Good Neighbor Policy
Windward POA Board of Director (BOD) members frequently get complaints and concerns regarding “un-neighborly” acts and covenant violations. Certainly, a part of our job is to ensure that the covenants are adhered to, but we really don’t enjoy being the “neighborhood police”. Keeping that in mind, remember we all bought in Windward knowing that there were covenants and restrictions.
These covenants were designed so that Windward would remain the beautiful neighborhood we all chose to live in, with property values that would be maintained, and a uniqueness that sets our neighborhood apart from other Bluewater Bay communities. You don’t have to go very far from our gate to see what unrestricted neighborhoods can end up looking like.
The most frequent complaints we receive are related to:
PETS: If you take your pet off your property it must be on a leash, this includes cats. We often receive complaints about cats causing problems in other people’s yards and killing wildlife. Dogs should not be let out to do their business unattended – no one likes picking up their neighbor’s dog waste because the neighbor can’t or won’t be bothered to supervise or pick up after their pet. Pets not properly confined are subject to being picked up by PAWS. Also, when walking your pet, please take along a container to clean up and dispose of waste left by your animal. Someone else’s animal waste left in a yard is very offensive to your neighbor.
PARKING OF BOATS, CAMPERS, ETC: Our covenants specify that “no wheeled vehicles of any kind (mobile homes, motor homes, travel trailers, trucks, & campers) boats or any offensive objects may be kept in the driveway, front, side, or rear yard area of any lot except that passenger vehicles may be parked on the paved drive serving the lot. Boats or wheeled vehicles may be kept completely inside a garage located on the lot. No trailers or habitable motor vehicles of any nature shall be kept for use on any lot. Disabled vehicles, or vehicles under repair may be kept only within the garage located on said lot.” There is a resolution dated August 1996 allowing boats to be kept in one’s driveway for up to 48 hours within a seven-day period.
Parking in Street: Passenger vehicles may be parked on a temporary basis (not daily) in the street in front of your home however no cars may remain parked either on the street or in the yard overnight. Some of our roads are narrow making visibility and access difficult – parking on the road can create traffic hazards and problems for access by emergency vehicles. Street parking is intended for short-term parking only and must not be used by residents on a day-to-day basis; additionally, no overnight parking is authorized on any street in Windward. If you do have to temporarily park on the street, please ensure you don’t obstruct your neighbor’s driveway exit – making it difficult for them to pull out of their drive. This also applies to lawn, pool, and pest service vehicles – please ask your service providers to be mindful of your neighbor’s ability to ingress and egress their driveway.
LOT APPEARANCE: There is a lengthy covenant item dealing with the “neat & attractive appearance” of each lot in Windward. Please review this item to ensure you are in compliance. If you’re renting out your home, please ensure that your renter is aware of the requirements and complies with them.
NOISE, TRASH CANS, ETC: No offensive activities are permitted which may become a nuisance or source of embarrassment, discomfort or annoyance to the neighborhood. This covers noise complaints we frequently receive. Please take into consideration how your actions may affect your neighbor’s peace and quiet. This covenant item also cites that “no trash, garbage, rubbish, debris, waste material or other refuse shall be deposited or allowed to accumulate or remain on any part of said lot, nor any land or lands continuous thereto. Except on the day of collection, trash containers shall be kept either inside the garage or within a screened area to the side of the house.”
LOT IMPROVEMENTS: Design & location of lot improvements (this includes any alteration to the outside of your home – i.e., patios, roofs, paint, fences, windows, additions) and tree removal (with a trunk diameter greater than 6 inches) must be approved by the Architectural Review Committee. Please contact any BOD member for information on this approval process. ARC approval forms are available from the ARC chairman or the HOA property manager or they can be downloaded from the website.
SPEEDING/TRAFFIC: While not spelled out in our covenants, the posted speed limit in Windward is 20mph. We have residents & visitors who continually ignore this limit. The speed limit applies to Golf Carts and Motorcycles as well as cars. Speeding is a significant safety issue and a consistent problem that is of great concern to many residents. The most time you can possibly save by speeding is a matter of seconds, there is no advantage to speeding, SO PLEASE SLOW DOWN. In a neighborhood our size, and with the number of small children, pets, cyclists, walkers, and senior citizens who share the road with vehicles; speeding is deadly.
CHILDREN: Parents, please remind your children that vacant lots and other neighbor’s yards are off limits unless the property owner has given express permission for them to be there – otherwise – their presence on that property is trespassing. The common areas are for everyone’s enjoyment, so once again, please remind your children to respect those areas, keep the volume of their play and music at a reasonable level and make sure they properly dispose of their refuse (this applies to grow-up children as well as the little ones). Also, for the safety of your children and their possessions, remind them to keep the streets and common areas clear of bicycles, toys, and sports equipment.
BEACH: The Windward beach and dock are for all residents and their guests to enjoy. Please be aware that the beach is maintained and improved by volunteer residents. We ask that when you use the beach, leave it at least as nice or better than you found it. Leave no trash or personal items behind. No fires of any kind are allowed on the beach. If you have created any large holes in the sand, please make sure they’re completely filled in and covered so someone doesn’t fall into them during dark hours.
We are all aware of individual violations which, by themselves, seem relatively minor and inoffensive, but collectively, they mount up and are often cited by homeowners when defending why their particular infractions should be overlooked. Left unchecked, these minor violations and inconsiderate behaviour can lead to chaos and ill-will toward each other. So please, take the time to review the covenants and then abide by them.