HOA NEW Homeowner Guidebook

2024

CULLASAJA NEW HOMEOWNERS

Cullasaja HOA Staff HOA ADMINISTRATION 828-526-3646 * 828-482-1832 FAX

Chris Conner, CCM General Manager/COO 828-526-3531 Ext. 205 cconner@cullasaja-club.com

Tim Lamphier CFO/HR Director 828-526-3531 Ext. 202 timlamphier@cullasaja-club.com

Gary Clark Field and Services Director 828-526-2190 Ext. 403 Cell: 828-482-2595 gclark@cullasaja-club.com

Will Walz R&M Supervisor 828-482-1460 Cell: 828-347-6025 wwalz@cullasaja-club.com

Mona Humphrey HOA Office Manager 828-526-3646 Ext. 402 adminhoa@cullasaja-club.com

Chuck Dempsey Landscape Director 828-526-2163 Ext. 401 Cell: 828-342-1030 landscaping@cullasaja-club.com

Steve Mersereau Outside Services Supervisor 828-787-2188 Ext. 405 Cell: 828-347-6162 smersereau@cullasaja-club.com

Stephen Stanley Security Director 828-526-3720 Ext. 410 Cell: 828-508-2050 sstanley@cullasaja-club.com

SECURITY GATE 828-526-3720 security@cullasaja-club.com Emergency: (Dedicated line) 526-3954

Dear New Cullasaja Property Owner, Welcome to our remarkable community! We are very glad you have chosen to purchase a home or lot in our beautiful and unpretentious neighborhood. This letter is to welcome you, and also let you know the Cullasaja HOA staff is ready to take care of you as we strive to meet our Vision of providing you with carefree mountain home living. With that end in mind, this Flipbook will provide you with an overview of all the services we can provide for you and your home. Ideally, we would love to sit down with you in a “new homeowner meeting” so you can meet the management team, allow us to tell you all we can do for you, and answer any questions you may already have. Unfortunately, with the advent of COVID-19, we will instead provide this information in this format. On the following pages, you will see an “Important HOA Documents” checklist. On this list, the Red Starred * items are the most important forms you should review and/or fill out. Clicking on the associated links will direct you to the appropriate webpage, or you can browse this flip book and click directly on the links. The other documents are important as well, but not of a “ please do this now” level. Next you will find pages with some of the important things you need to know to be successful as a new property owner, including an HOA Staff List, Important Phone Numbers, and the HOA Newsletter. Please take time to read and review the HOA Declaration and Covenants, and the ACC Design Standards. Understanding both of these documents is highly important for you to best acclimate to the community and fully enjoy your new property. As stated in this document, there are 3 very important phone numbers you should save in your contact list: Mona Humphrey (HOA Office Manager/Administrator), direct line: 828-526-3646 and Suzanne Roweton, Admin Assistant direct line: 828-787-2188 . They can answer all your HOA questions and/or direct you to the right person to speak with; or create work orders to get work done at your home. These numbers are your go to numbers during business hours. Guard Gate, main line – 828-526-3720 . This is the after-hours phone number for any needs that may occur after business hours. They can answer questions or get in contact with the appropriate personnel to help you with problems that may occur during non-business hours. This is also the number to call is there is an emergency in addition to calling 911. There is only one gate attendant working at a time, but they can assist medical professionals in getting them to the appropriate address in times of emergency. Thank you, and again, we look forward to meeting you, getting to know you, and taking great care of you. Welcome to the Cullasaja Family! Gary Clark

Cullasaja HOA Field & Services Director

Important HOA Documents to Reference as a New Property Owner Please click each underlined item to view

Red starred * are important forms you need to review and/or complete if applicable.

*

– Information on how to get mail and packages delivered your Cullasaja address.

*

To inform the gatehouse of frequent guests allowed access to your home.

*

– Use this form to sign up for direct deposit to pay your bills

*

– Information about how to use your internet at your home

*

– Sign up to get a complimentary name sign in your front yard

– Learn about these two important maintenance services

Important Items to Know as a New Property Owner (Your HOA is Here to Assist)

- “One Call, That’s All” – Call Mona or Suzanne between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday

o Mona Humphrey – 828-526-3646 during posted business hours o Suzanne Roweton – 828-787-2188 during posted business hours o After hours: Call the Gatehouse – 828-526-3720

- Automobile Barcode Decals to Enter through the Property Owner Gate – Cullasaja property owners are permitted a decal for each of their vehicles. These decals will permit the property owner to enter through the right most lane at the guard gate, and the sticker will operate the gate arm. Please stop by the Clubhouse and see Zoe, Tim, or Amy with your automobile information to receive your barcode decal. - High-Speed Internet – Every home in the Cullasaja community already has a fiber-optic connection available to provide high-speed, reliable internet service. To activate this service, simply click here -> High Speed Internet at Your Home which will cause BalsamWest (our internet provider) to transfer service to your home. The costs for this service are included in your annual HOA Dues. - Cullasaja Mailbox – Each home inside Cullasaja Club has a mailbox at the Clubhouse. Your number and key should have been left behind by the previous homeowner; but if not, please see Zoe or Meredith in the Clubhouse and they will assist you. - Maintenance Services –Cullasaja HOA is highly unique and has the ability to handle most of your needs in-house with simply a phone call. From changing a light bulb or smoke detector battery, to overseeing the construction of a massive addition or renovation; your HOA team is set up to provide you with worry-free mountain home living. We have teams that can offer landscaping services, repair and maintenance in your home, and general contractor oversight and management. We are proud to be able to offer these services to our residents and hope you will enjoy this incredible perk of living in Cullasaja. - Guest/Worker Entry – Non-property owners who approach the guard gate are turned away unless they have been pre-approved for entry into the neighborhood. We are a private community, and we do not let those who don’t have permission to enter the

community. It is incumbent upon you to alert the guard gate in advance of any guests or workers coming to your home. We have made this very easy by offering you a Long Term Guest List to provide information about people who go to your home on a regular basis and they will always have permanent access to visit. For the occasional visitor of worker, please call the gate in advance to alert them of their impending arrival. In addition, for Club Members, you can use the Club Member App to alert the gate to visitors who are coming to visit you in the community. - Outdoor Construction Hours – We know you relish the wonderful mountain setting and are cognizant of how important peace and quiet can be as you enjoy your retreat. Thus, we currently only allow outdoor work to occur on Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Contractors/landscapers, etc. doing outside, noisy work are not allowed to enter the community outside of this schedule and they will be turned away at the gate if they attempt to do so without prior approval of the HOA management. - Architectural Control Committee (ACC) – Any exterior modification of your lot or home that falls under the Design and Construction Standards needs to be approved in advance by the ACC. It is important you have a good knowledge of the Design and Construction Standards before making any exterior alteration. Please click here -> ACC Design & Construction Standards to view these Standards and for more information. - Tree Removal/Heavy Pruning Approval – We attribute a lot of the beauty in Cullasaja to the lush and well-maintained landscaping. To that end, there are strict rules about cutting down trees and trimming vegetation. If you wish to cut any living or dead tree that is 3 inches or greater in diameter at the base, it needs to be approved ahead of time by the HOA. Also, pruning of vegetation like Rhododendron beyond 1-2 years maintenance pruning requires advance approval. Please contact Mona Humphrey or Suzanne Roweton to start the approval process for cutting/trimming of vegetation. - Other FAQ’s – Printed inside the annual HOA Member Directory are several other Frequently Asked Questions that will provide you with more answers.

After-Hours Maintenance Emergency Contact: Security @ (828) 526-3720

Information List

Service

Name

Number

Emergency Numbers

Cullasaja Security

(828) 526-3964

Ambulance, Fire, Police

911

Poison Control Center

(800) 848-6946

J&B Disposal Monday & Friday pickup

Garbage Pickup

(828) 369-2727

Recycling

TNT Recycling

(828) 347-6569

Phone Service

Frontier Communications

(877) 462-8188

Electricity

Duke Energy

(800) 777-9898

Broadband (828) 339-2999** **For Internet issues - new homeowners contact Gary Clark first at (828) 526-2190** BalsamWest

Fire Department

Non – Emergency

(828) 526-4131

Police Department

Non – Emergency

(828) 526-9431

Hospital

Highlands – Cashiers Hospital

(828) 526-1200

Pharmacies

Highlands Pharmacy, Highlands

(828) 526-2366

Cashiers Valley Pharmacy, Cashiers

(828) 743-3114

Ingles Pharmacy, Cashiers

(828) 743-3801

Veterinarians

Animal Wellness Hospital of Highlands (828) 526-8700 Cashiers Veterinary Clinic (828) 743-5656

ADDRESS AND MAIL EXAMPLE AND INFORMATION

NAME:

John and Jane Doe

ADDRESS:

1234 Sample Drive #305 (sample) Highlands, NC 28741

USPS If you choose to have your mail sent via USPS, you must display the address as shown above. Do not use PO BOX # , as this will reroute the mail to a PO Box at the Highlands post office instead.

If a key was not left for you by the previous owners, please see Zoe or Meredith at the Clubhouse so they can provide one for you.

All packages sent via USPS that are unable to fit in your box, will be left outside the postal room. Check frequently if you are expecting a package. The postal rooms are located at the Clubhouse:

On the left before you enter the Clubhouse. This room contains boxes 1 – 223

Additional boxes are located at the porte cochere. This room contains boxes 233 & up.

UPS OR FEDEX These packages will always be delivered to your physical address. If for some reason you will not be at your home, please just call us at the HOA at (828) 526-3646 to arrange to have us place it inside your home or garage.

GRINDER PUMP MAINTENANCE AND GUTTER CLEANING An important part of every home and building in the Club is the Grinder Pump Tank, which collects and breaks down household waste, eventually sending the material into the HOA pressurized sewer system. It is especially important that you have your pump inspected and serviced annually. Having a tank overflow due to non-working pumps can create a serious EPA problem and could also lead to an expensive repair.

So, what do you get when you use this service?

• An “oil change” and tune up for your grinder pump.

Open the tank.

•

Pump the tank down.

•

• Clean the tank and all the components with water and degreaser.

• Run a full cycle of the grinder pump, ensuring that it is running as it should.

• Inspection of the condition of the: ➢ Pipes ➢ Tank framework

➢ Electronic components and switches in the panel and tank

• Adjust the floats as needed for proper operation.

• An inspection report informing you of the condition of your pump and any suggested repairs.

• Report to you the status of your grinder pump and if any issues were discovered.

While this service does not guarantee that your pump will not experience any problems (grinder pumps have a possible life expectancy of 10 years, but only have a manufacturer warranty of 12 months), it will help prolong the life of the pump and in some cases head off more expensive repairs. As a convenience to you, while the maintenance is being performed, the grinder pump will remain operational during the process.

This service should be performed before the winter season arrives and the temperatures drop, as it is difficult to clean the pump when temperatures are below freezing.

If the Grinder Pump Alarm goes off:

1. Grinder Pump in Alarm – you will hear a loud alarm going off (most sound like a loud beeping/clicking noise) and you will see a red blinking light. ( Sometimes your neighbor will hear it before you do). 2. Call Mona during business hours: (828) 526-3646, or the Gatehouse after hours: (828) 526-3720. We will send out the appropriate personnel and have them contact you to further discuss if an issue is found.

3. All maintenance and repairs for grinder pumps are the responsibility of the homeowner.

Gutter Cleaning

It's very important for drainage and erosion purposes to keep your gutters clean and the leaves off the roof. If your gutters were not cleaned in the fall, we highly recommend getting them done as soon as possible. We also suggest getting your gutters cleaned in the spring as well as the remaining leaves from the fall and winter begin to fall to make way for the new leaves. Rotten wood is a constant problem here on the plateau. These are two particularly important annual maintenance items for your home. As an added service to you, the HOA can arrange these services if you so desire. Have grinder pump maintenance and/or gutter cleaning been done at my home? Most current and prior homeowners have utilized both services at some point. To find out if your home has recently been serviced, please contact Mona Humphrey at adminhoa@cullasaja-club.com and she can let you know when the last service was completed. If not, she can forward the online signup form for one or both services to give you peace of mind.

Cullasaja HOA Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is the speed limit in the community? • The speed limit is 20 mph throughout the community. Our Security Team does setup radar and stations at stop signs to ensure compliance with speed and heeding all stop signs for the safety of our residents. Q. Is there community trash pickup service at Cullasaja? • Household garbage pickup service is provided by J&B Disposal. You will need to contact them directly at (828) 369-2727. Q. In the event of snow or ice, who do I contact to have my driveway cleared? • Your main point of contact during a snow/ice situation is the Security gate. They keep a list of homeowners that would like their driveway cleared. The list is on a first come, first serve basis. Driveways are not automatically cleared, so you will need to contact Security after each weather event. (828) 526-3720 High Speed Fiber Optic Internet Service The Cullasaja Community is covered by the “Cullasaja Net”. The entire community is equipped with broadband internet service provided by BalsamWest and paid for in your annual HOA dues. Q. Who do I contact if I need to set up my internet? • If you have never set up BalsamWest Internet Service, you will need to contact Gary Clark at (828) 526-2190. Q. Who do I contact if I am having trouble with my internet? • If you are having internet issues, contact BalsamWest at (828) 339-2999 or send an email to support@balsamwest.net

Q. Who is responsible for repairs if the fiber-optic cable is cut? • Cullasaja residents are solely responsible for the cost of any fiber repairs made on their property (from the curb to the home). Please contact 811 to have the fiber-optic line marked before permitting any digging on your property. The cost to repair a cut fiber line can cost well over $1000.

Q. What departments are under HOA Member Services?

• Repairs and Maintenance - Supervisor, Will Walz, This department can do small “handyman” projects such as, changing a light bulb, changing out water heaters or winterization of your home. They are on call 24/7 to all homeowners. • Landscape - Supervisor, Chuck Dempsey, This department can do a variety of services to your yard and property such as, routine mowing, weeding, blowing, spring clean up, fall clean up, hemlock treatment, debris removal, tree/shrub trimming and removal, snow removal, and fertilization and treatment of trees and grass. • Outside Services - Supervisor, Steve Mersereau- This department manages the outside contractors. Steve can manage projects from large home renovation to HVAC repair with our vetted and insured contractors. We can assist homeowners with major plumbing, electrical and renovation projects. Q. Does the HOA provide renovation/construction services? • Yes. The HOA Member Services Outside Services division works with a wide variety of insured, licensed and certified contractors, plumbers, electricians and miscellaneous vendors to provide our homeowners with “carefree” mountain living to complete your project from start to finish. The fee to manage and oversee a project is currently 12.5 % of the total cost of the project.

Ravenel Lake and the “Yacht” Club Q: Are boats permitted in Ravenel Lake?

• Non-gasoline powered boats are permitted on Ravenel Lake. The HOA has storage racks to hold your personal boat for an annual fee. There is a boat ramp located at the Yacht Club for those who trailer their boats.

Q: Is fishing permitted in Ravenel Lake? • Fishing is permitted on the lake so long as it is not along or on the golf course, or off the bridge. There are several species of fish in Ravenel Lake from bass to annually stocked trout. We do ask that the trout are “catch and release” from October through June (barbless hooks). If you catch bass you may keep those. If you are unsure on where fishing is permitted, please contact the Security Gate or HOA Office. Please also note that State fishing regulations are in effect and may require a fishing license. Q: Is swimming permitted in Ravenel Lake? • Swimming is prohibited due to low depth and many stumps which could pose a hazard to swimmers. Q: Does the HOA have boats for homeowners to use? • There are two tandem kayaks, two paddle boats and several canoes owned by the HOA for all homeowners to use. Please contact the Security Gate for Cullasaja HOA member use. Q: Where is access to paddles and PFD? • The Security gate has a key to the lock box where paddles and PFD’s are stored. Visit the Security to pick up the key and sign a waiver.

Please review the Cullasaja Club Covenants and Restrictions for all rules and regulations related to the use and enjoyment of Ravenel Lake.

CURRENT FEE HOA SCHEDULE

2024

Annual Assessment Lot Only

$2,890.00 $3,400.00

Lot with Home

Broadband Fees (Lot with Home Only) Service Portion

$684.00 $300.00 $984.00

Construction Portion Total Broadband Fee

Capital Additions Fee

$50.00

Annual Capital Replacement Fee-Lot Annual Capital Replacement Fee-Home

$1,155.00 $1,285.00

Total HOA Annual Fees Lot Only

$4,095.00 $5,719.00

Lot with Home

Winterization - Up to 4 1/2 baths Winterization - 5 or more baths

$675.00 $775.00

Winterization - Open/Close

$175.00

Winterization - Open/Close (no notice)

$225.00

Weekly Inspection Only (per month)

$110.00 $550.00

Weekly Inspection Only (entire winter - 6 mos)

Grinder Pump Maintenance

$255.00

Landscaping (per hour)

$38.00 $45.00 12.5%

Landscaping Stone Work (per hour) Tree Removal Project Mgmt Fee

Landscaping Materials

Cost + 12.5%

Repair Services (per hour)

$38.00 $50.00

Repair Services-Plumbing/Electric (per hour)

Repair Parts & Materials

Cost + 12.5%

Outside Services Fee

12.5%

Water Meter (part only)

$265.00

Water/Sewer Tap Fee

$1,925.00

Yacht Club Annual Registration

$200.00