Frequently Asked Questions
A: A Homeowners Association is a
non-profit corporation registered with the State and managed
by a duly elected Board of Directors. Its purpose is to
maintain all common areas and to govern the community in
accordance with the provision of the legal documents:
DC&R's, Bylaws, and Articles of Incorporation. The
governing legal documents for the Association may be viewed
online at the DC&R’s tab of this website. The corporation
is financially supported by all members of the Homeowners
Association. Membership is both automatic and mandatory.
Home
A: The Declarations of Covenants and
Restrictions (DC&R's) are the governing legal documents
that set up the guidelines for the operation of the planned
community as a non-profit corporation. The DC&R's were
recorded by the Orange County, Florida Comptroller’s office
and are included in the title to your property. All homeowners
are required to abide by the DC&R’s. The DC&R’s can be
found at the DC&R’s tab of this
website.
Home
A: The Bylaws are the guidelines for the
operation of the non-profit corporation. The Bylaws define the
duties of the various offices of the Board of Directors, the
terms of the Directors, the membership's voting rights,
required meetings and notices of meetings, as well as other
specific items that are necessary to run the association as a
business. The Bylaws can be found at the DC&R’s tab of
this website.
Home
A: The Articles of Incorporation are
legal documents which create the non-profit corporation and
are recorded with the State of Florida. The Articles of
Incorporation can be found at the DC&R’s tab of this
website.
Home
A: Porter Place Homeowners Association
is a corporation; therefore the Board of Directors is required
to oversee its business. A five member Board of Directors is
elected by the homeowners, or as otherwise specified in the
Bylaws if there is a vacancy. The limitation and restrictions
of the powers of the Board of Directors are outlined in the
Association governing documents.
Home
A: The Architectural Review Board (ARB)
is a group of at least three members who are appointed and
serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors. The ARB has
the responsibility to enforce the Planning Criteria found in
Exhibit B of the DC&R’s. The ARB has the power to
interpret the Planning Criteria and also has the power to
modify or amend the Planning Criteria as appropriate. The ARB
has established procedures for submitting requests to make
exterior changes to your home. The ARB application for changes
can be found on this website under the ARB tab or can be
obtained from the management company. Such changes may include
but are not limited to pools, landscaping, exterior color
changes, privacy walls and fences, and additions. The Planning
Criteria are set up to maintain the aesthetic value and
integrity of the community on behalf of all owners, and to
protect the market value of your investment. Violations of
these criteria may result in action by the ARB or the Board of
Directors. In addition, if you proceed with an exterior
improvement or change without written approval you will be
required to remove or correct the alteration.
Home
A: A management company is contracted by
the Board of Directors to provide services such as: collection
of assessments, supervision of subcontractors, obtaining bids
for subcontracted services, providing financial statements and
collection reports, a general clearing house for problem
solving, communicating with homeowners and the Board of
Directors and to serve in an advisor capacity. The management
company reports directly to the Board and all decisions are
made by a majority vote of the Board of Directors. Porter
Place currently utilizes the services of:
Hara Management, 931 S. Semoran Blvd., Ste 214,
Winter Park FL 32792-5317
Phone 407-628-1086
Home
A: Board meetings are open to all
residents of the Association. Notice of the time and place of
any regular board meeting will be noted in the prior month’s
meeting minutes and notice will be given by email and a posted
sign 48 hours in advance of the meeting. In addition, dates
for future board meetings will appear on the Board Meetings
and Minutes tab of this website.
Home
A: The annual assessment is the amount
due from each homeowner to cover the operating expenses of the
common area property and to provide for reserve funds for
repair or replacement of the common area property in future
years. Each owner, by acceptance of your deed, agrees to pay
the Association assessments. Your assessment is due in full
annually on September 1st. The management company will mail
you an invoice for your annual assessment 30 days prior to the
due date. Any payments postmarked on September 10th or later
will be subject to a 5% late charge and interest at a rate of
18% per annum, the highest rate of interest allowed by the
State of Florida, until the balance is paid in full as
provided in the DC&R’s.
Home
A: The maintenance and management
services incurred by the Association are dependent upon timely
receipt of the assessments due from each homeowner. If payment
is not received in a timely manner a lien can be placed on
your property - you will also be charged for any legal fees
associated with collection of assessments. The DC&R’s also
go so far as to allow the association to foreclose on your
home if you fail to pay your assessment.
Home
A: The Board of Directors, with input
from the management company, prepares an adjusted budget
annually. This budget is set depending upon specific
guidelines for utilities, landscaping, administration,
repairs, insurance, etc. Reserve funds are monies set aside
for future expenses due to the life expectancy of certain
items such as lighting, gates, guardhouse, street resurfacing,
sidewalks, walls, storm water management system, etc. These
total amounts are then divided by the number of lots in Porter
Place to determine the annual assessment per lot. In
accordance with the DC&R’s the Board of Directors may
increase the annual dues by up to 10% annually without
approval by a vote of the membership of the Association.
Home
Q: Why do we have an annual meeting and
why should I participate?A: The
purpose of the annual meeting is to conduct the business of
the Association. The meeting is an opportunity for the Board
to give reports on the affairs of the Association during the
prior year. In addition, the annual meeting is the designated
time to elect new members to the Board of Directors. In order
for any business of the Association to be conducted at the
annual meeting it is imperative that there be a quorum of
lots/homeowners present at the meeting or represented by a
signed proxy. A quorum for purposes of the annual meeting is
one-third (1/3) of all lots/homeowners. The annual meeting is
scheduled by the Board and usually takes place around the end
of November each year. You will receive written notification
of the meeting at least ten days prior to the meeting.
Home
A: Common area means all real property
owned by the Association for the common use and enjoyment of
the homeowners including infrastructure, landscape buffers,
subdivision walls and the entrance facility. Infrastructure
includes drainage pipes, retention pond and other water
control facilities, roads and sidewalks. The common area in
front of each home can be determined by measuring 25 feet from
the centerline of the road.
Home
Q: What are the designated trash pickup
days and procedures?A: Trash is
picked up in Porter Place on Mondays and Thursdays and yard
waste is picked up on Wednesdays. Recycling is picked up on
Mondays. Garbage, yard waste and recycling containers may be
placed at the curb after 6:00pm the night before but no later
that 6:00am on your collection day. Emptied containers should
be removed from the curb within 12 hours after pickup. Please
keep our streets and drains clean by picking up any debris
that may have been dropped during the pickup process. The
Porter Place DC&R’s also require that each home have a
designated area for trash containers to be stored so that they
may not be seen from the street or abutting property. For more
trash collection questions and answers go to the Newsletters
tab on the home page of this website and select the Fall 2006
newsletter.
Home
Q: Are there any yard watering
restrictions?A: The St. Johns Water
Management District and Orange County limit watering to two
days per week per zone. Even numbered addresses may water only
on Thursday and Sunday and odd numbered addresses on Wednesday
and Saturday. Irrigation is prohibited between 10am and 4pm.
It should be noted that excess watering adds to the ongoing
storm water management problems in our neighborhood by sending
extra water into the storm drains and ultimately into the
pond. For more information about watering restrictions go to
the Newsletters tab on the home page of this website and
select the Fall 2006 newsletter.
Home
Q: How do I get remote click-cards or
keypad codes for the gate and are there gate operation
procedures?A: Porter Place is a fully
gated community 24 hours a day seven days a week. Remote
click-cards, keypad vendor codes and personal codes can be
arranged through the management company. Because the gates are
automated, it is imperative that all residents are familiar
with and abide by the procedures established to insure proper
care and usage of the system. It is important that all
vehicles slow down at the gate and take the few extra seconds
to be sure the gates are engaged to the full open and stopped
position before proceeding. A complete list of gate operation
procedures can be found at the Gates tab of this website.
Please be sure that all family members, guests and vendors, as
appropriate, are aware of these procedures.
Home
Q: Can I request that the gate be open
for a party, garage sale, open house,
etc.?A: No. The following is from the
June 27, 2006 minutes: “The Board discussed and agreed that
for the safety and security of the community, when the gates
are closed permanently on July 10, 2006, that the gates will
not be allowed to be open for parties, garage sales, open
houses, etc. The only exception will be that if the Board
chooses to sponsor an annual garage sale, as has been done
historically in November, then the gate would be open for that
community-wide event. Specialty Management will be directed to
no longer open the gates for individual homeowner
functions.”
Home
Q: If I’m selling my home what is
the policy on signs and how do I request the home available
sign for the front of the complex?A:
The DC&R’s state that only one informational “Open House
or For Sale” sign is permitted to be displayed. The ARB policy
is that the one informational sign should be displayed in the
front yard. No other real estate signs will be permitted
without written approval by the ARB. To help residents who are
selling their home, the Porter Place Homeowners Association
now owns a “Home Available” sign that can be posted in the
center island in front of the complex. Since no real estate
signs may be posted on the common property outside the gates,
this sign will provide sellers with visibility on Peel.
Contact Darcy Krajewski to request the “Home Available” sign
to be posted and to get instructions for a personal rider that
can be hung from the sign.
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