THE PRESIDENT’S CORNER, LOCHINVER COMMUNITY UPDATE 2024

Christmas in Lochinver

I wish to thank Pat White (host) and Cheryl Beasley (coordinator) for their collective efforts in planning and hosting the Annual Women’s Christmas Ornament get-together. It was very successful. Thanks to all the planners and attendees of this event. We need to do more community relations building activities like this in 2024. Share your ideas.

The Board hopes all residents noticed the upgrades in Christmas decoration at both community
entrances. The front entrance off Granade road featured lighting upgrades while both entrances
showcased new ornamental decorations. There is no power at the rear Smyrna entrance which makes it impossible for both entrances to be identical.

The Board had considered contracting the decoration installations; with a cost of over $2,500, the
decision was made to do it ourselves.

Many thanks to those few who volunteered their time and creative efforts to shop, purchase, put up and take down the decorations at both entrances. This was intended to be a community project but had only 6 faithful residents and Board Officers participate and support this event.

Winter H.O.A. Community Meeting

It’s time for our Annual Winter Community Meeting. It is the Board’s intention to hold the meeting once again at Heritage High School. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 6, 2024 at 6:00pm. 

Attendance at this meeting is extremely important as our community faces critical financial and
management issues. An important vote will be presented to modify the Declaration of Covenants as the Board seeks to establish uniformity within Lochinver management and governance guidelines.

Many of our neighboring communities utilize the services of management organizations to manage daily HOA activities. We don’t. Lochinver HOA is managed and staffed by resident volunteers. While we are not paid for our time and work - we do recommend certain management changes be implemented to make our duties less time consuming, labor intensive, and stressful. Presently, paying for professional management services is not attainable with the level of dues the Board tries to maintain for homeowners. Please plan to attend this important community meeting.

Lochinver HOA Financials and Community Financial Participation

As the Lochinver Community ages – community amenities and assets have aged and require repair or replacement just as your home resident does. Without attention to these needs, our community will deteriorate into a place not known for quality community living and lower market demand for our homes. No one wishes to live within a low-quality community.

To maintain the overall quality level that has made Lochinver one of the most desired communities within Rockdale County – these maintenance issues must be addressed and will be identified at the upcoming HOA meeting.

During the past 2 years our community has continued to survive as turnover in home ownership occurred. However, not all new homeowners, and even some long-term residents, are doing their part to adequately sustain the community amenities, the common grounds, and build Lochinver reserve funds. This requires all property owners to participate financially, by paying our annual dues (which have not increased in 5 years).

With the advent of 2024 – if reelected as president of the HOA, it is my intent to launch a “Pay Your Fair Share” program. We are not a collection of homes that are independent and bear no responsibility for impact on our neighbors’/neighborhood’s property value, appearance and Covenant compliance. Quite the opposite, we are a community, and the HOA Board is the community corporate entity established to manage, promote, and preserve community values and relations.

Please help the Board do its job by participating, paying annual dues, and cooperating with all community quality sustainability requirements in 2024.

Lochinver Community Issues and Concerns

The following has been identified by the Board as community concerns:

1. Speeding within the community.
   One or more residents who have obtained high horsepower autos are determined to show off the power and performance of their ride by speeding down Lochinver, Pitlochry, and Loch Lomond roads. If you are guilty of speeding and reckless driving in Lochinver - PLEASE STOP BEFORE YOU UNINTENNIALLY HURT, INJURE, or KILL YOURSELF OR OTHERS! The community has many home driveways with obstructed views where cars - backing out onto the streets are vulnerable to be hit by your speeding car. If you know of speeding offenders please    encourage them to stop this dangerous driving practice within Lochinver. The Board will be seeking assistance from the Sheriff’s office to locate and cite reckless drivers.
2. Community Service Providers – residential trash pickup service
   Board officers have received several calls regarding the recent increase in price for trash service from Republic Service. We have also been informed that Republic has falsely informed some residents that that are obligated to the community to utilize their service. This is not true. The Board had a prior handshake agreement with Republic to provide competitively priced service to Lochinver. At that time, Republic offered a price reduction to community residents. However, when contacted by Board representative, we were informed that no price break incentives are now available. As of now, Burgess & Sons offers a lower Quarterly rate ($75 for 1 can, $99 for 2) than Republic ($172/1 can, $197 for 2). No current rate is available from GFL as of this message. It is hopeful that we might obtain a better pricing deal from other community suppliers but need help with this project. At the annual Winter meeting – the appointment of an ad-hoc committee to address this concern may be proposed and presented. (I cannot commit the new Board to actions to be taken in 2024 at this time.)
3. Compliance Issues
   1. Violation of driveway vehicle parking requirements
   2. Resident cars and trucks being parked overnight on streets
   3. Placement of non-compliant storage unit in yards
   4. Overgrown and unkempt lawns and island/mulch areas
   5. Garbage cans being left on street for days after garage pickup; also stored where they can be seen from the street
   6. Littering at main entrances
   7. Unauthorized tree removal
      Mailboxes that need repairs and/or painting
   8. Speeding - not obeying posted speed limit within community

Let’s all work together to make 2024 Lochinver’s best of the best in quality of life and leisure living.

Sustainability of Lochinver values requires all homeowners’ support.

The Lochinver Community - long noted as, A “Live- Play- Grow- Prosper” Quality Community

Dwight Wicks, President - Lochinver HOA

THE PRESIDENT’S CORNER, Fall 2022

Hello and greetings to my Lochinver neighbors. As your community Homeowners Association Board President, I am committed to providing leadership that will keep Lochinver one of the premier and preferred residential communities in Rockdale County.

The Lochinver HOA Board meets monthly to discuss all issues that affect homeowner’s safety, property values, neighborhood upkeep, resident compliance with established covenants, vandalism, community aesthetics, impact of governmental mandated actions, and HOA requests for support services. This list is not all inclusive of the Board’s concerns and actions. 

The Lochinver HOA relies on your HOA dues to fund operations: lawn care, pool, lake, 2 entrances, seasonal plantings, irrigation, insurance, property tax, repair services, etc. Maintaining our preferred community living standard requires the support of committed, informed, and responsive homeowners.  The

The website will be updated monthly to keep you informed of major issues and meetings with outside organizations that impact Lochinver’s quality of life.   

Dwight Wicks