Category Archives: Policies

Holiday Lights

A common question that arises during the holiday season is, “Does the HOA have a policy or rule on Christmas lights?” The answer to that question is “no”.

The usual and customary practice within the community, is that folks put up decorations around Thanksgiving and remove them a week or so after New Year’s Day. All holiday decorations are generally removed by the end of January.

Where did the tradition of Christmas lights on houses come from?

Outdoor Christmas light displays on houses evolved from decorating the traditional Christmas tree and house with candles during the Christmas season. The tradition of lighting the tree with small candles dates back to the 17th century and originated in Germany before spreading to Eastern Europe.

Christmas trees displayed publicly and illuminated with electric lights became popular in the early 20th century. By the mid-20th century, it became customary to display strings of electric lights along streets and on buildings; Christmas decorations detached from the Christmas tree itself. In the United States, it became popular to outline private homes with such Christmas lights in tract housing beginning in the 1960s.

Helpful Tips for Avoid Holiday Lighting Hassles

  • Avoid using noisy or music-generating exterior decorations.
    At the very least, turn off those decorations by 9PM.
  • Use a timer 
    This saves you money on your electric bill, by avoiding having your lights on all night.
  • Be mindful that going all “Clark Griswold” with your decorations, might just ruin your neighbors’ enjoyment of the holiday season. That timer can save you hassles and money.

Originally Posted November 2018

New Exterior Design Guidelines

The Canada Hills Community Association (CHCA) has revised their design guidelines entitled: Design Review Guidelines Standards for the Modification to the Exterior of Existing Homes-March 2021.  The CHCA (formerly known as the Master Association), has overall design restrictions for the 21 Villages of Canada Hills; of which Eagles Bluff is Village 14.

Keep in mind that the CHCA allows Village Design Guidelines to be more restrictive, but not less restrictive, than CHCA Design Guidelines. This revision clarifies what external modifications require a CHCA Design Review submittal and approval.

As a reminder to all homeowners, modifications to the exterior of your home usually requires approval from our Eagles Bluff Design Review Committee.  As a “rule of thumb” if the exterior design modification does not require a submittal the the Canada Hills DRC,  then the Eagles Bluff DRC does not require a submittal as well. If you are in doubt, always contact our HOA Manager for guidance, before you begin your project planning

If your external design modification does require Canada Hills DRC review and approval, you must first submit your planned modification to the Eagles Bluff DRC for review and approval,  This two-step approval process is explained on our website.

Vacation Rental Restriction

While Arizona state law ARS § 9-500.39, prohibits cities and towns from placing limits on short-term vacation housing rentals (Airbnb, VRBO, etc.); at present, there is no statute in Arizona that prohibits private regulation by CC&Rs, of vacation rentals.

Section 9.02 Renting, of our CC&Rs requires a minimum rental period of thirty (30) days. Additionally, a copy of the rental agreement must be provided to the Association. Renters and guests are subject to the sames rules and restrictions of the Association.

For all rentals, the Owner of the Lot must provide the Association’s Management Company with the following information:

  • A copy of the rental agreement
  • Contact information of the lessee(s)
  • Contact information of the Lessor’s property management company (if applicable)

All contact information shall include:

  • Mailing Address
  • Primary and Secondary Telephone Numbers
  • Fax Number (if applicable)
  • Primary E-mail address

Originally Posted: Dec. 2018

More ‘Trash Talk’

When is trash picked up?

Waste Management picks up our trash/garbage twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays, excluding holidays. The re-cycling pickup is only on Friday. When a holiday falls on a Monday, collection is usually shifted by one day, to Wednesday and Saturday of that week.

Garbage collection service is not part of your association dues. Each homeowner is responsible for obtaining an account with Waste Management. The frequency and type of service is up to you. This is done to minimize Association dues, and to avoid you having to pay for services you don’t need.

Container “etiquette” 

You are requested and required to follow these procedures on collection day:

  1. Place your container(s) at curb side no sooner than the evening before collection; and
  2. Keep your container accessible. Parked vehicles and other obstacles may prevent Waste Management from servicing the container.
  3. Promptly remove your container(s) from curb side after collection, no later than the morning (7AM) following collection day; and
  4. Store the container(s) either in your garage, side or back yard, behind the gate.
    It is the Board’s discretion that these three locations are considered as being “removed from view”.

Originally Posted: Aug. 2017

Board Approves Revised Resolutions

The follow two resolutions were approved  by the Board of Directors at the April 18, 2019 meeting.

2019-01 – Appeals and Due Process of Nuisances and Non-Compliance of CC&Rs

This resolution updates the due process policy for addressing violations to our Association Rules. 

2019-02 – Imposition of a Fine or Other Sanctions 

This resolution updates the fining policy of the Association. The update follows the guidelines pursuant to ARS § 33-1803 on this subject.

Copies of these resolutions will be mailed to all property owners and renters within the community.

Barking Dog. Who you gonna call?

You have a neighbor with a barking dog. Dogs bark, that’s what they do; but when the noise becomes excessive, your first impulse may be to call a Board member or complain to our management company; that is not going to resolve the problem.  While the CC&Rs address this type of nuisance, the Board is powerless to resolve this issue in a timely manner. 

Your best course of action, after talking with the dog’s owner yields no resolution, is to contact the Oro Valley Police non-emergency telephone number 520-229-4900, and lodge a noise complaint.  In the past, animal noise nuisances have been difficult and timely to resolve. The Town has recently enacted revised regulations (Town Code Article 18-8) to address the long lag time from complaint to resolution.

While it is always best to reach an amiable solution to a barking dog with your neighbor, you do have a legal means to seek a remedy when all else fails.

BTW – The same holds true for a noisy neighbor. The Town of Oro Valley has a general noise ordinance (Town Code Article 10-1-4), and those noise complaints should also be directed to the Oro Valley Police non-emergency telephone number 520-229-4900.

Prohibited Plants in Oro Valley

Did you know the Town of Oro Valley has a list of “good” and “bad” plants? Before you update your landscaping, you should check the list to ensure you don’t harbor any “felonius flora”. 

Existing, established plants, typically are “grandfathered”, unless they are classified as an invasive species, then check with the Town of Oro Valley if they should be removed. Or as I always say, “When in doubt, cut it out!”

Here is a quick list of plants to avoid:

CAÑADA HILLS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION PLANT LIST
ORO VALLEY PROHIBITED PLANT LIST

  1. Any species of tree or shrub whose mature height may reasonably be expected to exceed 25 feet, with the exception of those indigenous plants, which may naturally exceed 25 feet.
  2. Olive trees (Olea europaea), will be prohibited for reasons of their profuse production of allergy-producing pollen. However, the “Swan Hill Olive” and the “Wilson Hill Olive” varieties may be used due to its non-flowering ,non-pollen producing status.
  3. Fountain Grass (Pennisetum setaceum) will be prohibited as a defined weed with the potential to spread throughout the Town and become a fire hazard.
  4. Common Bermuda Grass (Cynodon dactylon) will be prohibited as a defined weed and for its profuse production of allergy-producing pollen.
  5. Mexican Palo Verde (Parkinsonia aculeata) will be prohibited as harborer of pests and for its ability to spread throughout the Town thereby altering the present natural desert.
  6. Mulberry Trees (Morus) will be prohibited as noxious pollen producers.
  7. Desert Broom (Baccharis sarothroides) will be prohibited as a defined weed with the potential to spread throughout the Town.

Trash Collection – Preferred Vendor

There has been some recent confusion and misinformation concerning the Association’s policy on the preferred vendor for trash collection.  Waste Management has been the Association’s preferred vendor, since the late 1990’s.  A single vendor was selected to reduce the number pickup days and their heavy trucks rolling on our streets.  A policy has been written and approved by the Board of Directors to clarify this subject.

The membership also decided to keep any contract for services between Waste Management and the homeowner; this allows for greater flexibility of services to the homeowner, without increasing Association dues to cover trash collection, and having members pay for services they were not using.  The monthly rate for one (1) trash and one (1) recycle pickup is $12.25 + taxes and fees, ($15.45).

HOA14 Trash Collection Letter 20170908

#2017-02 Trash Collection Policy