Note: On October 9, 2013, the
Board of Directors approved the reformatting of this document as well as various
amendments. This decision was affirmed by the membership at the October 15,
2013, Annual Meeting. The newly revised Rules and Regulations are now contained
in a separate document dated October 9, 2013.
RULES AND
REGULATIONS
(Enacted
December 17, 1997 – Subsequent amendments appear at the end of this document)
RESOLUTION
NO.
1
WHEREAS,
Article VII, Section 1(c) of the By-Laws assigns the Board of Directors all powers,
duties and authority vested and delegated to the Association; and,
WHEREAS,
Article VII, Section 1(a) of the By-Laws provides that the Board of Directors
has the power to adopt and publish Rules and Regulations governing the use of
the common areas and facilities and the personal conduct of the members and
their guests thereon and to establish penalties for the infraction of such
Rules and Regulations;
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the following Rules and Regulations are adopted
by the Board, and that this resolution shall serve as Resolution No. 1 and
supersedes all prior resolutions establishing Rules and Regulations.
These
Rules and Regulations amplify or clarify various sections of the HFCA
Declarations, including Restrictive Covenants, and HFCA By-Laws. These
sections are referred to as appropriate, but are not repeated here.
14)
Maintenance of trees in the Common Areas.
DUE
PROCESS PROCEDURES
(Enacted December 17, 1997)
RESOLUTION
NO.
2
WHEREAS,
Article VII, Section 1(c) of the By-Laws assigns the Board of Directors all
powers, duties and authority vested and delegated to the Association; and,
WHEREAS,
Article VII, Section 1(a) of the By-Laws provides that the Board of Directors
has the power to adopt and publish Rules and Regulations governing the use of
the common areas and facilities and the personal conduct of the members and
their guests thereon and to establish penalties for the infraction of such
Rules and Regulations; and,
WHEREAS,
Article VII, Section 1(b) of the By-Laws provides that the Board of Directors
has the power to suspend the voting rights and right to use of the recreational
facilities of a member for infraction of published Rules and Regulations after
notice and hearing and for a period not to exceed sixty days; and,
WHEREAS,
Section 55-513 of the Virginia Property Owners’ Association Act (“Act”)
provides the Board of Directors the power, to the extent provided in the
Declaration or rules adopted pursuant thereto, to (1) suspend an owner’s right
to use facilities or non-essential services offered by the Association for
nonpayment of assessments to the extent that access to the lot through the
common areas is not precluded and (2) assess charges against owners for
violations of the Declaration or Rules and Regulations as adopted pursuant
thereto for which the owner or his family members, tenants, guest or other
invitees are responsible; and,
WHEREAS,
Section 55-513 of the Act further provides that certain procedures must be
followed before such charges may be assessed, including a hearing after proper
notice; and,
WHEREAS,
the Board of Directors of the Association recognizes that orderly procedures
are necessary for the assessment of charges for violations of the Association
Documents or of the Rules and Regulations promulgated pursuant thereto; and ,
WHEREAS,
the Board of Directors considers that the Architectural Control Committee
(“ACC”) shall be the tribunal before which hearings are held, as contemplated
in the Act and the By-Laws; and,
WHEREAS,
for the benefit and protection of the Association and of the individual owner,
the Board deems it necessary and desirable to establish and operate by procedures
to assure due process in cases where there is a question of compliance by an
owner with provisions of the Act, the Association Documents (Declaration and
By-Laws) or Rules and Regulations promulgated pursuant thereto, thereby
minimizing the necessity of seeking action through a court of law,
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the following procedures are adopted by the
Board, and that this resolution shall serve as Resolution No. 2 and supersedes
all prior resolutions establishing due process procedures.
Any
owner, officer or agent of the Association may request that an owner cease or
correct any act or omission which appears to be in violation of the Act, the
Association Documents (including the Restrictive Covenants) or the Rules and
Regulations promulgated pursuant thereto.
In
the case of disputes between owners regarding activities within the lot or the
appurtenant limited common area, if any, the Association will generally not
become involved in the dispute or act on a complaint unless two or more persons
have complained in writing.
Any
owner or resident may initiate the enforcement process by filing a written
complaint with the Board of Directors (Board) or
the Architectural Control Committee (ACC). The ACC shall forward such
complaints to the Board for consideration. The complaint need not be in
any particular form. The complaint shall include a concise statement of
charges setting forth in clear language the specific act(s) or omission(s) with
which the offending party is to be charged. The complaint shall be as
specific as possible with respect to times, dates and places and persons
involved. All residents who file a complaint must sign and date the
complaint.
Upon
receipt and consideration of the complaint, a member of the Board or the ACC
may make a preliminary investigation as to the validity of the complaint.
If the condition has been corrected, or the complaint is insufficient on its
face, the Board shall respond in writing to the complaining person that the
matter has either been resolved or cannot be pursued.
If
further action is deemed necessary by the Board of Directors, the Board shall
direct the ACC to carry out the appropriate sections of these Procedures.
The ACC is authorized to hold hearings, recommend remedies, and take such other
actions as are delineated in these Procedures, keeping the Board
informed. Remedies recommended must be approved by the Board of Directors
before they may take effect.
The
ACC shall mail a written notice by certified mail, return receipt requested, to
the alleged offender at the alleged offenders’ address listed on the records of
the Association and to the property address, if the record address is
different. If the alleged offender is a tenant, a copy of the notice
required under this part (I.D.) shall also be mailed by certified mail, return
receipt requested, to the owner of the lot where the alleged offender resides.
If
the violation is not of an urgent nature, as determined by the ACC, an informal
notice may be sent prior to the certified notice, substantially in the form
attached as Exhibit A to this Resolution.
Written
notice to an alleged offender shall be substantially in the form attached as
Exhibit B to this resolution and shall:
·
Include a copy of the complaint or
complaints;
·
Advise the alleged offender of the nature of
the offense and the specific provision within the Association documents or
Rules and Regulations which have allegedly been offended;
·
State that prior to the imposition of a
monetary charge, the alleged offender has the opportunity to be heard and to be
represented by counsel;
·
Describe the remedies available;
·
State the number of days by which corrective
action should begin or be completed in order to preclude the imposition of a
remedy and/or charge.
Notice
provided pursuant to this Part (I.D.) shall be provided at least fourteen days
prior to the hearing , if requested, and prior to
imposition of any monetary charge in accordance with Section 55-513 of the Act.
The
Board of Directors of the Association hereby establishes the following remedies
in connection with complaints against owners relating to alleged violation of
the Act, the Association Documents (including Restrictive Covenants) and Rules
and Regulations:
·
Assess charges against any owners upon
violation of any of the Association Documents (including Restrictive Covenants)
and Rules and Regulations promulgated thereto. The amount of the charges so assessed shall not exceed the amounts
authorized by the Act, which currently allows a charge not to exceed fifty
dollars for a single offense or a charge of ten dollars per day for any offense
of a continuing nature.
·
If the rule violation is nonpayment of an
assessment or charge, suspend an owner or tenant’s right to use facilities or
non-essential services offered by the Association to the extent that access to
the lot through the common areas is not precluded, for a period not to exceed
sixty days.
·
Suspend an owner’s voting rights.
The
remedies described in Part II may not be pursued by the Association until an
opportunity for hearing before the ACC. The following guidelines apply to
such hearing procedures:
The
ACC shall send a written notice mailed by registered or certified mail, return
receipt requested, at least fourteen days prior to the hearing, to the owner,
advising the owner of the right to contest the complaint at a hearing before
the ACC. The notice shall be in the form specified in Part I.B. of this
Resolution and Exhibit B to this Resolution.
Such
notice shall advise the owner of the date, time and location of the hearing, of
the owner’s right to be represented by counsel, and of an earlier date, at
least seven days following the date of the notice, by which the alleged
offender must, by written notification to the Association, make a request for a
hearing to be conducted on a date other than as specified in the notice.
This request may be granted by the Chairman of the ACC if reasonable and
satisfactory justification for rescheduling the hearing is present. The
ACC shall set all hearing dates at its discretion.
If
no response is received by the Association from the alleged offending party by
the hearing confirmation date, or if the owner fails to attend the hearing
without providing reasonable and satisfactory explanation, the alleged offender
shall be deemed to have waived the right to attend the hearing.
At
the hearing, the ACC may hear testimony of witnesses and/or the presentation of
documentary evidence to determine if the unit owner is in violation of the
Association documents (including Restrictive Covenants) or Rules and
Regulations of the Association. The ACC’s determination shall be based on
evidence sufficient to the ACC to establish that the violation did in fact
occur. In the case of a violation of the Association Documents (including
Restrictive Covenants) or Rules and Regulations, however, the mere existence of
a complaint shall not be sufficient to establish that a violation
occurred. The owner who has been charged shall have the right to be
represented by counsel at any such hearing, to cross-examine witnesses, to call
any witnesses and to present any documentation or evidence relative to the
allegations in the complaint. The ACC is the sole arbiter of the
credibility of witnesses and evidence presented at the hearing.
Following
presentation of evidence, the ACC shall deliberate, in executive session, if
appropriate, to determine whether satisfactory proof of the existence of a
violation of the Association documents (including Restrictive Covenants) or
Rules and Regulations exists and, if so, what the recommended action, if any,
should be. The ACC may attempt to resolve the situation without recourse
to authorized remedies of Part II of this Resolution. The ACC may
recommend to the Board assessment of a monetary charge or suspension of use of
facilities and non-essential services whether the alleged offender is present
or not.
Notice
of the decision of the ACC shall be mailed to the alleged offender by certified
mail within ten business days of the hearing. The ACC shall send a
written notice mailed by registered or certified mail, return receipt
requested, at least fourteen days prior to the Board Review, to the owner,
advising the owner of the right to appeal the ACC decision at a hearing before
the Board. The notice shall be in the form specified in Part I.B. of this
Resolution and Exhibit C to this Resolution.
In
the event the ACC, after this hearing, recommends assessment of a charge or
suspension of use of facilities or non-essential services offered by the
Association, the Board shall meet to review and approve or disapprove the ACC
recommendation. The owner will be invited to attend the review to appeal
the ACC decision. Following review, if the Board approves the ACC
decision, it shall promptly act on such recommendations, which shall not be
effective until a motion relating thereto is duly adopted by the Board.
The minutes of the Board meeting at which such action is taken shall contain a
record of the motion, the basis of the motion, which may consist of the
recommendation of the ACC, a statement of the imposed remedies and proof that
notice and an opportunity to be heard were provided by certified mail to the
offending party. The Board shall then notify the owner in writing of the
amount of the assessed charge with a request for payment within thirty days, or
of the nature of the suspension of rights.
In
the event an assessed charge is not timely paid, the owner’s account shall be
deemed delinquent and the Board of Directors shall be entitled to pursue all
remedies available to it in the collection of delinquent accounts, including
court action. In the event the suspension of rights is not honored, the
homeowner shall be deemed in violation of the Association Documents and the
Board of Directors shall be entitled to pursue all remedies available to it to
enforce the suspension.
Exhibit A
Resolution
No. 2
REQUEST
FOR VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE
HICKORY
FARMS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
(date)
Owner/Resident
________________
Fairfax, VA 22032
Re:
Hickory Farms Community Association – Request for Voluntary Compliance
Dear Owner/Resident:
In accordance with the provisions of the Due Process Procedure for Hickory
Farms Community Association, Article _____, a complaint has been filed against
you for violation of [describe the violation together with reference to the
specific Rule violated]. Our initial investigation indicates that the
above-described behavior is in violation of that rule. On behalf of the
Board of Directors of the Association, this letter is to request voluntary
cooperation in resolving this complaint. In order to address this complaint,
we ask that you [insert requested action].
Please call the Chairman of the Architectural Control Committee [name]
if you have questions concerning this matter. We appreciate your
cooperation and assistance in resolving this complaint. Please note that
if appropriate action is not taken, it may be necessary to pursue additional
enforcement procedures in accordance with the Association’s policies and
procedures.
Sincerely,
Hickory Farms Community Association
By: ___________________________
Cc:
______________________, President
______________________, Vice President
Exhibit B
Resolution
No. 2
NOTICE
OF HEARING
HICKORY
FARMS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
[date]
Owner/Resident
________________
Fairfax, VA 22032
Re:
Hickory Farms Community Association – Notice of Hearing
Dear Owner/Resident:
You are hereby notified that, in accordance with Resolution No. 2, Due Process Procedures,
for Hickory Farms Community Association, a hearing will be held before the
Architectural Control Committee (ACC) for Hickory Farms Community Association,
on [date], at [time], in [location]. The scheduling
of this hearing is based on the enclosed complaint.
You may be present at this hearing and may be, but need not be, represented by
legal counsel. You may present evidence and will be given an opportunity
to cross-examine any witnesses offering information in the matter.
You may review the Association Documents which are relevant to your case, along
with a list of the witnesses who may be testifying against you, before the
hearing. Please call [name of ACC member or Chairman] for an
appointment if you wish to do so.
If you wish to admit to the complaint in whole or in part, or if you wish to
waive your right to a hearing as stated above, you are requested to inform the
Chairman of the ACC [name] in writing, within five days following
receipt of this notice. If you wish to attend the hearing as scheduled,
or to designate another person to appear on your behalf, it is suggested that
you inform the Chairman of the ACC, in writing, within five days following
receipt of this correspondence.
You may inform the Chairman of the ACC, in writing, as set forth above, that
you object to the complaint on whatever grounds you deem fit including, but not
limited to, the belief that the complaint does not charge a violation of an
applicable rule (giving the reason therefor) or that the complaint is so vague
or indefinite that you cannot adequately respond without being furnished more
specific information. Whatever the grounds, you may, in addition, file
with the ACC a written statement setting forth your side of the case.
Your response under this paragraph shall be deemed to constitute your notice of
defense to the ACC.
If you can show good cause as to why you cannot attend the hearing as
scheduled, please advise the undersigned within seven days of the date of this
notice so that a convenient date may be set for such hearing. If you have
questions, please contact [name] at [phone number].
Sincerely,
Hickory Farms Community Association
By:
_____________________________
_________________________, Vice President
History
These
Rules and Regulations were originally enacted by the Board of Directors on
December 17, 1997
Paragraphs
4 (e-m) and Paragraphs 14 (a-l) were approved by the Board of Directors and
affirmed by the membership at the October 15, 2009 Annual Meeting
At
the October 20, 2010 Annual Meeting, the Board of Directors adopted and
the membership affirmed Paragraph 4(l) to be replaced in its entirety. The old version read: “Fences may not be
constructed in front yards; i.e., a fence shall not extend into the area
between the street and the front building restriction line. On corner lots, homeowners may construct a
fence between the side building restriction line and the sidewalk. However, homeowners are cautioned that such
fence may be subject to a height limit set by the Fairfax County code, which is
four feet at the time this paragraph was implemented.”
Paragraph 10 (c) was approved by the Board of Directors and affirmed by the membership at the October 20, 2010 Annual Meeting
On October 9, 2013, the Board of Directors approved the reformatting of this document as well as various amendments. This decision was affirmed by the membership at the October 15, 2013, Annual Meeting. The newly revised Rules and Regulations are now contained in a separate document.