General Information
When a new owner takes residence at GERMAN CREEK HOME OWNERS ASSOCIATION (GCHOA), he or she should be furnished the following items by his or her predecessor, or should secure them from HOA Management Office by calling 865-767-3490 or from this website.
- Master Deed
- By-Laws
- Front Gate Opener(s)
- Pool / Clubhouse Access Card
- Master Deed and Other Documents are provided under the Documents Tab
The Maintenance Fee
The GCHOA monthly common expense fee is payable on the lst of each month, preferably no later than the 10th and is delinquent after the 15th, resulting in a 10% late fee for each month the payment is late.
No statements are sent out for regular common expense fees, which are based on the unit size and location, and late fee notices are sent out after the 16th. If you use Automatic Bill Pay through your Bank, please ensure that your payment arrives at the HOA Office by the 15th of the month, or a late fee will be applied.
All payments are applied to the oldest open invoice regardless if it‘s a regular monthly invoice, special assessment fee, or late fees. Make sure your unit address is on the payment along with your last name to insure that your fee is credited to the right account. Payment through Automatic Draft is available and the Activation Form is Included in the Documents Tab.
Please make your payments to German Creek Bluffs HOA.
German Creek Home Owners Association
120 Muskogee Drive
Bean Station, TN 37708
Delinquent Homeowners Association Assessments Policy
Current = Paid up in full on 1st of Month + 15 day grace period.
16 Days Past Due – Homeowner will be sent an email to Homeowner notifying them that they are late and that a $25.00* late charge will apply.
46 Days Past Due – The Homeowner will be sent a send second notice that states a past due total for 2 months with an additional $25 fee for each month that a payment is past due (Example: 1st Month Assessment is past due for 2 months = $50.00 and $25.00 for 2nd Month Past Due. The Total Past Due Fines will be $75.00). The Homeowner will also be notified that if the account goes to 76 days past due, the GCHOA will place a Lien on their Unit with an immediate $500.00 Lien Fee to cover administrative & attorney fees. An additional fee of $250.00 will be applied to remove the lien.
76 Days Past Due – A Certified Letter is sent to the Homeowner notifying them of Lien Placement and the placement of the $500.00 Lien Fine to recover attorney fees and other related costs*. Additional fines will apply for the removal of the lien.
*Please see Page 12 of our Master Deed Section 10.3 Delinquent Assessments that allow the HOA to charge up to 10% of the Past Due amount. (Section 10.3.a). In Section 10.3.b, The HOA is allowed to recover the costs of collections, including reasonable attorney fees and other legal fees actually incurred by the Association.
If a Homeowner should have extenuating circumstances, please contact the HOA Office to work out a plan to bring your Unit into compliance.
Insurance
- The common elements of GCHOA are covered by a blanket Insurance policy.
- Each Unit Owner must carry adequate liability coverage’s and Homeowners insurance including provisions for full replacement cost and for any upgrades to their unit and any damage caused to their unit or a neighbors unit as a result of water leaks from sinks, toilets, dishwasher, ice makers, washer & dryer connections, etc. The coverage is typically referred to as a Homeowners H0-6 Policy.
- NOTE: If you rent out your unit, you will need a Business Policy with loss of rents coverage instead of a Homeowners H0-6 Policy.
- In addition, each co—owner should have insurance on the contents of his or her unit with the carrier of his or her choice, e.g., automobiles, books, all furniture, china, silver, clothes, kitchen appliances, jewelry, luggage and linens. Residents are responsible for securing their own adequate coverage.
- Homeowners are required to provide copies of the Unit Insurance Policies to the HOA Office upon purchase of their Unit and regular Annual Policy Renewals.
Annual Budget
The annual budget for the operation of GCHOA is prepared by the Board of Directors. Included in the budget is an amount which is placed in the Mandatory Reserves Fund that is used for future replacement of the roofs, elevators, fire alarm and sprinkler systems, clubhouse roof, HVAC and pool.
Annual Meeting
The Annual Meeting is held in October of every year in the Clubhouse with a presentation of the Budget for the next year. Alternating years for the Election of the Board of Directors, and any other community association business on the agenda.
Board of Directors
The Board of Directors consists of five members, each member serves a two (2) year term. Elections are held on alternating years at the Annual Meeting. Vacancies are appointed by the Board of Directors in accordance with the By-Laws.
Grievances
Any complaint or grievance which a Unit Owner wishes to make against another Unit Owner, or violations of the Master Deed, By-Laws or other rules and regulations, must be submitted in writing to the Board of Directors for arbitration. Homeowners should provide Names of the complainants and the dates of all relevant facts. The Board will hold a hearing within 30 days. If the Board decides adversely to the complaining party or fails to act with 30 days, the complainant has the right to resort to other legal remedies. No co-owner has the right to other legal remedies until the arbitration process is completed and proves unsatisfactory.
The Board has the authority to levy monetary fines against violators up to $250.00, which fine will be added to the account of the co-owner. This would include fines for violations such as keeping pets on the property, parking violations (Trailer & Car), continual noise violations, storing objects in the common areas and hallways, vandalism, pool and clubhouse violations. Etc.
Maintenance Requests
Any maintenance needs outside your unit are common expense and should be reported to HOA Management for a work order. Emergencies, such as water leaks will be handled as soon as possible to limit damages. Water leaks inside your units, regardless of source, should be reported immediately to HOA Management and your insurance company representative. If unable to reach management, call a plumber to find and stop the leak. Responsibility for payment will be determined pursuant to the Master Deed. Your insurance company should schedule someone to clean up the water damages as soon as possible to limit the damage.
All other maintenance requests will be prioritized by the Maintenance Director to reduce service costs or, in the case of yard and shrubbery requests, will be scheduled according to the season.
The Board realizes some maintenance needs fall into a gray area between common elements and limited common elements. The association is responsible for the maintenance of the common elements and the Owner is responsible for the maintenance of the limited common elements. Limited common elements are those elements are those elements that are limited only to that Owners use such as decks, front and back doors, windows, HVAC units, electrical, etc.
Some common element maintenance to be reported to the office are:
- Termites
- Exterior vinyl panels
- Water pipes between walls o Sewer and storm drains
- Roofs and Roofing leaks
- Gutters
- Elevators
- Sprinkler Systems Fire Alarms
- Street Lights Exterior light Exterior landscaping Clubhouse and Pool
Some limited common elements that are the Owner’s responsibility include:
- Electrical fixtures, appliances, etc.
- Heat and air conditioning
- Toilet and sink or stoppages
- Water heater leaks & repairs
- Windows and Screens
- Faucet leaks and repairs
- Front and Back Door Replacement
- Decks
Request for Alteration or Additions
According to the Master Deed:
“Any alterations or improvements outside his or her unit shall not be made by any co-owner without the prior written consent of the Architectural Review Board and or the Board of Directors.”
Alterations must be submitted on an Architectural Variance Request form which is available from the HOA Office and attached to this manual. Prior to commencement of the alteration, the Owner must submit the completed form to the Board of Directors requesting any alteration with a complete description, and if possible, professional drawings of proposed changes to be made by the contractor of choice. If the contractor has work already in progress on another unit, he must finish the previous contract before the Board will approve a new one. Furthermore, a completion date must be given and the Board, owner, and contractor must meet to discuss and finalize the new plans. Any structural plans which are not in accord with the Master Deed and By-Laws will not be approved.
Landscaping
All landscaping and grounds maintenance is approved by the Board of Directors and no individual owner can make changes to the landscaping. In the case of any plant, tree or shrubbery needing replacing, it will be addressed by the Board of Directors. All landscape maintenance and other seasonal applications are included in the GCHOA budget.
General Rules
- Common elements or common utilities may not be used for commercial or fund raising activities without approval and appropriate charges by the Board of Directors.
- No immoral, improper, offensive or unlawful use shall be made of the condominium property. All valid laws, zoning ordinances, and regulations of all governmental bodies having jurisdiction thereof shall be observed.
- No nuisances shall be allowed upon the condominium property, not any use or practice which is the source of annoyance to residents or which interferes with the residents. No throwing of objects from the balconies, including the practice of flipping cigarette butts into the common areas. No skating or skateboarding permitted on the grounds. No musical instrument shall be played or practiced with the exception of a piano or acoustical guitar.
- No owner shall permit or suffer anything to be done or kept in a unit, or on the condominium property which will increase the rate of insurance on the other units, or which will obstruct or interfere with the right of other owners or annoy them by unreasonable noises or create an unsightly condition.
- No Bikes, Towels or Open Flames, such as from an oil torch, are permitted on the balconies.
- The owner of each unit must promptly correct any condition, which, if left uncorrected, would affect the condominium property. If any other owner should sustain damages because of another owner’s failure to correct the condition within his unit, such owner shall be liable and responsible for the damages and liability which his action or non—action occasioned.
- The GCHOA property shall be used only for single family residences and for the enjoyment of such residences. Each of the units for which this provision is made by the Master Deed shall be occupied only by a single family as its residence and for no other purpose. This applies to occupancy by renter, as well as owners. No portion of the unit other than the entire unit is to be sub-leased. Renters must abide by all German Creek Rules and Regulations and it is the responsibility of the owner to insure compliance by their tenants.
- Owners that lease their unit shall submit the contact information of their tenant to HOA Management within ten (10) days after occupancy by such tenant for any lease exceeding thirty 30 days. Such Lease Agreement shall contain a copy of the HOA Rules and Regulations as an Exhibit to the Lease Agreement and must be signed and dated by the tenant.
- No individual yard sales or garage sales will be permitted on the property.
- No sign of any kind shall be displayed to the view or from any unit from the Common Elements without the prior written consent of the Board of Directors except for one real estate “For Sale” sign.
- No “Dumping” of any kind is allowed on GCHOA property. Do not allow any general contractors that may be working for you to dump any refuse on GCHOA property. A dumpster is provided at the clubhouse for construction materials.
- Household Garbage must be stored in plastic trash bags and placed in the garbage totes in the trash closets in each building. Boxes, construction material, etc. are not permitted in the trash closets. These items must be taken to the dumpster provided in the clubhouse parking lot.
Parking & Garage
- No boats, boat trailers, jet skis, or commercial vehicles may be parked on the premises overnight. Recreational vehicles may be parked overnight at the clubhouse parking lot. Any vehicle which is inoperable or unlicensed may not be stored on the premises. Parking is not permitted in the Loading Zones or Areas Marked as No Parking along curbs.
- Loading and unloading is permissible at the Loading Zones and elevation entrance as long as the vehicle is moved immediately after load/unload is finished. No vehicle shall at any time block the roadway or back drive area.
- Performing any type of vehicle maintenance on the grounds (Other than in a Unit Garage) is prohibited.
- Garages are for the purpose of storage of belongs and are not to be used to conduct any business nor any use or practice which is the source of annoyance to residents or which interferes with the residents. No mechanic work is allowed on the premises. Noise from various pursuits, such as woodworking, will be reviewed on an individual basis. Garages may not be used as practice areas by musical groups, bands, or drummers.
Pets
- In accordance with the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), Registered Service Dogs are permitted on the Property with confirmation to the HOA.
- Any owner or tenant with a pet will be fined in accordance with the following schedule until all pets are removed from the property:
- First Offense – $50.00 Second Offense – $100.00 Third Offense – $150.00 per day until animal is removed.
- The cost of all legal fees paid to attorneys to enforce this provision will be charged to the Owner of the unit.
Season Decorations
No objects or figurines should be placed in the resident common area with the exception of holidays. Holiday treatments should be removed in a timely fashion (i.e. no later than 30 days after the holiday). String lights will be allowed on balconies only for holidays.
Winterization & Safety Suggestions
- Disconnect any lawn hose from the outside spigot. Failure to do so may result in pipes freezing and damage both inside and outside your unit. These repairs must be made at the owner’s expense. Drain the hose and hang it up in your closet or garage tor the winter.
- Make sure to check the condensation line to the air conditioner to make sure it is draining properly every spring.
- Be sure the filter in the heating/air conditioning unit is clean. Changing the filter is recommended every 30-60 days.
- Water in individual units should be turned off for the winter months if the unit will not be occupied.
- You are required to maintain a minimum of 55 degrees temperature in your unit during the winter months. Summer months shall be maintained at a maximum of 80 degrees.
- You will be responsible to pay for any water leak damage caused by frozen pipes or condensation leaks in your unit.
Parties
Parties are only allowed within the confines of the individual condominium unit. Roaming the driveways, garages or sidewalks by party members is not permitted.
The residents/owners are responsible for the conduct of their guests at all times.
Guest’s cars should be parked in the open parking areas within the complex. Cars are not allowed to park on lawns, block traffic, block other driveways, or generally create a safety hazard.
Resident/owners are responsible for cleaning up the common elements of party debris after their party.
Any resident/owner has the right and should exercise the privilege to:
- Call the party down if too loud or boisterous.
- Ask for the party to cease after ll:00 PM, if necessary.
- Call the police if the party is out of control, language is abusive or a nuisance being created.
- Write a grievance report to the Board of Directors.
When a party is too large for a condominium unit, the resident/owner should make reservations for the Clubhouse. In this case, the resident/owner is still responsible and must be present at all times during the party. A damage deposit will be required to reserve the clubhouse.
Safety
- Golf Carts & Motor bikes are allowed in the condominium complex only as a means of transportation. In no case will the roadways be used as a speedway for vehicles.
- All persons riding bicycles must stay on the paved street. Safety clothing must be worn at night and bikes must be equipped with lights, reflectors and mirrors. Please supervise your children when riding their bikes in common areas. At no time will the riding of bikes or all terrain vehicles be tolerated on the common grounds.
- Safety is every person’s responsibility. If there are any unsafe conditions noted, please notify HOA Management or file a grievance on the condition so that they may be corrected.