Pond

Pond Committee:

Bruce Woodward - Lead

Angie McHorse

Bill Couper

Pond Committee Charter is included at the bottom of this page.

The park and pond areas are for the use and enjoyment of all the residents of Hidden Lake. We have included guidelines that need to be followed in order to safeguard the health of our pond and ensure that all residents are able to enjoy the pond at all times.

The following should be adhered to when visiting the park and pond areas. Please share this information with everyone in your home, including children, teenagers, etc.

• The pond and park are for residents of Hidden Lake and their guests. All non-residents must be accompanied by a resident or identifiable as an invited guest by that resident. Guests are subject to the same rules as residents and must be advised of their responsibilities as your guest. If a guest cannot identify their sponsoring resident or is observed breaking HOA rules, the police may be called if that resident is not available to assist with the resolution of the problem. It is requested that people visit the pond from dawn until dusk.

• Safety in and around the water, as with the park, is the responsibility of the resident and should be monitored at all times by adults. Life jackets are encouraged for all children who will be close to or on the water.

• The property of homeowners who border the pond is private property. When using the pond, respect their private property by staying off of their property, regardless of the homeowner being home or not.

• Property on the southeast side of the pond (“the dam”) is HOA property. The park and pond should remain clear of trash and residual fishing gear. It is the responsibility of all pond users to remove their own trash. A trash can is provided at the park or take the trash home for disposal.

• When out on the pond or in the park, keep voices at a reasonable level that does not disturb the homeowners of the surrounding property.

• The fountain must run to keep the pond healthy. It is currently set to run from 7 am to 3 pm. Do not turn off the fountain. Turning it off disrupts the timer and therefore the scheduled run time.

• When fishing, remember the catch and release policy. This means that any fish caught should be promptly placed back into the water in order to ensure the livelihood of our fish stock. Please remove barbs from your hook so the mouth of the fish is not torn.

Thank you for taking the time to review this information with others in your home. We want to keep the pond and park an area that we can all enjoy.

Pond Committee – Committee Charter September 9, 2013 ver. 1

Background / Basis

In 2011, it was acknowledged by HOA Board (Board) that the HLE pond is the responsibility of the HOA to maintain. Some discussion continues to exist regarding the responsibilities for the stream feeding the pond, but to the degree the HOA Board agrees, the stream would be considered part of the pond. At that time in 2011, the Board agreed to side allocate budget each year to provide for the care and maintenance of the pond and the wildlife contained within it.

Currently, $2,000 per year is allocated for this purpose and is carried forward into the following year(s) if not utilized within the funding year. These funds are to be used towards pond improvements that may include:

• Dredging or landscaping within the pond to remove silt or other types of debris accumulated at various areas throughout the pond,

• Maintenance of the pond fountain,

• Care and feeding of the fish and other wildlife inhabitants of the pond,

• Other efforts or investments needed to maintain a healthy and appealing pond.

Use of these funds will determined each year and may be accumulated for targeted projects of larger expense based on the recommendations of the Pond Committee.

Pond Committee Focus

It is the intent of the Board to create a group from the neighborhood who has a collection of helpful knowledge, vested interest and overall neighborhood best interest in mind to serve as a committee. The Pond Committee will study the status of the pond’s overall health, as well as past and potential HOA investments in the pond and provide recommendations to the Board with regard to pond improvement investments, approaches to complete and project schedules. Where additional expertise in pond management is needed, the Pond Committee may request additional consultations and/or funding from the Board for these services to ensure sound recommendations and considerations have been identified.

In the event outsourced services are required, the Pond Committee will endeavor to identify candidates and will work with the Board to bid, finalize plans and contracts to execute the work.

To the extent that Architectural Control Committee (ACC) or other home improvement efforts identified may impact the pond, the Pond Committee will work with ACC and neighbors to support home improvement plans that protect the HOA’s interest in the pond.

The Board will consider Pond Committee recommendations and make the financial decisions and HOA commitments necessary to support those recommendations agreed upon by the Board.