Mallard Point

A friend of mine thought I might be able to offer some help to Mallard Point and after reading this information, I think there might be a group that could offer you some tips. The Sugar Grove HOA ALLIANCE.

My name is Pat Graceffa and I live in the Lakes of Bliss Woods. I was one of the first residents to move to this subdivision eight years ago. As time went on and Bliss Woods got larger, we too had some issues regarding not only our ponds but other construction issues with the several builders who were building our subdivision.

We contacted our developer to find out when our Home Owner Association would be formed and we were then informed that (law)an HOA cannot be created until the subdivision is 75% built.

With that my neighbor decided to hold a subdivision meeting in her home and she had overwhelming support by Bliss Woods residents wanting to understand how to find out what the process of setting up an HOA would be. This was followed through on by the residents. We decided to all chip in for a lawyer who could help us find out where to start with this process.

I could go on about this but let me just say that I understand your frustration but unless your subdivision gets together to get the HOA in place there really is not too much help out there.

After finding out that when there was no help from the developer, builders, county or village, several of us got together with other HOA members from surrounding subdivisions and we formed an HOA Alliance here in Sugar Grove.

Windstone, Windsor Pt., Windsor West, Black Walnut, Walnut Ridge and Lakes of Bliss Woods are in constant contact with each other regarding HOA issues and Village issues. We would like other subdivisions to join us. One of the reasons we formed this Alliance was to try and help new subdivisions by sharing our HOA information with them (even subdivisions that did not have an HOA)and we would be happy to do this with Mallard Pt. if you choose to start and HOA or would just like to hear how it is done. We can tell you who we all use for management companies, attorneys, landscaping, officer elections, board meetings, etc. and our hope some day is to have enough members that we will be the way the Village gets information out to the residents and more importantly a tool for the residents to use when a Village HOA issue comes up that the residents want to talk to the Village.

I will also tell you that one of the Trustees you mention said he was interested in helping my subdivision with a serious problem we were having with our retention areas three years ago.

It ended up that even with that commitment to our subdivision there was nothing legally that the Village could do to help us.

I am not saying this to make you angry, but rather, to just tell you that the problems you have with the ponds right now are not going to be taken care of with this one time removal of the materials which have accumulated.

I also understand the problem you are having with the area adjoining because Bliss Woods retention areas adjoin with another subdivision too!

I guess what I am saying is your subdivision is not the only subdivision that has retention area issues. There is so much that has to go into caring for these retention areas that we all need to get ourselves educated because as you will find out everyone has a different idea of how to care for them. For the time being, getting it taken care of without hoping the government will help you out might be the best idea because I honestly do not see that happening currently because the law is on their sides.

I will also tell you about two other issues that are going to come up when you talk about detention areas. Does your entire subdivision understand that those detention areas are important to every person who lives in the subdivision?

Too often what we here from people in a subdivision is "let the people who live by them take care of them, they chose to buy the lot near them.

"The reality is without those retention areas, if the water fall was severe enough, every home owner would have serious water issues.

The second issue is that people in your subdivision will tell you they moved there because they didn't want the tough rules of an HOA. The luxury you have is your HOA can have any rules you want. Not the luxury we in subdivisions have where it in our documents that we will have an HOA.

Now, not talking for the HOA Alliance, I personally do have a question. Why if you all think the Village (taxpayer dollars) should take care of your ponds are you supporting candidates who want to reduce impact fees which stretch our tax dollars? It just seems to confuse the message.

OK, I hope you all take this in the spirit it is meant to be which is neighbor helping neighbor.

Let me know if you would like to sit down with the Alliance.

Pat
 

Pat is absolutely right on! The Sugar Grove HOA Alliance can be very helpful to Mallard Point if its residents so choose to meet with us. I am the CURRENT President of Windstone and I have learned more over the past several years about HOA's than most people ever want to know in a life time! Mallard Point has an opportunity here. Since your HOA was never formed you should be able to start from scratch. You may be able to create your covenants and your rules and regulations to your specifications; those that meet the ideals and beautification of your subdivision. The major thing you will want to know from a legal standpoint is what is your responsibility, if any, for the common ground that was sold off in a tax sale--(I still don't understand how that happened.) Anyway, we would be glad to help you so please contact me or Pat. I'm at jvporretto@mchsi.com. Good Luck. Vivian Porretto
 

You have 2 of the best resources that are reaching out to you. I have personally worked with Vivian Poretto and can proudly say that she is the most well versed person I know on Associations, issues with starting them, issues with running them and the joys of finally getting it right.

Whether you go down this road or not, you owe it to your cause to contact these ladies.

Ryan Delahanty, BWT Resident