FAQ | Saddle Ridge HOA

About the HOA Board

The Saddle Ridge Association Board is currently made up of six homeowners and one representative of Eastbrook Builders Inc. The current composition of the board is on the SR Association page

Who is in charge of the management of the Association?

While we are still in the development period, Eastbrook is handling the management aspects of the association. The HOA board is in the process of choosing who the management company will be when Eastbrook turns over the Association to the neighborhood.

Does that mean Eastbrook is responsible for the neighborhood?

No, the neighborhood is responsible for the neighborhood. More specifically, the Board of Directors makes the decisions on what to handle.

What aspects does Eastbrook handle?

As the acting management company, Eastbrook does all billing, receiving, meter readings, acts as a liaison with our contractors (lawn maintenance and snow plowing, general common area maintenance, water and sewer, road maintenance, etc.)

Communications

How can I contact the HOA board?

You can send an email to hoa@saddleridgerockford.com

Is email the only way to contact the Board members?

Right now, it is the preferred method. However, the Board has and will continue to look at other means of communication.

I have a complaint about either something in the Neighborhood or one of my Neighbors, who should I contact?

While Eastbrook is still our management company, you can contact them. They will hopefully be able to resolve the issue, or point you in the right direction.

I’ve noticed that when people ask a question or post a complaint to Facebook, nobody on the board responds quickly. I wish I could get answers sooner.

We certainly live in an age of instant news and communication, however the Facebook group does not belong to the HOA, (although board members may serve on the Group in administrative/moderator roles), and the board has decided that the Facebook group is not the preferred way of addressing issues, concerns, or questions.

We may use the Facebook group to disseminate some information, out of convenience, but as a rule this will be in addition to email newsletters that are more likely to reach all homeowners in the neighborhood. If you have not subscribed to the newsletter, you could do so here. Recent newsletters are also archived there. Note that our newsletter provider changed in early 2024, if you were previously subscribed via TinyLetter, you may need to re-subscribe via MailChimp.

Dues and Other Expenses

Did Eastbrook decide that we would contract with Turfs R Us for lawn mowing and snow plowing?

No, the HOA board solicited quotes from 5 different lawn and plow service companies and chose to keep using Turfs R Us.

Does Eastbrook decide the amount of our dues and utilities?

No, as our acting management company, they present a proposed budget, and the HOA board deliberates how much we will spend on each item, and sets the amount of annual dues and quarterly utility rates.

Why are my annual dues so high?

The annual dues are what the board feels is necessary to cover the expenses of the association for the year as well as bringing in enough money to build a reserve for replacements.

What type of expenses are involved with the association?

Each year at the annual meeting, the board presents its proposed budget for the coming year. That budget shows what the anticipated expenses are for the neighborhood. A few of the bigger expenses are for lawn mowing, snow plowing and road salt. Road salt is typically one of the higher expenses for the association due to the steep grades of some of the hills in the neighborhood. In years past, the board has attempted to keep costs down by reducing salt usage, however, some neighbors who have been stuck trying to get up hills or spinning out in the round-a-bout have led the board to provide that enough salt is being applied so that everyone can get in and out of the neighborhood.

What do you mean “reserve for replacement”?

A reserve for replacement is generally money set aside for repairs that are not annual expenses, but are usually more expensive. For instance, some time in the next few years we are hoping to have enough money set aside to be able to start repaving some of the older roads in the neighborhood. The roads have an approximate 15-20 year useful life before they need to be completely redone. It is very expensive to replace a road, and the board is looking to the future when we will need to spend a lot of money to begin replacing the roads. The board would rather ask for a reasonable amount each year instead of asking for a lot in one year.

Bylaws & Policies

The by-laws are a recorded document along with the Master deed. These two documents lay out such things as: The board of directors and elections, the authority to assess association dues and special assessments, use restrictions, etc. The By-laws of the Site Condominium also determine the number of Homeowners that are appointed to the Board based on how many lots Eastbrook has sold.

Where can I get a copy of the by-laws?

If you purchased your home from Eastbrook, you were given a copy of the master deed and by-laws at your closing. They were either provided as a paper document or as an electronic document. If you purchased your home from a previous homeowner, that homeowner should have provided you the document. If you do not have a copy, there is a link to the document here.

You mentioned use-restrictions. What do you mean use-restrictions?

Use-restrictions are kind of like the laws of the neighborhood or “rules of the association.” These are restrictions on what is allowed in the neighborhood.

What are some examples of what is not allowed in Saddle Ridge?

For example, our bylaws say that you cannot leave a boat or recreational vehicle in your driveway for a period of more than 72 hours, you cannot leave your trash bins outside of your garage, it is not permitted to discharge firearms within the subdivision, you cannot park on any street, and you cannot water your lawn between the hours of 5:00 am and 9:00 pm.

The HOA board has recognized through many complaints that not everyone adheres to these “rules of our association.” The Board has adopted a policy to notify homeowners of violations when they are brought to our attention.

What is the policy?

A first violation will result in a letter from the board notifying the homeowner of the violation and the requirement to resolve the violation. Repeated violations will be assessed a fine.

How do I report a by-law infraction?

For the time being, please report any infractions to Kathleen Adams at Eastbrook (adams@eastbrookhomes.com)

But why can’t I water my lawn during certain times?

The water plant that serves the association, can only handle so much water at a time, early mornings see increased demand from the water plant as that is the times when most people are showering to get ready for the day. Those peak times are generally from 5:00 am to 10:00 am. The by-laws also limit the times of sprinkling as not to happen during the hottest parts of the day when a lot of water can be lost to evaporation. Even though the neighborhood is not completely built out yet, the watering rule was put in place so that when the neighborhood is completely built out and the new school is tapped into our water system, there will not be too much demand at certain periods of time.

Sometimes the irrigation of common areas is occuring during times when we’re not supposed to water. Why? Is this OK?

Yes, this is OK. The irrigation that services most of the common areas does not take its water from the well which services our homes. The only exception is the South tot lot area.

The remainder of the common irrigation system including the entry drive, and the North tot lot, draws water directly from the pond, and does not place any burden on the residential water system.

In the past we have tried to align the common watering times with the residential watering times, but this is not always possible.

I think some of the rules in the by-laws are unnecessary, can we change them?

The rules were adopted before the first house was built in the neighborhood. Everyone had a chance to know what they were buying into. The only way to change the rules is to amend the by-laws. Any amendment would require the consent of 2/3 of the property owners eligible to vote. The material changes also have to be approved by Algoma Township per the consent agreement.

New Elementary School

On May 7 2019, voters within the Rockford school district passed two millages. Part of that millage is to build a new school on the property to the North of the entrance to Saddle Ridge.

You can view the plans for the new elementary school here. Initial plans show that there will be multiple entrances off of Edgerton and also an entrance off of Saddle ridge for the exclusive use of Saddle Ridge residents.

It is estimated that the school will be open in the fall of 2024.

Both the water plant and sewer plant were initially designed to supply both the homes in Saddle Ridge and the future school. The board intends to work very closely with the school to make sure that everything happens smoothly, and that the schools will pay for any upgrades necessary to make sure there is no decline in the quality or quantity of water for homes in Saddle Ridge.

Water & Sewer

What about PFAS?

Our water was tested for PFAS/PFOS in 2017 and the results were non-detect. This means that our water is safe to drink and use. Here are the brief and de tailed reports from the 2017 testing, and the link to Algoma Township’s page for Wolverine Disposal Sites I nformation.

Shouldn’t we test the water yearly?

We have spoken with EGLE, and they feel that our first test is a very good indication that we are a non-detect. The plume is far enough away from our wells and moves very very slowly. They also feel that the plume is not even moving in our direction. Therefore, it is their opinion that we need not spend money on future testing.

Is water from the water hydrants available for use by homeowners or contractors?

Any resident or contractor who wants to use hydrant water must contact our management company first, and must pay the associated fees. Refer to the Contacts page for the contact information.

Is fluoride added to our water?

Fluoride is not added to our water. The only additive is a minimal amount of chlorine.

OK, but we pay a lot for our system, and I’ve heard something about problems with the sewer plant?

The current plant has some design flaws. The problems can be blamed partly on the original design, partly on past poor operations, and partly on age. The previous operator had several violations, and EGLE ordered a review of the plant. Since then, a new operator, Infrastructure Alternatives Incorporated (IAI), has brought the plant into working order, and compiled an AOF. The Plant is also almost 18 years old, and the expected life of a private plant is approximately 20 years.

What is an AOF?

It is an Assessment Of the Facility. It is a document that lays out the current state of the sewer plant, identifies what is wrong with it, and suggests improvements to the plant. It was the first step in the Administrative Consent Order (ACO) agreed by Eastbrook and EGLE. You can access the ACO and other EGLE documents here:

https://miwaters.deq.state.mi.us/nsite/map/results/detail/7016959056890432128/documents

The AOF is also available here.

So what happens next?

EGLE is in the process of reviewing the AOF. There have been back and forth conversations between EGLE and IAI. EGLE has accepted the AOF report recommendations, and IAI has begun the design phase. Currently construction is estimated to begin in February 2022 and wrap up in late 2022.

Who is paying for the improvements?

The board is continuing talks with Eastbrook as who will pay for the new plant. The board has the position that the poor design and poor past operations is Eastbrooks responsibility. The school agrees that any increase in capacity to accommodate them will be their responsibility. The final cost of the new plant is not known at this time. However estimates are in the range of $1.8 million. The board continues to negotiate with Eastbrook on a cost sharing plan.

How will the neighborhood pay for their portion?

It is likely that a special assessment will be levied, or possibly a payment plan. Since we are still working out details, it is really premature to know for sure what route we will take.

So what will happen with my quarterly bills once the plant is built?

The board will do everything to keep water and sewer bills as low as possible. However, operations costs have increased dramatically now that we have a good operations company running both utilities, and we must save for future replacements and improvements.

Are there any other options available?

The board fully researched several competing possibilities for over a year, and determined that it would not be feasible to join any existing municipal wastewater treatment system.

The nearest municipal system to which Saddle Ridge could conceivably tie in to would be the North Kent Sewer Authority which handles wastewater treatment for the City of Rockford, Plainfield Charter Township, and the Townships of Alpine, Cannon, and Courtland. The board explored the possibility of running a line from our neighborhood to tap into the North Kent Sewer Authority line behind Meijer. However, at this time, the politics and cost to hookup and make improvements to that system would have been much greater than improving the current plant.

The North Kent Sewer Authority would not allow use to join them based on not enough current capacity. Even if they did let us join, based on early estimates the initial cost estimate would’ve been around $20 million, or nearly $95,000 per household.

Anyone who would like to research other possibilities, on their own, and bring a fully completed and vetted business plan/proposal to a board meeting is more than welcome to do so.

Why do I sometimes see trucks in and out of the sewage plant?

Those trucks take away the bio-solids that are screened out. The board is in the process of upgrading the sewer plant to have larger holding tanks so that pump trucks will not have to come as often. This will lower expenses by not having to pay for extra trips.

Is there anything our household can do to help keep costs down?

As a matter of fact there is….One of the biggest costs to the sewage plant is the removal of flushable wipes. Please do not flush wipes of any kind down your toilet. It causes big problems in the plant because it was not designed to handle wipes. Please dispose of any wipes in your trash. The only thing that should ever be flushed down a toilet is toilet paper. Please do not flush wipes, tampons, pads, bandaids, grease, etc… Anything other than toilet paper causes problems.

But it clearly states on the package of wipes that they are flushable.

DO NOT FLUSH WIPES OF ANY KIND!!! OR ANY OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED THINGS YOU MAY THINK ARE FLUSHABLE.

Annual Audit Vote

Every year I get a notice asking me to vote to waive an annual audit. Why?

Public Act 134 of 2013, effective January 2014, amended the Condominium Act of Michigan. Section 57, requires condominium associations with annual revenues over $20,000 to do one of two things: Either have an outside CPA perform a formal independent audit or formal independent review of our association’s year-end financial statements, or have a majority (greater than 50%) of the members of the association vote annually to opt out of the audit. The association board in the past has had one of the director’s review the financial statements. The association board feels this is better than spending upwards of $10,000 each year for an outside audit. If we were to elect the outside audit, that money would have to be paid for by the association. Therefore, if we had to pay for that it is estimated that our annual dues would have to be increased by an additional $50.

But an audit would protect us from the possibility of Eastbrook pocketing some of our money right?

Not really. An audit would only look to check that our balance sheet actually balances. It would not find if there was actually any embezzlement. The Board feels that Eastbrook being a multi-million dollar company with many developments would not jeopardize their future by skimming any money from the associations that they manage.

Property Improvements & Maintenance, Including Common Areas

I want to make some alterations to my unit, maybe add a shed, increase the size of my deck, install a pool, etc. Who do I contact to get approval?

You need to contact the architectural committee. Please see the The current composition of the board is on the SR Association page for contact information or email hoa@saddleridgerockford.com.

My mailbox needs to either be replaced or stained. Who is responsible for my mailbox?

Your mailbox is your responsibility. The by-laws state that the original mailbox will be provided by the developer, any maintenance or replacement of the mailbox is the responsibility of the co-owner. If a mailbox or post needs to be replaced, it shall be of the same style, color, and quality of the original.

The color stain should be: Olympic – Cedar Tone – Semi-transparent

The sidewalk in front of my home needs either maintenance or replacement. Who is responsible for the sidewalks in the neighborhood?

If the sidewalk is in front of your home, it is your responsibility for maintenance and replacement. If it is within the common area, it is the associations, responsibility.

Who can I contact about a street light that is out or not working properly?

You can contact Consumer Energy directly.