Where can I find the CC&R’s, ByLaws, or Articles of incorporation, financials, or Meeting minutes for Waterford?
You can find downloadable PDF’s of all of our governing documents in the documents tab of your account.
I would like to get in touch with the management company / Community Director, how do I get in contact?
The contact information for the current property manager / community director is located on the Contact tab of this site.
The person whom is assigned to manage our association also manages other associations with many households, so they are not waiting by the phone to answer your call. They also may not answer blocked numbers or numbers who are thought to be spam. For this reason it is very important to leave a message if you get a voicemail. You should expect to get a return call within 48 hours.
You may also email the contact at the listed email address, and in fact email may be preferred as it leaves a written record of correspondence, as well as it is less likely to get lost in the shuffle.
How do I pay my HOA dues?
The Waterford home owners association has transitioned to a 100% electronic billing through this site, which has taken over all processing and accounting for the association. In order to pay your dues you must enter some form of credit card for platform to bill and that card will be billed on the 1st of every month for payment. The two methods below will work for electronic payment.
You may enter any Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or AMEX credit card, or Debit card for the system to bill.
You may also secure a prepaid credit card (that allows for reoccurring billing) for payment, in which the owner may load the card with enough money to pay their dues. Please note, owners are responsible ensuring there is adequate money loaded on card to pay dues, and will be responsible for any late fees that may be incurred.
How do I know if I need an ARC application for work I want to do?
Generally any change or alteration above general maintenance will require ARC approval. If you are unsure of wether you need ARC approval after reviewing our governing documents then it would be best to submit an application. Any aesthetic change to the outside of your home including fencing, landscape changes, hardscape changes require approval.
In addition, Additional structures, changes visible from the street, or any engineered permitted changes that are in your rear yard require approval, especially if the changes could affect another neighbor. For example, an unapproved landscape change that can not be seen from street, but causes flooding to your neighbor, could result in enforcement action, modifying the work or returning the item to original condition at the owners expense.
Do I need ARC approval for any work I want to do?
No, you are not required to get approval for general maintenance and up keep, however this provision requires there are no changes. It is important to note that if an work needed ARC approval is needed, and the changes result in conflict or violation, and that enforcement action results in the HOA modifying the work or returning the item to original condition, that work will be at the owners expense and assessed to the homeowner, or a lien on the parcel. For this reason, getting ARC approval for work is always the best practice.
For example: If you had some water damage or dry rot to your exterior wall, and removed sections of wood panel, and replaced with the same wood panel, and repainted the area to the same color existing on the house it would be considered general maintenance, and approval would not be required.
Another example would be a plant or shrub had died in you landscape, and you remove the plant or shrub and replace it with the same plant or shrub, this would also be considered general maintenance and would not require approval.
Of course there will be times when persons will make only a slight change by replanting a slightly different plant or bush of similar size, and it may go unnoticed by the HOA, however you should always error on the side of caution and get approval. Situations like this could seem harmless, but can still trigger enforcement when the replanted item will grow into something far different or is very invasive and effects a neighboring property.
I was instructed that I have made changes without ARC approval and must submit for approval, am I automatically going to have to undo the work I did?
Not necessarily, if you are receiving this notice, you more then likely did perform work and make changes requiring approval without getting said approval. The first step in this process is just to submit an application for the work/changes completed to ensure it was inline with the standards and rules of governing documents. If the work is approved no further attention will be needed. If it is not approved, modifications or total reversal of the work is possibly required by the homeowner. In cases in which the situation forces the HOA to perform the work on the howe owners behalf, that work will be at the owners expense and assessed to the homeowner, or a lien on the parcel. For this reason the best policy is always to get approval for any work being done prior to doing so.
I requested a variance for un-approved work or changes I did not have an application submitted or approval, and it was denied what else can I do?
If you were cited for performing work without an ARC approval, and are requested to submit for approval, you must follow that process for approval. The role of the board of directors is not to circumvent the ARC process when a violation is noted which is probably why the variance was denied.
What kinds of things do my HOA dues pay for?
Your dues go towards many things, Waterford dues are $35 currently, and half of that amount goes straight to the Lake Forest master association that manages all of the landscaped and beautification of the public corridor along Francisco from Green Valley to the Summit.
The remainder is managed by Waterford HOA, and maintains the following to name a few.
- Maintenance and electricity for street light standards
- Mailboxes
- Security cameras at entrances
- Social events (i.e. meet and greets, easter egg hunt, halloween parade)
- Any actions or costs associated with enforcing CC&R’s.
- Management company and administrative aspects of HOA
Who is your HOA board of directors?
The Waterford board of directors is made up of up to 5 volunteer residents, whom along with the management company work to improve the quality of life and condition of Waterford. The board is also tasked with enforcing the governing documents, and making determinations in disputes or escalated violations.
This board is different and separate from your ARC committee.
Who is the ARC committee?
The ARC committee is comprised of up to 5 volunteer residents who are passionate about construction standards and neighborhood aesthetics. Their primary role is to review applications for ARC approval ensuring the aforementioned standards and aesthetics are consistent.
The ARC is different and separate from the Board of directors.
I pay my monthly dues on time, and still received a violation letter/email for my parcel?
Everyone who has moved into Waterford has moved into an HOA and it’s CC&R’s, Bi-Laws, and Articles. A homeowners obligation to their community and neighbors is to both comply with their financial dues as well as the rules and regulations of the community, therefore compliance in one aspect does not allow for deliberate violations of another. While of course a homeowner whom is overwhelmingly compliant and earnestly finds themselves in violation of a singular rule or regulation should be met with a level of understanding in regards to the time and effort to gain compliance, this understanding and compassion for out neighbors does have limits in regards to the level of violation, or willingness by homeowner to reach resolution.
I have a questions which is not answered here, how can I get further guidance?
Our owner’s association board of director’s is comprised of volunteer residents, and while this ensures our governance is decided by our own residents for bigger issues volunteers seldom have time for routine issues. For this reason your association hires a professional property management company who provides a “Community Director” to assist in managing the day to day business of the association. The “Contact Us” tab will provide multiple methods to contact our community director directly.
I do not agree with a particular rule or aspect of the HOA?
The HOA has governing documents and those governing documents dictate all the rules and regulations of the HOA. If you have received a violation or had an enforcement action imposed on your parcel there should a rule, or section in the CC&R’s, Bi laws, or articles of incorporation that relate to the issue. Although a board is comprised of individuals whom have an opinion, a good board will allow the letter or spirit of the law prevail according to the governing documents. If there is a particular issue that you are passionate about getting fixed or changed, your best option is to get involved with the HOA board and try to get the issue changed by a vote of the owners.