Why do we have covenanted communities, such as Birkdale? The answer is historical and complicated. The simple answer, however, is that covenants provide measures for community homeowners to protect the character of their neighborhoods and, in turn, the value of one of their largest assets. A covenant is like a contractual obligation to perform, or not to perform, certain activities. To be valid, covenants must meet several conditions:
• Covenants must be in writing.
• The originators, usually the developers, must have intended that successive owners would be bound by these covenants.
• Purchasers must have received actual notice of all covenants at or by purchase (i.e., closing).
• The covenants must concern the land and the buildings thereon, not the individuals who reside on the land.
In general, the covenants preserve the appearance of a community and prevent “improper” or uncommon use of the site. Tens of millions of homes in the United States are located in communities governed by a homeowner association or condominium association, each providing its own document of covenants, conditions, and restrictions (Birkdale’s document is entitled “Master Protections, A Declaration of Covenants, Easements and Restrictions,” originally dated 17 November 1988). Like other associations’ CCRs, ours provides guidelines—both restrictions and requirements—on common topics:
• Maintaining the land and the building(s);
• Decorating and improving the home (e.g., painting, landscaping, additions);
• Keeping pets and their control;
• Parking and maintaining vehicles associated with the property; and
• Storage of trash cans and “unsightly items.” Many of us acknowledged receiving the covenants when we closed on our homes, but many of us also either skimmed the document or did not read it. Over the past months I have addressed common problems addressed in our covenant document; I urge all to refresh their knowledge by rereading—and following—our document, located at Birkdaleonline.com/GoverningDocuments. A community is only as strong as the involvement and participation of its residents in its governance and decision-making. So, our next board meeting on 04 February will be an online meeting. Look for instructions on how to join us later in this newsletter. Also, we will be discussing possible social events and capital activities that will affect the community. We invite you to join us electronically. Ron Buchanan
President, Birkdale Community Association | Next Board of Directors Meeting The next Birkdale Board of Directors Meeting will take place February 4th, 2021 This meeting will be virtual. Here are the instructions for logging in: Birkdale Meeting
Thu, Feb 4, 2021 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM (EST) Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone. https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/585032869 You can also dial in using your phone.
(For supported devices, tap a one-touch number below to join instantly.) United States: +1 (872) 240-3212
- One-touch: tel:+18722403212,,585032869# Access Code: 585-032-869 New to GoToMeeting? Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting starts: https://global.gotomeeting.com/install/585032869 All residents are encouraged to attend. | ASSESSMENTS First quarter assessments were due January 1, 2021. As of January 20, 2021, a total of 132 accounts were in arrears totaling $34,828 of overdue assessments, of which 22 accounts have been turned over to collections and have accumulated an additional $1,953 of late fees and legal expenses. If you have not paid your first quarter assessment, please pay with immediate effect. As a reminder, assessments are due on the first day of each calendar quarter: January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1. Please note, the BCA Board has approved NO CHANGE to the 2021 assessment, which will remain $404/year or $101 per quarterly assessment. Just a reminder, there are several options for paying your assessment. Owners can mail a check to ACS West, Inc. Owners may also pay online through their banks or use an electronic assessment payment outlined in your coupon book. Remember, some methods of payment add service fees, which are the responsibility of the homeowner. Please allow adequate time to ensure that your payment is received by the due date. COLLECTION POLICY Birkdale Collection Policy adopted in 2018 remains in effect for 2021. If quarterly assessments are not paid, ACS West, Inc. sends out reminder notices. If ACS West efforts fail, delinquent accounts are sent to our contracted outside collection agency, Equity Experts, Inc. Once an account is sent for outside collections, neither BCA Board Members nor ACS West can assist a homeowner in resolving outstanding assessments, and delinquent homeowners will be responsible for all collection fees which will include agency bills for contact, service, procedures and possibly court and legal fees. The Collections Policy is available at www.birkdaleonline.com, under Governing Documents. If you have any questions related to assessments please contact: Lee Ann King, Birkdale Community Manager
ACS West, Inc.
1904 Byrd Ave, Suite 100
Richmond, VA 23230
(804)282-7451 or admin@acswest.org Susan Lipp,
Treasurer, Birkdale Community Association | ACS West is our Managing Agent You may use your coupon book to send in your payment or set up quarterly payments through ACS West or your bank.
link to: ACS WEST REMINDER: Assessments were due January 1st.
Our next Assessment is due April 1st.
Thank you! | January has been a quiet month again in Birkdale with little activity throughout the Community except for several homeowners replacing their roofs. The general COVID quarantine has kept us all closer to home. Hopefully during the next few months we will be able to get out and work on our spring projects around our property.
Stay safe. Applications submitted to ARC for approval:
14101 Spyglass Hill Circle - Fence
9113 Mission Hills Lane - Roof
8113 Ainsdale Lane - Roof
8707 Torrey Pines Drive - Roof
9118 Mission Hills Lane - Roof
14504 Highgate Hill Court- Roof work
9107 Mission Hills Lane - Roof
8113 Ainsdale Lane - Roof Link to the ARC Guidelines
Link to the ARC application Lee Kemmet
ARC Committee Mailbox Maintenance Mailbox maintenance is the homeowner’s responsibility, and the specific requirements are in the ARC Guidelines. When painting your mailbox, Lowe’s on Hull Street has the equivalent paint color as Benjamin Moore which is Lowe's - Valspar, Quart, 372, Birkdale Vanilla Cookie, Exterior Satin, Duramax, 105-1, 107-1, 214-2.5. For your metal mailbox, Cottage Red Benjamin Moore is available at Virginia Paint and can also be mixed at Lowes. The Birkdale logo and numbers may be purchased from Sign Crafters Inc., Attn: Barbara Isenberg, 804-379-2004 or email bisenberg@sign-crafters.com OR You may contact resident Rich McGinness - The Mailbox Guy- who will assist you with mailbox maintenance. Rich McGuinness at Themailboxguy@yahoo.com or call 919-621-9983 | 2021 BIRKDALE PROPOSED COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION CALENDAR February 4th- Virtual Board Meeting - see link in article above May 6th - Board Meeting May 8th- Semi-Annual Spring Yard Sale August 5th- Board Meeting September 9th-Board Budget Meeting October 2nd- Semi-Annual Fall Yard Sale October 7th- Annual Board Meeting October 16th- Fall Festival November 6th- Board Meeting | Landscape & Neighborhood Etiquette We certainly enjoyed the SNOW on January 30th. The grand total measured in at about 3.5 inches here in Birkdale. Groundhog day is just around the corner and will predict if winter is here to stay or spring is on it's way! Here are the reminders from the Landscape Committee NO DUMPING- Please do not drag brush and clippings or debris into the common areas to include the area surrounding the power lines behind Royal Birkdale. Those areas belong to you and to me as property owners. PARKING- Do not park on the green spaces in Birkdale. Please park in your driveway rather than on the street fronting your home. Street parking limits access to emergency vehicles, causes congestion, and is a hazard for children and walkers. NO FIRES whatsoever. Fires require a permit from Chesterfield County. It is not appropriate to burn any vegetation in common areas and cause alarm to nearby homeowners. TRASH- Birkdale has a backyard trash policy. Please do not take you trash cans to the curb. There are many companies who offer backyard pickup services in our neighborhood. DOG WASTE- Please be courteous and pick up after your pooch. While walking please make an effort to keep your dog from using the bathroom on other resident's property. Direct them to the mulched common areas whenever possible-and pick up! If you have any problems or complaints regarding common areas, please call Wayne Bass at 804-639-0795. Lighting Gas street lights were replaced with solar powered LED lights last year and are now the standard from the Winterpock Road entrance to the Spring Run Road entrance. Solar power is dependent on adequate sunlight to recharge the batteries. Thus in winter, lights may not function all night. If you have questions or notice a situation which may need attention, call ACS West for investigation. |
Covenants Committee
The Covenants Committee continues to monitor conditions which may violate the ARC Standards or other conditions found in governing documents. At present there are a few which have exceeded our normal extended time frame for compliance, and we will begin the escalation process. Under the Birkdale Violation Complaint Resolution Practice there are steps which must be followed to inform the violator of the violation and corrective action which needs to be taken. If the corrective action is not taken, a second notice is issued with information about the direction in which the case may advance. After adequate time is allowed for correction, the violator may be called before the committee for a hearing to explain why corrective actions have not been taken. If the committee believes the violation still exists and the resident does not agree to correct it, the committee may elect to impose fines as detailed in the Violation Complaint Resolution Practice and State law. A volunteer is needed to head this important committee. If you would like more information or are interested in helping out, please contact Earl Bishop at 639-5915, earlbishop8313@gmail.com | Birkdale's Pet of the Month Meet Anna- an adorable Schnauzer puppy owned by the Radcliffe's on Spy Glass Hill Circle. Anna had a great time playing in the snow with owner Zoey and her dog friend Duke during Sunday's snow fall. Would you like to see your pet featured in the Bulletin? Send us a photo of your pet and a brief description to appear as next month's Pet of the Month email to:
newsletter@birkdaleonline.com
Subject line- Pet of the Month | In The Garden Spring is just around the corner and now is the time to start taking care of some of the upcoming gardening chores. If we don't get another big snowfall, the weather will be conducive to some plant growth in the Southeast. Much of your attention should be directed at pruning and at caring for fruit trees and roses. February is your deadline to prune shrubs that bloom on new growth: Soon, they will no longer be dormant. Shelter tender plants with row covers when temperatures take a dip. Sow seeds for cool-season vegetables such as lettuce. Below you will find some tips on growing lettuce both indoors and outdoors. For a spring lettuce this year now is the time to start planning: Start Indoors: 25 to 46 days before the last frost date Hardening Off: 7 to 10 days before transplanting Transplant Outdoors: Between 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after the last frost date Spacing: 6 to 12 inches between plants Watering: Deeply at least once a week, frequently during dry spells Fertilizing: 3 weeks after transplanting Harvest: When there are 5 to 6 mature leaves of 2 inches long How to Plant Lettuce Indoors or in Containers Year Round: Growing Lettuce From Lettuce Did you know that you can actually grow lettuce from another head of lettuce? Well, you can! This method works best with Romaine lettuce. You begin by taking a head of romaine lettuce and cutting the end off of it. You use the rest of the lettuce as you normally would. Then you place the base of the lettuce in a small bowl of warm water. You’ll want to place the bowl of warm water near window where it can receive some sunlight. You’ll need to leave it cut side up for
about a week. Over that week you should begin to see small amounts of growth. Next, you’ll want to take that head of lettuce that is now sprouting and place it into a flower pot. You’ll need to plant it in potting soil and make sure the whole base is buried. Just be sure not to cover up the new growth. Then you’ll need to water the plant regularly and watch it grow. You can do this with each head of lettuce this plant produces. Plus, the plant will keep producing. So you could theoretically have a never ending supply of lettuce right in your kitchen. Lettuce in a Flower Pot This is probably the most traditional indoor way of growing lettuce. It is also super simple. You’ll want to begin by picking a favorite decorative flower pot. It doesn’t have to be super large as lettuce roots aren’t very deep. Then you’ll want to fill the pot ¾ of the way with potting soil. Next, you’ll plant lettuce seeds in the pot. Because lettuce seeds are so small, it is important to remember that you’ll need to go back over the grow area when germination has occurred in order to thin it out. After you have planted the lettuce seeds, you’ll need to fill the pot the rest of the way with potting soil. Then spritz the soil with water. Over time germination will take place and the seeds will need to be thinned. As the lettuce grows you harvest the leaves as needed. If you don't have a sunny window try ….Grow Lights Fill starter trays with soil and sprinkle lettuce seeds covering about 1/4 inch with soil. Place the trays on a stainless steel or plastic shelf. Next, make sure to keep them spritzed with water and watch for germination. You don’t have to worry about where you place them for sunlight because the grow lights do the job. Another tip is to try shop lights. They can be just as effective and cost a fraction of what grow lights do. So if you don’t have a ton of window space, don’t think that growing lettuce indoors is out of the equation for you. Just invest in a set-up that works for you and pair it with grow lights. What Kind of Lettuce Should I Grow? There are many types of lettuce that will grow well inside your home. Here are a few options that you might enjoy. Romaine- Romaine lettuce tastes wonderful, it is a sturdier type of lettuce, and is a great choice when trying to grow lettuce from lettuce. Since it is has such a strong base on it, it makes it easier to germinate. Plus, if you try to watch how much gluten you ingest or carbohydrates, this type of lettuce is wonderful for using in the place of wraps or sandwich bread. Leaf Lettuce Leaf lettuce is great to add in a salad so you can get different textures for your salad. It is also wonderful to use on sandwiches too. Plus, this type of lettuce is easy to grow indoors. It doesn’t take up much space because of the way it pops up in single sprigs. Therefore, if you are limited on indoor grow space, then you might want to consider this type of lettuce. You could grow a bunch of it in flower pots, mobile grow spaces, or in seed starting pots as well. Tips taken from https://morningchores.com/growing-lettuce-indoors/ | Chesterfield Students Return to School February 1st. Elementary Students return to the classrooms on February 1st. For information on schedules and updates please visit the county website at https://mychesterfieldschools.com/ Please continue to slow down when driving through the neighborhood as children will be out riding bikes and playing. Please avoid parking in the streets as it blocks the view and affects the safety of everyone. Winter Break is December 21st-January 1st. Here is the full 2020-2021 School Calendar. | Any suspicious activity should always be reported to the local police to investigate. Bear and fox sightings should be reported to the Animal Control number. Emergency 911 | Non-emergency 804-748-1251 Animal Control 748-1683 Traffic Hotline 804-318-8084 or speeding@chesterfield.gov Chesterfield County Covid Updates: Click here to link to the County website | Want to participate on a committee? This is a great way to meet and work with neighbors for a common goal: helping our community. We are currently looking for Neighborhood Watch, Covenants and Social Committee chairs. Please send a message to this newsletter with your interests or contact any Board member, and the BCA will gladly and willingly find a place to use your talents! Many thanks! newsletter@birkdaleonline.com | The Birkdale Board Members
Ron Buchannan, President 804-740-4212, r_buchanan02@comcast.net
* Wayne Bass, Vice- President 639-0795
* Susan Lipp, Secretary /Treasurer 513-978-4708, susanwlipp@yahoo.com
* Lee Kemmett, Member-at -Large, 804-739-6405, clkem5@comcast.net
ACS West, Community Manager, Lee Ann King 804-282-7451, fax 804-282-9590, E-mail: admin@acswest.org Association Contact Names and Numbers
* ARC—Lee Kemmet, 739-6405, clkem5@comcast.net
* Covenants Committee--- a volunteer is needed to head this committee- Earl Bishop is currently serving as contact 639-5915, earlbishop8313@gmail.com
* Landscaping/Lighting—Wayne Bass, 639-0795; Nick Martello, 739-7487
* Newsletter—Cynthia Steiner, 804-852-3365, newsletter@birkdaleonline.com
* Social Committee—VACANT
* Neighborhood Watch--VACANT (Won't you please put your name here?) Other Community Contact Names and Numbers
* Women’s Club—currently inactive
* Swim Team—Joy Blocher, email: collingtonswimteam@gmail.com
* Birkdale Golf Course Clubhouse, 739-8800, www.acumengolf.com
* Birkdale Golf/Swim Membership, hospitality@acumengolf.com |
Support your Neighborhood and Local Businesses who Advertise in the Birkdale Classifieds Do you need help with your yard and home projects? Time to contact the advertisers in this month's Classifieds to help tackle those chores. The Classifieds are filled with local businesses that offer services to make our lives easier. To view the current issue of the Birkdale Classifieds click the link below. This publication is printed and delivered to paper boxes of all Birkdale residents the first week of each month. If you would like to run an ad in the Birkdale Classifieds, contact Cynthia Steiner at classifieds@birkdaleonline.com. Resident rates start as low as $15/month. | |
