Townhouse Association

GENERAL INFORMATION

Introduction

Owning a home in a Common Interest Community like The Greens of Rochester Townhome Community is different than regular home ownership. As the owner of a Greens Townhome, you are also a part owner of real estate that is owned in common with others Homeowners give up some individual control in return for the advantages of a shared community: use of common areas, shared maintenance and operating costs, and consistent appearance, quality, and standards in the neighborhood.

Management

The Greens is managed by The Greens of Rochester Townhomes Association, Inc. Owners comprise this Association, and each unit has one vote. Board of Director elections occur in the fall. The seven members of the Board of Directors are volunteers who serve two-year terms. The terms are staggered so that part of the board is always comprised of people with some board experience. The Board of Directors meets monthly. These meetings are open to all members, but as they are held at board members’ homes, space is limited. The Association files are open to any owner at any time. If you want to review The Greens’ financial information, board minutes, or bank records, contact the treasurer.

Board of Directors

As of October  10, 2024:

Lynette Beck, President
Bob Voss, Vice President
Bruce Snyder, Secretary
Mary White, Treasurer

Sandra Lisko, Director
Gail Welsh, Director
Bob Richae, Director

Communication

The Board makes every effort to keep the residents informed as to what is going on in the community. The methods used are:

  • Annual Association Meeting in the fall. A meeting packet is sent to owners several weeks before the meeting, and the minutes are published and distributed to all residents. You are strongly encouraged to attend as a quorum is required to conduct any business. This means at least 50 of the 98 units must be represented. Special meetings can be called as needed
  • A newsletter, The Flash, is published and sent to all owners every few months to insure everyone is informed of key topics on a timely basis.
  • E-mail is used to alert residents to issues of an immediate nature.
  • Our website www.thegreensroch.com is also a source of information
  • Residents can contact the Board via e-mail: greenstownhomesofrochestermn@gmail.com

Annual Meeting

The meeting will be held Sept 12, 2024, 6:30 pm at Holy Spirit Church.

HOA Monthly Fee

Residents are required to pay their monthly HOA fee by bank AutoDraft. This process is facilitated by HOA Assist, our Financial Services Partner. HOA Assist can be reached at 855-952-8222. The HOA fee is $310/month effective January 1, 2024. Effective January 1, 2025, the HOA fee will be $325/month.

Leasing/Renting of Unit

The Greens of Rochester Townhome Community bylaws were amended to prohibit the leasing/rental of any dwelling effective January 1, 2017.

Insurance

The Association provides a master property insurance policy covering the common areas and the exterior of each townhome, “studs out” insurance. It is the responsibility of the townhome owner to provide insurance for personal property. The homeowner’s insurance should include “Loss Assessment Coverage” to cover the deductible amount and their own losses. The recommended amount is $25,000. The Greens current master insurance policy is serviced by Bill Nystrom, Atlas Insurance, Rochester. All claims on the master insurance policy must be filed by an association board member.

Garbage Pickup

Waste Management picks up garbage and recyclables every Thursday. The cost of this service is included in your HOA fee. You have a wheeled cart for your garbage and a second wheeled cart for recyclables. Carts must be stored in the garage and wheeled to the end of your driveway Wednesday evening or Thursday before 6:30 am. Bins must be at least 3 feet apart. If there is a holiday earlier in the week, the pick-up will be on Friday. If you have problems with the bins or the pick-up process, do not call Waste Management. Email greenstownhomesofrochestermn@gmail.com, and our customer representative will be notified. There are six holidays that may move pick-up day to Friday: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Lawn, Patio, and Rocked Areas

The lawns are a Common Element owned and maintained by the Association.  Lawn mowing and trimming occur on Wednesdays.

  • Owners are responsible to keep their grassy areas clear for the mowers, pull weeds out of the rocked areas near their unit and keep patios, decks, and other outdoor areas looking nice. Rocked areas, patios, and decks may not be used to store items. Storage bins are prohibited from all outdoor areas.

Snow Removal

Your HOA fee covers snow removal from sidewalks, driveways, and streets for snowfalls of more than 2” and salting of streets on an as-needed basis.

  • Owners are responsible for snowfall under 2” on driveways and sidewalks. They can remove it or leave it – at their discretion.

Changes to Property

An Architectural and Landscape Change Request Form, available under FORMS section of the Greens Website, must be submitted to and approved by the Association prior to making any changes to the exterior of any unit or rocked area. Changes requiring prior authorization include but are not limited to: addition/replacement of a storm door, addition of a pergola or privacy fence, window replacement, landscaping/planting of any kind, and changes to patio area.

Building alterations allowed are the enlargement of the patio area (144 sq ft maximum) and the addition of a sunroom. For those units with decks, conversion to a balcony is allowed. Plans for any of these must be submitted, along with an Architectural and Landscape Change request form to the Board of Directors for approval prior to construction. DO NOT put holes in the siding except for a flagpole bracket, which must be placed according to guidelines found in The Greens Townhome Documents, Rules and Regulations, Section II, D, 5.

Contractors/Vendors

The Greens contracts with local businesses to provide needed services such as lawn care, snow removal, tree pruning, and trash pickup. Under no circumstances should a resident interact with a vendor. If you see a problem involving a vendor, send an email to greenstownhomesofrochestermn.com, and the problem will be dealt with by the board. We have lost good vendors because residents felt they had a responsibility to criticize a vendor personally.

Maintenance

The Greens was set up by the developers as a private community, so we own everything (streets, streetlights, storm sewers, etc.) except water mains. This means we are responsible for maintaining all these things. A large portion of the HOA fees goes to these maintenance items. If you see something wrong, such as a streetlight out, something damaged, or when an Association covered building maintenance issue occurs, be sure to email the greenstownhomesofrochestermn@gmail.com as soon as possible so that repairs can be started before more damage is done.

  • The Association provides maintenance of siding, roofs, garage doors, driveways, sidewalks, streets, streetlights, mailboxes, retaining walls, storm sewers, and drainage ponds.
  • The townhome owner is responsible for doors, windows, patios, decks, gutters, downspouts, garage door openers and hardware, and owner-caused garage door damage. Be sure to read your townhome documents for more details.

Tree/Bush Planting

In order to maintain continuity in the appearance of our community, tree and bush planting (location and species) require approval of the Landscape Committee by submission of an Architectural and Landscape change Request form. The Association provides plantings from a specified list for the front yard rocked area. No additional plantings are allowed in the front rocked area, but flowers and other plants in pots are usually acceptable

The HOA fee covers trimming and replacement of trees and bushes which were planted by the association, lawn fertilizing, lawn weed control, and maintaining the lawn irrigation system.

Plantings, including small trees, bushes, and flowers, in the side or back rocked area are the financial and maintenance responsibility of the homeowner. This includes thinning and trimming as needed. Perennials need to be kept in a defined area. This includes rose bushes, day lilies, and grasses; spreading ground cover is not allowed. Care must be taken when planting to avoid damage to the underground sprinkler system and buried utilities. Any damage will be repaired at homeowner’s expense. An Architectural and Landscaping Change Request form must be submitted and approved prior to any action taken by the homeowner. Removal of plants in the side or back rocked area also requires approval.

Pets

Pets are to be limited to two (2), and neither can weigh more than 20 pounds. Pets must be kept indoors unless they are accompanied by the owner and are leashed. Pets can be tethered in the back yard when the owner is present. Feces are to be picked up immediately and disposed of with the homeowner’s trash. Do not put feces (or anything else) down the storm sewers.

Satellite Dishes

Before having a dish installed, be sure to submit an Architectural and Landscaping Change request form to a board member. He/she will work with the homeowner and the installer to find a satisfactory location for the dish. The dish should be installed on a post in a place that is as inconspicuous as possible and limited to a height of 6 feet. Installation on the roof or side of the building is prohibited.

Outdoor Christmas Decorations

Decorations can be used on a Unit as long as they are not attached to the Unit in any way that would cause damage. Holiday decorations extending beyond a unit’s rocked area require Architectural and Landscaping Change Request Form approval. Decorations may be lit from Thanksgiving evening to January 15.

Street Lights and Mailboxes

Street lights and mailboxes are provided and maintained by the Association. Repairs for any damages caused to these items will be billed to the responsible party.