GRRHOA Gallatin River Ranch Homeowner s Association Real Estate Information Package GRRHOA Board of Directors
GALLATIN RIVER RANCH HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATION (GRRHOA) PROSPECTIVE BUYER INFORMATON 1/2/2017 The GRRHOA was established in 1995 for the management of Gallatin River Ranch (GRR). It is a nonprofit corporation, organized under Section 501(c)(4) of the IRS Code. The association is responsible for road maintenance, road snow removal, weed abatement along roadsides, litter control, safety and security other than those services provided by the Gallatin County Sheriff's Department, architectural control, and enforcement of the protective covenants established in 1995. All Gallatin River Ranch property owners become members of GRRHOA when they purchase property and are subject to the protective covenants, bylaws, and policies of the Association. The governing documents of GRRHOA including the Declaration of Conditions, Protective Covenants, and Reservations for Gallatin River Ranch (CC&R), and the Bylaws of GRRHOA are posted on the GRRHOA website. An abbreviated policy packet is also available on the website for review by individuals interested in purchasing real estate on GRR. GRRHOA WEBSITE The GRRHOA posts all approved meeting minutes, monthly financials, announcements, policies, and other information on the GRRHOA website. EMERGENCY NOTIFICATIONS Use your cell phone to text Tomtom to 90210. This will allow you to receive GRR emergency notifications such as fire or accident information from the Ranch Manager. Additionally, Gallatin County has an Emergency Preparedness Notification System (EPNS) that allows phone numbers, including cell phones, to be registered and receive emergency notifications for the local area. It is recommended that GRR residents register for emergency notifications. Register at https://www.readygallatin.com/?page_id=2116. EMERGENCIES Call all fire, medical, or law enforcement emergencies to the 911 system. Do not call the Fire Chief or Ranch Manager directly for emergencies. Call the Gallatin County Sheriff s Department for all non-emergency law enforcement problems. The Ranch Manager is available during normal business hours Monday through Friday to assist owners with problems they might encounter, and is available to a limited extent by phone after hours when he is in town. The Ranch Manager is not on call and does not respond in person to after hours calls. WASTE MANAGEMENT Residential garbage services are available on GRR through Republic Services (406-586-0606) and through L&L Site Services (406-388-7171). The Gallatin County Landfill is located in Logan, on the south side of I-90. To get to the landfill: go West on I-90 to the Logan exit (283) and turn South at the exit, going under the I-90 bridge. The first left after the bridge is the frontage road which will take you to the landfill. Cost for household 1
garbage is $5.00 for up to 150 lbs. You can find out more about the landfill by going to: www.gallatin.mt.gov/public_documents/gallatincomt_fislogan/landfill. 1/2/2017 POSTAL AND PACKAGE DELIVERY SERVICES TO GRR RESIDENTS There is no curbside mail delivery to homes on GRR. Mail may be delivered to a USPS box at the Pony Express next to the entry of GRR. These are limited in number. To inquire about availability, call the Manhattan, MT USPS office at (406) 284-6585. Mail to these boxes should be addressed to the owner s street address. Packages delivered by the USPS to these addresses will go into parcel boxes in the cluster box unit below the owner s mailbox. Larger packages will be held at the post office, and the owner will be notified of the delivery with a slip in their box. Those owners who do not have a box at the Pony Express have to rent a PO Box at the Manhattan Post Office. Mail must include that PO Box number for delivery. Packages sent through the USPS to the PO Box address will be delivered into parcel boxes at the post office. Delivery services such as Federal Express and UPS deliver directly to individual homes, and should be addressed to the street address of the home, regardless of where the resident gets their mail delivery. INTERNET Internet access on the Ranch is by wireless technology only. Some residents use satellite based systems, and others use local wireless transmission systems. Little Apple Technology is a Manhattan based ISP, owned by GRR developer Tom Langel. Little Apple has transmission antennae located around GRR, and provides plans with a number of different transfer speeds. There are no cable transmission lines, and DSL is not available. TELEVISION TV access is through satellite or antenna. Note Covenant restrictions on exterior antennae and satellite dishes. The majority of residents use either DISH Network or Direct TV. There is no cable TV on GRR. LIQUID PETROLEUM GAS If you plan to have gas heat, water heat, or a gas range, you will need a liquid petroleum (LP) gas tank. GRR covenants require that the tank be buried (Covenant 7.1.e). These tanks are acquired by lease or purchase. If you buy an existing home, the real estate agent should know which is the case. A leased tank obligates you to purchase propane from one company, while an owned tank allows you to shop around. The least expensive way to get propane is to pre-buy a set quantity in the summer or early fall, when prices are lowest. The service then fills your tank, either at your request, or on their periodic delivery rounds on the ranch. Propane services are available through: MAC Propane: 406-388-6623 Madison River Propane: 406-388-8227 Montana Energy Alliance: 406-388-5353 AmeriGas Propane: 406-586-2278 Northern Energy: 406-586-9707 Ferrellgas: 888-337-7355 2
1/2/2017 Grill gas tanks can be handled two ways. You can rent pre-filled tanks at a number of locations. The closest is the Conoco in Manhattan. These Blue Rhino tanks are not completely full. If you own or buy tanks, the closest place to get them filled is the Rocky Mountain Supply Cenex in Belgrade. BACK UP ELECTRICAL GENERATORS One electrical line runs along Nixon Gulch Road and across the river to supply electricity to GRR. Some residents have installed backup generators. These are easiest to install during new home construction. A number of the electrical contractors in the area install these systems. You need to remember that when the power goes down, your well pump will not work. WATER Domestic water on GRR is sourced from wells only. With new home construction, the general contractor will subcontract a well company to drill your well and set up an indoor pressure tank in your home. If you are purchasing an existing home, you should find out which well company did the work on your home, though you are not obligated to use them for your well service. Many residents install cisterns for water storage. This allows them to pull more water than their well pump can furnish, and provides a backup if there is a problem with the well itself. Cisterns vary in size. These are recommended if you plan to irrigate your landscape. Well depth varies from 350 to 1400 feet. The water is hard with a high mineral content. Domestic water must be conditioned or softened. Even with that, most residents install reverse osmosis purifying systems for drinking water. Wells may require shocking from time to time to eliminate bacteria. Well shocking recommendations can be found on the internet or from the contractor that drilled the well. SEPTIC SYSTEMS Domestic waste removal is done with septic systems. Before new home construction, contractors will subcontract with a septic system installer to perform perk tests to determine the suitability of a proposed septic field before installation. Most of the soil on GRR perks well, but some lots have rock formations that limit location choices. When purchasing an existing dwelling, the new owner should determine when the system was last serviced. It is recommended to pump the septic every 5 years. SCHOOL BUS PICK UP Manhattan School District busses stop at the Pony Express at the GRR entry. SNOW REMOVAL AND DRIVEWAY GRADING Most residents take care of their own snow removal. GRR Homeowner s Association employees are available to perform driveway snow removal and grading services for a charge. Contact the GRRHOA Road Manager, Marlin Sprow, to arrange this service at 406-539-7786. BUILDING ON GRR All construction that affects the external appearance of your property must be reviewed and approved by the Architectural Review Committee (ARC) before the project starts. Setback distances to roads, boundaries, and common areas may affect your design. Waivers may be obtained in some cases. There is also a variable fee structure depending on project size. 3
Activities that require ARC approval include: 1. Well drilling 2. Creation or modification of your driveway or road to home site 3. Home construction, primary residence or guest quarters 4. Home remodeling, exterior changes only 5. Building of any additional structures such as coops, barns, storage facilities, extra garages, greenhouses, horse shelters or stables, or other structures 6. New or substantial modification of landscaping 7. Ponds or other water features; tennis courts or pools 8. Construction of solar or wind systems 9. Construction of fences, railings, or walkways 1/2/2017 If you plan a project that requires ARC approval, review the Owner Building Packet, available on the GRRHOA website for the current architectural review policies. Contact the ARC through the property management company, listed below, and include the line GRRHOA Architecture Review Committee on your letter. ANNUAL ASSESSMENT All GRRHOA members pay a yearly assessment for the services provided by GRRHOA. The annual assessment is $1200 and has been stable since 2008. The assessment may be paid yearly or quarterly. If you pay yearly, the payment is due no later than January 1 st at the start of the payment year. If you pay quarterly, payment is due before the first day of: January, April, July, and October of the payment year. Annual assessments cannot be paid more than one year in advance. Members who are not current on their assessment payment lose their voting rights in GRRHOA, and are subject to a collection process described in our Dunning Policy. PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY GRRHOA contracts with a property management company for bookkeeping, accounting, mailing, and other services. Annual assessment payments and payment for other services are sent to the management company. Management Company Contact Information: GRRHOA c/o Luna Properties 40 East Main Street Suite 210 Bozeman, MT 59715 406.582.7490 4
1/2/2017 ANNUAL MEETING The annual GRRHOA meeting is held the second weekend in August each year. All owners receive an announcement of the meeting by mail. The dates and activities are also included in the GRRHOA website calendar. The Annual Meeting begins at 10 am on Saturday. The meeting serves to provide GRRHOA members with an annual update on HOA activities, Board activities, and an opportunity to discuss issues that pertain to GRRHOA management. Election results are reported at the meeting. The Annual Meeting weekend includes a number of other social activities that offer members an opportunity to get to know each other. In the past, these have included a Friday evening cocktail party, Saturday evening supper, music, a chili cook-off, and a Sunday morning campfire breakfast. These change from year to year. The costs of the Annual Meeting weekend activities are covered by the GRRHOA member annual assessment. The volunteer Annual Meeting Committee organizes events for the weekend, and welcomes additional volunteer help. ELECTIONS All GRRHOA members in good standing can run for the Board of Directors. The election of new Board members is conducted in advance of the Annual meeting. The announcement of the election and nomination papers are distributed to the membership in the spring and the election is conducted by paper ballots that are sent out with the July quarter assessment. The management company tallies the votes, and results are announced at the annual meeting. Good standing status is defined as any member who is current in their assessment payment. Each parcel on GRR carries one vote. BOARD OF DIRECTORS The Board of Directors (BOD) meets quarterly. The exact dates are set by the Board in order to maximize the number of members physically present on GRR for each meeting. The minutes of the meetings are posted on the website as soon as they are approved. The BOD is a volunteer group who are uncompensated for their services to GRRHOA. The BOD elects its officers on a yearly basis in a meeting immediately following the Annual Meeting. The members and officers of the Board of Directors are listed in the GRRHOA website. If an owner wishes to contact the Board, they can make the contact through the property management company, or contact a Board member directly. COMMITTEES The ARC is the only standing committee of the HOA. It is appointed by the Board of Directors. GRRHOA members interested in serving on this committee should contact the Board. The Annual Meeting Committee and Election Committee operate seasonally and volunteers are always welcome. To volunteer for these committees, contact the management company. POLICIES The GRRHOA Board of Directors has developed a number of policies that are included in a separate part of the Real Estate Information Section. These are updated periodically. Owners should consult the members-only side of the website to find the most recent policies. 5