River Chase Rezoning & Annexation
On Thursday, September 21, 2006 we received notification from the Beckenham subdivision about an emergency meeting to be held that evening regarding annexation and rezoning by LV Realty for the land in front of and beside Beckenham (across from Oxford Place). LV Realty is proposing a new development called River Chase that will incorporate single family housing, multi-family housing, and commercial development.
We immediately forwarded an email to Oxford Place residents who had provided us with email addresses. About 10 Oxford Place residents joined the Beckenham attendees at the meeting. On Monday, September 25 the attendees had an opportunity to meet with Bill Neal of LV Realty. The interior of the planned neighborhood is upscale with plenty of open space and views of the Catawba River. However, we did have some major concerns. Mr. Neal stated the 6 acres at the Beckenham entrance (across from Oxford Place) would be suitable for 30-35 condominiums. He also stated LV Realty wanted to rezone 19.5 acres on Doby’s Bridge Road as Mixed-Use. Mr. Neal sold the Mixed-Use idea with mentions of ice cream parlors, coffee shops, and office space. However, he also stated the market will dictate what would be put on the 19.5 acre parcel. He later mentioned townhomes and other residential housing were possible. Potentially 150 multi-family homes could be put on the parcels that front Doby’s Bridge Road (19.5 acres + the 6 acres in front of Beckenham).
On Tuesday, September 26, approximately 10 Oxford Place residents and 10 Beckenham residents attended the Fort Mill Planning Commission meeting. After Mr. Neal presented his plan to the commission, a few attendees voiced their concerns. We scored what we consider a victory in the first battle. The town commission told Mr. Neal and other representatives from LV Realty that they could not approve the plan in its current form. They instructed LV Realty to work with representatives from Oxford Place and Beckenham to develop a mutually agreeable plan. The town commission also expressed their concern about putting multi-family housing and mixed-use zoning in this area.
In the very near future, we will have the opportunity to meet with LV Realty to help them prepare a plan that we can all agree on. If you would like to be part of the planning process please send your email address to OxfordPlace@gmail.com.
Email List
Currently about 50% of neighborhood residents have provided an email address to Oxfordplace@gmail.com. Occasionally we send out time critical information that cannot wait for the next newsletter. A recent example is numerous exchanges about the annexation and rezoning regarding the proposed River Chase Development. In the past we have also sent information about zoning hearings, garbage company issues, lost/found pets, neighborhood announcements, meeting postponements, maps & property info, etc. We will protect the privacy of your email address and will only use it for issues deemed important by the Oxford Place Board.
Entrance Lighting
The Oxford Place Home Owners Association would like to extend a big "Thank You" to Mike Mead for volunteering time and expertise to dramatically upgrade the Oxford Place entrance lighting. The majority of the lighting is low voltage and the light bulbs should last much longer than the previous lights. Due to his efforts the neighborhood was able to make this upgrade well within landscaping/lighting budget. Mike has also offered to monitor the lights, make repairs and replace bulbs as needed.
Landscaping & Irrigation
Although placing boulders at the entrance to Oxford Place West was approved at the annual homeowner’s meeting, for the time being the landscaping committee has decided against adding boulders to the entrances at West. The temporary poles have sufficiently protected the east side of Oxford Place West, which had been the most vulnerable side. The poles will be reevaluated in the near future. Twice recently trucks have damaged the west side of Oxford Place West. On one occasion a truck severely damaged one of the irrigation lines.
If you see a vehicle driving on our landscaping, please stop and record the license plate number and report the situation to the home owners association. A few months back we pursued a truck that damaged the median at Oxford Place West and we were able to collect damages and well as send the truck driver and the new GS Carolina development a message that we will not tolerate this.
A few irrigation lines in East and West are broken or have other problems. We have scheduled repairs and hopefully will have the problems fixed by the time you receive this newsletter.
The wet spot in the road near the median of Oxford Place West is due to a natural spring. It is not from an irrigation leak. The spot is still wet when the irrigation system is turned off and winterized. We had this checked over a year ago. The county states we should live with a slightly wet road. They will address the situation if the road becomes damaged.
Garbage choices
Container Company of Carolina - (704) 377-5631 picks up garbage on Wednesdays. They provide a burgundy pickup container. With the recent addition of a fuel surcharge, their quarterly fee is now $80.
Trinity Waste Services - (704) 291-7872 picks up garbage and recycling
on Tuesdays. They provide a blue bin and a recycling bin. Their
quarterly charge is $51 with no additional surcharges.
Residents report they are very satisfied with the service of both
companies. A few residents take their garbage to the convenience center
(across from Leroy Springs on 160). If you have a suitable vehicle, very
little garbage, and pass by the convenience center on your regular
commute, the only cost is the time involved.
Annual Fee
We are pleased to announce that all homeowners have paid their 2006 dues. Thank you !
Bylaws
We have confirmed with a lawyer that the two amendments that were approved at the last full neighborhood meeting are valid and enforceable. A fine schedule associated with Covenants & Restrictions is actually quite common and expected. The fines also would not prevent further penalties from being imposed by a court.
We have also discovered that setting a quorum for our annual meeting at 40% is also quite common. Also common is a quorum set at 30% of all properties represented. A lower quorum might be explored at the next homeowners meeting to be held in February 2007.
Covenants & Restrictions
Please email us at
OxfordPlace@gmail.com or call one of the board members if you do not have a copy of the Oxford Place Covenants and Restrictions and a copy of the Oxford Place Bylaws.Per Item 6 - "All mailboxes shall be uniform in size and color, and conform to the design approved by Declarant."
The required mailbox is the one that you see in front of all homes in Oxford Place. One company that provides the required mailboxes for Oxford Place is Carolina Mailboxes Inc. 704-845-0850. We are aware of one property that has the wrong mailbox and two other properties that are owner occupied and do not have a mailbox. The numbering on each mailbox should also be the same as other mailboxes in the neighborhood.
Per Item 14 - Any recreational vehicle, boat, trailer or camper trailer must be parked so as to be screened so that it cannot be viewed from nearby tracts or the street.
We understand that sometimes a resident may have their camper or boat in their driveway for a few days for cleaning, etc. However, if the camper or boat is to remain on the property for more than a week it needs to be screened so that it cannot be viewed from nearby tracts or the street. We have received numerous complaints about this issue.
Per Item 6 - All driveways must have a concrete wearing surface.
The dictionary defines a driveway as a private road that connects a house, garage, or other building with the street. The gravel on the recreation lot is not considered a driveway. The developer of the neighborhood, who created the Covenants and Restrictions, added the gravel to the recreation lot and thus also did not consider this gravel area a driveway. The gravel on the recreation lot is not covered by this C&R. However, in an effort to improve the look of the recreation lot and to address concerns, in October we will be repositioning the gravel to form a walking path. The grass growing in the gravel has become difficult to mow.
Real Estate Agents have cited that the recreation lot can be a big selling point for the neighborhood even if a potential buyer will likely not use the lot. It is an amenity that adds value to the neighborhood if maintained properly.
We also want to remind residents that if your approved construction project requires temporary construction access from another part of the road, please remove gravel and return the area to a natural state after the construction is complete.
Per Item 27 - No construction, reconstruction, remodeling or alteration of, or addition to, any building, improvement, device or structure, including, in addition to the residential structure and its appurtenant structures, all walls, fences, porches, patios, drives, walks, decks and swimming pools shall be commenced without the prior written approval.
If you start construction without submitting plans to the Architectural Review Committee, you are in violation of the C&Rs. The Homeowners Association or any individual property owner can seek a construction stop order if you start construction without approval. It may cost a significant amount of money if the new construction has to be redone because it is not in compliance. Having architectural approval protects the homeowner. Contact a member of the Architectural Review Committee if you have any questions or concerns, or if you need to submit a plan.
Laura Bradford 802-xxxx 628 Kingston Way Roger Guchone 547-xxxx 603 Kingston Way Lenny Sernulka 548-xxxx 805 Savile LaneJohnny Webster 802-xxxx 202 Oxford Place Drive
Over the past three months a few residents have asked us to send letters regarding certain C&R violations. The board evaluated each situation, and recently sent a friendly letter to the property owners who were in violation of a C&R. The property owner was given 30 days to comply with the C&R or request a meeting with the homeowner’s board. If any of these violations become long-term problems, we will provide more details in the next newsletter.
Ongoing Legal Matter
Several homeowners (especially those on Cabin Creek Court) continue to ask us for updates regarding the partially constructed property on Cabin Creek Court.
The owner of the property on Cabin Creek Court is in violation of Item 1 and Item 6 of the C&Rs. The property owner is also building without an approved architectural plan. The foundation was laid in November 2001. The owner obtained a Certificate of Occupancy in December 2005 and has been living in the partially constructed dwelling since then.
The homeowners association filed a small claims suit to encourage the homeowner to complete the exterior construction of his home. In response, the homeowner filed a counterclaim, which further delayed the process and moved the matter to circuit court. In July, the homeowners association consulted with a lawyer for more advice on how to proceed. He recommended dropping the original small claims action and filing an action in equity court. We recently retained his services for $2500.
The 2006 Board members
Angela Alfredson 548-xxxx 1013 Croyden Court Angie Bivens 547-xxxx 1059 Croyden Court Bob Katz 802-xxxx 824 Savile Lane Libby Pretty 548-xxxx 611 Kingston Way Kelly Wascher 396-xxxx 1431 Doe Ridge Lane
Please call or email us at OxfordPlace@gmail.com if you have any questions or concerns.