CHP HOA Meeting Minutes – 01//27/2020
Meeting start: 6:33 pm
Board Members in Attendance: O’Neil Gilliam, J.J. Gentry, David Bergeron, and Jan Talkish
Board Members Absent: 0
Attendees: 6 Residents
Clubhouse: Jan reports that 2020 has already started off with her having to withhold a resident’s clubhouse rental security deposit because furniture was moved outside of the building. Despite fixing the rental agreement so that renters must initial every rule as they are reading the document, rules – especially the one regarding the removal of furniture from the clubhouse – continue to be ignored. The Board discussed the possibility of posting the clubhouse rules within the facility, in order to remind people of what is and is not allowed. The Board would like to remind people renting the clubhouse that there are interior video cameras, and that they provide video proof of rule breaking.
The upside of collecting security deposits over the past year has been that there are now additional funds to make some updates for the clubhouse. Within the next few weeks, the upholstered chairs and ottomans will be recovered, and Jan will be purchasing new lamps and other decorative items to spruce the place up.
Jan reports that the calendar on the CHP website, which shows dates that the clubhouse is rented, has been more problematic than helpful. As the calendar is only updated every couple of weeks – and dates change rapidly – the available dates and rented dates shown do not always match. Jan reports that she has received a number of angry and harassing phone calls from residents, upset that the day they wished to rent the clubhouse (which showed up is available on the calendar) was not available. At this time, the Board has voted to remove all references to personal clubhouse rentals from the website calendar. The only events that will be noted on the calendar are HOA meetings, some committee meetings, and events that have been scheduled by the Social Committee. If you are interested in renting the clubhouse, please contact Jan directly using the link on the CHP website at: clubhouse@chestnuthillplantation.org.
Jan has requested that photographs of the interior of the clubhouse be taken and posted to the CHP website, for rental purposes. Currently, she spends a lot of time showing people the facility, and she feels that having posted pictures will help people better plan their events. A member of the Communications Committee will soon accompany her to take the photos, and they will be posted thereafter.
Communications Committee: The new neighborhood information signs have been received, and are currently in storage as the Board and Communications Committee decide on the best placement for installation. The signs will be placed so that they may be seen as residents are leaving the community from both main exit points. One place of interest is near the Pond Oak and Lost Creek Drive intersection, where residents can glance at the info board while at the stop sign. The other location is either in the median on Lost Creek Drive near Hollingshed Road, or the right-hand side of Lost Creek Road near the Hollingshed stop sign. Both of these points were chosen as they should not cause traffic holdups, and also because of easy access to wiring for electricity if lights are needed on the signs. As soon as permanent spots are chosen, the signs will be erected, and members of the Communications Committee will be maintaining them.
At the suggestion of the Communications Committee, a new **official** HOA Facebook page is in the works. This page would be run by members of the Communications Committee and the Board, and would contain news, updates, and notifications of importance to residents, including links to information that is placed on the website. This would be an information only page – the page will be closed to commenting. This will offer an alternative for residents who wish to receive official HOA news and information without general chatter. It is estimated that, at most, there may be one to two notifications a week. Additional information to come at a later date as the project develops.
Pool: Construction of the new pool shed is currently at a standstill as the City of Columbia has denied the HOA a building permit because the pool complex sits in a flood zone. Before they will issue any type of permit, a flood zone impact report must be done in order to determine exactly which flood zone the building might be in. David Peterson of CAMS is in charge of securing all necessary permits, and is working with the city to do so.
Landscaping: O’Neill reports that the pump house work is finished, and that new filters and pipes were installed. These repairs have been somewhat problematic: the Board had to wait until January 1st to access funds from the new budget, and, the company hired to do the repairs disregarded O’Neill’s request to put plywood on the grass leading to the pump house, in order to prevent destroying the lawns. This failure to follow O’Neil’s instructions left deep ruts in the lawns, for which the repair company will be billed.
Residents on Grove Hall Lane report that they are still dealing with trespassers crossing their property to get to the small pond. The Board has ordered brand-new, double-sided signs to put up in the area: one side stating that you are entering private property, and on the other side that you are leaving public property and entering private. Once the signs have been erected – and it is fully stated that individuals passing are on the private property illegally – trespassers are subject to arrest. These will be placed near the pond and also near the private property. Residents who wish to visit the pond are reminded to park their vehicles in the circle at the lake and walk up the hill on the new path.
If you have any landscaping concerns, comments, or questions, please contact O’Neil via the Board email form on the CHP website: https://chestnuthillplantation.org/contact-chestnut-hill-plantation/
Sign Repairs: The neighborhood signs at the Bluff and Chestnut Woods were removed a couple of weeks ago, and are currently out for cleaning and repainting. The Board estimates that this will take approximately 4 – 6 weeks.
Home Inspections: Board members will be meeting with the State to discuss the new HOA rules that the State Government established last year. Once the Board is fully versed in the new rules and regulations, home inspections will commence again. A particular problem within the community is mold on the outside of houses. The Board recognizes that, due to the amount of shade around homes, there is usually at least one side of each house that has a mold issue. The Board requests that people address mold issues sooner rather than later, as it is easiest to clean the mold in the early stages. JJ recommends using a power sprayer with a water and Clorox bleach solution. Residents who are unable to clean the mold off their homes due to a particular need (i.e. elderly or handicapped) and need assistance, may contact the Board for advice or solutions.
The Board members may be reached via the Board email form on the CHP website: https://chestnuthillplantation.org/contact-chestnut-hill-plantation/
Meeting End: 7:23pm
Minutes reviewed and authorized by: David Bergeron, HOA Board Member
Renée Cabaup / Comm. Comm.