The Board had a consultation with a HOA attorney on 8/11/21 and we reviewed and discussed our current Bylaws and Covenants.  The attorney recommended that we amend and restate our Bylaws and Covenants because they were very poorly written by the Developer and do not address all of the typical areas that governing documents should address.  The Board voted unanimously to amend the current Bylaws and Covenants and make the recommended changes so that we have more comprehensive documents. 

Why are we amending our Bylaws and Covenants?  Our objective is to have more clarity and direction with regards to how the governing documents dictate the HOA operations and address common issues.  Our current Bylaws and Covenants are vague and do not address many common issues related to Board operations, member responsibilities, meetings, etc.  Additionally, the Board learned that when the Developer drafted the original Bylaws and Covenants many years ago, it was meant to be temporary, with the expectation that once it was turned over to the members, the Board would revise the documents and adopt new policies and procedures to operate the HOA.  Unfortunately, that likely wasn't clearly communicated to the members by the Developer.  Moreover, had the Developer provided a complete set of comprehensive Bylaws and Covenants, the members would not be left with the daunting task and expense of amending and restating the HOA's documents.  

Why not just keep the current Bylaws and Covenants?  If we were to keep the current governing documents "as is," the power lies with the Board and the documents allow the Board to make subjective and arbitrary decisions.  We want the documents to be more objective, transparent, and to guide the Board, no matter who is in office, with clear and concise directions on how to address common issues that arise in the HOA.

​The current Bylaws allow the Board to make amendments without a vote of the community, but the Board would like your input!  While it is within the Board's authority to amend the Bylaws without a vote of the community (Article VIII, Section 7.01), we wanted to give every member of Everson Ridge the opportunity to voice his/her opinion.  On 8/23/21, members will receive a copy of the proposed Bylaws via email and are asked to review them, complete an online questionnaire, and make suggestions.    

Your input is important!  First, we're starting with amending the Bylaws.  We ask that you take some time to review the proposed amendments and then complete the questionnaire.  The Board will consider all recommendations. 

Please complete the Bylaws questionnaire and submit to the Board by Thursday, 9/2/21.  

The final draft of the amended Bylaws will be presented and discussed at the upcoming Annual Meeting.  In addition, we are currently drafting proposed amendments to the Covenants.  These will also be sent out to the community for review and input within the next few weeks. Once the Bylaws and Covenants are finalized and approved, we will have them reviewed by our HOA attorney before filing them with Gwinnett County.     

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please email the Board at [email protected].

We live in a beautiful neighborhood and Everson Ridge owners have done a wonderful job preserving their properties!  With the Board forming the Architectural Review Committee (ARC) in the near future, the neighborhood will be inspected regularly.  Owners have the responsibility to follow the Covenants, Rules, and Regulations and help keep the neighborhood clean so that everyone's property value can remain high.  

Here are a few commonly found violations:

• Unapproved architectural changes

• Overgrown landscaping and untreated weeds
• Improperly parked vehicles
• Trash containers left out and stored in the wrong area
• Off-season holiday decorations
• Pet violations (i.e. off leash, droppings not picked up, excessive barking)
• Celebratory signs left in yards for an extended amount of time
• Excessive lawn ornaments and yard art

To avoid violations and fines, we'd like to offer a few pointers. 
 

• Read, learn, and follow the the HOA's governing Documents.
• Stay in the loop about new rules and guidelines by attending all of the the HOA's meetings and events.
• Communicate!  Keeping the lines of communication open with the Board and neighbors will eliminate most misunderstandings and problems.
• Don't take it personally.  The HOA's rules were created to keep the community safe and comfortable for all residents, including you. Also, you agreed to adhere to the rules when you bought your home in an HOA community. 
• Don't ignore violations notices.  If you are unsure or have questions about any notice you receive, please contact the Board and ask questions. 

In addition, to avoid common violations, please do the following:

Get Approval For ANY Exterior Modifications 

• Per the Covenants, ANY modification to the exterior of the home must be approved, including back yards
• Owners must submit an application to make any exterior improvements or changes

Regularly Maintain Your Lawn and Landscaping

• Lawns should be mowed regularly and be free of weeds
• Lawns should be edged and bushes and shrubs should be trimmed
• Flowerbeds should have ground cover and be free of overgrown weeds and grass
• Lawn ornaments and yard art should be tasteful and complimentary to the style of the home and neighborhood

Get Approval for Signs and Remove After Events

• Any sign, other than one (1) real estate for sale sign, must be approved 
• Graduation and celebration signs should be removed within a reasonable amount of time after the event and in no event should signs be left up longer than 30 days

Properly Store Trash Cans/Dumpsters

• Trash cans should be placed at the curb no earlier than 6pm on Sunday night, and should be removed no later than Tuesday morning at 8am (unless the waste company is late picking up)
• Trash cans and dumpsters should not be visible from the street
• Properties should be kept free of trash and debris