Homeowners' Association Annual Meeting - 17 Feb 2009

There were about 25 people there, with proxies from another 80 or so. The quorum requirement is about 70, or 10% of the residences in Southern Village.
The only two candidates for the two open board seats were elected without a formal vote – Rainer DAMMERS and Cindy GUDEMAN.

Cindy stressed her desire to help look after real estate values and Rainer talked about his role in promoting a more environmentally-conscious Southern Village.

In the course of the 90 minute event, questions were raised about trash cans for dog droppings (there will be one at the basketball court by the swim and tennis club), there was a financial report (we look healthy, with a dues drop of $20/year from last year to this year), a new resident expressed regret that more people do not shovel in front of their homes when it snows, one resident asked if it is possible to close off an alley for a party (answer - yes), and John FUGO made a pitch for money (8,000, he said) to underwrite the cost of the NC Symphony coming to Southern Village in June (otherwise they will not come – and that’s in addition to 10,000+ from the merchants of Southern Village – an e-mail may go out to all of us presenting some options), and then there was discussion of the two issues relating to architectural review board matters.

Jeremy PURBRICK, as president, asked for a committee to study the matters further and develop new proposed rules. He got three volunteers. Rather than simply deciding on the questions – whether to change or eliminate the rules regarding what we can plant between sidewalk and curb, and allowing people to put solar panels on any roof – he asked for more time to be spent on these issues by setting up a committee. The overwhelming sentiment in the room – not directly expressed – was to go with a kind of “reasonableness” test which I previously got both Rainer and Cindy to support (see earlier post here) but on which neither commented last night. In other words, I think they are headed in the direction to wind up with a rule or guideline that simply says – if you are going to put other than grass out front or want to install solar cells on your roof, describe what you plan to do briefly, send to the “ARB” and if reasonable, it will be approved.