Category: Policies

Signs Within the Community

HOA and Political Signs

Recently, a complaint was brought to the attention of the Board of Directors regarding the display of signs within the community that were characterized as “political.” This raised the question of whether our governing documents restrict the display of such signs.

The Short Answer

Yes—but the longer answer is more nuanced. It involves Arizona state law, considerations of free expression, and the Association’s governing documents. While the First Amendment protects free speech from government restriction, it generally does not apply to private homeowners’ associations. However, state law provides specific protections regarding political signage. These are explained in greater detail below.

The Board’s Position

After review, the Board acting as a committee of the whole on this enforcement matter, determined that, notwithstanding Arizona Revised Statute (A.R.S.) §33-1808, the signs in question do not meet the legal definition of a “political sign” as outlined in subsection N(4) of the statute.

Accordingly, the Association retains the authority to regulate or restrict such signage under Section 9.06 of the CC&Rs, adopted in July 1993.

The signs at issue were of modest in size, subdued in appearance, and placed on private property (e.g., on side yard gates or near front doors), several feet from the street. They were not obtrusive in placement, nor do they contain inherently offensive content. Perceptions of offense are subjective and may vary by individual.

The Board has decided that no further action would be taken.

The Long Answer

Political Signs Under Arizona Law (A.R.S. §33-1808)

Arizona law limits the extent to which homeowners’ associations may regulate political signs.

Definition As Specifically Relating to Political Signs:

C. Notwithstanding any provision in the community documents, an association shall not prohibit the indoor or outdoor display of a political sign by an association member on that member’s property, except that an association may prohibit the display of political signs as follows:

(1) Earlier than seventy-one days before the day of a primary election.
(2) Later than fifteen days after the day of the general election.
(3) For a sign for a candidate in a primary election who does not advance to the general election, later than fifteen days after the primary election.

    For the purposes of this section of (A.R.S.) §33-1808 :
    N(4).

    A “Political sign” means a sign or flag that attempts to influence the outcome of an election, including supporting or opposing the recall of a public officer or supporting or opposing the circulation of a petition for a ballot measure, question or proposition or the recall of a public officer.

    • Key Provisions:
      Associations may not prohibit political signs on a member’s property, subject to certain limitations.  Signs may be restricted if displayed:

    (1) Earlier than seventy-one days before the day of a primary election.
    (2) Later than fifteen days after the day of the general election.
    (3) For a sign for a candidate in a primary election who does not advance to the general election, later than fifteen days after the primary election.

    • Additional Guidelines:
      • HOAs may limit the total size of political signs to 9 square feet (unless local ordinances allow more [OV does not]).
      • Associations may regulate placement for safety and community standards.
      • HOAs cannot require signs to be professionally produced.

    Eagles Bluff CC&Rs (Section 9.06 – Signs)

    “No signs of any kind shall be displayed which are visible from neighboring property without prior approval of the Board or the Architectural Control Committee, except:

    A. Signs required by legal proceedings; and
    B. Signs used by the Developer or Declarant.”

    Practical Guidelines for Residents

    • When Can Political Signs Be Displayed?
      • Primary Election (July 21, 2026):
        • May 11, 2026 – Earliest display date
        • August 5, 2026 – Remove signs for unsuccessful primary candidates.
      • General Election (November 3, 2026):
        • November 18, 2026 – Remove all political signs.
    •  Size and Quantity
      • The total combined area of all signs may not exceed nine (9) square feet.
      • No specific limit has been set on the number of signs, provided size limits are respected.

    • Placement Rules
      Residents may place signs only within the boundaries of their property, subject to the following restrictions:
      • Signs may not be placed on HOA common areas or along property lines adjoining common areas without approval.
      • Signs may not cross or encroach upon neighboring property lines.
      • Signs may not obstruct pedestrian or vehicular traffic.

    Parking Do’s and Dont’s

    Every Board meeting brings up questions concerning parking in the community.  The CC&Rs do not permit any overnight parking on the streets or in the driveways.  Starting back in 1998, at the beginning of homeowner control of the HOA, this parking ban was considered too restrictive.  

    The Board formulated parking regulations that allowed limited overnight and driveway parking within the community.  Those parking regulations have evolved over time, and can be found under the “Documents” page of this site.  Many of these regulations follow the Code of the Town of Oro Valley, for public streets.   If you found a ‘Blue Parking Reminder’ placed on your windshield, it’s to remind you of the parking restrictions the community wants you to follow.

    Failure to do so will initiate other unpleasant and costly actions, which will eventually lead to fines, and the likelihood of the vehicle being towed away at the vehicle owner’s expense. The HOA would regret taking this action and simply wishes everyone to follow the rules that the HOA membership wants enforced.

    Temporary Parking Permits
    Short-term, street parking permits are available for residents and guests who require more than the allowable limit of five (5) days in a calendar month, or for some other special parking requirement. These permits can be obtained from any Board Member, or you can request a temporary parking permit on-line by using this link:

    Request a Temporary Parking Permit

    Emergency Responder Exemption
    State Law ARS 33-1809 permits emergency responder vehicles such as an ambulance or EMT truck, and public utilities, to park on private property and public/City-owned streets; they are absolved from a homeowners’ association parking restrictions.

    The emergency responder must register their vehicle with the HOA Manager to qualify for this parking regulation exemption

    By Canada Hills HOA standards, our Village parking regulations are quite liberal compared to the other Villages, and the Board encourages everyone to review and follow them.  Let’s be good neighbors.

    Originally Posted: Feb, 2017

    Paying Your Eagles Bluff HOA Dues

     

    Editor’s Note:
    Homeowners in Eagles Bluff are required to pay two association dues every year.

    1. Eagles Bluff HOA Dues, $92.50 paid quarterly ; and
    2. Cañada Hills Community Association (CHCA) Dues, $123.00 paid annually.

    This page pertains to homeowner payments to our local HOA only.

    Click here for more information on HOA dues.

    Auto Pay

    Alliance Association Bank is the financial institution used by Cadden Management for our association accounts. On January 1, 2024, a $0.25 processing fee was implemented for recurring payments facilitated through the Alliance Bank payment portal. You can access the Alliance Association Bank portal directly from your Cadden Community Management Homeowner’s Portal https://portal.cadden.com/login.

    The breakdown of processing fees for payments made through the Alliance portal are as follows:

    • $0.25 for recurring eChecks,
    • $2.00 for a one-time eCheck,
    • 3.5% for a credit card, or
    • $5.00 for a debit card.

    If you have a technical issue making an online payment, you can contact Alliance Association Bank at (844) 739-2331. If you need information about your property or current balance, don’t hesitate to contact Cadden Community Management at 520-297-0797 or info@cadden.com.

    Please note the Management Company ID for Cadden Community Management is 6725.

    Other Payment Options

    While auto pay is a valued service and the most efficient way to deposit funds directly into the Association’s operating account. There are other methods where a fee is not applied, such as

    1. Mailing your payment to the following Las Vegas address; or
    2. Setting up online bill payment through your own financial institution using the same Las Vegas address:

    Make Your Check Payable to “Canada Hills Village 14”

    Include the following information on your check:

      • Your Account Number [from the paper statement or contact Cadden]
      • Management ID: 6725
      • Association ID: 234

    Mailing Address:
    Canada Hills Village 14
    c/o Cadden Community Management
    PO Box 94737
    Las Vegas, NV 89193-4737

    DO NOT mail your payment directly to the Cadden Office in Tucson. You will incur a $25 processing and handling fee.

    Also note that if you are currently paying your assessment through autopay with your bank, credit union or financial institution, you must contact them directly to change the amount deducted from your account to reflect the new assessment amount.  The increase will not be updated by your financial institution automatically.  Doing this avoids unintended late fees for underpayment.

    Going Paperless

    Homeowners can choose to go paperless and help manage association costs by signing up for e-statements. E-statements and do not require Auto Pay, that is optional. Homeowners can sign up for e-statements on the online portal.  https://portal.cadden.com/login. After login-in, you can update your preferences under “My Profile”

    Originally Posted: January 25, 2024

    Exterior Lights

    Is your exterior light bulb dead?

    It’s easy to overlook a burned-out exterior light—especially if you’re not outside after sunset.

    Most homes in our community have a dawn-to-dusk sensor on at least one exterior fixture. Because these lights switch off automatically at sunrise, you may not notice a dead bulb unless you’re out before dawn or after dark.

    Please take a moment this evening to check your exterior light.

    If the bulb needs replacing, please remember that the Canada Hills Community Association (CHCA) requires the use of a 40-watt equivalent bulb. Yes, it’s a real CC&R requirement to avoid ‘light pollution’ across your neighbor’s property, and it helps maintain a consistent look throughout the neighborhood.

    LED bulbs, while a bit more expensive upfront, last far longer and use significantly less electricity. For example, a 450-lumen (40-Watt) incandescent bulb uses about 85% more energy to produce mostly heat, not light, than a 450-lumen LED bulb at around 5-Watts. Over the course of a year, that one incandescent bulb costs roughly $33 to operate, compared to about $11 for the LED, based on 2025 electric rates.

    Another tip: Purchasing a LED bulb with a Kelvin temperature range at or below 4000K will produce a pleasant, warm glow. Anything near or above 5000K will make your home look like a warehouse parking lot.

    In Short: LEDs save energy, last longer, and keep that portion of your TEP bill focused on providing light—not heat.

    Thank you for taking a moment to help keep our community properly lighted and safe.

    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
      Please Note: Javelina love ‘dining under the stars’ and will knock over your container and strewn your trash onto the street, leaving you a mess to clean up in the morning. The smart move, is to roll your container to the curb at first light, on the day of collection.
    2. Keep your container accessible for collection. 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 following collection day.
    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”, pursuant to our CC&Rs.

    Originally Posted: Aug. 2017

    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 Town of Oro Valley Plant 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!”

    CAÑADA HILLS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION PLANT LIST

    Originally Posted: May 2, 2018

    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.

    Originally Published: April 10, 2019

    New Design Guidelines

    The Cañada Hills Community Association (CHCA aka the Master Association) has updated their guidance and approval process for exterior modifications. These changes are effective immediately. The link below details that process.

    Design Guidelines – Standards and Modifications to the Exterior of Existing Homes.

    As a reminder, modifications to the exterior property, with a few exceptions, must be approved by both the Eagles Bluff Design Review Committee AND the CHCA DRC. To streamline this approval process, Eagles Bluff follows the CHCA guidance, unless the proposed modification uniquely impacts negatively on our neighbors. Refer to the following document to familiarize yourself with our approval process.

    Eagles Bluff Design Review Process

    The following form incorporates both Eagles Bluff DRC and CHCA DRC submittal information. Both are required for any external modifications requiring DRC review.

    Property Improvement Form

    The primary responsibility of the Design Review Committee (formerly known as the (Architectural Review Committee and the Architectural Control Committee ) is to advise and assist the Board of Directors in preserving the harmonious architectural and appearance of Eagles Bluff; and in protecting the values of property within our community.

    The Eagles Bluff Declaration of Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions (CC&Rs) Article VIII, requires that all improvements, changes and alterations which change the exterior appearance of any property within Eagles Bluff, Cañada Hills Village 14 must be reviewed and approved by the ‘Architectural Control Committee’. The Eagles Bluff committee was renamed the ‘Design Review Committee’ (DRC), to follow the same naming convention that is used by the Canada Hills Community Association’s Design Review Committee. The CHCA DRC has overall responsibility for reviewing and approving exterior changes to homeowner’s property throughout the twenty-one Villages of Cañada Hills.

    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 same 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 must include:

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

    Originally Posted: Dec. 2018