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HOA Question Why haven't our streets been plowed??

Discussion in 'Homeowners Corner' started by Habitat, Jan 8, 2010.

  1. Habitat

    Habitat Member

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    Our streets have not been plowed nor have the sidewalks been cleaned. There hasn't been any salt put down on the streets. We pay $960+ a year for service. Where is it going?
     
  2. KTdid

    KTdid Well-Known Member

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    The summer entertainment!
     
  3. T8erman

    T8erman Well-Known Member

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    Well, first, you could be on a VDOT street and that is NOT the responsibility of the HOA. Check the latest Newsletter and look up your street to see who is responsible or post your street name and let someone else do it for you.

    Second, what was there to plow? The snow was minimal and extremely fine, the wind blew it off our street and driveway. I would rather let nature take care of this particular snowfall than rack up MORE snow removal costs, which ain't cheap!

    Third, if you are referring to the neigborhood sidewalks, THAT is responsibilty of the homeowner(s). If you are referring to the paved walkways, those are under the HOA.

    Fourth, your HOA fees encompass much more than just snow removal.
     
  4. flynnibus

    flynnibus Well-Known Member Forum Staff

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    FWIW - 'Where is it going' regarding budget and the description of the plowing services are both in the newsletter.

    Important questions include are you a HOA maintained street, or VDOT street. All answered in the newsletter.

    See page 12 for budget info
    See page 17 for snow removal info

    http://www.broadlandshoa.org/fileshare/files/24/2009/12DEC09.pdf
     
  5. redon1

    redon1 aka Aphioni

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    won't the WIND take care of the li'l ol' dusting of snow out there? :)
     
  6. PowerPlay

    PowerPlay Member

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    That's what I'm thinking, I didn't even need to clean off my car this morning at 9:30 to take the kids to school because it was all blown off.
     
  7. diana5869

    diana5869 Member

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    We must all live in different neighborhoods! I had to brush a decent amount of snow off my car this morning at 10, and then scrape a layer of ice off of it! Not only that, but my street is an HOA street, and it is a sheet of ice. We got sleet and freezing rain before the snow, and it is really slick. I try not to complain because I grew up in Northeast Ohio, so I know snow, but the fact that it is so icy, and nothing has been put down is amazing to me. I came home from work, I work at Briar Woods, and my car slid significantly when I turned into my driveway.
     
  8. lilpea

    lilpea Member

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    I think it was slightly odd; VDOT came out today and plowed Claiborne (multiple times) & Ridgeway, yet VDOT took their sweet time cleaning up after the last storm and out right forgot some of the streets in the neighborhood.

    While I agree that current amount of snow was minimal, it does appear our HOA street has yet to be treated, no biggie as there was very little snow.

    However now our street has become a slick sheet of black ice. I just came back in from walking our dogs and had a heart thumping moment; as I watched my neighbor make a right onto Ridgeway and proceed to do a 540degree pirouette from our street, coincidently they went straight home.
     
  9. lilpea

    lilpea Member

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    I have this nagging feeling that the "HOA budget" for snow removal has been blown far beyond anyone's expectations...:scaredeyes:
     
  10. Sunny

    Sunny Chief Advisor

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    SOLUTION:
    Magnetic advertising on the hired snow plows for local businesses that sponsor our plowing!
    Any takers????!!! :)
     
  11. vacliff

    vacliff "You shouldn't say that."

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    Our December bill came in somewhere north of $70,000.
    $25,000 was left in the budget.
    Do the math.
    The HOA can come out for every single dusting, but you are all going to pay for it. I am quite confident that the majority of our residents do not want to pay for that.
    Expect a decent increase in next year's HOA fees to cover for last year's bill. And we may have to increase it more to create a larger pool of money for future years.
    You get what you pay for, folks.
     
  12. Habitat

    Habitat Member

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    I am mostly certainly capable of doing the math. But we have had temperatures in the 20's for quite some time. The "dusting" as you put it, doesn't melt and causes a great safety hazard for all especially on the streets where the sun will not shine for another few months. I would think, and I will make an effort to research this, that there would be a surplus from years past when you didn't have to do much plowing (if any).
    I appreciate the efforts to beautify the Broadlands, protect habitat, provide programs etc. but we also need to plan for years like this one. It's a safety issue for our residents. To say the rates will increase because of this - maybe we need to rethink some of the other areas where our money is going. Where is the "pool" of money from the previous years? If you don't want to plow, at least put some salt down to take care of some of the "black ice". Nature may be able to blow some of the snow away, but nature is also making the black ice.
     
  13. Mr. Linux

    Mr. Linux Senior Member & Moderator Forum Staff

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    It's been asked a couple times already, what street do you live on?
     
  14. msflynn

    msflynn New Member

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    The years when we did not have as many roads to plow there were also not as many people who contributed and we only contract for the work we need done not for work we will need done at some future time. By the way there is no "pool" of money. The HOA is a non profit organization so our budget is the same in as it is out or as close as we can make it to that. Based on the way the HOA is set up the only money we can keep for future improvements is our reserve fund, but that money is for the major upkeep in the community, ie pool maintenace, sidewalk, path and road replacement (for the private streets), building upkeep, etc. This is not used for daily maintenace which snow plowing would be considered. As the newsletter states we are contracted to plow etc when more then 2 inches accumulates on the streets this past snow was not over 2 inches thus no plowing.
    You do realize that the temperatures and snowfall amounts are unusual for this area. We can not budget for the worst every year (as agian we are a non profit), so the occasional time we do get large snows or other odd weather we are going to be put into a deficit position. The other thing that needs to be remembered since you seem to think the HOA has all this money is that we budget for each home that has been built and settled to pay into the expenses. With all the home forclosures, and people loosing their jobs the HOA fees are normally the 1st thing people stop paying thus for 2009 we were already operating at a deficit.

    If you are interested I am happy to get you a copy for the 2010 budget but it was included in your Dec newsletter and can be downloaded from the main website. If you have suggestions on where we can make additional cuts the board will be happy to listen. We have our next board meeting this coming Tuesday 1/12 at the Nature Center starting at 6pm. We always have a time for owner comments near the beginning but if you can not make it then we have always made other time for owners that come to speak.

    Staci
     
  15. Villager

    Villager Ashburn Village Resident

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    My street in Ashburn Village is VDOT's responsibility. VDOT did not plow our neighborhood streets this time around. It wasn't necessary that they be plowed, although some sand/salt would have helped with the melting. Still, the level of ice on my neighborhood streets wasn't a big problem. The only cars I saw slipping and sliding were those who did not drive appropriately: slow and steady. Naturally, turning corners is a little bit trickier but with good tires and good driving it can be done safely. The main roads were quite clear.

    Neither the HOA nor VDOT can be everywhere and do everything at all times. People may think they know what is right and what should be done but that doesn't mean it is realistic. Buying your own ice melt supplies at Home Depot and doing it oneself is not inconceivable.
     
  16. kevinq

    kevinq Member

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    I am sure not every HOA street has the black ice problem. Anyway, some streets most likely will have a recurring black ice problem due to the afternoon sun melting the snow we had from the recent and the big snowfall and then very cold temperatures. Our current weather makes it difficult to keep all roads, especially the less traveled roads, clear of winter mess.
     
  17. vacliff

    vacliff "You shouldn't say that."

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    Sorry, the "pool" has been spent.
    Our contractor WAS out salting areas and intersections Friday.
    If you'd like to know where or when, contact the HOA Office.
    Since you could live in California for all I know, contacting the HOA Office with the specific street and area of concern may get you some results or answers.
    Contacting the office in an appropriate timeframe may get you more results than anonymous postings about an anonymous street.
     
  18. Baywatch68

    Baywatch68 New Member

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    What is this snow y'all are talking about? Won't global warming take care of it?
     
  19. gunzour

    gunzour "Living on the Edge"

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    Our street was not plowed or salted this week and I certainly wouldn't want the HOA wasting money to plow it. The road is flat and straight and the snow/ice that remains doesn't pose a danger.

    If there is a hilly road where the ice becomes a problem, perhaps you just need to call the HOA and ask for them to take a look. Have you tried that? It seems like people in this thread who volunteer for the HOA have asked for the name of your street in an effort to help out.
     
  20. lilpea

    lilpea Member

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    The black ice took care of it's self today on our street and no longer presents an issue.

    Question for the BHOA members:

    Since the DC metro trends to have a nasty storm/season every 6.5 -7 years (based on historical data and affects of El Nino/La Nina) is there a chance that the Board could put some monies aside (like a snow storm fund) for the plowing bills vs. having a dramatic increase in HOA rates for the proceeding year following a heavy snow season?

    That way the cost could be aggregated over a longer period of time vs. a HUGE increase. I definitely understand "you get what you pay for" and over all we have been pleased with the HOA's contractor and their response to the snow, especially a few years ago when we had that nasty ice storm. Just a thought/suggestion.
     

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