News

The problems with the recent fiber optic construction in our neighborhood were written about in the State newspaper.

While researching information about the company Lumos this week in an effort to assist our homeowners, I came across an article in the State newspaper about the problems the City of Columbia had with Lumos. I contacted the reporter and she ended up interviewing me and using some of the photos I had taken of the damage.

Hopefully articles like this will increase the county supervision of this company and prevent them from doing further damage.

A new company, Lumos, is coming to our area. You might have noticed that placards were stuck in the ground in your yard announcing the construction. Last Friday, July 12, their contractor, Velox, began installing the fiber optic cable in our subdivision. At some point in the near future Lumos Internet Service will be offered to our residents.

There were some problems with the installation. The biggest issue was that the contractor broke a water main on Greenglen Dr. The cul de sac was flooded and the drive way of one home was severely damaged. Several nearby homes, particularly the yards, were damaged by the water and sand debris.

If you feel your home was damaged or that the installation (or digging) in your yard was not left in a proper condition, you can contact the contractor Velox. Call 256-217-4339 and press 3 to be connected to the Damage and Resolution Center. You can also submit a ticket with Richland County, by emailing ombudsman@rcgov.us or calling them at 803-929-6000. Tell them about your problem and suggest they forward your concerns to the Public Works Department, Easement Administration.

If you had problems with your water (service was interrupted for several hours) or you feel the City of Columbia water break damaged your yard or home, you can call them at 803-545-3300, or visit their website at columbiascwater.net, click on the “Report a Concern” button, and report a problem or complaint. The insurance adjuster for the City of Columbia is;

Penny Jackson, Senior Claims Adjuster
PO Box 100159, Columbia, SC 29202

803-264-2423 | Fax 803-870-8978

pjackson@paisc.com

I personally met with the Easement Administrator yesterday, and he verfied that Lumos and Velox had the proper permit and that he felt they would leave the area where they worked in the proper condition.

The City of Columbia is working on the damaged driveway today.

You can visit this link here, Google Photos, to view pictures of the work and damage on Friday, July 12, 2024.

 

 

For several weeks the garbage pickup regularly scheduled for Tuesday has been delayed and pushed back to Wednesday or Thursday. Our regular pickup day in this neighborhood is on a Tuesday, unless there is a holiday on a Monday which means the pickup is pushed back a day.

I spoke with the Sanitation Department and they verified our official trash pickup day is still Tuesday. The problem has been that because of the heat, many of the garbage trucks have been breaking down. The contractor is working on getting them repaired.

The SC Homeowners Association Act requires that;

1. The current bylaws and restrictive covenants be filed with the County Recorder of Deeds and be made available to the members. They have been filed and they are are available for download here on the website.

2. That the budget of the HOA be available to the members. The budgets are published here on the website.

3. That a current HOA members list be available to the members. To ensure the privacy of our members the membership list will not be posted on the website. If you are an owner of a property in the Springhurst subdivision and wish a current members list, please subscribe to the website, send us an email, or fill out the contact form. After verifying you are an owner in the subdivision we will email you the member list. It is in the form of an Excel spread sheet.

The front entrance is being enhanced and upgraded to improve appearance. The brick has been pressure washed. New sod has been laid (more to come). Plantings are being installed, and the mulch color changed and refurbished. We will post some pictures when completed.

Cost of the project is $2000.00.

I have been asked several times what other area HOA’s are charging in dues. Below is a sample taken today from Zillow.com. You can see that Springhurst is much lower than other subdivisions in the area.

Springhurst                 $75 year  (63 homes)

Garden Valley            $399 year (33 homes)

North Trace                $90 year    (141 homes)

Fishers Wood              $237 year

North Springs             $344 year

Spring Valley              $984 year

Yacht Cove                 $3768 year

Arcadia Lakes             $1320 year

Hunters Pond              $516 year

The Summit                $510 year

Wildewood                 $819 year

 

The board held a meeting on March 12, 2024. The minutes of said meeting will be published soon. In the meantime, this was what was discussed.

Board officers for 2024;

President     Jack Heape

Treasurer    Susan Scaccia

Secretary     Tamara Lewis-Daniel

Landscape   Kia Usher

Newcomers Vacant

The board voted on and accepted the proposed budget for the coming year, and approved the Treasurer’s reports for end of year 2023 and March 11, 2024. The board also approved the Dues collections procedure posted here on the website.

The main project for the coming year is the possible renovation of the subdivision entrance. A meeting is scheduled to meet with a landscape designer and obtain a proposal.

Many individuals do not want to live in a subdivision that has an HOA. Why? Mainly for two reasons;

• Fees: HOAs charge fees to cover maintenance, repairs, and other expenses. These fees can be expensive and can increase over time.
• Rules and Regulations: HOAs have rules and regulations that all members must follow. While some rules may be necessary, others may be overly restrictive or seem arbitrary.

However, there are three positive reasons for an HOA ;

• Maintained property values: HOAs are designed to maintain the value of the community and the properties within it, which can be beneficial for homeowners.
• Consistent appearance: HOAs can enforce rules and regulations that ensure a consistent appearance throughout the community.
• Community involvement: HOAs provide a way for homeowners to be involved in their community and make decisions that impact it.

The fact is in Springhurst, there are restrictive covenants that govern the use of every owner’s property. The HOA is required to maintain and pay taxes on the entrance. It is NOT a garden club.

In the past, some members (property owners) have suggested than rather collecting dues, the HOA should run on a volunteer basis. Everyone chipping in so to speak. Good luck with that. Many of the homes in Springhurst are occupied by renters. Many are elderly. Many don’t want to bother. In summary, it just isn’t practical.

The dues we charge are only $100 a year. Less than $10 a month. The board members are not paid. Its strictly volunteer. The board makes an effort to not be overly intrusive in every member’s lifestyle or use of their property. However, there are minimum standards that have to be met.

Because of the Covid pandemic, the Board has ignored many of the covenant violations and past due bills. The pandemic is now officially over.

We hope all HOA members and residents will cooperate and enjoy their homes in Springhurst. We as board members will be doing everything possible to make that a reality.