

Cordially,

The HOA Board of Directors

Simplify

Okay, maybe it was too far of a stretch for the developer who built this place to call it Walden Townes, and by doing so hint that our little lake could measure up as a modern-day Walden Pond

Still, if you are looking for a quiet lake that can offer some of Thoreau’s simplicity, simplicity, simplicity, along with some long overdue exercise, exercise, exercise, you are close to several lakes that really do fill the bill.
The closest is the 50-acre fishing lake that serves as the centerpiece of the Apex Parks system’s Community Park between Laura Duncan Road and Lake Pine Drive. A two-mile paved trail borders the lake, which ties into a one-mile natural walking trail.

The park includes picnic shelters and grills, a playground, restroom facilities, nature and outdoor courts for tennis and basketball.

Canoes, kayaks, johnboats and rowing skulls are allowed on the lake with a permit. The park opens at 6:30 p.m., and closes at 7 p.m. from November through February. For more information, visit:
http://www.apexnc.org/depts/parks/facilities/commPark.cfm

Other lakes well within a 30-minute’s drive are:

•  Jordan Lake, 280 State Park Road, Apex. Jordan Lake State Recreation Area is located in Chatham County, off US 64. Activities include bald eagle watching, boating, fishing, hiking, camping and swimming. For information, call 362-0586 or visit http://ils.unc.edu/parkproject/visit/jord/home.html

•  Fred G. Bond Metro Park Bond Park, at 801 High House Road between Cary Parkway and Northwest Maynard Road. Bond Lake is part of the 310-acre park that is one of the largest municipal parks in Wake County. Visitors may enjoy picnics, play ball on the athletic fields, see a performance in the amphitheater, walk along the trails, or play on the Lazy Daze Playground. For more information, visit http://www.townofcary.org/depts/prdept/facilities/bphome.htm

•  Shelley Lake, 1400 W. Millbrook Road, Raleigh. The 53-acre lake features two miles of paved greenway and spectacular views atop the dam. For information, call 420-2331.

•  Lake Johnson, 4601 Avent Ferry Road, Raleigh. There's a 3.5-mile greenway around the lake and nearly two miles of paved trails. For information, call 233-2121.