Connemara

News

COPS Meeting

Our mandatory annual COPS meeting is scheduled for October 6th at 7pm. Due to Covid-19 this year’s meeting will be held on Zoom. The log-in info is as follows:

https://zoom.us/j/97112602694?pwd=VGdHTXAxRGoydFF5S0NQaTlvNDlLQT09
(I think using https://zoom.us.join will get you to the page to enter the meeting ID and passcode)

Meeting ID: 971 1260 2694
Passcode: AhiK2q

We need to have at least 50% of households represented on the call otherwise the meeting won’t count as an annual meeting. This is a great opportunity you to ask about what is going on in the surrounding community, tips for crime prevention, etc.

Connemara HOA update – August 2020

The resident HOA meeting on August 11th will be a Zoom meeting with a 40 minute cap. In an effort to answer as many questions before the meeting, several topics that are ongoing are listed below.

Cameras

The existing cameras were installed by a company named Mojoworks in 2015. We have contacted the person that installed the units to see if they can come out to survey/repair the equipment and teach us how to use the system. It is agreed that some form of camera system is needed at the front entrance. We are also looking into a program called Flock Safety that may be a better alternative. The information can be found at www.flocksafety.com. Currently, there is no power to the pole on the west side of the entrance by the column and to the entry sign. Further information is under “lighting”.

Lighting

Connemara is approaching 40 years as a neighborhood and the current electrical/lighting systems found at the entrance and surrounding the clubhouse are a patchwork, often not to code. We have contacted a business, Georgia Lightscapes, and they are working on a quote to completely update our lighting to LED fixtures and up to code wiring. The quote will include:

New entry lighting and clubhouse lights
New fixtures on poles owned by Connemara
New poles and fixtures installed near the pool to light the deck
New poles installed near the parking lot to light parking lot
Fixtures in several locations to uplight the mature trees
Boring under Silver Creek Run to provide future lighting down the entry drive
A quote to replace tennis court lights with LED fixtures

There will be a significant expense, but continuing to repair and operate and outdated system makes less sense as the community ages.

Irrigation

For over ten years we have attempted to provide irrigation water via a river pump. On average, we spend about $1000 a year repairing/troubleshooting this system due to flood damage, silt, and broken pipes. We are exploring a return to using city water as a source in an effort to establish a more consistent irrigation schedule. The pump will remain as a backup, provided it can be restored to a usable state.

Tennis facilities

The middle pavilion is scheduled to be rebuilt this summer. It will be a slightly smaller version of the existing pavilion by court one. We are getting quotes to add asphalt to the lower courts to establish a playable surface on court three. The lower courts are located in an active flood zone and court three has developed severe collapse in spots

Covenant Compliance

We are working with Silverleaf Management to establish a more consistent covenant compliance schedule. This compliance checklist can be found at connemarahoa.com under General-Documents-Legal. A resolution has been added to the covenants explains this as well. In the event of a fine, the amount will be added to the annual dues amount unless paid before those become due.

Design Review Committee

Per the covenants, any alteration or new construction performed on a lot must be approved by the Design Review Committee. This application can be found at connemarahoa.com under Info-Design Modification Application and submitted to designreview@connemarahoa.com. Failure to submit an application and receive an approval will generate a covenant compliance violation and may generate a sizable fine.

Connemara Community Page – Facebook

The Connemara Community Page is not associated with our HOA. The group is intended for residents to promote the neighborhood and pass along useful information. If you have questions regarding HOA business or ongoing issues, please reach out to a board member for discussion or attend a meeting. With the current Covid situation, board meetings may be held virtually and may not provide the venue for in depth discussion due to time constraints. Board member contact information can be found at connemarahoa.com under Info-board members.

Thank you all for making this a wonderful community in which to live.

Letter to Connemara Community

Connemara neighbors and friends,

As Connemara begins another fiscal year, the current Board would like to thank everyone for making our community a truly exceptional place to live.  We would like to specifically thank Rob Riley, Beverly Burns and Christy Schutter for their service as they step down from their board positions.

One major objective of the current Board is to refamiliarize homeowners with the goals and requirements of the Declaration of Covenants and of the Design Review process. Both are in place to preserve the quality, consistency, and continuity of neighborhood homes and common areas. The Board and the Design Review Committee (DRC) are separate entities, but both work toward this common goal.

The role of the DRC is to govern the Architectural Standards of the community. Any homeowner planning any exterior construction,  new painting, or alteration to the home must get written approval from the DRC. There is an application form on the Connemara website (www.connemarahoa.com) under the tab labeled “info”. You can additionally obtain a copy of the application be emailing a request to designreview@connemarahoa.com. If no request is approved and work commences, it  becomes a covenant violation.

One role of the Board of Directors is working with Silverleaf Management Group (a third party property manager)) to identify and resolve covenant violations. If a violation letter is received, homeowners have 14 days to remedy the violation or contact Silverleaf with a sufficient timetable in which to remedy the violation. Silverleaf will be guided by a list of maintenance items that encompass the most common violations, but in some instances, may receive violations identified by the board. A checklist of these maintenance items are listed on the next page.

Connemara is unique in the fact that the Homeowner’s Association is managed by an all volunteer Board of Directors. This attribute gives the community the ability to react fairly quickly to the requirements of the neighborhood and keeps a significant amount of revenue available for maintenance or capital expenses. The biggest challenge to this organizational choice is that decisions must be made by the Board that often  involve neighbors and friends. The goal of the Board is to amicably resolve any disputes that may arise and to avoid fines or legal action.

Thanks to everyone for making Connemara such a great place to live.

The Connemara Board

Covenant Compliance checklist

The items below will be reviewed by Silverleaf Management Group during bi-weekly drive throughs by Silverleaf staff.

Home maintenance required  (Article V, section 2) (Article Vl, section 8)

Siding or trim needs repair, cleaning, painting or replacement.

Shutters need repair, cleaning, painting or replacement.

Roof or gutters need repair, cleaning, painting or replacement.

Railings and/or steps need repair or replacement.

Landscape maintenance required

Turf areas need mowing, repair, or weed control.

Trees/shrubs need pruning to improve appearance.

Landscape bed areas need mulching, cleaning, and/or weed control.

Fence(s) need cleaning, repair, or replacement.

 

Article Vl of the Declaration of Covenants deals with use restrictions and rules. Several of these additional compliance items are listed below and, if identified, may generate a violation notice. A complete list can be found in the Declaration of Covenants.

Additional compliance items

Visual Nuisance (Article Vl, section 8)

Unsightly or unkempt conditions (Article Vl, Section 9)

Architectural Standards violation (Article Vl, Section 10)

 

In the event of receipt of a letter identifying a covenant compliance violation, please direct correspondence to:

Connemara HOA

℅ Silverleaf Management Group, LLC

375 Harrison Road, Suite 100, Loganville, GA 30052