2005 ANNUAL PROPERTY OWNERS MEETING RECAP

Covenant enforcement and speeding were the main issues discussed during the 2005 Ivy Hall Property Owners Association meeting.

Homeowners representing 55 households (about one-fifth of the neighborhood) attended the two-hour meeting held July 26th at Eastbridge Presbyterian Church. Although no major news was broken, the meeting was informative and constructive. The overall tone was positive.

An election was held to fill one seat on our nine-member board. Incumbent candidate Robin Richardson ran unopposed and was re-elected by a unanimous vote. Remaining board members are Bob Lang, Gary Jaster, Gary Brown, Dick Clarke, Carol Kennedy, Chris Morrell, William Ray and Byron Burdette. Board terms are for three years.

In his Treasurer's Report, Gary Brown said the Association continues to be in very good financial standing and that all 252 property owners are current on their dues. But he pointed out that rising expenses will require a hike in the annual POA fee for 2006. He said he will recommend to the board that the fee increase to $150, up from $143, where it has been for the past two years.

Carol Kennedy, in her Welcoming Committee Report, asked for help in welcoming new property owners to the neighborhood. Several attendees volunteered.

Dina Bevis, who represents our management company, Ravenel Associates (formerly Great Beach Management), spoke about the importance of complying with our covenants.

Some highlights from Bob Lang's President's Report and the general discussion portion of the meeting:

■ The board is looking into instituting a fine system to better enforce our covenants. Currently, our covenants don't expressly allow the Association to assess fines for anything other than overdue annual fees and common area violations. To assess fines for ordinary violations, the Association must have that expressed power written into the covenants. Changing the covenants requires approval of two-thirds of our property owners, or 168 of 252. Attendees at the annual meeting were asked to show their support for such a measure by raising their hands, and the response was nearly unanimous. This issue is a priority of the board. Residents can expect to see a petition about the fine system circulating around the neighborhood very soon.

■ Speeding continues to be a problem, especially along the straightaway on Morningdale Drive. At the meeting, residents preferred adding stop signs over speed humps as a means to slow speeders. The board will look into the stop sign option and get back to the residents on this.

■ A number of homes in Ivy Hall have excessive mold and mildew on their vinyl. Such homes are unsightly and detract from the neighborhood. Some residents at the meeting said annual spray washings should be required here. While that may be a bit extreme, the board will explore ways to address the situation.

■ Other problems that the board is dealing with include the following: trailers in driveways or yards (trailers are required to be kept in closed garages); people using common areas for trash pickup sites (residents should dispense their trash from their own yards); owners not cleaning up after their dogs (owners should carry poop bags with them); and children riding loud "pocket rocket" motorcycles around the neighborhood (drivers must be licensed to drive motorized vehicles on public streets).

■ Property owners are reminded that they are responsible for maintaining their mailboxes (click here for repainting information); mowing their grass all the way to the water's edge if their home backs up to a pond; mowing the grass between the sidewalk and the curb if their home has a sidewalk in front of it; installing fences with the "nice" side facing out; and, most importantly, submitting an ARC form before doing any changes to the exterior of their home or property.

■ Home values in Ivy Hall are up a whopping 27.3 percent this year compared to last year, a credit to homeowners and the Association for maintaining the fine look of the neighborhood. The average price per square foot over the past 12 months is $154, according the Charleston Trident Association of Realtors.

■ Earlier this year, the Association successfully blocked a potential cut-through road from being built here that would have connected U.S. Highway 17 to S.C. Highway 41 via the new neighborhood being built off of Gregorie Ferry Road. Home construction in the new neighborhood, to be called Carol Oaks, is still some months away. For background information on this, click here.

■ Construction on a new shopping center at Oakland Plantation across U.S. Highway 17 has begun. The developer says the first business should open in about a year. For more information on Oakland Plantation, click here.

■ The second phase of home construction at Laurel Grove, the new neighborhood near our entrance, is expected to ramp up soon. The first phase of 44 homes was completed this past year. The master plan includes a total of 76 homes. Click here to view a site plan of the neighborhood.

■ A playground and asphalt walking/jogging path were installed in our main common area earlier this year. Work isn't entirely complete. The path needs some shoring up, and some use/safety signs need to be installed. But overall, these new amenities are nice additions to the neighborhood and have been well received by residents.

■ A small medical office complex is nearly complete on the corner property between Lexington Drive and Eastbridge Church. The corner property to the north of our entrance is being marketed for a bank.

■ Our entrance sign is peeling on the north side and is in need of repair. The board is considering replacing the sign with one of a new design and moving it to the middle island or somewhere else along Lexington Drive. However, we won't do this until the town confirms its plans for the intersection. It's possible that U.S. 17 will be widened to a point where we would lose our current entrance signage. We want to know what the setbacks are before we start any such work.

■ Our ponds are still doing well, thanks to regular maintenance. Residents are permitted to fish in them but are asked to return any carp that they might catch. The carp help keep the ponds looking so clean.