Violations letters, garbage cans and related matters

16Jun 2020 by Mike Breslin

A MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD:

There appear to be some misconceptions about recent efforts by the Copper Creek Crossing Homeowners Association (HOA) board to improve compliance with the homeowners covenants that all of us signed when we moved into Copper Creek Crossing. (For those of you who rent, your landlords signed them.)

Before going further, we should note that these misconceptions only apply to the sections of Copper Creek that have mandatory HOA dues – that section is “Copper Creek Crossing” (CCC). The other part of Copper Creek – “Copper Creek Neighborhood” – has a separate neighborhood association. Please refer to the map link at the bottom of this post to determine if you are in Copper Creek Crossing, which includes the sections of the linked map that are in color. 

That said, allow us to take a moment to dispel some of the misconceptions being posted on social media about covenant violations in Copper Creek Crossing: 

  • First, there seems to be a belief that certain violations, such as unmowed lawns, are going unnoticed or unaddressed and that trash can violations are being prioritized. That is not true. In fact, the trash can violations are only one of the things being cited in the violation letters that are being sent out. Other violations being cited include lawns not being mowed, boats/RVs left in the street, fences in disrepair, and so forth. As it happens, the board sent a mailer out to all CCC residents in early May listing all common violations (see link at bottom of this post), and all these violations are being cited where and when they occur. 
  • On the specific matter of trash cans, compliance with the covenants can be met by placing the cans out of the sight of the street. This includes placing them in the garage, in the backyard, or behind a fence extension near the front of the home. For anyone who objects to all of these, please remember: The covenants that we all signed when buying our homes in CCC included this requirement.
  • The board has been in contact with the City of OKC and made multiple requests regarding the need for street resurfacing in several parts of CCC. They have told us that we are “on the schedule”, but they won’t give us a specific date. If anyone knows of a way to speed action from the city, please reach out to us. We are all ears.
  • The idea that anyone is “spying” on CCC residents is hyperbolic to the point of absurdity. Every single violation being cited is one that can be observed from the middle of the street. In fact, if a problem can’t be observed from the street, how would the HOA board or the management company even know about it? 
  • Questions have been raised as to why these violations are being addressed now when they have not been in the past. This is because the prior management company was lax in enforcing these restrictions, which led to multiple residents ignoring them. As a result, the neighborhood’s appearance began to suffer. A main reason why the new management company – The Property Center (TPC) – was hired was to address this. This is why the violations are being enforced now.
  • In discussing the violations issue, one poster referenced the terrible incident recently involving a drive-by shooting at an Airbnb in this area. We share the concerns that everyone has expressed about this. However, the incident occurred at a house that is NOT in CCC; it was in the other part of Copper Creek – “Copper Creek Neighborhood”. Accordingly, residents with concerns about that incident should direct them to the neighborhood association for Copper Creek Neighborhood.
  • Finally, one resident suggested that these fines are now being enforced because “the board wants to make money”. The fact is that every single member of the board serves as a volunteer who doesn’t make a dime for their efforts. And, we are also subject to the exact same violations and fines that everybody else is. The idea that there is a financial motive for the HOA board to push this is not only inaccurate, it’s insulting. If anyone doesn’t believe this, we strongly encourage you to volunteer for the board or one of its committees and see for yourself from the inside. (God knows, there are committee spots that need to be filled.)

The whole point of enforcing the covenant restrictions that all of us agreed to when we moved here is to ensure a better-looking neighborhood for everyone. And on a more tangible note, the better the neighborhood looks, the better the value of each of our homes. 

Naturally, if anyone feels like they have received a violation notice that is not supported by the covenant restrictions, please reach out to the management company (TPC) or the board. The contact information for both is below, as are links for the covenant restrictions and other sites that residents might want to bookmark.

Relevant links and contact info