Wood Hollow HOA Newsletter

2010-03-04T19:03:00.001-05:00

It is almost impossible to believe how technology has advanced in so many areas in the last seven years. Everything from TV’s, cable, dish, ipod’s, blackberry’s, cell phones—you name it and it has changed. What is considered new today will be old next year.

When the covenants for Wood Hollow were written in 2003, no one could envision those changes. As change happens, so must our covenants. In particular, the one referencing satellite dishes. The current covenants allow up to an18 inch diameter for a dish. Today’s technology now includes HD and the diameter of those dishes is much larger.

The Board of Directors (BOD) has learned the FCC ruling regarding satellite dishes is allowing up to one meter in size (39.37”). Further, no HOA can ban dish reception. This new ruling makes our
covenant 5.02 (b) obsolete.

One of the major concerns of the BOD has been to closely monitor expenditures and keep our annual dues in line with actual needs and wants of our community. To have a vote to change the covenant to indicate the FCC ruling or to delete that item would eventually incur legal fees. Money that could be used for other purposes.

What the BOD is recommending:

1. For those that wish to update their dish network or who want to convert from cable to dish, we ask that you attempt to place the dish in your back yard or roof.
2. If the back yard or roof is not an option, and you must place the dish at the side of your home, please be mindful of your neighbor and our community. Planting tasteful shrubs or flowers
surrounding the base of the dish would be a welcomed camouflage.
3. Please refer to 5.02 (m) in the covenants that state, in part: “Each Owner . . . shall maintain his Lot and the improvements thereon is a neat, clean, and eye- pleasing condition . . .” The front yard is not an acceptable place for a dish if the signal can be obtained in a less visible location of the property.

Further information on satellite dishes can be obtained at the following two websites:
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/consumerfacts/consumerdish.html
www.fcc.gov/mb/facts/otard.html

Thank you and as always, the BOD would appreciate any and all feedback on this matter.

bod@woodhollowhoa.com

SEPTEMBER 2009 NEWSLETTER

2009-09-27T07:37:00.002-04:00

Don’t forget the community yard sale 10-17-09

Thank you to all who attended the fifth annual meeting in July for our
Wood Hollow community.

MONIES DUE THE HOA
The board is required to meet its responsibilities with HOA monies as set forth in our established covenants. Currently, there are two homeowners who have not paid
monies due even after several letters of request and subsequent liens on their homes. Their non-action has placed a burden on the HOA and most importantly it is unfair to the homeowners who pay their obligation. Beginning with the first newsletter in 2010, any homeowner who owes money will have their name(s), address, and amount due listed in the Wood Hollow newsletter. It is regrettable to announce that this is now required; however, the board must adhere to established guidelines. As a final note, the two homeowners have already been notified by mail of the action that will take place in 2010 unless they take care of their debt. It is our hope the board will not be placed in a position of listing their names to our community.

TREES IN THE COMMON AREA
It was noticed over the summer that three trees were dying and / or dead. One tree was actually in a homeowners yard and the resident was notified. The other two trees will be felled sometime in late fall by an arborist. The homeowners will be notified prior to felling of the trees behind their respective homes.

COMMUNITY YARD SALE
The yard sale is on for Saturday, October 17 starting at 9am until 3pm. The HOA board will be providing all signage
and newspaper advertising which should bring plenty of traffic into our sub-division. Start setting aside some of the “stuff” you no longer want and make a few dollars for
your pocket or purse.

For ideas on how to price your yard sale items, go to GOOGLE and type in
Yard Sale Pricing.
From there you will have lots of
options to review. various web-sites.

Good luck and happy selling

2009-08-12T08:37:00.003-04:00

The Gwinnett County DOT has been contacted regarding the re-paving of the Wood Hollow sub-division streets. Our sub-division is not on their list for 2009. An inspection of our streets has been requested and one has been authorized by the DOT. The board will continue to monitor this situation.

2009-07-28T13:13:00.002-04:00

As a follow-up to the annual meeting, those present expressed great interest in having a neighborhood yard sale. We are scheduling for this event to be held in October. Notices will be sent to all residents. The HOA will pay for signage and advertising.

2009-07-28T13:12:00.000-04:00

Wood Hollow sub-division will hold its annual meeting at the gazebo on
Thursday, July 9 at 7:00 p.m. with a rain date of Saturday, July 11 at 10:00 a.m.

AGENDA

Call the meeting to order

Secretary's report

Treasurer's report

Open space / common area

Newsletter

Annual dues for 2010

Open discussion

I encourage all residents to attend the 2009 annual meeting. It’s one way to meet with your neighbors and have face-to-face input with board members.

Hope to see you on Thursday!!
Best regards, Ellen

June 2009 Newsletter

2009-06-16T17:25:00.004-04:00

See you at the Annual Meeting on July 9 at 7:00 p.m. RAIN DATE Saturday, July 11 at 10:00 a.m.

Next month, the Wood Hollow sub-division will hold its annual meeting at the gazebo on Thursday, July 9 at 7:00 p.m. with a rain date of Saturday, July 11 at 10:00 a.m. The current board members have each indicated a desire to continue in their respective roles.

The covenants allow any resident, in good standing, to run for office. All that is required is a letter of intent indicating your qualifications / credentials for the desired position. This letter should be mailed to the board no later than Wednesday, July 1. Should there be residents interested in running for an office, an election of officers would be held at the annual meeting.

I encourage residents to attend the 2009 annual meeting. It’s one way to meet with your neighbors and have face-to-face input with board members.

Hope to see you at the Annual Meeting! Best regards, Ellen

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Need a Copy of the Covenants? The covenants for Wood Hollow are very simple but often times trying to get through the legal-ease and the numerous pages can be over-whelming. The board has abbreviated the covenants for easy reading. If you would like a copy, please contact
Dick Hayden at 1708 Sylvia Court or 770-682-1974.

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As part of your yard maintenance, please maintain the sidewalk of your property so that the lower branches of the curb-side trees are cut so that passersby do not need to stoop under the branches or enter the street to continue on their walk. Likewise, trim any shrubs near or at the side walk.

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County ordinance states that blowing yard waste (clippings and leaves) into the street or the storm drain or the retention / detention pond is not allowed.

The Wood Hollow BOD appreciates the cooperation of all residents in adhering to this ordinance.

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Once again the board is asking for residents to not dump their grass clippings into the 50-foot buffer surrounding the sub-division.

These clippings will eventually suffocate the tree roots and the trees will die.

Please do your part to maintain our real estate.

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The Gwinnett Fire Marshall’s Office has issued a total ban on all outdoor burning until September 30, 2009. For more information please visit www.gwinnettfiremarshall.com

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If you smoke, please discard your cigarette butts in a proper receptacle and not your neighbor’s lawn or the street.

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Due to lack of interest, the proposed April yard sale was canceled. We’ll try again next year.

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It’s an unpleasant chore to pick-up after your own pooch; however it’s even worse to
pick-up after a neighbor’s dog.

When walking your dog, please pick-up their waste in a plastic bag and dispose of it in your trash.

Your neighbors will thank you.

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The board has had some residents comment on their lack of having full use of the
sidewalk due to parked vehicles blocking their way. Please be mindful of not blocking the sidewalk with your vehicle.

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Once again, the board hired an arborist to examine the condition of the trees in the buffer. Several trees were felled. Our insurance company has applauded our stand on this issue.

Application to Serve on the Board of Directors 2008 / 2009

2008-04-25T06:18:00.002-04:00

Background – Any homeowner of the Wood Hollow subdivision in good standing is eligible to run for a position on the Board of Directors. Homeowners are encouraged to participate fully in all Association activities and seriously consider running for a board position for a one-year term.

Nominations and elections take place at the annual meeting every July. This year, the annual meeting will be held at the gazebo on Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 7:00 p.m.

Makeup of the Board

The Wood Hollow Homeowners Board of Directors currently consists of the following:

Ellen Pfeil, President
Bill Thompson, Vice President
Elizabeth Saigal, Secretary
Bill Guthrie, Treasurer

There is a provision for an Assistant Secretary and splitting the duties of Secretary’s position. The current board has decided to add the fifth officer beginning in the 2008 / 2009 calendar.

If you are interested in running for office, please complete the sections below and return by June 1, 2008.

Name_________________________________

Address _______________________________

Phone no. _____________________________

E-mail Address _________________________

Position Desired

____ President

____ Vice President

____ Secretary

____ Assistant Secretary

____ Treasurer

Current Employment Status

_____ Work full-time
_____ Work part-time

_____ At home mom / dad

_____ Retired

Experience related to the position desired

Briefly describe previous or current work experience or service on the board of some organization (business, club, church, charity, etc.) including position(s), duties and length of service:

Personal qualities/abilities that would be an asset to the Board

Briefly describe personal characteristics that you believe would be important in a board member and that you exhibit:

Improving the functioning of the Board and the Association in general

Briefly describe ways in which you feel you could add to the Board’s performance and make it more effective. Please keep in mind that the primary purpose of the board is to enforce the Covenants so that property values are maintained and that Wood Hollow is a pleasant place to live:

Additional Thoughts/Comments

Please share additional information that would support your candidacy for office:

Signature __________________________________________ Date ___________________

Mail your application to Wood Hollow HOA, P.O. Box 491372, Lawrenceville, GA 30049

January 2008 Newsletter

2008-01-24T15:48:00.000-05:00

Wood Hollow HOA
P. O. Box 491372
Lawrenceville, Georgia 30049-0023

January 2008 Edition 3.2

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWSLETTER

FROM THE HOA PRESIDENT - Wishing everyone a healthy and prosperous 2008! There’s a lot going on in our sub-division:

· We had a very good response to the Special Assessment. The Board of Directors are working to never have another one.

· Beginning March 1, we will be accepting sealed bid applications for grounds maintenance for the entrance and at the gazebo. The bid should include your name, address, telephone number, e-mail. It should indicate mowing services and pine straw application. The cost should be by the job. Any bid that indicates by the hour, will be excluded.

· The annual dues are payable by January 31.

We hope you like the re-designed newsletter which includes several sections: County, HOA, and Fun and Facts. It is our intent to publish every quarter or for any special announcements.

Thank you to everyone for your support. As always, we welcome any comments or suggestions.

Best regards, Sue

Sue Wight - President; Ellen Pfeil - Vice President; Bill Thompson - Secretary; Bill Guthrie - Treasurer

Keep informed www.woodhollowhoa.com

With total rainfall well below normal for 2007 and a bleak forecast for 2008, north Georgia continues to suffer from a record-breaking drought. It’s very important for all residents to use water wisely and conserve our precious resources. The outdoor watering ban has been in effect since September 30, 2007. Some residents are collecting the cold water in buckets from the shower or tub or sink before it turns warm. This water can be used for indoor and outdoor plants. Please do your part to ensure there is enough water for everyone.

To view daily outdoor burning conditions, visit www.gwinnettfiremarshall.com

Gwinnett County needs paid poll workers for the February 5 elections. Application forms are available online or call Peter Combs at 678-226-7210 or e-mail him at peter.combs@gwinnettcounty.com for more information.

Voters casting ballots in person, either through early voting or on Election Day, must show one of the following acceptable photo ID when they vote:
· Georgia driver’s license, even if expired
· Any valid state or federal government issued photo ID, including a free Voter ID Card
· Valid U.S. passport
· Valid employee photo ID from any branch, department, agency or entity of the U.S. Government, Georgia, or any county, municipality, board, authority of this state
· Valid U.S. military photo I.D.
· Valid tribal photo I.D.

Do you need a service? Need it quick? Gwinnett County is at your disposal!
Gwinnett County recently updated its website to make reporting and resolving issues of interest more efficient and effective. The Citizen Self Service Request Center has been added to the County website under the Support services Department. The page includes links where citizens can check the status of existing service requests with the county or can request a new service or report an issue.

When requesting a new service, you will be requested to provide basic information about yourself including name, e-mail, and address. From there, you will be prompted to continue.

Be sure to take a minute and welcome our newest neighbors:
Jami Hollow Way
Fitzroy and Doreen Fenton at1450Gheorghe and Lidia Epure at1460 Van Dau and Hai Nguyen at1590 Sylvia Court
Ovidiu and Elena Ivan at1735

Bag animal waste and throw it away in the trash. Wash your car at a commercial car wash and not your driveway OR inside your garage (water restrictions). Compost yard waste (leaves and grass, etc.). Don’t blow into the street or storm drain or dump into the HOA 50 foot wooded buffer or at or near the retention / detention pond!

If you smoke—please do not discard your cigarette butts onto the street. This practice only makes someone else pick up your trash.
Be kind and use an ashtray or a coffee can filled with sand! Your neighbors will thank you.

The HOA covenants belong to each and every homeowner. Please read them and abide by them! Ignoring or violating covenants does not make for good neighbor relations. Do your part and be part of observing the covenants.

Recently, there were two groups of solicitors in the neighborhood - one of them was here before. The police were called, came out, and stopped the woman and two others that were with her. One did have a permit to "solicit" the other two did not. We were informed the police can do nothing to uphold our signage. There were also two men in suits, and a neighbor asked them to leave. Please do your part and turn away any solicitors who knock on your door.

Change is, for most people, an unnerving experience. But as the old saying goes, the only constant is change. So how can a person manage the rough seas of change without going under?

The first necessity is to learn to appreciate change. Without change, everything would be the same, always. The world would stagnate, and life wouldn’t be very interesting. Change brings new ideas, new life, and new circumstances into being and keeps the river of life flowing.

If change is one of the few things we can count on in life, how can we better learn to navigate the evolution in our lives? One tactic is to learn to stay in the present without veering off too far into the past or future. Ruminating over past events or worrying about future outcomes is generally a waste of energy. Try to stay in the moment. Focus on what you’re hearing, feeling, and seeing in the physical world. When you master this skill, you might find that your powers of intuition and insight increase significantly – because you’re not pouring your energy into unproductive areas of the mind.

Wood Hollow Book Club will start-up again in February. Start saving your magazines, paperbacks, and other reading materials to swap for something else. Date and time will be posted on the web-site as well as at the Gazebo.

Actually, it’s a good addition to your year-round menu! Cauliflower is often an overlooked option – aren’t vegetables supposed to be green or red or orange? But the reason it’s white is simple: The cauliflower head is composed of white flowers, or florets; as the florets grow, they’re shielded from the sun by the plant’s leaves, and that impedes the development of green chlorophyll.
But a lack of chlorophyll has nothing to do with nutritional value. Cauliflower is a member of the cruciferous family of vegetables, a family that includes mustard greens, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, watercress, bok choy, arugula, and radishes. Many studies indicate that cruciferous vegetables help our bodies fight cancer, and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
In addition, cauliflower is low in saturated fat and cholesterol, and high in dietary fiber. It contains vitamin C, an antioxidant that helps keep the immune system strong, and folate, which helps blood work more efficiently and is essential for proper tissue growth. Cauliflower is also a source of vitamins K and B6, and a host of other nutrients.
The best way to serve cauliflower is raw in salads or on a veggie platter; second best is lightly steamed. Find other options at the Web site www.cauliflowers.com, from soups to soufflés to even – cauliflower cake!

Inviting Wood Hollow neighbors - there will be a Super Bowl
pre-pre-game Open House on Sunday, February 3 from 2:00pm to 5:00pm at the home of Ellen Pfeil, 1550 Jami Hollow Way. Brave the cold and come on out and meet your neighbors! Bring your favorite munchie / snack or hors d’oeuvre / appetizer to share. Soft drinks, beer, and wine will be offered.

RSVP to Ellen by Wednesday, January 30 at 678-863-2289.

*This is not an HOA sponsored party.

January 2008 Newsletter

2008-01-24T06:17:00.000-05:00

We have updated the HOA Newsletter to include county and sub-division information as well as some fun and facts articles. The January newsletter has been e-mailed to residents who are listed in the HOA directory. The newsletter was created in Publisher. If you do not have this software and for those who have not provided an e-mail, pick-up a copy of the newsletter at the gazebo.

Retention Pond

2007-10-10T17:08:00.000-04:00

September 2007 - the retention pond has been mowed and has met the criteria set by the county for a functioning retention / detention pond.

UPDATE Retention Pond Maintenance

2007-09-03T09:09:00.000-04:00

Due to the lack of substantial rain, mowing of the retention pond has been delayed. Mowing now could create a dust situation to those homeowners adjacent to that area and the mowed vegetation would probably die off leaving the pond barren - which could result in a bad situation should the rains come.

Special Assessment - August 1, 2007

2007-08-07T17:25:00.000-04:00

Woodhollow HOA Special Assessment

A special assessment fee was voted on July 12, 2007 at the annual Homeowners meeting.
A majority vote approved the assessment. $100.00 is due September 1, 2007 by all Woodhollow home owners.

Please remit $100.00 to: Woodhollow Homeowners Association
P.O. Box 491372
Lawrenceville, GA 30049-0023

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

2007-07-03T09:47:00.000-04:00

WOOD HOLLOW HOA ANNUAL MEETING

WHEN: Thursday, July 12, 2007
TIME: 7:30p
WHERE: Gazebo

Newsletter Volume 2.3

2007-03-27T09:25:00.000-04:00

New Officer Elections

Your current board took office effective July 1, 2005, and the 2 year term is quickly coming to a close.

We need to develop a ballot for elections of our 2007-2009 board of directors.

Please submit via mail or email to Sue your name, address and what position you are interested in running for. It would also be helpful that you submit a brief summary of your qualifications that could be forwarded to all voters. The deadline for submittal is May 15, 2007.

Our Bylaws contain the structure of the offices of President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer, with the powers and duties of each office detailed starting on page 8.

If you no longer have your copy of the covenants and need to see this outline, please contact us for a copy.

We will forward more information to you in regards to election date and place as we develop these plans in the next month.

No Butts About It!

Cigarette butts make for a dirty street. Please use your home or vehicle ashtray. Your neighbors will thank you.

E-Mail

Many thanks to those who submitted their e-mail address. It’s a quick and easy and efficient way to communicate. If you are not currently on our e-mail list, please send us your e-mail information (which will not be shared) to wight1530@comcast.net

Lawn Care

Pull out the weed killer, rakes and let’s make our yards beautiful. Also remember, Gwinnett County has an ordinance that all lawns be maintained and that all lawn clippings and debris be removed and not blown into the street or the drainage system. So, please do your part as we do not wish to contribute to the retention/ detention pond being polluted or filled by debris.

Don’t forget Gwinnett County Water restrictions

Current schedules:

Outdoor water use restricted between 10:00am and 4:00pm daily
Odd-numbered addresses can water on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays
Even-numbered addresses can water on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays
No outdoor watering on Fridays

Retention Pond

Last year, the BOD learned some valuable information from Gwinnett County on keeping our retention / detention pond in good working order. But, we need ALL homeowners to be involved in the suggested BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES (BMP):

Regular Inspections

Pond will be inspected by Gwinnett County annually.

THE BOARD HAS TAKEN ANOTHER STEP TO ENSURE THE RETENTION POND IS WELL MAINTAINED BY HIRING CAPITOL BIO. ENG. OWNED BY WAYNE WOODALL.

Vegetation Management

-Mowing of vegetation (about 2 months)
-Sediment removal (about every five years)
-Removal and replacement of clogged filter stone and filter pipe (about every 2 to 5 years).
-Unwanted trees and vegetation removal from pond embankment
-Maintaining no-mow zones (do not mow vegetation at the bottom of the pond)

Drainage System Maintenance

Gwinnett County drainage systems must be kept clean or flooding will occur. Debris, even grass clippings, blown onto the street may eventually obstruct the flow of water and cause overflow into street, yards, and homes. Nothing should impede the flow of water in or to the storm sewer system.

Which brings us to the subject of the…….

Lawsuit

Our attorney has filed the paperwork to have Woodhollow HOA removed from being named in the lawsuit filed by neighbors adjacent to our subdivision against the builder and developer of our neighborhood.

We are waiting on the judge’s ruling to this motion and will forward information as we receive it.

Covenants

As mentioned earlier in this email, this subdivision is governed by covenants. They are filed with Gwinnett County and it is necessary that you be aware of them. We urge you to read the covenants. There are a few restrictions and we want our property values to continually increase each year. This can only happen when each and every home owner respects the covenants and their neighbors. As always, should you have any questions or concerns, please contact us and we will respond immediately.

Entrance and Gazebo

The BOD has contracted Steven Adkins to maintain the lawn care at the front entrance and gazebo this year. Steven began work for us this past Sunday and will be working on improving the appearance.

We purchased the paint and stain for the gazebo last year and weather prevented us from our “work day”. Anyone interested in helping out with this project, please email Sue and we will reschedule now that …

Spring is HERE!!!

Welcome Spring!!!

The 50 foot buffer surrounding the subdivision belongs to the HOA. No trees can be cut down for firewood or any other purpose unless the tree is dead. Obtain permission from the HOA, before cutting down our real estate.

Absolutely NO GRASS CLIPPING DUMPING at the pond and including the 50 foot wooded buffer area surrounding Wood Hollow Subdivision.