Revised October, 2013 Welcome to Stony Ridge Condominiums. You have become a member of a community of homeowners who enjoy many privileges and share many common responsibilities. This pamphlet attempts to explain how we are organized as a condominium community and the responsibilities, which are attached to this form of home ownership. It is intended as a general guide and a supplement to the Master Deed and By-laws, which you have already received. Ownership is similar to that of any homeowner. As a condominium owner, you have rights in your own individual unit and you, jointly with the other owners, share the rights to the whole complex. Since we are all joint owners of the complex as a whole, we share joint responsibility for the entire condominium. The ground on which the buildings sit, the exteriors of the buildings themselves, all these are the joint responsibility of the co-owners as a whole. It is for this reason that you will often find yourself referred to in the condominium documents as a co-owner. In order to take care of our joint responsibilities, the Master Deed provides that we elect a Board of Directors to govern the complex. The Board of Directors then has the legal power to enter into the necessary contracts and take the necessary steps to keep the complex running. These duties include maintenance of the grounds and buildings, regulation of the parking, drives, maintenance of insurance on the premises, and many other matters. The Board of Directors is elected by the co-owners at the Annual meeting. The Board members are unpaid volunteers who agree to act on behalf of the co-owners to make the necessary decisions for the management of the complex. The operation of a complex such as ours requires a number of routine tasks such as, collecting maintenance fees, and overseeing routine repairs and services. Since it is impractical and unreasonable for the Board members to perform these tasks themselves, a Management Company is hired by the Board to perform such tasks, and to generally assist the Board in its functioning. The Management Company collects assessments, supervises maintenance and repairmen and generally handles those tasks too specialized or time consuming for Board members to handle themselves. The source of all this organization described above is the Master Deed and By-laws which are the legal documents creating the basis for our condominium organization. We suggest that you refer to those documents for any additional details you may need concerning the organization of our condominium, and in case of any conflict between this pamphlet and those documents, it is the Master Deed and By-laws which would control. 1
HOW TO USE YOUR CONDOMINIUM Introduction A Word about Rules: Because our homes in a condominium are grouped into buildings and our buildings are grouped on the land, our activities as co-owners inevitably affect the other co-owners in our complex more than in a single-family situation. Additionally, our legal responsibilities for the complex as a whole, makes us more responsible for maintaining our living conditions and standards. Individual co-owners may find it annoying when the Board of Directors demands prior notice of certain activities or forbids certain activities. However, it is our strong belief based on our experience and the experience of other condominium complexes that enforcement of the rules regarding the appearance, maintenance, and use of our complex is essential to maintaining it in a way in which we will be proud. It is the duty and responsibility of the Board of Directors to fully enforce the rules and regulations of the condominium. We are certain that by doing so we improve the lives of all the co-owners here and maintain the fine property values of this beautiful complex. There are many services available to you as a co-owner of Stony Ridge Condominiums. Here are some facts about some of these services. A. Who to Contact The Association employs Association Management Inc. (AMI) Management. If the problem requires immediate attention, call the Management Company for service. If you have questions about non-routine matters such as, modifications to your unit or questions about overall policy, you should contact AMI. AMI s phone number is 800-821-8800 Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. After hours phone lines are monitored by a live answering service to handle emergency service request, only. Their address is 47200 Van Dyke Avenue Shelby Township, MI 48317. The Association Manager is Mike LaRaia mlaraia@amicondos.com; the Management Coordinator s are Ms. Nancy DeSantis and Ms. Kristin Sanders. B. Changes/Improvements to your Unit Any plan and description for modifications must be submitted in writing to AMI for the Board of Director s approval PRIOR to the beginning of any work. Absolutely no changes shall be made to the unit until they have received express written permission from the Board and/or AMI. Changes made prior to the Board s approval will result in the property being restored to the original state at the co-owners expense. 2
C. Lawn Care and Snow Removal The Association, through the management agreement entered into with the Management Company by the Board of Directors, has contracted for both lawn mowing and snow removal. Regarding snow removal, please remember that the snow removers cannot clear off areas in which cars are parked. Supervision of the work of the snow removal crews is the responsibility of the Management Company. The Management Company should be contacted if the snow is not removed from your driveway, walks, steps, porch and street. The lawn service care contracted for includes fertilizing, weekly mowing, trimming of edges, and removal of leaves from lawns. The lawn service is not required to clean up after pets and may refuse to mow lawns on which it finds pet droppings. Supervision of the work of the lawn service crews is the responsibility of the Management Company. The Management Company should be contacted for lawn service complaints. For further information, please see page 7 Buildings and Grounds Maintenance. D. Trash Pick Up The City of Rochester picks up the trash on a weekly basis. You should place your trash in secure containers or trash bags at the corners of your driveway. Please do not place containers or trash bags on the lawn. (Do this as late as possible, preferably not before 5:00 PM on the day preceding collection) Pick-up men seem willing to take anything they can pack on their truck. The usual day for pick up is Tuesday. If a holiday falls on a Monday our trash pickup will be on Wednesday, not Tuesday. Glass, newspapers, plastic material and cans must be recycled and placed at curbside in the bins provided by the trash pickup company or the City of Rochester. E. Sale or Lease of Units For information about selling a unit, please make any requests to AMI. Also inform your realtor that all requests MUST BE MADE IN WRITING. This will necessitate your allowing enough time for a response. Please notify AMI in writing who the new owner is. A co-owner intending to make a sale of his/her unit shall notify the Association in writing at least 30 days before the closing date of the sale and shall furnish the name and address of the intended purchaser. When selling, please keep in mind that it is necessary to have a letter from AMI confirming that all monies owed to the Association have been paid. There may also be a need to request a Certificate of Insurance for the AMI. Any information needed to sell the unit is the responsibility of the co-owner. A Co-owner may lease his/her Unit provided that, at least 30 days before leasing, written disclosure of such lease transaction along with an exact copy of the lease is submitted to the AMI for its review. The terms of all leases, occupancy agreements and occupancy arrangements shall incorporate, or be deemed to incorporate, all of the 3
provisions of the Condominium Documents. If leasing your unit, the co-owner must register their property with the City of Rochester. The Purchaser Information Booklet for Stony Ridge Condominiums under the By-Laws, Article VI Restrictions, Section 8, Advertising; states: No signs or other advertising devices of any kind shall be displayed which are visible from the exterior of a Unit or on the Common Elements, including For Sale signs, without written permission from the Association. All co-owners wishing to sell or have an open house are required to contact AMI. When having an open house the following rules must be followed: Real estate signs designating For Sale or Open House will be allowed in ground. These in the ground signs should be aligned with the front door and be placed on the front lawn. These signs shall be temporary and are for the sole purpose of identifying a unit for sale. Open House or For Sale signs can only be displayed on Saturday and Sunday from the hours of 1:00 PM until 5:00 PM. Signs are not permitted on any Saturday or Sunday which happens to coincide with either a local, State or National Holiday. Real estate signs in windows are not allowed. Co-owner must let AMI know when there is a For Sale Open House. GENERAL ASSOCIATION RULES What follows is a list of some of the rules contained in the By-laws. A complete list of the rules pertaining to the operation of this complex is contained in the By-laws and this partial list is intended to acquaint all co-owners with some of the rules that most commonly affect them. The Board of Directors through AMI will listen to all complaints and will work with-in the By-laws as set forth in the Master Deed to resolve any difficulties. Common sense, courtesy, and consideration should govern the actions for all residents. As a co-owner, your cooperation in following the rules and regulations will help maintain a pleasant atmosphere in the complex while providing for a positive relationship with your neighbors. Please ask your guests to comply. A. Budget The Board of Directors of the Association shall establish an annual budget in advance for each fiscal year and such budget shall project all expenses for the forthcoming year which may be required for the proper operation, management and maintenance of the Condominium Project, including a reasonable allowance for contingencies and reserves. An adequate reserve fund for maintenance, repairs and replacement of those common elements that must be replaced on a periodic basis shall be established in the budget and must be funded by regular monthly payments. Should the Board of Directors at any time determine in the sole discretion of the Board of Directors: (1) that the assessments levied are or may prove to be insufficient to pay the costs of operation and management of the Condominium, (2) to provide replacements of existing common 4
elements, (3) to provide additions to the common elements not exceeding $1,000.00 annually for the entire Condominium Project, or (4) in the event of emergencies, the Board of Directors shall have the authority to increase the general assessment or to levy such additional assessment or assessments as it shall deem to be necessary. B. Alterations and Modifications This rule has been stated before in this pamphlet, but it is worth repeating. No coowner shall make alterations in the exterior appearance or make structural modifications to their units or make changes of the common elements, limited or general, without the express written approval given by AMI and the Board of Directors. C. Decks The costs of maintenance, repair and replacement of each patio and/or deck, if any, shall be borne by the co-owner of the unit to which it relates. Each co-owner is required to maintain, power wash and stain/seal (clear or natural cedar) their wood deck in a manner that is in keeping with the exterior of their unit. If not maintained to the minimum requirements, AMI, by direction of the Board of Directors, will take action to power wash and seal/clear stain the deck and will assess the co-owner for such costs. Decks made from composite material please see the attached addendum. D. Aesthetics 1) Newspapers & Deliveries: Out of town co-owners are responsible to make the appropriate arrangements for newspaper and other deliveries to their unit, accumulation shall not be permitted. 2) Storage: No unsightly condition shall be maintained on any patio, porch, or deck and only furniture and equipment consistent with the normal and reasonable use of such areas shall be permitted to remain there during seasons when such areas are reasonably in use and no furniture or equipment of any kind shall be stored there or during seasons when such areas are not reasonably in use. BBQ s and deck furniture is considered to be in use year-round. In general, no activity shall be carried on nor condition maintained by a co-owner, either in his unit or upon the common elements, which is detrimental to the appearance of the condominium. To be clear, storage under decks in and out of season is absolutely not permitted. 3) Holiday Decorations: Holiday decorations may be displayed. Decorations may be put up no sooner than 10 days before the holiday and shall be removed 10 days after the date of the holiday with the exception of Christmas. Co-owners may decorate trees and shrubs outside their unit with outdoor Christmas lighting (U.L. Approved). Lights may be strung before November 15 and may not be lit 5
prior to Thanksgiving or after January 15 th. All lighting and seasonal decorations must be removed no later than February 1. Reasonable discretion should be used concerning all decorations. 4) Ornamental Items: Ornamental items are not to be displayed in the front of the units, driveways or on the sidewalks. No birdbaths, statues, ornamental materials, furniture, metal or cloth art objects, flags, planters, sun catchers, bishop hooks, window boxes, bird baths, attached hose holders and exposed hoses or other decorative items may be used on the common elements. Wreaths can be hung on the front door, but nothing can be attached to the exterior unit walls. 5) Sun Screens/Shades: A collapsible umbrella is the only acceptable shade sunscreen device for the deck patio area. Gazebos, tents, retractable or standard awnings or any other sun screen devices are not allowed and will be considered violations. 6) Front Stoop: On the front stoop of each unit, a combination of any three (3) items may be placed: a) Planters of any reasonable size that allows access to the front door; b) Bench or chair, made of wrought iron, wood or stone. Nothing that is portable, like a folding chair. c) Any decorative item of neutral color, that is not of religious nature. 7) Flowers: Potted flowers in season are acceptable on decks. No shrubbery or trees are allowed on decks. Flower plantings are allowed and you may plant along the sidewalk to the front stoop. Planting annuals in the common area in front of the units is permitted as long as it does not interfere with normal maintenance. Planting of perennials is not permitted in the common areas in front of the units without approval of the board. The Developer s plan cannot be disturbed and the plantings cannot dominate the original landscape. All plantings must be maintained and trimmed to a reasonable height and annuals must be removed by October 31st. Artificial flowers of any type are not acceptable. 8) Flags: The American flag may be attached to the unit. The flag cannot exceed 3 X 5. No other flags including ground flags/signs are permitted. (ex. security flag) 9) Garage Doors: Garage doors shall be kept closed at all times except as may be reasonably necessary to gain access to or from any garage. For air circulation during summer months, doors may be slightly raised. 6
10) Solar Lights: Solar lights may be used along the walkway to the front stoop/entrance. They cannot interfere with normal maintenance of snow removal and lawn care. They must be innocuous. E. Traffic Control and Parking The Common Elements shall not be obstructed in any way. Vehicles must be parked in the Co-owner s garage or in the driveway leading to the garage, before any parking is allowed in the roadway. Street parking on Letica Road is not permitted. Maximum speed limit in the complex is 15 miles per hour. In addition, please adhere to the two stop signs as walkers, cyclists, and children also use the roads. Parking that blocks a co-owner from using his/her driveway is not permitted. Parking is never permitted on the grass or in front of the mailboxes, except while picking up mail. Only personal, non-commercial vehicles may be parked in the complex. Such vehicles as trailers, snowmobiles, RV s, boats and campers are not allowed, unless parked in the resident s garage. The parking of motor homes and campers is permitted for a period not exceeding 48 hours for the purpose of loading and unloading such vehicles. The garage may not be used for storage if such storage precludes the co-owners from parking their vehicles in the garage. Storage or the sale of vehicles is not permitted in the common elements. Residents are responsible for informing their guests of proper parking protocols when visiting the condominium complex. F. Buildings and Ground Maintenance The Association is responsible for the maintenance of the grounds, which includes road, lawn maintenance, leaf collection, trimming, spraying of trees and shrubs, and snow removal. No co-owner shall perform any landscaping or plant any trees, shrubs, or flowers or place any ornamental materials upon the common elements. The Association is also responsible for painting and repairs to the exterior of the buildings, roofs, replacement of garage lights, and the sprinkler system. Building exterior alterations to the common elements may not be made without the proper written consent of the Board of Directors. 7
Maintenance, repair and replacement of storm doors, garage doors, air conditioning units, windows, downspout extensions installed by co-owners, and all screens are the co-owners responsibility and must be consistent with the exterior appearance of the entire complex. Please keep the grounds and entryways free from trash. This includes cigarette butts. For a detailed description of General Common Elements and Limited Common Elements, refer to your Purchaser Information Booklet under Master Deed pages 7, 8, and 9. G. Insurance Co-owners are responsible for their individual homeowners insurance including any finished lower levels. (The Condominium Association carries property and liability insurance for building exteriors and common elements). It has been suggested by the Association s attorney that homeowners consider the purchase of an HO-6 Condominium Unit Owner s Policy" providing building and liability coverage for the unit, limited common elements, and all fixtures, personal property, trim, floor and wall coverings, improvements and betterments, and other interior installations and finishes. It is also recommended that individual unit owner s policies contain coverage for alternative living expense in case of casualty as well as loss of assessment coverage and law and ordinance coverage. H. Snow Removal The snow removal company is responsible for snow removal from roads, driveways, sidewalks, front walks, steps and porches and spreading calcium chloride on all roadways. I. Domestic Pets The Association recommends that pets be of the smaller variety that will not impact the common elements or other residents of the Condominium. The co-owner is responsible for picking up their pet s droppings and disposing of these droppings in a waste container each and every time. Do not leave droppings on the common elements. No pets shall be tethered to any building, tree or bush while unattended at any time. The installation of an "invisible fence" is not permitted within the confines of the Stony Ridge complex. 8
No pets shall be permitted to be loose upon the common elements. Pets shall be kept on a leash at all times and attended by a responsible person while on the common elements. Co-owners are encouraged to contact the Oakland County Animal Control (248.391.4102) if unattended pets become a nuisance. Any co-owner who fails to comply with this policy will be subjected to any expenses incurred for the cleanup work performed by the Association, including all damage to grass, trees, shrubs, etc. in the common areas, as well as By-law Violation Fines. Any officer of the Association is authorized to call the City of Rochester Animal Shelter upon any valid complaint from a co-owner that pets are loose, noisy or out of control. In this regard, please be advised that the Association will strictly adhere to the City of Rochester Animal ordinances as follows: Ordinances of the City of Rochester regarding pets or pets running loose provide for the imposition of a fine. The charges for retrieving a pet from the City of the Rochester Animal Shelter are costly. No dog that barks and can be heard on any frequent or continuing basis shall be kept in any unit or on the common elements. J. Storm Door and Side Lights Any co-owner who wishes to install a storm door may do so as long as the aluminum frame matches the color of the unit and the glass is a solid pane with a brass kick-plate on the bottom. A modification request must be completed and approved before this work can begin. Storm door sidelights must be clear with the aluminum frame matching the rest of the door color. A modification request must be completed and approved before this work can begin. K. Signs No signs or other advertising devices are permitted which are visible from the exterior of a unit or on the common elements. Also, large security in-window and/or in-ground signage are not permitted. Small window security decals are permitted. L. Direct Satellite Signal Dish The rules and regulations set forth by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in reference to the installation of Antennas and Satellite Dishes is quite explicit. Due to the length of these rules and regulations, it has been decided not to include them in this 9
pamphlet. If you would like to see a copy of these rules, please contact the management company. A modification request must be completed and approved before installing the satellite dish. If the co-owner sells the unit or a renter s lease has expired, it is the co-owners responsibility to remove and dispose of the Direct Satellite Signal Dish at their expense. If a co-owner fails to remove and dispose of the Satellite Signal Dish, then Stony Ridge Association will remove and dispose the Satellite Signal Dish at the expense of the co-owner. M. Garage Sales Garage sales are not allowed in Stony Ridge. N. Bird Feeders & Baths Bird feeders and baths are not allowed in the Common Area. Bird feeders are allowed on the deck but be aware that they attract wildlife (ex. skunks, raccoons, chipmunks, etc.), they can damage your deck and it costs the Association to trap and remove them. O. Monthly Assessment Fees Assessment Fees are due in the office of Management Company on the first (1 st ) day of each month. A grace period of ten (10) days is allowed after which a late fee will be added to the monthly fee. In the event the account is not brought to a current status, after appropriate notices are sent, a lien will be placed on the delinquent co-owner s unit and will be enforced by the Association s attorney. If the delinquency continues, the Association may elect to file a civil suit for money damages or foreclose the lien to pay off the debt. P. Violations / Fines 1. General. The violation by any Co-owner, occupant or guest of any of the provisions of the Condominium Documents including any duly adopted rules and regulations shall be grounds for assessment by the Association, acting through its duly constituted Board of Directors, of monetary fines against the involved Coowner. Such co-owner shall be deemed responsible for such violations whether they occur as a result of his personal actions or the actions of his family, guests, tenants or any other person admitted through such Co-owner to the Condominium Premises. 2. Procedures. Upon any such violation being alleged by the Board, the following procedures will be followed A. Notice. Notice of the violation, including the Condominium Document provision violated, together with a description of the factual nature of the alleged offense set forth with such reasonable specificity as will place the Co-owner on notice as to the violation, shall be sent by first class mail, postage prepaid or personally delivered to the representative of said Co- 10
owner at the address shown in notice required to be filed with the Association pursuant to the Association Bylaws. B. Opportunity to Defend. The offending Co-owner shall have the opportunity to appear before the Board and offer evidence in defense of the alleged violation. The appearance before the Board shall be at the next scheduled meeting or the Board s earliest convenience, but in no event shall the Coowner be required to appear less than 10 days from the date of the notice. C. Default. Failure to respond to the notice of violation within thirty (30) days of the violation constitutes a default. D. Hearing and Decision. Upon appearance by the Co-owner before the Board and presentation of evidence of defense, or, in the event of the Co-owner s default, the Board shall, by majority vote of a quorum of the Board, decide whether a violation has occurred. The Board s decision is final. 3. Fines. Upon violation of any of the provisions of the Condominium Documents, and after default of the offending Co-owner, or upon the decision of the Board as recited above, the following fines may be levied. a) First Violation b) Second Violation c) Third Violation d) Fourth Violation and Subsequent Violations No fine shall be levied. Twenty-five Dollar ($25.00) fine. Fifty Dollar ($50.00) fine. One Hundred Dollar ($100.00) fine. 4. Collection. The fines levied pursuant to Section 3 above shall be assessed against the Co-owner and shall be due and payable together with the regular Condominium assessment on the first day of the next following month. Failure to pay the fine will subject the Co-owner to all liabilities set forth in the Condominium Documents. SPECIAL NOTE We request everyone s support so that together we can create a beautiful environment, we can live in harmony and maintain property values, if everyone makes an effort. The Board of Directors cannot be effective without your cooperation. Please give us your support. If you have any comments or suggestions, please let us hear from you in writing. Your thoughts and viewpoints are important to us. * * * * * * * * * * * * We hope that this pamphlet has been explanatory in describing the nature of our condominium organization and that is has been helpful in describing the uses of the complex and rules, which govern those uses. Please keep this guide for reference and to help answer questions, which may arise regarding your ownership in Stony Ridge. 11