Our lovely neighborhood is hosting a friendly Halloween home decorating contest. If you would like to participate please register by Oct. 20th using the QR code below. People will be able to vote anytime between October 23rd and October 30th and winners will be announced on Halloween!
Categories: Spookiest, Most Creative and Funniest. Come Join the fun!

Paula Barnes is a long time resident of our neighborhood. Please see the link for more information: https://www.yourbloodinstitute.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/643714

Hello everyone, here is a digital copy of the newletter this will be distributed to everyone this week. We have some important information here so please pay close attention to it.

Amendments to Covenants Addressing Short Term Rental

As you might be aware, during our May 2023 annual HOC meeting a motion was passed to allow for retaining a lawyer to draft  changes to our protective  covenants; specifically prohibiting short-term rentals in the areas of the HOC zoned RSS (Residential Small Lot Single-Family).’ The HOC board has engaged lawyers from Hartsfield & Egbert, PLLC and has finalized the language for the amendment to our protective  covenants to prohibit short-term rentals. The proposed amendment recommended by the HOC board is attached herewith along with a document that provides more details about the language and the procedure that allows members of the HOC  to vote on the amendment. 

As per our  existing protective  covenants: “these Covenants may be amended only by the affirmative vote or written consent, or any combination thereof, of Members representing a majority of the total votes.” To provide everyone ample opportunity to cast their votes either by written consent (via a ballot) or in person at a general body meeting. Hence, we are also calling a special meeting to be held on October 15, 2023.

For more information please visit this page.

Notice for Special Meeting

Date: October 15, 2023

Time: 2 PM

Place: By the neighborhood library at the Southwest corner of the lake on State street just north of the Kletke’s house – the usual annual meeting location.

Purpose: The special meeting is called to vote on the amendment to the Declaration of Protective Covenants of University Estates–Woodcrest to prohibit  short-term rentals (e.g. AirBnB, VRBO, etc.) in areas of the HOC zoned RSS (Residential Small Lot Single-Family).

Annual Garage Sale

The annual garage sale for this year has been scheduled for September 23, 2023 from 8 AM to noon.  Our neighborhood does a really good job of attracting a good crowd and we hope to put on a good showing this year as well. We will start advertising for the event in different venues as well as have the sign in front of the neighborhood well in advance to remind everyone about the event. We hope that you can participate this year and invite your friends from other neighborhoods to purchase from our good neighbors. This is also a great opportunity for us to meet our neighbors and get to know them a little more. We hope you can help us make this event a great success.

Neighborhood Safety

We have wonderful neighbors who care for our neighborhood and care about the safety of the neighbors. Some neighbors might not know that long term overnight parking is a safety hazard, especially because it creates restricted access to emergency vehicles. Valuable time might be lost if emergency vehicles cannot pass through the narrow road with parked vehicles; in the worst case the parked cars might completely block emergency vehicle access to our friendly neighbors. So please refrain from overnight parking on the street or across from your neighbor’s driveway. Please help us avoid these hazards and help us keep a safe neighborhood. For more information of good neighbor mindset please visit: https://university-estates.com/welcome-to-the-university-estates-woodcrest-neighborhood/  

Long-term parking of vehicles on public streets is addressed in (1) Article V, Section 9 of our Protective Covenants on our website and (2) in the City of Stillwater Code of Ordinances (Article IV Sec. 29-138) which are enforceable by the police resulting in a citation and fine.

Some of us have damage to the trees in our neighborhood. To aid with the disposal of the damage we reached out to the city for assistance in clearing the tree limbs. In response to our inquiry, the city’s Director of Waste Management provided the following information:

The City is not providing any type of storm debris clean up, but the Waste Management Department has a few options for residents. Residents can place yard waste at the curb to be collected with our normally scheduled collection program. The yard waste must meet the requirements for our yard waste collection program to be collected. I have attached a yard waste alert to this email with the requirements for our yard waste program. Additionally, residents may bring yard waste to our Collection Center located at 807 S. Perkins Road. Residents can bring in one truck load per day with a current utility bill. Trailers are not allowed at the Collection Center.

For those who are unable to clear the limbs and follow the city’s recommendations, please contact the HOC. We will make an effort to arrange volunteers who can assist you. The next collection for yard waste is scheduled for July 13th, and we may seek help from our friendly neighbors to support you. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us or simply reply to this post with your comments.

Our annual HOC meeting was held on the 21 of May 2023 at 2 PM. We had some good dicussions about some very important items. Thank you for all those who attened. Find attached the unapproved meeting mniutes from the meeting that day. We would appreciate any comments on these minutes and if you find any corrections, please feel free to let us know.

We are pleased to report that the City of Stillwater is working with us to update our existing street lights with LEDs. In the meantime, the City will be in the subdivision evaluating our existing lights and replacing any dim or dead ones. Stay tuned for more updates.

It was good seeing some of you at the annual meeting.  The meeting went smoothly and it was a beautiful day to sit outside with friends and neighbors.   More updates about the meeting will follow but we wanted to let everyone know the annual neighborhood garage sale date has been set for September 23, 2023.  

If you are unable to make the meeting you may vote on the short term rental proposal by contacting the HOC via email universityestateswoodcrest@gmail.com or via this website under the Let’s Talk tab at the top – https://university-estates.com/contact/

This is an important topic and we look forward to seeing you there!

Homeowners’ Annual Meeting: May 21^st

Event: The Homeowners’ Annual Meeting

Date: May 21^nd

Time: 2:00 p.m.

Location: Meg Klethe’s; 2 W. Preston Lane

Vote To Be Taken At Annual Meeting To Decide

In December 2022, one of the rentals on West State Lane applied for a license to the Stillwater Planning Commission to operate their property as a short-term rental. Conversation was had with the owner at that time, informing him that our covenants did not allow such activity. Members of the HOC Board attended the Planning Commission meeting. There, the assistant city attorney informed the members of the board that (1) there is no special zoning for short-term rentals, and (2) our HOC covenants did not restrict short-term rentals.

In late January, George Gilland, HOC Board President, contacted Ann Richard-Farinha an attorney with Hartsfield & Egbert, in Edmond, OK. The firm specifically deals with HOC’s and short-term rentals. After studying our covenant, Ann wrote: “…unless your HOA Board has passed a rule or regulation regarding the terms of leases, your documents do not seem to prohibit short term leasing.” Ann has offered to assist our HOC to incorporate a prohibition against short term rentals.

Therefore, this is an important matter for our Annual Meeting and the Board encourages member participation as we take up this matter.

Motion from HOC Board Concerning Short-Term Rentals

A member of the HOC has suggested, “It would be very helpful if the Board constructed a position on the rental issue prior to the meeting (Annual HOC Meeting). It would show leadership and provide a good starting point for discussion.”

Understanding that there are members of the HOC against short-term rentals, members of the HOC supportive of short-term rentals, and members of the HOC neutral to short-term rentals, we offer the motion found on the following page as a good starting point for discussion.

The University Estates/Woodcrest HOC Board presents the following motion to the Annual Meeting of the University Estates/Woodcrest HOC:

“We move to use no less than $ 2,500 from the Escrow Account of the University Estates/Woodcrest HOC for the purpose of retaining a lawyer to write an amendment to our restrictive covenant of the HOC prohibiting short-term rentals in the areas of the HOC zoned ‘small lot single-family’.”

Coming from the HOC Board, this motion does not require a second.

Actions which can be taken, regarding the motion are:

“Accept the motion”

“Defeat the motion”

“Perfect the motion through amendments”

“Offer a substitute motion”

_____________________________________________

Election of Board Members

Each year, the Annual Meeting is charged with the responsibility of electing new members of the board. Your presence and participation is needed as we move through important business in the coming year.

Nominations

Class of 2022 (1 year term to fill vacancies)

George Gilland

_______________

_______________

Class of 2023 (2 year term)

Michelle Bosler

Gerald Horn

Aravind Seshadri

Nominations can also be made “from the floor” at the Annual Meeting of the HOC.

_________________________________________

Proposed Agenda For Annual Meeting of the University Estates/Woodcrest HOC

Call to Order

Minutes of 2022 Annual Meeting of HOC

Proposed HOC Budget

Election of New Board Members

Motion Concerning Short-Term Rentals

New Business

Garage Sale

Adjourn

Homeowners’ Annual Meeting: May 21^st

The Homeowners’ Annual Meeting will be held on May 21^nd (Location: to be announced in the May Edition of the HOC Newsletter). Among the items to be addressed at the meeting will be “Short-Term Rentals.”

“Short-Term Rentals”

In December 2022, one of the rentals on West State Lane applied to the Stillwater Zoning Commission to have their property zone as a short-term rental. Conversation was had with the owner at that time, informing him that our covenants did not allow such activity. Members of the HOC Board attended the zoning meeting. There, the assistant city attorney informed the members of the board that (1) there is no special zoning for short-term rentals, and (2) our HOC covenants did not restrict short-term rentals.

In late January, George Gilland, HOC Board President, contacted Ann Richard-Farinha an attorney with Hartsfield & Egbert, in Edmond, OK. The firm specifically deals with HOC’s and short-term rentals. After studying our covenant, Ann wrote: “…unless your HOA Board has passed a rule or regulation regarding the terms of leases, your documents do not seem to prohibit short term leasing.” Ann has offered to assist our HOC to incorporate a prohibition against short term rentals.

Therefore, this is an important matter for our Annual Meeting and the Board encourages member participation as we take up this matter.

Election of Board Members

Each year, the Annual Meeting is charged with the responsibility of electing new officers. Your presence and participation is needed as we move through important business in the coming year.

Carpe De Carp!

“Seize The Carp!” The Board has approved bowhunting of grass carp in the lake. Anyone hunting carp is required to dispose of any carp taken.

Please do not shoot carp with an arrow

and leave them to flounder around in the lake.

Removal of Beavers Dropping Trees Into The Lake

In June of 2022 a couple of beavers moved into a new lodge on the Southeast corner of the lake. Gerald Horn contacted Shannon Sheffert, who removed and relocated the beaver. They did drop a few small trees into the lake before being taken away.

Rocking the Lakeshore

This past year there has been a great deal of concern expressed over erosion of the shoreline. Gerald Horn called together an ad hoc committee composed of Gerald, Lori Edgmand, Zane Quible and Ray Huhnke to look into options for mitigating bank erosion. The committee decided to place rock along the shoreline to lessen erosion due to wave action.

Over the course of a couple of weeks, Tom Bentley Services delivered and spread rock on the north, west, south shoreline. We need to thank Gerald Horn and the committee for their efforts in this matter. This has certainly been a long overdue project.

Mowing The Dam and Emergency Spillway

Recently, contractors with the Payne County Conservation District mowed the dam, emergency spillway and mulched the large brush pile behind the south end of the dam. They have incredible and very expensive equipment and did an excellent job. Well worth the wait! It’s a pretty day . . . you may want to take a walk across the dam and take a look. It all looks great.

Mowing Contract for Common Areas

The HOC Board has contract with Chad Sneed of Sneed Lawn Service to mow the west side and Northwest corner of the lake, the center medians of the entrance, the frontage along West Lakeview Road, and the south end of the buffer zone behind West State Lane duplexes.

Bids were taken for the period beginning April 1 and ending October 1, with the understanding that the mowing season may be extended, based on the weather in Stillwater.

Check out the University Estates/Woodcrest HOC Website at:

university-estates.com

HOC Board:

George A. Gilland—President

Aravind Seshadri–Vice President

Michele Bosler–Board Member and Secretary

Lori Edgmand—Treasurer

Gerald Horn–Board Member

Bettye Little–Board Member

This Newsletter and dues invoice will be going out in the mail this week.