STEEPLECHASE HOMEOWNERS

After about 6-10 years weathering in the extremes of Texas weather, our wood fences age to the degree that it is a detriment to the beauty of our homes. A tour around the neighborhood reveals that many homes’ fences are in a state of disarray. Polycarbonate fences in various colors are now an option and their attractiveness adds to the beauty of our community. Check out the attractive brown fence at the corner of Elmbrook and Crosscreek.

COVENANTS & RESTRICTIONS ENFORCEMENT

Dear Steeplechase Homeowner,

As most of you know, the Board of Directors has successfully collected thousands of dollars of delinquent homeowner dues via Foreclosure Proceedings. Texas State Law permits foreclosure procedures to be instigated on homeowners for delinquent dues and assessments. These proceedings were filed on homeowners who exceeded three years delinquency. All foreclosure proceedings exceeded three years in delinquency, some up to 10 years and a couple who had never paid dues. Hundreds of attempts have been made by the Board in the past 20 years to collect past dues with little success. The Board will continue to instigate foreclosure proceedings as they exceed three years delinquency. All delinquencies will incur ten percent interest.

The Board has received numerous complaints over the years about homeowners who ignore the Covenants & Restrictions even after warning by the Board and by the City of Kennedale. Rules and Laws are ineffective if there are no consequences for violations. As a result, the Board plans to set up procedures to access automatic fines for those who ignore warnings of violations. Texas State Law permits fines in the same category of late dues and assessments regarding interest. A schedule of fine assessments will be published within a few days. A residence cannot be sold, conveyed or transferred until the debt is cleared.

In addition, the following will be adopted by the SHOA as per Texas State Law: Payment plans will range from 3 months to 18 months and will be filed along with the Real Property Records. Failure to adhere to an agreed plan will negate another payment plan. An administration fee will be assessed to handle the plan retroactive to August 2019.
Please review Article II, Section 1-C and Article VI, Section 2 of your C&R and 2019 Texas State Law regarding HOAs for verification of the above.

Your Board is dedicated to maintain the beauty and attractiveness of our community. These enforcement proceedings will serve to ensure our community is well maintained. We appreciate your cooperation and concern regarding its maintenance. Please report any thing that degrades the beauty and serenity of our community to the Board.

Sincerely,

SHOA Board of Directors

———————————————————–

August 19, 2019

FINES FOR C&R VIOLATIONS

Attention Steeplechase Homeowners: Pursuant with the August 15 posting, the Board of Directors has set fines for C&R violations in the amounts of $20 to $50 per month until cleared. Residents will be given 30 days notice to correct the violation. Chronic and Repeat violations will be subject to Fines immediately upon discovery.

Many residents may wonder why the Board has decided to assess fines after years of apparent ignoring the violations. Actually, they were not ignored as hundreds of letters, many certified, were mailed but ignored by the resident. With no enforcement method, the Board was somewhat helpless. Recent State Laws has given HOA Boards more latitude to encourage all residents to abide by the C&Rs.

Consequently, those residents who have been in violation for years claiming “grandfather privilege” will no longer be allowed to do so.

Again, please cooperate with our community Board of Directors and report what you deem a C&R violation.

ATTENTION STEEPLECHASE TRAIL AND COKER VALLEY HOMEOWNERS ADJACENT TO THE CREEK

Several neighbors have complained about the blockages along the creek behind homeowners’ houses. It is indeed an eyesore which needs to be cleaned up. The SHOA Board of Directors have viewed this debris and have taken the following steps to help neighbors in this cleanup. With the understanding of your responsibility to maintain your yards in a neat and proper manner, it represents a violation of our Covenants and Restrictions and acts as a possible blockage of water flow.

1. The City Manager of Kennedale has been contacted regarding
   responsibility of maintenance of the creek area. In their reply, the City provided Plats of the Subdivision which were filed with Tarrant County at the time the subdivision was created. According to the Plats for the Subdivision (http://steeplechasehoa.us/production/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Plat.pdf), the drainage areas of the Creek are designated as a special Easement and the property owners are responsible for the maintenance of the Easement.
2. Article 5 Section 13 of the HOA Covenants and Restrictions specifies
   that Lawns be kept in a neat and attractive manner. Otherwise the HOA can solicit cleanup and demand reimbursement by the owner.

Affected Homeowners, please inform the Board of Directors of your schedule for debris removal and mowing of your responsible areas.

Your cooperation will be appreciated.

Best Regards,

SHOA Board of Directors

The Board has been in contact with several Kennedale and Arlington officials regarding Sublett Road Expansion. The following email chain gives an update:

From: Mary T. Gilman
Sent: Monday, May 21, 2018 4:43 PM
To: Grady <ogfuller@charter.net>; stott@flash.net
Cc: Len Fuller <lfuller@ft.NewYorkLife.com>; Richard West <wbrl18@att.net>; Keith Melton <KMelton@tarrantcounty.com>; Jeni McGarry
Subject: UPDATE: Kennedale Sublet Road Bridge next to Steeplechase Subdiviission

Hi everyone,

Just an update on the Arlington Citizens Bond Committee from Keith Melton our Director of Precinct 2 Transportation:

The Arlington Citizens Bond Committee will be presenting their recommendations to City Council tomorrow afternoon in Work Session. I have attached that presentation. It appears the Council will have a public hearing on June 12 and doesn’t appear Council will make the final adoption until June 19.

Sublett Road is still on the list, but June 12 is the critical date to make sure nothing changes from the Public Meeting.

Let us know how else we might be of service to you.

Best regards,

Mary

Mary Gilman
Community Outreach Coordinator
Office of Commissioner Andy Nguyen
Tarrant County, Precinct 2
O: 817-548-3900 | F: 817-212-3056

Be the champion for the communities we serve.

From: Mary T. Gilman
Sent: Monday, May 14, 2018 11:44 AM
To: ‘Grady’ ; stott@flash.net
Cc: sheri.capehart@arlingtontx.com; Len Fuller <lfuller@ft.NewYorkLife.com>; Richard West <wbrl18@att.net>
Subject: RE: Kennedale Sublet Road Bridge next to Steeplechase Subdivision

Good morning everyone,

Keith Melton, our Director of Precinct 2 Transportation, contacted Keith Brooks at the City of Arlington. He said that the recommendations for Sublett made it out of the Citizens Bond Committee.

These are next steps:

It will now be presented to the public at the next City Council meeting (this Thursday)
City Council will vote on the recommendations (not sure if this happens at the same meeting or not)
Then, it’s up to the voters in November!

Just so you know, it can take up to a week to get this information on the city’s website. I also mentioned to Roy that I would make a note to self to check on what happens at council this Thursday and let you know.

Have a great day and thank you for your engagement on this important issue!

Best regards,

Mary

In an attempt to improve communication with the Steeplechase Homeowners/HOA Board, we are in need of volunteers to help with various tasks, positions and activities. Please consider volunteering by visiting our volunteer sign-up page to see a list of tasks and positions. You may also select “Volunteer” from the main menu above. This information will not be divulged outside of the SHOA. The Board is in dire need for volunteers to help with keeping up the neighborhood. Please communicate your willingness to help.

Parking a car in the garage seems to be a thing of the past. Garages are used for a lot of other things like storing junk or home workshops, but parking in the garage is one of the best things for a vehicle. It increases the security of your significant investment and takes the vehicle off the streets and driveways. Here are 10 reasons an owner should clear out space and park in the garage:

1. Safe from the elements – rain, snow, wind

This is probably one of the most obvious, but rain, snow, wind and other weather elements are enemies of a car’s exterior. They can leave dirt and acid on a vehicle that can cause significant damages to the exterior, like rust and a weakened top clear coat.

2. Protects from dings and scratches from elements or other vehicles

Hail and falling tree branches are just a couple examples of ways a car can get damaged from simply being outside. Dents, scratches, and broken windows are all possible exterior problems that can occur when a vehicle is left outdoors.

3. Keeps vehicle from the sun and temperature extremes

UV rays from the sun can damage a vehicle in ways most car owners don’t consider. Extreme hot and extreme cold can both lead to deterioration of the inside and outside.

4. Keeps those riding in the vehicle safe from elements

When a vehicle is parked in a garage those riding in the car do not have to be exposed to any elements. It keeps everyone safe from hail, temperature extremes, and other outdoor conditions when getting in or out of the vehicle.

5. Less likely to have theft or vandalism which has occurred in our area a number of times.

Cars are a huge investment, and for most they are one of the most valuable things they own. Parking outside leaves a vehicle exposed to vandalism and theft. A garage helps eliminate the temptation for those that want to harm a vehicle in any way.

6. Lower insurance costs

That’s right, some insurance companies offer lower policies for people who store their vehicle in a garage. Saving money is always an advantage.

7. Keeps vehicles exterior looking great

Believe it or not, mechanics can tell if a car is stored in a garage or outside. Vehicle exteriors are kept in much better condition when stored in a garage which can lead to greater resale values.

8. Engine stays lubricated

Because a garage keeps a vehicle warm, the fluid and oil are kept in a stable condition which leads to an engine that runs better than one that is kept outside.

9. Coolant stays warmer, heat/AC comes on faster

Also, with a warmer car comes faster AC and heat. On cold days, the heat will warm up faster than being out in the elements. Same is true for extremely hot days.

10. Visibility is ready to go

Forget the ice scraper or dewy windshield. Parking in a garage helps keep windows clear of weather and condensation so there is no need to ride with one head out the window.

The following documents outline the City of Kennedale 2016-17 proposed budget.

Kennedale 2016-17 Proposed Budget part 1
Kennedale 2016-17 Proposed Budget part 2
Kennedale 2016-17 Proposed Budget part 3

The following incidents were recently reported to the Kennedale Police Department.

01/20 – Theft $2,500 top $30,000 – 400 block of Glenbrook Drive: At 4:39 a.m. officers responded to a reported stolen vehicle. The owner stated that the vehicle had been stolen from his driveway at 4:15 a.m. and that the key had been left in the unsecured vehicle. The 2015 Honda was valued at $24,000.00.

01/20 – Burglary – 1400 block of Derby Drive: At 7:57 a.m. a victim reported that his vehicle and garage had been burglarized during the overnight hours. Security video showed a male walking into the driveway at 1:28 a.m. The male was followed by a trailing vehicle in the street. The suspect opened the two unlocked vehicles in the driveway and removed a wallet with credit cards and three pair of earphones. The suspect then used the garage door opener in one of the vehicles to open the door and enter the garage. A computer and tools valued at $2,410.00 were removed.

To circumvent burglaries such as these, please consider the following options:

1. If at all possible, park your vehicles within your garage.
2. Never leave a vehicle unlocked no matter where it is parked or what is going on.
3. Never leave your keys in the ignition.
4. If your vehicles cannot be placed in the garage, then park them on your driveway.
5. Consider installing motion detector lights and security cameras on your front perimeter.

Last night 1/3/2016 on Steeplechase Trail, someone shot at least two vehicles with an air rifle or something. Both vehicles were hit two or three times which took off the paint and left some nice divots. One vehicle also suffered a shattered rear window. Both were parked on the street. A report was made with the Kennedale Police Department. Everyone please watch your vehicles and try to park them in your driveway for better security.