Author: Suzanne White


  • Roof Blowing/Gutter Cleaning: December 2-6

    Gutter cleaning & roof blowing December 2nd – December 6th, 2024

    Beginning at 301 Baneberry and moving consecutively through the closes, ending at 503 Beechmast.

    Greg Tilley Company will be blowing off roofs and cleaning out gutters starting Monday, 12/2. You do not need to move any furniture or be at home for this work. Please protect outside items from debris. Tilley will use appropriate equipment that will not damage roofs or gutters.  If you have a locking gate, please ensure it is unlocked.

    The landscapers will follow up to ensure a thorough cleanup.

  • Countryhouse Drainage Maps

    The Drainage Committee has worked diligently to review our Countryhouse community’s drainage system, and with guidance from professionals, will be recommending solutions in stages to resolve our various drainage issues. Please review and let the committee know of any drainage issues you are aware of.

  • Tree Committee Gears Up

    Countryhouse has chartered a new committee to continue and enhance our focus on tree work in the community.

    Mission

    The Tree Committee serves in an advisory capacity to the Board of Directors, providing guidance and recommendations on tree related issues including pruning, removal, planning, and budgeting.

    The goal is to maintain the health of trees and the safety of our residents and properties.

     Objectives

    1. Proactively facilitate the pruning and removal of trees as needed, based on direct observation, community input, and professional guidance

    2. Develop a long-term strategy and written guidelines for managing trees and forest areas

    3. Respond to resident requests for pruning or removal as needed throughout the year

    4. Communicate regularly with the Board and community on requests, status, issues, and ideas

    Residents with tree concerns should contact Millhouse Properties/Countryhouse Board at questions@countryhousehoa.org or 919-448-5150

    Tree Committee Members:
    Jim Fink, co-chair
    Tony Daniels, co-chair
    Bonnie O’Connell
    Tom O’Connell
    Delores Sanford
    Rex White

  • Countryhouse Annual Meeting and Board Election

    Please join us for this year’s Annual Meeting for Countryhouse on Sunday, November 17, 2024, at 7:00 PM in the Gathering Place. If you cannot be present, please consider participating by filling out a proxy form. This will help the Association attain a quorum and allow you to voice your opinion.

    Nominations may also be made using the Nomination Form included in this post or at the Annual Meeting. You can vote by returning the ballot included in this post or at the Annual Meeting. The Board encourages everyone to please vote by ballot or by proxy. Only owners may vote; there is one vote per lot.

    Thank you and we look forward to seeing you at the Annual Meeting. Residents may also attend via Zoom with the link provided by email from the property manager.

    View the video recording of the annual meeting here: https://youtu.be/GC9mR-YALvo

  • Landscaping Services Agreement 2025

    Greetings, community!

    I am writing to notify you that we have entered into a new five-year landscaping services agreement with Ruppert Landscape. This negotiation has resulted, for the first time, in a clear definition of our service requirements, while at the same time stabilizing costs. Our agreement begins January 1, 2025.

    I would like to thank everyone who participated in this endeavor, beginning with the community from which we gathered critical input on our needs. We now have a playbook and financial stability within our operating budget’s most expensive budget line.

    Attached, and posted on AppFolio, please find the detail of expectations.

    Thanks to everyone in the community who participated in this endeavor, our amazing Landscaping Committee, and the Board for making this possible.

    Greatly appreciated!

    Larry Hicks, President
    Countryhouse Service Group V HOA

  • Community/Board Meeting

    Please join us for our monthly community/board meeting Tuesday, October 15 at 9:30 am in the Gathering Place. This month we’ll share and answer questions about the proposed budget for 2025.

  • Committee Reports, October 2024

    View the committee reports for October 2024

  • Roofing Replacements in October

    The Countryhouse Roofing Replacement project continues this year with phase two of roof replacements based on the inspections and recommendations from the roofing committee and professional advisors. The initial/tentative schedule is based on completing the project in the most efficient and cost-effective manner, yet due to potential weather delays is likely to shift as the project progresses. The information sheet below from Chief Roofing should help us prepare for the process at each of our homes.

  • Insurance Presentation

    Please join us for round two of our overview on HOA and individual unit owner Insurance for “Your Questions Answered.”

    Tuesday, September 17 following the September Community-Board Meeting

    9:30am – 11:30am

    We will review your questions from the last session in Jun and then give you access to our panel of experts.

    Panelists are:

    Robert Taylor, Morris Agency (HOA Insurance Broker)

    Matt Phillips, State Farm Chapel Hill (home owner’s insurance rep)

    Pat Arnold, Insurance Industry Expert (retired) and Country House home owner.

    Martha Martin, Treasurer for Country House HOA and Moderator

    Please plan for a 60+ minute session following our September board meeting on Tuesday, September 17 which starts at 9:30a and we should finish up around 11:30a. All the participants are willing to stay that long to make sure your questions are answered.

    We will provide cards for you to write your questions down and pass them to the moderator, and we will have a microphone for the audience for those who want to stand up and be heard. Either way, come prepared to participate!

    Look forward to seeing you there.

  • Landscaping Update

    Community Input and Next Steps

    A big thank you to the community for sharing your valuable input to help shape the future of landscaping services in Countryhouse. Here’s a summary of where we’ve been and what’s next:

    1. Input Gathering: We’ve collected input from our community meeting, online survey, and individual Close walkthroughs.
    2. Review and Summary: The board has reviewed all the input received and developed a summary of community input, which can be found below
    3. Creation of a Request for Proposal (Bid Document), for seeking 2025 Landscaping Services: Using the input and summary, the board and landscaping committee has developed an outline of landscaping services for seeking proposals for our 2025 community-wide landscaping services. The Request for Proposal will be shared with landscaping vendors at the end of August, with bids due mid-September.
    4. Short-term and Long-term Plans: Input from the walkthroughs has been shared with the landscaping committee, who are focusing on both short-term improvements that can be implemented soon and planning for longer-term landscaping projects.

    It has been great to see such involvement from the community, which helps ensure that decisions are well-informed and inclusive of community preferences and priorities. If there’s any additional information you’d like to share or questions you have, please don’t hesitate:   bod@countryhousehoa.org

    Review of Community Landscaping Input

    Top Three Landscaping Priorities

    1. Mowing, Blowing, Weeding, Edging
    2. Pruning and Removal/Replanting of Shrubs and Trees
    3. Process, Communication, Accountability, Transparency

    Summary of Community Input

    Mowing, Blowing, Weeding, Edging:

    • Improve care and attention to grass mowing—including use of smaller/mulching mowers with improved clearing of debris
    • Improve attention to grass growing–specific to conditions and/or alternatives where grass cannot grow well
    • Improve care with blowing–specific to needs and using care around buildings, vehicles
    • Improve edging and cleanup of fallen sticks/branches and resident gardener trimmings
    • Improve weeding, including in flower beds—by hand and/or with non-toxic alternative to Roundup

    Pruning and Removal of Shrubs and Trees

    • More proactive and careful pruning and re-planting of shrubbery
    • More proactive and responsive tree pruning and removal to improve safety and avoid property damage—with a clear process, schedule, and responsive communication with homeowners
    • Develop a plan, budget, and execution for ongoing shrubbery/landscaping replenishment with native, deer-proof, and appropriately sized/low-maintenance dwarf species

    Process, Communication, Accountability, Transparency

    • More frequent and detailed ongoing communication of landscaping work and schedules
    • Clarify landscaper vs. homeowner responsibilities–with additional flexibility for homeowners regarding plantings
    • Improve cost-effectiveness, communication, and oversight of landscaping services

    Additional

    • Improve and increase frequency of drain clearing
    • Maintain consistent depth levels of mulched/pine straw areas, and allow flexibility for homeowner choice

    Prioritized Suggestions

    • Separate Landscaping and Tree Committees to enhance responsiveness and safety
    • Clarify and simplify landscaping guidelines and processes in the homeowners’ guide
    • Improve landscaping communication, accountability, and review through assigned close representatives
    • Enhance communications with homeowners regarding requests, status, and scheduling of work: refine process with Property Manager/AppFolio serving as central clearinghouse for facilitating all landscaping and tree requests and effective communication of responses and schedules
    • Explore separate multiyear landscape replenishment process (and budget) using input and guidance from close representatives and homeowners, landscape committee, and local expertise (cooperative extension, master gardeners, landscapers, etc.)
    • Develop detailed Request for Proposal (bid document) seeking itemized costs for each major area–allowing flexibility for prioritization and alternate options according to needs and budget