Spring is here
I am back posting after an unexpected hiatus. To be honest, the winter months there is really nothing to say other than “Stay warm”. So here we are in spring with all it’s glory and maintenance that starts this time of year. We are focusing on several items this year and I will share more details about each of those in future posts.
Now that the weather is finConally staying nice and above freezing hopefully, please take the time to look at the outside of your home to see what cleanup, maintenance or replacement of landscaping and/or hardscaping needs updating or maintenance. The board has a list of items that we are monitoring during the nicer months to ensure that our neighborhood stays looking it’s best. We are looking at the following:
- Holiday Lights
- Foundation Landscaping
- Signs
- Parkway Trees
- Trees in front yards
- Rusty/broken equipment
- Broken/non-functioning vehicles
- Condition of Front Lawn
Warning letters will be going out on May 15th, 2016. If you have any questions regarding the rules that govern these areas, you can review them in the Association rule book that is posted on this site.
Annual Meeting
Just a reminder that our Annual Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, December 8th, 2015 @ the Darien Police Department in the Training Room. We have two board members up for election. Come volunteer for the board and make a difference.
I look forward to seeing new faces.
- The DCHOA Board Members
Happy Thanksgiving
Happy Thanksgiving!
I want to take this opportunity to thank all the homeowners for all the hard work they put in this year in keeping up their homes. As we move into this season I would like to say I am VERY grateful that the mailbox effort has really paid off. We start off this spring with 93 mailboxes out of compliance and we had only two that still needed some work by the beginning of July. The contractor for this project worked out great and did a really nice job and those who used them I am super excited to see how well they last.
As we get closer to the end of the year, I would like to encourage home owners to consider volunteering for the Board or at least attending the board meetings. During our annual meeting in December we like to plan out the meetings for the whole year. Check back in late December for next years meeting dates.
June Happenings
Please excuse the title of this post but it is unlikely I will get another chance to post until July.
Rain
The amount of rain we have received this month seems crazy. When there is that much rain our lawns and trees and shrubbery seems to grow at an alarmingly fast pace. Please take a little time to look around your yard and make any necessary adjustments to stay on top of maintenance. Also, I noted that Darien Club Dr. flooded around the islands in front of 1512. When this happens please check to make sure the storm drains on the streets in front of your homes are clear from debris. While I suspect that this was just due to the heavy amount of rain in the short amount of time, I thought it was worth mentioning.
Wetlands
As noted earlier Pizzo & Assoc. were on site on Friday June, 19th. They spent an entire 8 hours working on the wetlands and providing some clean up. If you happened to see them let me know how it looks. Since there is more rain forecasted it is unlikely I will be making a special trip anytime soon to take a look.
Parking
Summer is a great time to celebrate and have parties. Please remind your guests that there is no parking on the street by the islands. The dues paid by homeowners goes toward maintaining those islands. In the last week I have noticed traffic driving over the side of the islands in order to avoid hitting illegally parked cars. If this continues, the board will contact the police department and request additional patrols specifically catch offenders.
Management Company Changes
Cynthia Sipka is no longer our point of contact at Oak & Dale. I have updated the site as of today. If you need anything please contact Dennis Brugh directly.
Let us know what concerns you have or if you have questions on this post, please contact us at DCHOA2014@gmail.com OR post a comment at the end of this post.
Landscape Maintenance
Wow! Can you believe summer is here already?!? All the children are finally out of school and the landscape trucks are a regular occurrence in the neighborhood. I would like to call your attention to the speed limit on local streets. While I recognize not every car that drives on our street belongs to someone in our neighborhood, I am noticing an increase in traffic and speed on Darien Club Dr. Please watch your speed as you drive through the neighborhood.
Maintenance
As we walk through the neighborhood, I have noticed that there are several homes that could use some maintenance on their yards. The board is looking at homes that do not meet the standard design requirements such as “blue grass blend” for the front lawn and permanent plantings around the front and sides of the foundation of your home. Also, we’ve noticed that there are many planting beds and foundation landscaping that could use trimming and/or cleanup, More detailed information can be found in the design requirements and bylaws which are posted on this site.
Landscape/Architectural changes:
Many homeowners may not be aware or may have forgotten, but any changes to your landscape or any architectural changes to your home must be approved by the HOA board. While I know everyone is very busy, I am working on a document that will define a process by which homeowners can submit questions and requests electronically. Right now, if you have any changes that need approval, please submit an electronic copy to DCHOA2014@gmail.com. Your submission should include the following:
- Plat of survey
- A sketch or drawing showing the changes.
- Timeline of when they should be completed
The board will get back with you within two weeks. Remember, this approval does not replace the necessary approvals you may need from the Village of Darien. So please check local building codes before starting any new projects.
Wetland Maintenance
The board has been working hard to maintain the common areas of our subdivision. This year we have signed a contract with Pizzo & Associates to provide stewardship of all three ponds. The scope of the contract includes up to 5 applications of herbicide to kill unwanted shrubs and undesirable plants not suited for the wetlands. In addition, we will obtain bids in the fall to complete clean up in small sections. Homeowners on the wetlands will be getting letters in the mail to inform them of the work. Lastly the board will be implementing fines for dumping in the wetlands. These are considered protected wetlands and if the board continues to invest in them, it is expected the homeowners on the wetlands also respect and follow all rules. There are more details in the letters.
If there are any questions, please email the board at DCHOA2014@gmail.com or post a comment to this post. We will gladly address your concerns. As always, you can contact Cynthia @ Oak & Dale properties
Welcome Homeowners
Welcome to the new Darien Club website. The board is in the process of building this site to make it easier for the homeowners to find bylaws and design requirements for their homes. In addition, we will use this site to share and communicate non- essential information to the Homeowners. Future enhancements will include
- Calendar of events
- Association By-laws
- Design Requirements
- References for local services
If you find that something is not on the site that you would like included. Please leave a comment or send an email to DCHOA2014@gmail.com
Darien Club Owners Association 