January 22, 2008
James B. Luquire
c/o Atlantic Coast Properties
2042 Columbia Highway North
Aiken, South Carolina 29805
Jimmy,
This letter will serve as formal notification of my concerns relative to the function and practices of the Summer Lakes Homeowner's Association, presently controlled by and under the direction of Atlantic Coast Properties, Inc. Please do not hesitate to contact me if there are questions concerning the below listed items.
Among my concerns are:
1) The covenants and restrictions that apply to Summer Lakes are very specific and detailed but have been regularly ignored and/or changed for individuals with little or no input from the property owners in Summer Lakes. We purchased our property in Summer Lakes based upon several aspects of the area, one of the most significant was the set of covenants that we, and everyone else buying property here, were required to sign. I understand such minor things as a foot or two variance in the setback, color schemes, or size and design of outbuildings and structures. But when the restrictions on fences, the architecture and size of the dwelling, and basic design requirements are routinely violated with the approval of the Architectural Review Board, I become concerned. The homeowners should have voting representation on the ARB. Atlantic Coast Properties should realize that the company no longer has total interest in the development. That changed when they sold the first lot to a homeowner, but ACP is operating as if they have full control and interest. The homeowners must have a voice in the operation of the Homeowner's Association.
2) I have paid over $1,800 in association fees since I have lived here and have seen no accounting of the expenditure of this money. There should be an accounting to the property owners as to the total amount collected, how this money is spent, and the balance carried on a monthly basis. I know that ACP must supplement the fees collected in order to keep the sub-division maintained, but they still own the majority of the lots, so that is as it should be.
By copy I am notifying the Aiken County Board of Realtors and the Aiken County Chamber of Commerce of my concerns. Please include them in your reply.
Patrick E. Dickerson
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1 comment:
I have, as of April 1, not received a reply to this letter. I talked to Jimmy who seemed pretty upset that I copied the two organizations listed. He felt that they had no need to know what was happening in our neighborhood.
I feel that if Jimmy was, indeed, concerned with what these folks think, he would have answered my letter by now to show them that I just a demanding old crackpot who deserves no significant consideration.
Well, I may be a crackpot and certainnly am getting long in the tooth (Those that I have left), but I still think that Atlantic Coast Properties owes me an answer to my concerns and the residents of Summer Lakes better communications as well as an accounting as to where our fees have been applied. It is only good business to keep track of how one's resources are being used.
As far as ACP having the homeowner's interest at heart, I agree only to the point where those interests go in different directions. ACP has as its top priority the sale of lots on a timely basis so they can go on to the next project. We home owners want a long term nice place to live and return on our investment, long term.
You owe us an answer, Jimmy.
Pat Dickerson
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