Date:
August 30, 2003
Position Report of the HOA Management
Team-
In Response to Brent McQuarrie’s Letter
Since
the arrival of Legacy in 2001, the Management Team has worked diligently to
ensure that the Lakeside Village Homeowner’s Association (HOA) is well
organized, adequately funded and operating within the Covenants, Controls and
Restrictions (CC&R) of Lakeside Village and the Utah Condominium
Homeownership Act. We believe that it
is in everyone’s best interest to work together with Legacy in an attempt to
develop solutions that are a win-win for everyone involved.
We
would like to update the homeowners on three (3) main points outlined in the
most recent communication from Mr. McQuarrie.
1)
HOA DUES:
The Management Team
has a fiduciary duty to all Owners to assure that assessments are collected
according to the CC&Rs and the Utah Condominium Homeownership Act. The Utah Condominium Homeownership Act
states that all Fee Simple Title Holders must pay their individual
assessment.
Legacy’s Interpretation
of the CC&Rs suggests that a developer is not required to abide by the Utah
Condominium Homeownership Act and is exempt from paying dues. As a result of much negotiation between
Legacy Properties and the HOA, the developer has proposed a payment arrangement
which would require the payment of full dues on condos which are in the rental
pool. Condos which have been completed
but are unoccupied and are not included in the current rental circulation, the
developer has proposed payment on assessments for sewer and insurance. This option would place the burden of all
other expenses associated with these units (such as snow removal, common
electricity, landscaping, reserve expenses, etc) on all other homeowners,
thereby placing the HOA in a position of subsidizing costs normally carried by
the developer.
The HOA attorney has
strongly advised us against an arrangement that would violate the Utah
Condominium Homeownership Act; therefore, the HOA believes that the developer’s
current proposal is unqualified.
However, as was
explained to Brent at our last meeting, if we as homeowners would like to
subsidize Legacy’s development costs, we can put this to a vote at the annual
HOA meeting (a vote would be required to make this kind of arrangement). The
Management Team would suggest modifying the developer’s request to include
common electric costs and snow removal expenses. There should also be a limit
to the number of units allowed under this arrangement. Legacy is currently assessed for three
units. Legacy will not have any new units dedicated until December and the
annual meeting would normally be held sometime in January.
2)
Use of the
Clubhouse as a Real Estate Office and Property Management facility:
Legacy has suggested
that they are not obligated to deed the Clubhouse to the HOA, however, at the
April 22nd meeting of the Weber County Planning Commission, the
County required Legacy to submit a plat, including the Clubhouse and recreation
area as part of the phase five dedication to the homeowners, scheduled for
December 2003.
Although not required
by the CC&Rs, the Management Team has supported use of the clubhouse as a
sales office until the end of the current Declarant period (2007 or sale of all
units), under the following conditions:
·
Legacy pays a nominal rent for the sales office and rental area after
the clubhouse has been dedicated.
·
Homeowners are allowed access to the owners’ portion of the clubhouse
during reasonable hours (6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.)
Legacy has requested that we change our CC&Rs to allow for a 15-year
occupancy of the Clubhouse for Property Management (as per the latest request,
this has been reduced to 10 years.)
Since changing the CC&Rs requires a legal document and a vote, we
sent this request to the HOA attorney who strongly advised against a special
contract. The Management Team feels
certain that we can find a workable solution without changing the
CC&Rs. One such solution includes a
Property Management lease between Legacy and the Lakeside Village HOA to be
reviewed on an annual or bi-annual basis (annual meeting).
3)
HOA Board
Control:
Because the HOA has
taken a strong stand against subsidizing costs usually incurred by the
developer, Legacy has been threatening the HOA with a lawsuit which attempts to
take control of the Management Team.
In April of 2003, Legacy sent a certified letter to all homeowners
stating that Legacy was attempting to take control of the HOA and install three
(3) of their employees as the prevailing Management Team. Believing that this move was not in the best
interest of the homeowners, we were forced to obtain legal council to advise us
of our rights as homeowners. Our attorney advised that, based on the
verbiage contained in the CC&Rs, Legacy effectively forfeited their
opportunity to take control of the HOA.
In Summary:
The Management Team is
comprised of homeowners: new, old, absentee and resident homeowners. We are
building a community. Our community is
important to all of us and we will work for fairness and compromise within the
framework of our bylaws and fiduciary responsibility. We ask that Legacy work with us within the same framework.
Legacy has the opportunity to enlist each of the homeowners, as partners in building a model community dedicated to creating a jewel on Pineview Lake. We are open to finding new solutions to the issues outlined above that will work well for Legacy and the homeowners as we build this dream together.
Sincerely,
Lakeside Village
Homeowners Association
HOA Management Team:
Anita
Oliveri - President
Don
Haven - Treasurer
Geoff
Granum – Co Treasurer
Mark
Rasmussen - Vice President
Mike
Mitchell - Vice President
Mary Finan - Secretary