STONEBROOK COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
SUMMER 2020
1. HOW DO I GET INFORMATION ABOUT STONEBROOK?
- CHECK THE WEBSITE AT https://sites.google.com/site/stonebrookcommunityassoc/YOU'LL FIND MINUTES FOR THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS' MONTHLY MEETINGS, THE RULES & REGULATIONS, THE ANNUAL BUDGET, AND OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST. YOU CAN ALSO SEND A QUESTION OR COMMENT VIA E-MAIL DIRECTLY TO THE BOARD.
- ATTEND A BOARD MEETING - THEY'RE HELD MONTHLY, USUALLY ON THE 3RD WEDNESDAY OF EACH MONTH AT 6 or 7 P.M. ALL BOARD MEETINGS ARE OPEN TO EVERYONE AND ALL RESIDENTS (WHETHER YOU OWN OR RENT) ARE WELCOME. IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO CHECK THE WEBSITE OR CONTACT A BOARD MEMBER TO MAKE SURE THE SCHEDULE HAS NOT CHANGED; SOMETIMES WE CANCEL OR RESCHEDULE FOR HOLIDAYS OR OTHER REASONS.
- PLAN TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL MEETING HELD EVERY OCTOBER. THIS IS WHERE THE ANNUAL BUDGET IS PRESENTED AND WHEN BOARD ELECTIONS NEED YOUR VOTE!
- SEND YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS TO THE BOARD VIA THE WEBSITE IF YOU'D LIKE TO RECEIVE ELECTRONIC NOTICES OF NEIGHBORHOOD ISSUES, CRIME, ASSESSMENT DUE DATES, CHANGES TO COUNTY SERVICES, ETC. WE TRY TO COMMUNICATE ABOUT SNOW PLOWING, POWER OUTAGES, AND OTHER EMERGENCY EVENTS WHEN POSSIBLE. IT HELPS US ALL STAY BETTER INFORMED.
2. ARE THERE RULES & REGULATIONS FOR THE COMMUNITY?
- YES - YOU CAN FIND STONEBROOK'S RULES & REGULATIONS ON THE WEBSITE.
- AS COLUMBIA RESIDENTS, WE'RE ALSO BOUND BY THE KINGS CONTRIVANCE VILLAGE GUIDELINES.
- PLEASE CONSULT BOTH OF THESE DOCUMENTS AS YOU PLAN FOR ANY CHANGES TO THE APPEARANCE OF YOUR HOME. MANY CHANGES (PAINT COLOR, DOORS, DECKS, ETC) REQUIRE APPROVAL FROM BOTH KINGS CONTRIVANCE AND STONEBROOK BEFORE WORK BEGINS. THIS HELPS US MAINTAIN THE DESIGN AND APPEARANCE STANDARDS THAT KEEP THE NEIGHBORHOOD LOOKING ITS BEST AND THIS HELPS ALL OF US MAINTAIN OUR PROPERTY VALUES.
3. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT RULES TO KNOW ABOUT?
- HELP STONEBROOK LOOK NICE: KEEP THE TRASH & RECYCLING PICK-UP AREAS CLEAR UNTIL 6 PM THE EVENING BEFORE PICK-UP; RETRIEVE YOUR BINS BY THE EVENING AFTER PICK-UP. DON’T LEAVE YOUR BINS AND BAGS OUT TO DETRACT FROM THE APPEARANCE OF YOUR COMMUNITY.
- STONEBROOK HAS 1 PARKING PLACE RESERVED FOR EACH HOME AND THE REST OF THE SPACES ARE SHARED BY ALL OF US. WE ALL WANT PARKING FOR FAMILY MEMBERS & GUESTS; RESIDENTS WHO HAVE ADDITIONAL CARS PREVENT THIS. ALL PARKING SPACES ARE LIMITED TO REGISTERED CARS IN REGULAR USE; SEE THE RULES & REGS FOR DETAILS.
- PETS? HOWARD COUNTY, KINGS CONTRIVANCE, AND STONEBROOK REGS REQUIRE THAT PETS BE KEPT LEASHED AND WASTE REMOVED IMMEDIATELY. PLEASE BE CONSIDERATE OF YOUR NEIGHBORS.
4. WHAT SCHOOLS SERVE THE COMMUNITY?
- OUR CHILDREN ATTEND ATHOLTON ELEMENTARY, HAMMOND MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND HAMMOND HIGH SCHOOL
5. WHAT ABOUT COUNTY SERVICES?
- HOWARD COUNTY'S DEPT OF PUBLIC WORKS HANDLES TRASH, RECYCLING, & YARDWASTE PICK-UPS. CHECK WWW.HOWARDCOUNTYRECYCLES.ORG FOR DETAILS.
- PLEASE HELP STONEBROOK LOOK ITS BEST --- WAIT UNTIL AFTER 6 PM TO PUT YOUR TRASH, YARDWASTE, & RECYCLING OUT FOR THE NEXT MORNING'S COLLECTION.
- RECYCLING & YARD WASTE ARE PICKED UP ON MONDAYS AND TRASH ON WEDNESDAYS, EXCEPT ON THESE SIX MAJOR HOLIDAYS: NEW YEAR'S DAY, MEMORIAL DAY, JULY 4TH, LABOR DAY, THANKSGIVING, & CHRISTMAS DAY. COLLECTIONS SCHEDULED ON THE HOLIDAY AND LATER IN THE WEEK BOTH 'SLIDE' TO THE NEXT DAY
- BULK TRASH - IN THE PAST, THE COUNTY PROVIDED DUMPSTERS TWICE A YEAR FOR LARGE ITEMS, BUT THIS WAS DISCONTINUED IN 2012. NOW RESIDENTS MUST CALL THE COUNTY AT 410-313-6444 OR VISIT HOWARDCOUNTYBULKPICKUP.ORG TO SCHEDULE PICK-UPS OF LARGE ITEMS.
- DO YOU HAVE ITEMS SOMEONE ELSE MIGHT BE ABLE TO USE? KEEP IT OUT OF THE LANDFILL! GOODWILL HAS A TRUCK NEXT TO HARRIS TEETER AND AMVETS (301-953-0090) AND HABITAT (410-997-4949) WILL MAKE PICK-UPS.
6. WHEN ARE ASSESSMENTS DUE?
- WE CURRENTLY HAVE TWO ASSESSMENTS IN STONEBROOK:
- OUR ANNUAL ASSESSMENT IS SPLIT INTO TWO PAYMENTS FOR THE YEAR. THE FIRST DUE BY MARCH 1st. THE ANNUAL ASSESSMENT WILL INCREASE BY NO MORE THAN 10% EACH YEAR.
- THE SECOND HALF OF THE ASSESSMENT IS DUE BY AUGUST 1ST.
- OUR BIGGEST ONGOING EXPENSES ARE TREE CARE, GROUNDS MAINTENANCE (LANDSCAPING), AND SNOW REMOVAL.
7. HOW IS STONEBROOK RUN?
- STONEBROOK HAS ALWAYS BEEN RUN BY A VOLUNTEER BOARD OF DIRECTORS (THE FIRST RESIDENTS MOVED IN IN 1983). WHEN UPKEEP AND ONGOING ADMINISTRATIVE NEEDS BEGAN INCREASING THE WORKLOAD OF THE BOARD IN THE EARLY 2000s, WE HIRED A PART-TIME ADMINISTRATIVE CONSULTANT TO HANDLE BILLING, BUDGETS, DEALING WITH VENDORS, COMPLIANCE WITH INSURANCE AND LEGAL REQUIREMENTS, AND NUMEROUS OTHER FUNCTIONS. WE NOW USE A MANAGEMENT COMPANY (Neighborhood Property Management, LLC) TO COVER THESE MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES IN COLLABORATION WITH THE VOLUNTEERS WHO MAKE UP THE BOARD.
8. STREET LIGHT OUT OR FLICKERING
- BGE MAINTAINS STREET LIGHTS (STONEBROOK PAYS THE ELECTRICITY)
- CHECK THE # ON THE YELLOW STICKER ON THE POLE OR JUST USE THE CLOSEST ADDRESS AND REPORT IT AT: BGE Streetlights
9. SEWER BACKUPS
- THE COUNTY TELLS US IT IS ALWAYS BEST TO CALL THEIR UTILITIES OFFICE BEFORE CALLING A PLUMBER, SINCE THEY CAN MAKE SURE IT’S NOT A COUNTY SEWER PROBLEM CAUSING A BACK-UP INTO THE HOME SEWER (AND THEY DON’T CHARGE FOR THE VISIT, WHILE THE PLUMBER WILL). THE # TO CALL 24/7 IS 410-313-4971.
- WHAT CAUSES SEWER BACK-UPS? HOW TO PREVENT THIS? IT'S BEST NOT TO PUT FOOD DOWN THE GARBAGE DISPOSAL. USE YOUR COMPOST BIN. DON’T EVER PUT GREASE OR FAT OF ANY KIND DOWN THE SINK. IF YOU HEAR GURGLING IN YOUR TOILETS WHEN THEY’RE NOT IN USE, THAT COULD BE A WARNING. SEVERAL RESIDENTS HAD PROBLEMS WITH THIS, AT CONSIDERABLE EXPENSE.
10. CARS
- VEHICLES THAT ARE DISABLED, NOT REGISTERED, OR NOT IN USE FOR ANY OTHER REASON MAY NOT BE PARKED IN THE COMMUNITY. CALL A BOARD MEMBER TO REPORT THE VEHICLE LOCATION, MAKE, AND MODEL AND TOWING WILL BE ARRANGED. SEE THE RULES & REGS FOR MORE DETAILS.