Lincoln Meadows Homeowners Association   

Policies and Resident Information   

  (** Indicates topic has been updated from last distribution.  New or changed text is underlined.)   Updated April 2015      

Lincoln Meadows is a 23-acre community, which includes 90 town home units located on  Boxelder Drive and Winding Way.  It exists as a non-profit corporation, called Lincoln Meadows Homeowners Association, as established by its developers in 1978.  As a town homeowner you own the portion of the building that is your resident address, the property beneath it, as well as the property approximately 10’ in front of and 10’ behind the building structure.  You are responsible for all the maintenance of your property, except for that defined under the topic, “The Association’s Responsibility for Exterior Maintenance.”       

 

Board of Directors are elected annually and serve a three-year term.  They are responsible for the administration of the association’s business, maintenance of the common properties and the townhome building’s exterior surfaces as defined under the topic, “The Association’s Responsibility for Exterior Maintenance.”  The board is also responsible as the enforcement agent of the rules and regulations outlined in this document, the association’s By-laws, and the association’s Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions.  Board meetings are held on the 2^nd Tuesday of each month and are open to residents and owners.  Minutes of the board meetings are distributed to all association members via e mail effective August 1, 2015.  Hard copies are available to residents unable to receive electronically.  

  

The Annual Meeting of the association is held the 2nd Tuesday of June with the specific purpose of electing board members, approving the yearend financial statement, and discussing and/or voting on any other topics of concern coming from the board or the association’s membership.  

  

Dues Assessments are due the 1^st of each month and will be deposited on the 30^th.  Checks should be mailed to: Lincoln Meadows, PO Box 6665, Lincoln, NE 68506.  To assure proper credit please put your town home address on the check.  Dues payments not received by the 30^th of the month will be subject to a $10.00 late fee.  Dues falling 3 months in arrears will be subject of legal action by the board of directors, with associated legal costs being added to the dues assessment.  Such legal action could result in possible foreclosure.  Dues assessment levels are set by the board of directors and cannot be increased more than 5% annually without the approval of the homeowners.  Monies collected are used to pay for: lawn and tree care; snow removal; property insurance; street maintenance; exterior maintenance and painting as defined under the topic, “The Association’s Responsibility for Exterior Maintenance;” and other administrative expenses.  For current dues assessment or questions concerning your account please contact the association’s treasurer.    

  

Lawn Care is provided by a local lawn care contractor, who assures all common areas are maintained on a regular basis.  Trees found on the common areas are the responsibility of the association and will be maintained as deemed necessary.  Please report any problems or concerns with the lawns or trees to the board of directors.   

 

 **Snow Removal is performed by a local snow removal contractor.  As a general guideline, when snowfall reaches 3” and when such snow fall has stopped; all streets, off-street parking, driveways within 1 foot of building structure, mailboxes, fire hydrants, and sidewalks, including the initial clearing of private sidewalks, will be cleared of snow.  Snow/ice removed by residents, from their properties or any common area should place the snow/ice in the planting areas in front of their home, or in the common areas located at the ends of each building, provided that doing so will not unreasonably interfere with any other resident’s ability to use and enjoy their property.  Snow/ice shall not be moved into the streets or placed on any paved common area.   Residents who place snow/ice in the streets or on any paved common area will be contacted by the board and given 24 hours to remove it.  If the snow/ice is not removed within 24 hours of notification, the board will have the snow/ice removed by the snow contractor.  The fee associated with removing the snow/ice will be assessed to the corresponding property owner.  If you would like additional snow removal of your private sidewalk, after the initial cleaning, you may contact the vendor or the board member responsible for snow removal.  You will receive a bill from the vendor for each request.  The common sidewalks will be cleaned after each snow fall as per city codes for snow removal. 

  

Property Insurance is provided for all town home structures by the association.  This master policy has a $2,500 deductible, for which the property owner is responsible during the claim process.  Shawn Hansen of State Farm Insurance is the agent of our policy.  Homeowners should contact Gale at 402-483-1949 with questions concerning this coverage or to make insurance claims affecting their property.  Under no circumstance is a resident to contact state farm directly.  All calls must be made to Shawn Hansen. This policy only covers the dwelling structure and does not cover personal property or personal liability.  For adequate insurance coverage contact Gale or your own insurance agent and request “Form 6 Condominium” type coverage that would include: additional structure coverage, as required, to offset the deductible on the master policy; personal liability; personal property; and other insurance as deemed necessary.   

  

Building Sewer Systems are common to all the town homes within each building. Responsibility for maintenance and repair of such is the burden of all the town home owners within the individual buildings.  This means the company contacted to perform necessary maintenance associated with sewage backup and the cost of such maintenance, is to be shared by all the town home owners in the building, as the source of the backup cannot be easily established.  Two outside cleanouts have been installed at the end of each building and can be identified by white pipe caps.  The cleanout closest to the building can be used for cleaning the sewer line from the building, while the cleanout furthest from the building can be used for cleaning the sewer line under the building.  

 

 The association took the responsibility of having routine sewer cleaning beginning August 1, 2014. 

The Board will arrange for cleaning to be done by a vendor of the Board’s section on a three year basis.  The association treasurer will pay for the cleaning and then bill the individual property owners for their share (either 1/6 or 1/8 of the total).  The sewer of all buildings will be cleaned again in the summer of 2017, and every third year thereafter.  

 

Garbage pickup service can be arranged for by contacting a local waste management company.  This service is not covered by the association and is the financial responsibility of each individual homeowner or resident occupant.  Garbage containers are not to be left outside except on pickup days, and the night before.  Do not dispose of garbage on common grounds or adjacent properties.    *Building Maintenance is primarily the responsibility of the homeowner.  However, the association does provide exterior painting and maintenance of the siding and associated trim of townhomes on a rotating basis, as defined under the topic, “The Association’s Responsibility for Exterior Maintenance.”    

  

A three year siding project 2013 -2015 was approved on June 13, 2013 with Hardie siding selected with the contractor, J L Exteriors Inc.  There were 4 colors selected for the siding and the address and year of completion are as follows:  

  

      ADDRESS                           COLOR           YEAR COMPLETED  

6601 > 6631 Boxelder          Monterey Taupe            2013  

6535 > 6563 Boxelder             Autumn Tan               2013  

6501 > 6531 Boxelder             Khaki Brown              2015                         

6435 > 6463 Boxelder           Woodstock Brown       2015  

6401 > 6431 Boxelder           Monterey Taupe          2015  

2101 > 2131 Winding Way      Khaki Brown            2013  

  

2201 > 2223 Winding Way     Woodstock Brown    2013  

2224 > 2244 Winding Way      Monterey Taupe       2014 

2301 > 2331 Winding Way   Autumn Tan                 2014

 2401 > 2423 Winding Way        Khaki Brown          2014  

2427 > 2455 Winding Way      Woodstock Brown    2014  

2501 > 2531 Winding Way          Autumn Tan          2015  

 

The above paint colors and the brown trim paint color are available at any Sherwin Williams. 

  

Exterior Changes, including “like-in-kind” changes, to any building structure within Lincoln Meadows cannot be made without prior approval of the Board of Directors.  This includes and is not limited to: painting or staining of any exterior surfaces, other than by the approved color stated above; any additions or alterations to exterior surfaces or properties (including satellite dishes and mechanical devices such as air conditioning units); as well as changes made to plantings and patio areas.  Residents wishing to request such changes must do so, to the Board of Directors, per the association’s by-laws.  

  

Mail Box keys are the responsibility of the property owner.  Copies of keys can be made at a local lock smith or hardware store.  If all keys are lost the entire lock assembly must be replaced by contacting the board of directors, who will order a replacement and then notify the post office to schedule the physical replacement of the lock.  During this time your mail will have to be picked up at the College View post office.  You will be charged for any costs related to the replacement of the lock.  

   

Planting Areas may extend no more than 4 feet beyond the back edge of the patio or sidewalks and no more the 10 feet beyond the sides of buildings with approval of the board.  These optional gardens are to be maintained by the homeowner.  Growing of vines on the cement board siding of the buildings is not allowed, as damage to the building will result.  

  

Vehicle Parking spaces have been provided in off-street parking areas.  Parking of vehicles should be limited to inside garages or the off-street parking areas.  Parking is not allowed under the trees in front of the town houses.  This is the area on the common driveways, shared by adjoining town homes, that extends beyond the trees. However, a resident may request permission to park in this area by attending a board meeting and presenting the reasons for parking in this area.  Parking or storing of non-operating or un-licensed vehicles of any kind is prohibited in all outside areas and will be subject to towing at owner’s expense.    

  

Recreational Vehicles such as boats, trailers, or motorized homes may not be parked in any outside area, including on the street surface or off street parking areas.  The parking of such vehicles will be subject to towing at owner’s expense.  

  

Speed Limit within the boundaries of Lincoln Meadows is 15 MPH.  All motorized vehicles (cars, trucks, and motorcycles) must be licensed and the person operating such vehicles must possess a valid operator’s license.  

  

Pets must be kept on a leash at all times, when outside the living quarters of the town home.  Residents are responsible for cleaning up pet excretion on all common grounds, including those adjacent to living quarters.  Pet owners who tether their pets will be required to pay for any damage that occurs to common ground areas associated with such tethering.  Pet containment areas are not allowed beyond the patio.  

  

Common Grounds are for the exclusive use of residents and their guests.  Owner’s private property items, such as lawn furniture, are not to be kept on common grounds areas.  Motorized vehicles are not allowed on common areas.  

  

Interior Common Walls are soundproofed within generally accepted building standards, but excessively loud stereos, televisions, radios, musical instruments, etc., will transmit sound through these walls.  Please show consideration for your neighbors by keeping the volume down.  

  

Contractor Relationships are the responsibility of the Board of Directors.  Work direction of our grounds, snow removal and exterior maintenance contractors are not to be given by association members.  Members having concerns about the work performed by these contractors should bring such concerns to the board of directors.   

  

Outside Holiday Decorations are to be removed from all town homes no later than 2 weeks after the holiday. Three months will be allowed for Christmas decoration removal, or preferably as soon as the weather allows.  

  

The Association’s Responsibility for Exterior Maintenance of the townhomes on the Lincoln Meadows property shall be defined as follows.  The “siding” of the townhome shall be defined as the cement board siding, the trim associated with the cement board  siding, and the eaves and soffits of the townhome buildings.  The “maintenance” of the townhomes shall be defined as the repair or replacement and painting of exterior cement board siding, the trim associated with the cement board siding, the eaves and soffits of the townhome buildings as deemed necessary by the board of directors.  The maintenance and painting of such exterior surfaces shall be on a scheduled rotation or as deemed necessary by the board.  Painting would include the exterior garage door and frame; however, no maintenance would be performed on door itself as such maintenance is the responsibility of the townhome owner.   

     

Excluded from the association’s responsibility for townhome exterior maintenance are the following; all concrete surfaces including those located ten feet in front of garage, the sidewalks from driveways to front doors, and patios, planting areas including those located in the common driveway areas and those located beside and behind townhome properties; all exterior windows, frames and seals; all exterior doors, frames and seals; garage doors and seals (with the exception of painting, as noted above); party fences located between patio areas and any enclosures or coverings of the patio areas; all second floor decks and railings; all outside light fixtures or other electrical devices; all exterior brick surfaces; all rain gutters and downspouts; all roof surfaces and skylights and/or other items consider part of or attached to the roof (air conditioners, heat exchangers, ventilating fans, vents, metal chimneys and associated metal flashings); the top and inside exterior surfaces of the chimney boxes (where the air conditioners are normally placed).  The maintenance of these exclusions will continue to be the townhome property owner responsibility as outlined in Article V and VI, of the associations By-Laws: Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions.