To determine which design standards apply to your lot/house, you need to know which section/phase of the subdivision your lot is located in. By using the subdivision maps, one can easily determine the appropriate section/phase and therefore find the correct design standards.
Design standards for Cave Creek (pdf)
Design standards for Sonora Springs (pdf)
You can download the following document here.
Policy 2020-001 (AC units)
Design Review Committee’s (DRC) covenant interpretation on determining the effective screening from “public place or adjoining lot” for Evaporative or refrigerated air coolers (AC units)
The DRC and the SRSSOA board have approved and adopted this policy to uniformly and consistently determine if a residence is or is not compliant with covenants regarding effective screening of the AC units.
The covenants provide some guidance regarding compliance but additional clarification was required to ensure consistent application and enforcement. The DRC will use the following process to determine what is meant by the “public place or adjoining lot” in our covenants.
SPECIFICS: The existing property lines on each side of an identified property/residence will theoretically be extending past their sidewalk and across the street and past the sidewalk on the other side of the street. The area created by theoretically extending the property lines will be used as the “public place or adjoining lot” to determine if the AC unit(s) is effectively screened. No more than 4 inches of the AC units should be visible from the “public place or adjoining lot”.
Should more that 4 inches be visible the AC unit and residence is not in compliance with the Covenants.
The property owner will be required to take appropriate action to comply with the covenant.
Policy 2020-002 (Solar Panels)
Design Review Committee’s (DRC) covenant interpretation on determining whether solar Equipment (Solar Panels) are in compliance with our covenants.
The DRC and the SRSSOA board have approved and adopted this policy to ensure solar panels are installed in compliance with our covenants.
The covenants provide requires ensuring solar panels are not visible from the streets by having them kept in “enclosed structures” to the extent “reasonably” possible. The DRC will use the following process to determine compliance.
SPECIFICS: Visible from the “street” shall use the same criteria as per policy 2020-001. Solar Panel shall be hidden behind parapets walls if possible, by minimizing their slope. Some solar panels visibility can be minimized by ensuring the panels are installed to conform and match the slope of the existing roof. If possible, the trim of the panels should match the color of the roof.
The property owner will attempt to fully comply with this policy.
Policy 2022-003 (Residential exterior paint colors)
Design Review Committee’s (DRC) covenant/design standards interpretation on determining whether the proposed exterior residential (home) color is in conformance with our covenant/design standards.
SRSSOA covenant current language.
II H. All buildings constructed in the Subdivisions shall be frame and stucco, adobe, rammed earth or other such surfaces and material as many be authorized by the Design Review Committee. Brick and wood siding are not acceptable surfaces. Garages, carports and permitted accessory building shall conform in material and design to the dwelling to which they pertain. No metal storage building shall be allowed on any lot unless fully shielded and screened from view from any street and any other lot either abutting or otherwise. Only exterior surface materials in desert tone colors (including tones of brown, tan and rose), shall be used for any residence accessory structure, wall or fence. The construction of each building must comply with the New Mexico Uniform Building Code or the Building Code enforced by the City of Las Cruces.
The following language from the design standards:
The primary areas of concern addressed by these Design Standards are site development, Architectural character and landscape appearance, especially as these relate to harmonious relationships with the existing terrain and among neighboring homes. In general, the goals are to minimize harsh contrast in the landscape, to reserve pleasing and significant natural systems and to encourage architecture appropriate to this unique environment.
POLICY STATEMENT:
The Design Review Committee (DRC) and the SRSSOA board have approved and adopted this policy to uniformly and consistently determine if a residence is or is not in compliance with covenants regarding the exterior surface materials in desert tone colors (including tones of brown, tan and rose). The DRC attempts to evaluate all proposed colors but will direct owners to select color in the brown, tan spectrum for their residence exterior color. All owners are asked to request approval from the DRC prior to initiating any change in exterior color for their residence.
The property owner will be required to take appropriate action to comply with the covenant.
Policy 2022-004 (Satellite dishes)
Design Review Committee’s (DRC) covenant/design standards interpretation on determining action to be taken in evaluating the location and placement of Satellite dishes.
SRSSOA covenant current language.
8) ANTENNAE, EQUIPMENT, PIPES, UTILITY LINES, AND TRANSMITTERS.
A. Pipes for water, gas, sewer, drainage, or other purpose, and wires, poles, aerials, antennae, satellite dishes and other facilities for the transmission or reception of audio or visual signals or electricity, and utility meters or other utility facilities, such as solar equipment, shall be kept and maintained, to the extent reasonably possible, underground or within an enclosed structure and shall not be visible from the street. Any items that cannot meet these requirements shall be subject to the approval of the Design Review Committee. No transmission towers, or microwave equipment shall be erected or placed on the property.
POLICY STATEMENT:
The Design Review Committee (DRC) and the SRSSOA board have approved and adopted this policy to uniformly and consistently determine if a residence is or is not in compliance with covenants regarding limiting the visibility of satellite dishes.
The DRC will recommend Satellite dishes shall be hidden as reasonably possible. This can be done by limiting the number of Satellite dishes per residence, removing visible Satellite dishes, placing them at the rear of the residence roof if practical or utilizing a color that blends in with the roof tile.
The property owner will be required to take appropriate action to comply with the covenant.
Policy 2022-005 (SIGNS AND FLAGS/PENNANTS)
Design Review Committee’s (DRC) covenant/design standards interpretation on what is approved by the Design Review Committee.
SRSSOA covenant current language.
9) SIGNS.
No billboards or advertising signs of any character shall be erected, placed, permitted, or maintained on any residential lot or on any building erected thereon, other than one (1) name plate of the occupant of any residence upon which his or her professional or occupational title may also be added, and provided no such sign or name plate shall exceed a size of one square foot, and no such sign shall be lighted. Provided, however, that permission is granted for the erection and maintenance of not more than one signboard to each building site during the course of construction of a new single-family dwelling and upon its completion, during the course of its initial sale, or resale, which signboard shall not exceed forty-eight (48) square feet. Notwithstanding anything herein contained to the contrary, nothing herein shall be construed to prevent the Developer from erecting, placing, or maintaining sign structures and offices as may be determined necessary by the Developer to promote sale and development of lots or properties within the subdivision.
10) FLAGS/PENNANTS
No flags or pennants may be used in the subdivisions on homes or lots without the approval of the Design Review Committee.
POLICY STATEMENT:
The Design Review Committee (DRC) and the SRSSOA board have approved and adopted this policy to uniformly and consistently determine if a residence is or is not in compliance with covenants regarding SIGNS, FLAGS/PENNANTS.
No signs shall be allowed, except as approved by the DRC. The DRC understands or believes that the initial intent of the Covenants was not to allow political signs (small candidate signs) that crop up during election times. The DRC to our knowledge (prior to 2022) has not enforced this provision of the covenants and anticipate not doing so in the future provided the signs are placed and removed in conformance with City policies.
If signs/flags/pennants are not approved, the DRC will require all residents to remove all unapproved signs/flags/pennants. This policy also applies to inappropriate or vulgar sign/flag/pennant as determined by the DRC.
The property owner will be required to take appropriate action to comply with the covenant.
To determine which design standards apply to your lot/house, you need to know which section/phase of the subdivision your lot is located in. By using the subdivision maps, one can easily determine the appropriate section/phase and therefore find the correct covenants.
Below are downloadable pdf files:
Sonora Springs Creek – Phase I
Sonora Springs Creek – Phase II
Sonora Springs Creek – Phase III and IV
Sonora Springs Creek – Phase V
Boulders and Boulders on the Green
See their respective websites for covenant information:
Boulders
Boulders on the Green
Design Committee
The Design Committee is responsible for ensuring that any changes made to our homes and common areas conform to the guidelines established by the original developers and accepted by the City of Las Cruces. The committee is made up of volunteers and are led by one of the “At-Large” members of the Board. The Design Standards can be found on the Covenants page.
Landscape Committee
The Landscape Committee is responsible for the landscaping and maintenance of the common areas within the subdivision. They are involved in decisions relating to safety factors of the plantings (i.e., too large – interfere with road sight distance, etc.), which plantings should be replaced or changed, the landscape maintenance contract, and any other aspects relating to the common areas.
The following is from the By-Law document that has been digitally scanned, converted to text, and corrected by a human. As such, there may be some errors. To refer to the original document, you may download and view the original document here (pdf).
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BY-LAWS OF
SONOMA RANCH SOUTH SUBDIVISION
OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC.
1. NAME QF MASTER ASSOCIATION. The name of this Corporation shall be Sonoma Ranch South Subdivision Owners Association, Inc., and shall be referred to herein as the “Master Association.”
2. MASTER ASSOCIATION IS NONPROFIT. The Master Association has been formed pursuant to the New Mexico Non-Profit Corporation Act.
3. SPECIFIC PURPOSE. The specific and primary purposes of this Master Association shall be to repair, maintain and manage the Maintenance Areas within the Sonoma Ranch South master planned community, including all subdivisions within Sonoma Ranch South Subdivision, located in the City of Las Cruces, Dona Ana County, State of New Mexico, to enforce the Declaration of Protective Covenants and the Rules adopted by the Board of Directors, from time-to-time, and to otherwise enhance and promote the use and enjoyment of the Maintenance Areas by the Owners in common.
4. DECLARATION. “Declaration” means all of the Declaration of Protective Covenants filed and to be filed for each subdivision within Sonoma Ranch South Subdivision. The first Declaration filed is that applicable to Cave Creek, Phase I, and is recorded at Book 19, pages 322-325, in the County Clerk’s office, Dona Ana County, New Mexico.
5. OWNERS’ MEETINGS. The Owners shall hold meetings as follows:
a. Lot owners in every subdivision (existing and to be created) within Sonoma Ranch South Subdivision are owners for purposes of these By-Laws.
b No Owners’ meeting shall be held until such time as the members of Sonoma Ranch Subdivision Ltd., Co., the Developer of Sonoma Ranch South Subdivision, state in writing to all lot owners that control shall pass to the lot owners. The first meeting shall be called by the said members and be held at a place in Las Cruces, New Mexico, or in the subdivision, designated by the members.
c. The Annual Owners’ Meeting shall be held on the 1st Thursday of November of each year for the purpose of electing Directors and transacting any other business authorized
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to be transacted by the Owners, If that day is a legal holiday, the meeting shall be held at the same hour on the next day which is not a legal holiday.
d. Special Owners’ Meeting shall be held whenever called by the President or Vice President or a majority of the Board of Directors, and must be called by such officers upon receipt of a written request from one-third of the lot owners.
e. Notice of all Owners’ meetings stating the time and place and the object for which the meeting is called shall be given by the President, Vice President or Secretary unless waived in writing. Such notice shall be in writing to each lot owner at his or her address as it appears on the records of the Association and shall be mailed not less than ten nor more than sixty days prior to the date of the meeting. Proof of such mailing shall be the certificate of the person giving the notice. Notice of meeting may be waived before or after meetings.
f. The Owner of each lot shall be entitled to cast one vote. If there are multiple owners of one lot, and they are unable to agree upon the casting of one vote, no vote shall be counted for that lot.
g. A quorum at lot owners’ meetings shall consist of persons entitled to cast twenty percent (20%) of the votes. The owner of each lot is entitled to one vote. If any meeting of the Owners cannot be organized because a quorum has not attended, the Owners who are present either in person or by proxy, may adjourn the meeting for at least ten days and adequate notice of the new date shall be given as described in subparagraph (d) of this section 5. At a subsequent re-scheduled meeting, a quorum shall consist of ten percent.(10%).
If a lot is owned by one person, his right to vote shall be established by the record title to his lot. If a lot is owned by more than one person, the person entitled to cast a vote for that lot shall be designated by a certificate signed by all of the record owners of that lot and filed with the Secretary of the Board of Directors. If a lot is owned by a partnership or corporation, the person entitled to cast a vote for the lot shall be designated by a certificate of appointment signed by the President or Vice President and attested by the Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the corporation and filed with the Secretary of the Board of Directors. Such certificates shall be valid until revoked, or until superseded by a subsequent certificate, or until a change in the record ownership of the lot concerned. A certificate designating the person entitled to cast the vote of a lot may be revoked by any Owner thereof.
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h. Votes may be cast in person or by proxy. Owners may, by written proxy, authorize others to cost votes on their behalf. A written proxy shall ·be limited to six months’ duration. Proxies should be filed with the Secretary. Owners who have given proxies shall be counted for purposes of a quorum.
i. Until the developer of Sonoma Ranch South Subdivision, hereinafter “the Developer,” has completed and sold all of the lots in the subdivisions, or until the Developer elects to terminate its control of the subdivision, whichever shall first occur, there shall be no meeting of the owners of the lots unless a meeting is called by the Developer.
6. DIRECTORS. The affairs of the association shall be managed by a Board of Directors as follows:
a. The Board shall consist of not less than three Directors, the exact number (which sha11 be an odd number) to be determined by the lot Ovroers at the time of election of the Directors. The original Board of Directors shall consist of three, as follows: David M. Steinborn, George B. Rawson, and Dale A. Schueller. Directors, other than the original Board of Directors, shall be lot owners. The original Board shall serve at no pay.
b. Election of Directors shall be conducted at the Annual Meeting of the Owners. Nominations for Directors shall be made from the floor. The election shall be by ballot (unless dispensed with by unanimous consent) and by a plurality of the votes cast, each person voting being entitled to cast his/her votes for each of as many nominees as there are vacancies to be filled. There shall be no cumulative voting.
c. Except as to vacancies provided by removal of Directors by Owners, vacancies in the Board of Directors occurring between annual meetings of Owners shall be filled by the remaining Directors.
d. Any Director may be removed by a two-thirds {2/3) majority vote of the Owners at a Special Meeting of the Owners called for that purpose. The vacancy in the Board of Directors so created shall be filled by the Owners at the same meeting.
e. Until the Developer has completed and sold all of the lots in the subdivisions, or until the Developer elects to terminate its control of the Owners Association, whichever shall first occur, the original Directors above-named shall serve, and in the event of
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Vacancies the remaining Directors shall fill the vacancies, and if there are no remaining Directors the vacancies shall be filled by the Developer. Thereafter, each Dir1ector shall be elected for a term of three (3) years except that the first Board of Directors elected thereafter shall consist of one-third (1/3) of the Directors whose terms expire in one (l) year, one-third (1/3) of the Directors whose tenns expire in two (2) years, and one-third (1/3) of the Directors whose terms expire in three (3) years.
f. Notwithstanding the foregoing, each Director shall serve until his successor is duly elected or appointed and qualified, or until he resigns or is removed in the manner elsewhere herein provided.
7. DIRECTORS’ MEETINGS. The Directors shall hold meetings as follows:
a. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held at such times and places as shall be determined, from time-to-time, by a majority of the Directors. Notice of regular meetings shall be given to each Director, personally or by mail, telephone or otherwise at least three {3) days prior to the date named for such meeting.
b. Special Meetings of the Directors may be called by the President and must be called by the Secrerary at the written request of any Director. Notice of the meeting shall be given personally or by mail, telephone or otherwise, at least three (3) days prior to the date named for such meeting and shall state the time, place, and purpose of the meeting.
c. Any Director may waive notice of a meeting before or after the meeting and such waiver shall be deemed equivalent to the giving of notice.
d. A quorum at Directors’ meetings shall consist of a majority of the entire Board of Directors. The acts approved by a majority of those present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall constitute the acts of the Board of Directors, except where approval by a greater number of Directors is required by the Declaration or these By-Laws. If at any meeting of the Board of Directors less than a quorum is present, the majority of those present may adjourn from time-to-time until a quorum is present. The joinder of a Director in the action of a meeting by signing and concurring in the Minutes thereof shall constitute the presence of such Director for the purpose of determining a quorum.
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8. POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. All of the powers and duties of the Owners existing under the Declaration and these By-Laws shall be exercised exclusively by the Board of Directors, its agents, contractors, or employees, subject only to approval by the Owners when such approval is specifically required.
9. OFFICERS. The executive officers of the lot Owners shall be:
a. The President, who shall be a director; a Vice President, who shall also hold the office of assistant secretary and who shall be a director; a Secretary, who shall be a Director, and a Treasurer, who shall be a Director, all of whom shall be elected annually by the Owners at their annual meeting and who may be removed by vote of a majority of the votes of the Owners at any meeting called for such purpose. The Board of Directors may, from time-to~time, elect other officers to exercise such powers and duties as the Board may find necessary to manage the affairs of the Association. No compensation of officers shall be paid, unless a decision to pay compensation is made by majority vote of the lot Owners.
b. The President shall be the chief executive officer of the lot owners and of the Board of Directors, He/she shall have all of the powers and duties which are usually vested in the office of President, including, but not limited to, the power to appoint committees from among the lot Owners from time-to-time, as he/she may in his/her discretion deem appropriate to assist in the conduct of the affairs of the Association.
c. The Vice President and Assistant Secretary shall, in the absence or disability of the President, notify the owners and perform the duties of the President and, in the absence or disability of the Secretary, exercise and perform the duties of the Secretary. He shall also generally assist the President and exercise such other powers and perform such other duties as shall be prescribed by the Directors.
d. The Secretary shall keep the Minutes of all proceedings of the Directors and of the Owners. He/she shall attend to the giving, mailing and serving of all notices to the Owners and Directors and other notices required by law. He/she shall keep the records of the Owners and the Board of Directors, except those of the Treasurer, and shall perform all other duties incident to the office of Secretary and as may be required by the Directors or the President.
e. The Treasurer shall have custody of all property of the Owners’ Association, including funds, securities and evidence of indebtedness. He/she shall keep the books of the
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Owners’ Association in accordance with good accounting practices and shall perform all other duties incident to the office of Treasurer.
f. Any person may hold more than one office, except that, in all events, the President and Secretary shall be two different individuals.
10. ACCOUNTING. The funds and expenditures of the Association shall be credited and charged to accounts under the following classifications as shall be appropriate, all of which expenditures shall be common maintenance expenses:
a. “Current expenses,” which shall include all funds and expenditures to be made within the fiscal year for which the funds are budgeted, including a reasonable allowance for contingencies and working funds, except expenditures chargeable to reserves, to additional improvements, or to operations. The balance in this fund at the end of each fiscal year shall be applied to reduce the assessments for current expenses for the succeeding year.
b. “Reserve for deferred maintenance and replacement,” which shall include funds for maintenance items which occur less frequently than annually, and funds for repair or replacement required because of damage, depreciation or obsolescence.
c. “Capital Additions and Improvements,” which shall include the funds to be used for capital expenditures for additional improvements.
11. EXPENDITURES.
a. BUDGETS. As soon as insurance rates, utility rates, and other expenses can be determined for each fiscal year, the Board of Directors shall adopt a budget for that fiscal year, which shall include the estimated funds required to defray common expenses and funds for the accounts listed in Paragraph 10 of these By-Laws. Copies of the budget and proposed assessments shall be transmitted to each lot Owner as soon as practicable. If the budget is subsequently amended, a copy of the amended budget shall be furnished to each lot Owner.
b. LIMITS. No expenditure for any capital addition or improvement having a total cost in excess of Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000.00) shall be made without the prior approval of seventy-five percent (75%) of the lot Owners in attendance at a membership meeting, general or special, where a quorum is present. Said approval may also be given in writing.
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c. NONPROFlT PURPOSE. No Director, officer, member or employee of the Owners’ Association, or any other private individual, shall receive at any time, any of the earnings or funds of the Owners’ Association; provided that this shall not prevent the payment to any such person of reasonable compensation for services rendered, and no such person shall be entitled to share in the distribution of any of the Owners’ Association assets upon the dissolution of the Owners’ Association. At dissolution, excess assessments may be refunded to the lot Owners, and all other assets shall be transferred exclusively to charitable, religious. scientific, or educational institutions which would then qualify under the provisions of Section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code as it now exists or as amended hereafter.
12. ASSESSMENTS. Assessments shall be made as follows:
a. Assessments against each lot Owner for his share of the budget shall be made on or before January 2nd of the year for which the assessment is made. Such assessment shall be due and payable in one increment. The Board of Directors shall have the power to increase or decrease such assessment during the fiscal year for which the assessment is made as expenses may require. If an annual assessment is not made as required, an assessment shall be presumed to have been made in the amount of the last preceding annual assessment If the annual assessment proves to be insufficient, the budget and assessments may be amended at any time by the Board of Directors. If the budget and assessment is increased during a fiscal year, the amount of the increase shall be paid in full within forty-five (45) days of notification of the amended assessment. Increases in excess of fifteen percent (15%) shall be made only by the Owners, by majority vote at a special meeting called for that purpose.
b. The depository of the Owners shall be such bank or banks as shal1 be designated from time-to-time by the Directors. Withdrawal of monies from such accounts shall be only by checks signed by such persons as are authorized by the Directors.
c. Fidelity bonds may be required by the Board of Directors for all persons handling or responsible for funds of the lot Owners. The amount of such bonds, if required, shall be determined by the Directors, and the premiums on such bonds shall be paid by the Directors and shall be common expenses.
13. AMENDMENTS. These By-Laws may be amended in the following manner:
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a. Notice of the subject matter of a proposed amendment shall be included ]n the notice of any Owners’ meeting at which a proposed amendment is to be considered.
b. A Resolution adopting a proposed amendment may be proposed by either the Board of Directors or by the Owners. Directors and Owners not present in person or by proxy at the meeting considering the amendment may express their approval or lack thereof in writing, either before or after the meeting. All amendments must be approved by a majority of the votes of all the Owners, with the owner of each lot entitled to cast one vote, and the owners of multiple lots entitled to cast the number of notes equal to me number of lots owned.
c. No amendment shall discriminate against any Owner, unless the Owner so affected shall consent thereto in writing. No amendment shall change the share in the common areas and facilities appurtenant to any lot (except as provided in the Declaration in the event of expanding the property by adding additional land), nor increase the Owner’s shall of the common expenses, nor change the voting rights or members (except as provided in the Declaration in the event of expansion of the property by addition additional real estate) or amend Section 11 (b) hereof, unless the record Owner of lot concerned and all record Owners of liens thereon shall join in the execution of the amendment.
d. A copy of each amendment shall be certified by the President and Secretary as having been duly adopted and shall be effective only when recorded in the office of the County Clerk of Dona Ana County, New Mexico, and no modification of or amendment to these By-Laws shall be valid unless set forth in an amendment to the Declaration and the amendment duly recorded in the office of the County Clerk of Dona Ana County, New Mexico.
The foregoing are adopted as the By-Laws of the lot Owners and the Board of Directors of the Sonoma Ranch South Subdivision Owners’ Association, by the undersigned sole Owner of all property within said subdivision and shall be attached to and recorded in the office of the County Clerk of Dona Ana County. New Mexico.
SONOMA RANCH SUBDIVISION LTD., CO.
(signature) David M. Steinborn, Member | (signature) George B. Rawson, Member
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(signature) Dale A. Schueller, Member
STATE OF NEW MEXICO )
——————————-) SS:
COUNTY OF DONA ANA )
The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me this 28 day of September, 1999, by David M. Steinborn, George B. Rawson, and Daie A. Schueller, members of Sonoma Ranch Subdivision Ltd., Co., a New Mexico limited liability company.
(signature) Melissa Lupin – Notary Public
My Commission Expires: August 6, 2000
Each property owner is assessed annual dues to support the Owners Association (to include the owners of vacant lots within the limits of the subdivision). The dues are set each year at the annual membership meeting and approved by a vote of the membership. The amount of the dues is based upon the projected budget which is based upon historical expenditures and known requirements for capital improvements. Notification of dues owed is sent out by the management company each January. The collected dues are used to pay for the upkeep of the common areas (landscaped medians, right of ways, mailbox areas, entrance sign), capital improvement projects to maintain the value of the subdivision, Owners Association insurance, the management company, utilities, and any unexpected expenses that are the responsibility of the Owners Association.
Dues currently are set at $100 per lot. Failure to pay one’s dues will result in a lien being placed on the property by the Owners Association. The lien will include not only the dues owed but associated administrative fees as well.