GOLF VIEW HOA
HOMEOWNER ACTION REQUIRED
Failure of golf view owners to address this issue could result in a material deterioration in the insurability, saleability, and/or value of your home.
SITUATION SUMMARY
The Golf View Declaration of Covenants (the "Declaration" or "Covenants") is a legally binding agreement to which all owners of property within Golf View Estates (the "Owners") agree to abide.
​The Declaration explicitly states that "the roofs for the houses shall be cedar shake." (Article VI, Section 1.) At the time of Golf View's development in 1993 cedar shake was considered an upscale and premium quality roofing material. Although slightly more expensive than asphalt, it had a 25+ year life that justified the expense. Aesthetically the cedar mandate provided a consistent texture and color among all the homes in the development, and a cohesive element among the varying siding and design options.
Both material and insurance markets have changed since that time. Cedar shake is now significantly more expensive to install and maintain relative to other options. In turn, homeowners' insurance for cedar roofs has become very expensive and increasingly difficult to obtain. Many of us have experienced huge insurance price increases, and one Owner has been told to replace their ten year old roof or their insurance policy will be cancelled. There is no indication that the lumber and/or insurance markets will change to our advantage. ​
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Several Owners have asked the Golf View HOA board to approve different roofing options. We have done research, considered alternatives and are making the recommendation that we change the Declaration as described below.
However, the board cannot unilaterally change the Declaration. Any change to the Declaration may be made only after the affirmative vote of 75% (41) of the Owners (Article VIII, Section 4). ​Therefore it is imperative that you submit your vote on this recommendation.​
board recommendation
The sentence in Article VI Section 1 of the Declaration of Covenants that states “The roofs for the houses shall be of cedar shakes.” shall be deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:
“The roofs on the homes shall be cedar shake if installed prior to the effective date of this Amendment. All roofs installed after the effective date of this Amendment shall be cedar shake, synthetic shake, or a premium grade asphalt. All roofs other than cedar shakes must be approved by the Architectural Control Committee pursuant to Article III Section 1 of the Golf View Declaration of Covenants and shall be of comparable pattern, color, and overall appearance to weathered cedar shake roofs.”
PROCESS & RATIONALE
The recommended statement is intentionally non-specific because changing the Declaration is a major undertaking, and this paragraph does not commit us to products which may not be available in the future. It also leaves room for new product entrants into the market.
Golf View HOA board members are subject to the standard of conduct for officers of a Minnesota non-profit corporation; "to discharge the duties of an office in good faith, in a manner the officer reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the corporation, and with the care an ordinarily prudent person in a like position would exercise under similar circumstances." The board believes it has met that standard.
NEXT STEP
The following links describe factors considered in the decision and the rationale for the language chosen.
Please review this information, complete the information on the ballot and return it in the attached envelope ASAP.