Oak Springs Plantation - Homeowners Association
Community Updates and Newsletter
OSP Board Meeting Update.....
Following are notes from the February 22, 2022 Board Meeting. To Opt-Out of receiving Community Updates via email please reply Opt-Out to OSPHOA23002@gmail.com.
Attendees: President: Ron Russell-Vice President: Keith Loehlein-Secretary: Celeste Dunn-Treasurer: Kim Russell-IT/Comm: Wayne Carter-Community Member: Janet Silsby
OSP Board of Directors Election for 2023/2024 Session
A Board Member Election will take place at the annual meeting in October (October 22). At least 2 of 5 Board Members will be resigning their posts. Due to previous lack of interest in members joining the Board of Directors, we investigated services of HOA Management Companies. Two HOA Mngmt. companies were contacted and interviewed. Different levels of services were discussed. Bottom line: if we need to subscribe to HOA Mngmt. Co. services the result would be an increase of $90 to $125 in HOA dues for 2023. NOTE: ENGAGING AN HOA MANAGEMENT CO. IS NOT AN OPTION THE BOARD WISHES TO PURSUE.
We are asking for people interested in serving the community to please let us know soon so we can get a list of potential Board and Committee members. See Additional Notes (page 3) for list of Committees.
Budget:
HOA Annual Dues have been sent to members and are due by March 16. The community remains in strong financial position with a reserve of $20k achieved and additional $10k earmarked for entry fence painting, replacing deck in Crawford Park, and repairing the gazebo in the park.
We noticed an increase in the electric bill over the holidays and will be investigating the cause(s) of the higher-than-normal bill.
Architectural Review Committee (ARC)
The ARC has approved 4 sheds and 1 fence.
NOTE: OSP HOA By-Laws allow the Board to change or make new Standards without member vote.
The ARC will update Standards for flag poles to limit height as well as draft new Standards for flags and banners.
Community Standards Enforcement:
Per section 5.3(n) of the Covenants, Restrictions and Conditions Applicable to All Property In Oak Springs Plantation (Declaration of Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions (osphoa.org)) the Board will be focusing on several issues recognized in the community. These include:
- Fences needing repair/painting, including the entry fence on Plantation Parkway
- Cover for above ground propane tanks. While actually prohibited by the Covenants, the Board has historically allowed 100 gal. and smaller tanks to be above ground with the provision they be hidden from view by fences or bushes.*
- Yard debris visible to passersby.
- Minimizing reflectivity of white fences by planting bushes.*
• Fast growing shrubs and bushes make for great concealment of propane tanks. Bushes often used successfully for cover include: Leyland Cypress - Any Arborvitae - Juniper - Photinia
Important dates:
Saturday March 26 – Adopt-A-Highway Cleanup. Please join us as we walk Genito Road in front of the community to clean up trash and debris. Thanks to Clyde Watson for organizing this event conducted three times a year. Participation supports the reputation of OSP as a great place to live.
Tuesday June 21 – Board of Directors Meeting.
Wednesday October 19 - Board of Directors Meeting.
Sunday October 29 – Annual Member Meeting to be held at the Amelia Volunteer Fire Co. 4 Firehouse on Genito Road.
- Election of new Board members.
Additional Notes and Updates
- Community Updates will be emailed to members when we have the email address. Members may Opt-Out of receiving emailed updates by responding Opt-Out to OSPHOA23002@gmail.com.
- List of Committees for volunteering.
- Architecture Review Committee
- Landscape, Maintenance & Decoration Committee
- Communications/Web - Welcome and Social Committee - Adapt-A-Highway Program
- Supply Chain Issues affecting ARC submissions. Recent supply chain issues have affected availability of some items including siding and the approved mailbox. If you find yourself in a situation where an approved submission or mandated item in unavailable, please contact OSPHOA23002@gmail.com. We will work with you to identify an alternative.
- New speed limit signs have been placed on Plantation Parkway. Please obey speed limit for added safety of the community.
- The Board will investigate VDOT reducing the speed limit on Genito Rd in front of the subdivision from 55 mph to 45 mph.
- We have stopped farming on lots in compliance with Covenants. It is incumbent on lot owners to keep their lots mowed consistent with the Covenants and Standards. The Board will be monitoring compliance and communicating with owners as needed.
- A request for road repair has been filed with VDOT concerning the cracking on roads in the subdivision. While the report notes the entire subdivision, a focus was noted of the alligator cracking on Springhouse Way. A picture was included in the report. You can reinforce the conditions needing attention by filing a report at Report a Road Problem - Virginia Department of Transportation.
New Business
Following are additional topics raised for discussion, consideration, and research.
The idea of a walking/jogging/biking trail along Genito road was presented to the Board. A trail with shade trees to promote healthy activity and add to the esthetic features of the development was seen as having many benefits for the community. Hope was expressed that this could be a state/county effort extending the trail further. This raised several questions with the board including cost, right-of-way issues, Genito lot owner impact, and other questions that need to be better understood. The first issue is feasibility with state/county officials.
These notes are from the February 22, 2022 meeting of the Board of Directors. All member thoughts, comments and suggestions are welcome. Please send comments to OSPHOA23002@gmail.com.
Please consider Board and/or Committee participation for the 2023/2024 session. An overview of Board member responsibilities is available on the osphoa.org website in the ByLaws section, WSbylawsdzRevised110218.pdf (osphoa.org).
All Home / Lot Owners of Oak Springs Plantation
It has come to the attention of the Oak Springs Plantation HOA Board that some of you may be in violation of certain requirements as stated in the subdivision’s Covenants and/or By-Laws. The primary purpose for the subdivision covenants, which we all agreed to when we bought our property, is to maintain property values through a set of esthetic standards that apply to everyone in the development.
The OSP-HOA Board has three (3) goals –
1. To maintain and protect the value or our homes and properties
2. To keep the original beauty of Oak Springs Plantation
3. To leverage the new Web site www.osphoa.org as the communicate tool to Homeowners
Infractions include:
• Large utility trailers, boats, trailers, golf carts, and campers need to be screened from the front of your homes and/or Plantation Parkway. Screening can be accomplished by moving those items to the backside of the home or provide adequate shrubbery and/or lattice panels.
• Propane tanks, generators, and heat pumps need to be screened by adding shrubbery or lattice panels around those devices.
• Boats must be removed from the ponds on a daily basis.
• Sheds must be skirted on all sides.
• Commercial vehicles must be garaged or not seen from the front of homes
• Above ground swimming pools are not permitted.
• Fences need to be maintained and painted.
• Grass must be cut and maintained on an ongoing basis.
• Dogs must be leashed or fenced on homeowner’s property
• All construction / additions / fencing must be approved by the ARC prior to building
We are asking everyone to review the above and if applicable make corrections within the next thirty
(30) days. At the end of the 30-day period, the Architectural Review Committee (ARC) will perform a drive through and document and notify the residents in writing of specific infractions and request correction. We understand that these infractions don’t apply to all of you, but we are sending this to all residents, so everyone is aware of our efforts to address them. If none of them apply to you please accept our thanks for your adherence to the OSP Covenant’s and By-Laws.
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** Attention Pond Owners**
Pond owners, it has come to our attention that some residents are using the ponds as a dumping ground for leaves.
This practice is killing the health of our ponds.
Please stop this immediately!
Question: I have a lot of leaves blowing into my pond. Will the bacteria still work this time of year?
Answer: Leaves. There’s really no getting around them. Every fall, those deciduous trees drop their colorful foliage and leave behind a headache for those who have to clean them up.
Natural bacteria will do a great job breaking down the fallen leaves in your pond or lake – but only when water temperatures are above 50° F. Take your pond’s temperature with a pond thermometer; as long as your water is at or above that 50° F mark, keep using MuckAway™ and PondClear™. The microorganisms in those products will continue to work hard to break down organic debris.
Going into winter as temperatures dip below that number, however, the bacteria go on vacation. But there are some things you can do to keep your pond healthy as the cooler weather approaches. Here’s what we recommend.
-Rake Up the Leaves: As powerful as natural bacteria are, they will still take a long time to break down fresh leaves that blow into your pond. Help those microorganisms out by raking up and disposing of as many leaves as possible.
-Rake Out the Leaves: If they do float into your pond, use a Pond & Beach Rakeor Weed Raker to skim and rake those leaves out of your pond. If an abundance of leaves remains in the pond as ice begins to form, this could lead to poor water quality. As the leaves continue to break down, they will release toxic gases that will edge out available oxygen – and if there is ice covering your pond, that’s bad news for your fish.
-Aerate All Winter: Unless you plan to use your pond or lake as an ice rink this winter, keep your aeration system running. This will help keep a hole in the ice, circulate the water and keep your oxygen levels higher.
-Maintain Your Landscape: In addition to raking up leaves around your pond, keep the foliage around your pond maintained. Prevent that organic debris from getting into the water and turning into algae and pond weed fertilizer.
Bottom line: Yes, bacteria will still work while temperatures are above 50° F, but help them out by removing as much leaf litter and organic debris as possible. There’s no way to fully prevent leaves from falling into your pond – but the fewer that do, the better.
Thank you.
Your HOABoard -
President: Ron Russell-Vice President: Keith Loehlein-Secretary: Celeste Dunn-Treasurer: Kim Russell-IT/Comm: Wayne Carter