Chesapeake Newsletter
Spring 2007
CHECKLIST OF ITEMS INCLUDED Amended and Restated Covenants Amended and Restated Code of By-Laws 2007 Chesapeake Security Directory Chesapeake Newsletter Spring 2007
Recruiting New Board Members for Fall Solicitations in Chesapeake Duties of Board Top Ten Complaints
Request Form Paint Palette Lawrence Recycle (highlighted) Collection Schedule
Chesapeake Homeowner's Association (CHOA) P.O. Box 36400 Indianapolis, IN 46236-0400 www.chesapeakeatgeist.org Chesapeake_HOA@hotmail.com Hotline: 317.370.7291
SPRING 2007 NEWSLETTER
Chesapeake Covenants Amended and Approved: Our Chesapeake Covenants and Restrictions have
been amended and approved by 130 Chesapeake homeowners. Copies of the Amended and Restated Declaration of Covenants and Restrictions, as well as the Amended and Restated Code of By-Laws, are included for you. Please read through these documents and put them in a safe place for your reference.
Annual Assessment: Thanks to 182 homeowners who paid their annual assessments. We have only 2
homeowners who did not pay the yearly dues in a timely manner. A lien has been placed on those properties. Our annual assessments are mandatory per the Covenants and crucial to fund the maintenance of Chesapeake common areas.
Chesapeake Common Area Maintenance: After months of obtaining contracts and interviewing
potential service providers, the CHOA board has contracted a couple of companies to help us maintain the Chesapeake Common Ground. Green Touch Landscape Maintenance, which is located in McCordsville, will take care of the mowing, mulching, trimming, weeding, seeding and irrigation of the Common Ground. Leistner Aquatics, which is located in Whiteland, will take care of the ponds and the fountains. The pond can't be treated until the water temperature reaches 60 degrees. Our Chesapeake Common Ground consists of approximately 3 acres with over 100 trees and shrubs. The Common Ground of grass, trees and shrubs can be located on the south side of the street along 79 th Street, along both sides of Harborton, the island on Oyster Bay, at the end of both ponds along Hooper Strait, and the property along Sunnyside both north and south of Potomac Drive to the Indiana Lake Golf Course. Our Chesapeake Common Ground (Water) consists of approximately 3 acres in 2 ponds of water. Our Chesapeake Board is bound by the Covenants to maintain this 6 acres of Common Ground for all of the homeowners in Chesapeake.
City of Lawrence Streets, Sidewalks, Ordinances, etc.: Chesapeake homeowners have been
concerned about the speed of cars going through our Chesapeake neighborhood. Some of these speeding cars are driven by people who are cutting through Chesapeake between the hours of 4:00 and 6:00 p.m. in order to avoid the traffic light at 79 th and Sunnyside, and some of these speeding cars are driven by our own Chesapeake residents. Everyone in Chesapeake should be traveling at less than 25 mph while in the Chesapeake housing division. Homeowners can call the 24-hour, non-emergency City of Lawrence Dispatch Number at 317.545.7575 if a vehicle is speeding through Chesapeake on a regular basis. The sidewalk at the end of Sparrows Point will be repaired in the Spring or Summer of 2007. This damaged walk was not repaired last year because no walks in the City of Lawrence were repaired last year. The City of Lawrence is in the process of evaluating all sidewalk repairs. These repairs should be taken care of in 2007. The City of Lawrence has ordinances stating that vehicles should not block any sidewalk in the City of Lawrence and that vehicles should not be parked within 50 feet of any stop sign. Let’s keep our narrow Chesapeake streets open for the cars of our families and guests by not parking personal vehicles in the street, which could then block a driver’s view and end up causing an accident. The City of Lawrence Animal Control has very specific ordinances regarding the control of animals within the City of Lawrence. If you have any questions, please call Animal Control at 317.549.4814. The trash which is usually collected on Memorial Day – May 28, Labor Day – September 3, and Columbus Day – October 8, will not be collected until the next day. Please take note of this, and attempt to put your trash out after 6:00 p.m. on the day before our Trash collection day. Heavy Trash pick up is scheduled for the first pickup of the month. Inquiries - please call 317.823.8959.
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New Homeowners: Many Chesapeake homes are now being sold before they can even get on the real
estate market. If you suddenly notice that you have a new neighbor, please let one of the Board members know via telephone or e-mail. This way we can get a Welcome Basket to the new homeowner with all of the important Chesapeake information in it.
2007 Yard/Garage Sale: The annual garage sale is set for Saturday, June 9. Be sure to start collecting
your sale items. The CHOA will be placing LARGE Yard Sale signs at both entrances, so this would be a GREAT time to clean out some of those unused items. Garage sale shoppers u sually start arriving before 9:00 a.m. Once again, AmVets (or some such collection agency) will be around on Monday morning, June 11, to pick up anything that hasn’t been sold. GOOD LUCK!
Annual Chesapeake Picnic: Due to lack of interest, we are discontinuing the annual picnic. Yard Light Replacement: Make sure that your yard light is functioning at all times. If you need a NEW
Yard Light, you may go to Home Depot and purchase a French Post Lantern with clear glass with 3 – 60 watt light bulbs; Hampton Bay Model: BPK1803BLK/B (240-308) - $44.97(41 available in Indianapolis area). Black 80 in. aluminum post with photo eye - $39.00. Or you may want to go to Lowes and purchase a Post Lantern with clear glass with 3 – 60 watt light bulbs; Portfolio Model: #48432 - $41.98 (30 available in Indianapolis area) Black Lamp Post with photo eye - $44.96.
Mailbox Replacement: Many of our Chesapeake mailbox post and boxes are 18-20 years old and in need
of repair or replacement. The original posts were only put in the ground 18-24 inches, which is why many mailboxes are leaning into the street. Most of us share a mailbox with a neighbor, so these costs could be cut in half. Mail boxes must be black and on a wooden post. We have gathered some information for you regarding mailbox replacement costs, etc. New Post - $79.00 installed; Mailbox - $28.50 delivered; with Address Number - $34.50 installed; Post Painting - $10.00 (pre-approved paint provided by homeowner); Copper Post Base Protector - $25.00 installed; Black Plastic Newspaper Box Free – Homeowner would need to call the Star/News @ 317.444.4000 to request a box. They will deliver it to the homeowner and The Mailbox Doctor will be glad to install it for free. The homeowner would just need to call The Mailbox Doctor to set an appointment when the box is delivered. The Mailbox Doctor Michael Rajk, Owner 317.714.1922 – mailboxdoctor@hotmail.com If the Mailbox Doctor doesn’t work for you, you might want to contact Baker’s Mailbox Service at 317.353.1261 or Maintenance Tech at 317.253.4853. Also, another contact would be Gene's Mailbox Service at 317.783.1775.
Lake Maintenance, Mole, and Muskrat Control: Jim West has been taking care of the mole
problem in the common area along Harborton. He has agreed to do the same for homeowners that have a mole problem for a nominal fee. If you would like for Jim to take care of your mole problem, you can contact him at 317.826.0334. The fees collected will be used to support various events of CHOA. The Board once again approved an annual fee of $500 for removal and control of muskrats around the lakes. If you spot a muskrat, call CHOA’s contracted muskrat control at 317.862.5950. For effective control, you will need to be able to tell them exactly where you saw the muskrat. Since November 2006, nine (9) muskrats have been caught. Please be aware that any chemicals applied to your lawn should not be applied within 5 feet of the pond shoreline. Lawn fertilizers, weed and grub killers, and other chemicals run off into the ponds and will kill the fish. If you use a lawn service to maintain your lawn, please make sure they are aware of this important information. When you cut your grass, a grass catcher should be used to eliminate any grass clippings being blown into the ponds. If you have someone cut your grass, please remind that person of his/her responsibility as an employee of a Chesapeake homeowner. No foreign material of any kind should be dumped into the
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ponds. As a side note to our pond information, our own Jim Webb, a homeowner on the West pond, has volunteered to monitor the drain on the north end of the East pond so that nothing gets clogged in that drain which ultimately affects the water level in both ponds. Thanks to Jim for taking care of this important task. A big thanks goes out to Marty Chergosky for all of his hard work in cleaning out the Hooper Strait drains. Thanks Marty!
Yard of the Month Criteria for 2007: It is that time of the year again with everyone out sprucing
things up! There are some yards that, every year, look like they were on the cover of House and Garden. Those yards could win the Yard of the Month yearly, and rightfully so! But this year we are giving the folks who have never won the chance to have that coveted sign in their yard. Let's not forget the bonus of gift certificates! A past winner of the Yard of the Month will be asked to select a yard on or about the 1st of June, July and August. Many thanks, once again, to Puccini’s and Ace Hardware for contributing $20.00 each month to sponsor our Yard of the Month contest. Be sure to THANK them as you frequent their establishments. Best of luck to all of you who make Chesapeake such a beautiful neighborhood.
Goose Control: For the year 2007, we plan to have five (5) treatments of Flight Control Plus which will be
provided by 2down Solutions. We found that we had good success with the treatments in 2006. All homeowners who have problems with the geese on their lawns are encouraged to participate in the program at a cost of $61.00 for the season. If you haven’t sent in your check yet, it is not too late to do so. Just make out your check to the Chesapeake Homeowner's Association and send it to P.O. Box 36400, Indianapolis, IN 46236. You don’t want your yard to become a safe haven for the geese. If you choose to participate in the program, your yard will be sprayed 5 times in 2007 starting around April 1 and continuing the process around May 15, June 15 and July 15. As in 2006, the final spraying will take place around the end of November 2007. A small note will be taped above your front door bell on the date that the treatment is applied. This way each homeowner is able to plan the grass mowing, etc. accordingly. Remember – as long as the product is on the grass, the product is effective. After about three mowings, the product is gone. In addition to the individual homeowners’ yards being sprayed, the common area on Hooper Strait will be treated again this year. RESIDENTS MUST NOT FEED THE GEESE, IF WE ARE TO HAVE ANY LUCK IN CONTROLLING THEM AND HOPEFULLY GETTING RID OF THEM. Hopefully, everyone in Chesapeake will benefit by not having to walk through goose droppings, as many take daily walks, etc. Marianne Rhinesmith has registered with the Department of Natural Resources in order to addle the goose eggs. Once the geese nest and hatch their eggs, they will be with us for 20 years. If you find a nest and/or a nest with eggs in it on your property, please call Marianne Rhinesmith at 317.823.6057.
Exterior Painting: Homeowners voted unanimously at the October Annual Meeting to approve an updated
paint chart which would increase our number of color choices to 18. Homeowners who have not painted their home with an approved color should bring their homes into the approved color scheme. Included with your Spring Newsletter information is a sample of the newly-approved chart. Please peruse these colors. The exterior of your house, including trim and garage doors, should correspond with one of these colors. This Chesapeake-approved, paint-palette chart is available through ICI Paints. The ICI Paint Store is located in the Esquire Plaza (far west end) at 8108 Pendleton Pike at 898-0687. Our contact person is Greg. The ICI Paint Company and Greg spent many hours taking photographs of each type of home in Chesapeake. Then they took these photographs and created multiple color options for our Chesapeake residents. All of these options are on large pieces of poster board at the ICI Paint Store. Ask anyone in Chesapeake who has taken advantage of this photographically-enhanced, visual opportunity and they will confirm the advantages of being able to SEE your painted house in your chosen color BEFORE your house is actually painted. ICI is offering all Chesapeake homeowners a 25% discount. In addition to working with ICI Paints, your Board has contacted the Sherwin Williams Paint Store on Pendleton Pike about colors, discounts, etc. Sherwin Williams has duplicated our color
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chart and is offering Chesapeake Homeowners a 20% discount. Sherwin Williams has a Neighbor to Neighbor Program which will then give your Chesapeake Homeowners’ Association 3% of the total sales in Chesapeake. The Chesapeake Account is 9078-4891-5. Please get your completed paint request to Kay Cook. She and the Board will assess your request and get back with you in writing within 30 days. If you are using another company’s paint, then that paint MUST correspond with the Chesapeake-approved, paint-palette chart. PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR ADDRESS IS ON BOTH YOUR HOUSE AND MAILBOX. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.
Roofing: As a reminder – if you are making any exterior changes to your Chesapeake home and/or property,
please notify one of your Chesapeake Board members. Together, we can work to make sure that ALL Covenants and Restrictions are followed. We have had 79 new roofs in Chesapeake since June 1, 2006. Of those 79, only 34 homeowners completed the requested paper work. All Chesapeake homeowners should request Board approval BEFORE putting a new roof on a Chesapeake home. For clarity, the uniformity of our roofing is one of the many things that enhances the neighborhood’s appearance. As our roofs age and need replacing, varying shingle color could drastically change the appearance of Chesapeake. The original roofs are Owens-Corning, 3-tab shingle, color: Weatherwood. If a homeowner decides to have an Owens Corning, dimensional roof installed, then the Weatherwood color name changes slightly to the color of Driftwood. Most other manufactured shingles remain consistent with the Weatherwood color. For this reason, your Board is here for you – to make sure that all exterior modifications are in accordance with the Chesapeake Covenants and Restrictions. Board member, Marianne Rhinesmith, has a sample of the approved shingle if you would like to make sure that you have purchased the proper product. As a side note, some of our Chesapeake roofs have that unsightly black algae/mold on them. This algae/mold deteriorates the roof shingle, which will ultimately affect the life of your shingles/roof. Your Chesapeake Board has contacted Larry Bragg (1-317-512-9735) as a source person to remove these unsightly stains.
Safety Around the Ponds: Please be sure to exercise safety when in or around the ponds in Chesapeake.
If you see any activity that you believe could harm an individual, please be sure to call the police (545.7575) to assist in the situation. All homeowners share in the liability and responsibility of our ponds. Let’s keep our water accident-free.
Solicitation in Chesapeake: Solicitors must obtain a license to solicit in the Lawrence area. If you have a
solicitor come to your door, politely ask them for their Lawrence Solicitor's Number and if they don't have one, say you are sorry and close the door, and then call the Lawrence police (545.7575).
Chesapeake Web Site Reformatted: Your Chesapeake Web Site has been reformatted for your
convenience. Please check it out at www.chesapeakeatgeist.org.
IPL Devastation at 79th Street and Sunnyside: After over a year of phone calls, letters and
discussions, it appears that the Chesapeake Homeowners are going to have to take about $1,500 out of our yearly assessment money in order to repair the damage created by IPL, the City of Indianapolis, and Wright Tree Service. If you, as a homeowner, would like to weigh in on this issue, you can call IPL at 261.8389; IPL's parent company, AES Corporation at 703.522.1315; and/or City of Indianapolis at 327.4622. Our City of Lawrence Mayor has been asked for assistance, but as of April 9, 2007, she has not responded in a positive manner.
Chesapeake East Drive Car Break-In: Sometime during the night of Thursday, April 5, several cars
were broken into on Chesapeake Drive East. Billfolds and credit cards were then stolen from glove compartments. Be Alert!!
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ARE YOU READY TO SERVE ON THE BOARD?
New Board Members Needed:
Kay Cook and Marianne Rhinesmith will be ending their 3-year term and commitments to the Chesapeake community in October 2007. A nominating committee is now in place. If you are interested in serving on the Chesapeake Board, please call Dave Snow (823.8744). Although very few of us would want to go this route, if we are unable to obtain volunteers to serve on the Board, it will be necessary to turn the management of Chesapeake over to a management company, which will charge each homeowner a minimum of $60$100 per year in addition to whatever the assessment fee is currently. The management company would not put forth the effort that a homeowner would. We would still have to have a Board but it would not be a working Board like the present one. The following is a list of the duties of the Board serving Chesapeake Homeowners' Association: Chesapeake Homeowners' Association has a five-member Board of Directors. Board members, first and foremost are your neighbors. Like you, their chief concern is that of maintaining the quality of this community to the benefit of us all. They serve without pay. Homeowners elect the board at the annual Association meeting. The next annual meeting of all homeowners will be in October 2007. Here are major responsibilit ies of the Board: Maintain landscaping of common areas Irrigation of common areas Pond maintenance (water quality fountains, muskrat control, geese control, algae control, and related issues) Provide liability insurance for common areas Pay State and Federal Taxes Pay utilities (water and electricity) Solicit and monitor service-providing contractors Draw up annual budget Establish and collect annual homeowner assessments Plan and conduct annual community events (garage sale, holiday lights at entrance, etc.) Replace or remove trees and shrubs Monitor homeowner compliance with covenants and restrictions Process and approve exterior paint and fence requests and any other required approvals Printing of Chesapeake Security Directory for all residents The Board tackles these and a number of other tasks, and maintains frequent liaison with Lawrence Township authorities.
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CHESAPEAKE HOMEOWNER VOLUNTEERS
Many Chesapeake homeowners are volunteering their time and talents for everyone. At the going rate of anywhere between $100.00 - $150.00 an hour the following residents have given of their time in order to save all Chesapeake homeowners:
Gene Nesbit maintains the entrance lights along the Harborton entrance. He replaces all bulbs ( at no cost to the homeowners), repairs posts that have been run into by lawn mowers, and replaces broken glass Savings to homeowners - $1500.00 @ year assisted with common ground irrigation in August during a back flow test Savings to homeowners - $125.00 volunteered to maintain timers on fountains Savings to homeowners - $250.00 checks drain on east pond on a regular basis and sometimes twice a day Savings to homeowners - $1200.00 ordered stone and then worked with the stone in order to make a ramp for the boat that is used to treat the ponds, etc. Savings to homeowners - $500.00 helps to put Aqua Shade into both ponds Savings to homeowners - $350.00 assist with distribution of information Savings to homeowners, - 500.00 *It would cost you the homeowner $500.00 for each communication. We have 4 yearly communications. Total Savings to homeowners - $2000.00 helped with Christmas decorations in 2005 Savings to homeowners. - $375.00
Jim Leming
Jim Webb Marty Chergosky Jim Webb Darrell Troutt Darrell Troutt 12 Group Leaders
Tom Armstrong Marty Chergosky Jim Leming Jim Leming Pat Beaupre Paul Rogers Frank Tilton Kay Boyle Charley Strecker Darrell Troutt Pettys and Tottons
stores Christmas decorations Savings to homeowners - $575.00 assists with yards light checks each month Savings to homeowners - $1200.00 runs off materials for the homeowners Savings to homeowners - $350.00 maintains the CHOA webpage as webmaster Savings to homeowners - $500.00 delivers Welcome Baskets Savings to homeowners - $200.00 picture-taking and graphics talents Savings to homeowners - $200.00 computer graphics talents Savings to homeowners - $200.00 each donated a week at a condo which added $1200.00 to the CHOA Treasury
TOTAL $10,725.00 THANKS TO HOMEOWNERS \ Your Chesapeake Board of Directors - volunteer hours of time each week Savings to homeowners – Approximately $5.00 for each homeowner = $60.00 each year = almost $12,000.00 each year that we would have to pay a Management Team to run Chesapeake $10,725.00 + $12,000.00 = $22,725.00 - Savings to ALL Chesapeake Homeowners
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SPRING 2007 NEWSLETTER (continued)
Dear Chesapeake Homeowner: The members of the Board of Directors of the Chesapeake Homeowner's Association (CHOA) are bound by the covenants and by-laws of our association as are you the homeowners. With the advent of spring, many home improvement projects will be started, and it is a good time to remind everyone of the covenants with which we must comply. Homeowners MUST obtain approval from the Chesapeake Board of Directors prior to starting work/construction on: repainting a dwelling (all homes in the subdivision need to be painted periodically); constructing any exterior improvement to a dwelling; erecting a fence or deck; adding outdoor lighting; removing any existing trees.
Please remember the covenants state that the Board has 30 days to respond in writing to your request(s). Keep this in mind when applying for approval. Article V, Section 5.2 of the Covenants outlines how to submit a request to the Board. Homeowners ARE NOT PERMITTED to: park boats, campers, trailers of any kind, recreational vehicles or commercial vehicles on their property for any period exceeding 48 hours unless it is inside the garage; keep animals other than household pets, and house pets must be kept in the yard or on a leash; install antennas, satellite dishes, poles or heat panels (exception – small satellite dish); exhibit in any way billboard or advertising sign (other than one sign less than six feet square advertising the property for sale); install or use any outdoor clothes drying apparatus.
Further homeowners MUST: maintain their outdoor lights in working order (these are for security reasons as well as decorative); maintain lots to prevent an unsightly appearance (this includes keeping trees, shrubs, bushes and lawns in good condition); mow regularly (homeowners on the lake must maintain their lawn all the way to the water and keep the grass neatly trimmed by the water); control pets (the Board has received numerous request from homeowners asking us to remind dog owners that many do not wish to have dog droppings on their property; please be considerate when walking your dog and also do not place the droppings in the storm sewers as these drain into our lakes).
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TOP TEN (10) COMPLAINTS VOICED BY CHESAPEAKE HOMEOWNERS TO THE CHESAPEAKE BOARD NUMBER 10: Homeowners should have mailboxes in good repair and black in color with wooden posts. Homeowners should keep all pets on a leash for everyone’s safety. Homeowners should not put trash out two days before trash day. Homeowners should not permit signs in their yards long after work has been completed. Signs other than "FOR SALE" signs should only stay in a yard a maximum of 2 weeks. Homeowners should not park vehicles in driveways which then block walkways and sidewalks. Homeowners should store trash receptacles out of public view. Homeowners should take good care of the grass between the street and each homeowner’s front yard. Homeowners should pay close attention to the approved Chesapeake Paint Chart Homeowners should park personal vehicles in their driveway or garage—not in the street.
NUMBER 9: NUMBER 8: NUMBER 7:
NUMBER 6:
NUMBER 5: NUMBER 4:
NUMBER 3:
NUMBER 2:
AND THE NUMBER 1 COMPLAINT VOICED BY CHESAPEAKE HOMEOWNERS TO THE CHESAPEAKE BOARD Homeowners continue to permit their dogs to defecate in neighbors’ yards and in the circle (after being repeatedly reminded NOT to do so) and then they do NOT clean up after their pets. (Common Courtesies are always Common Place in Chesapeake.)
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Chesapeake Homeowner's Association Board
Marianne Rhinesmith, President 10647 Chesapeake Drive N. smrhine@comcast.net Kay Cook, Secretary 7770 Hooper Strait Drive kay.cook@bakerd.com Dave Snow, Treasurer 10738 Seaview Lane davidsnow5@msn.com Paul Rogers, Grounds and Directory 10748 Oyster Bay Court multigraph@comcast.net Julie Petty, Ponds and Fountains 10630 Cobb Island Court Julie@childadvocates.net 317.823.6057
317.823.9376
317.823.8744
317.823.6560
317.826.4007