What is a homeowners association?
A homeowner’s association is a non-profit corporation, controlled by a volunteer Board of Directors elected by the members of the Association. AuSable Acres has a nine member Board of Directors. Their duty is to protect and maintain the community assets, and to equitably enforce the governing documents. The benefit to these restrictions is a protection of your property values through a system of self-governance.
What is the AuSable Acres Property Owners’ Association (AAPOA)?
AuSable Acres is a deed restricted community with recorded Architectural Requirements and Covenants and Restrictions which govern the use of our land. The AAPOA has the responsibility for the oversight of these governing documents for our community. All Owners are eligible to join the AAPOA by paying the annual dues. The Association is governed by an elected Board of Directors.
What is the Board of Directors?
The Board of Directors is elected by the AAPOA membership and are all volunteers. The board of directors’ responsibility is operating the association on behalf of the property owners. The board of directors will implement policies, standards, procedures, programs and develop the annual budget for the community.
What are governing documents?
The AuSable Acres governing documents include the Constitution and Bylaws, Covenants and Restrictions (C&R’s) and Architectural Requirements.
Constitution and Bylaws – Establish the rules by which the property owner’s association will be operated. They set forth how members vote for the Board of Directors, describe the election and term of office of directors, and detail the board’s powers and duties. The Constitution and Bylaws also contain information on meetings of the members of the association.
C&R’s – The C&R’s provide information on each homeowner’s property obligations, restrictions on use of the property and architectural control issues.
Architectural Requirements – In addition to the provisions in the C&R’s, the Architectural Requirements are standards that must be followed when building a new home, modifications or improvements to the exterior of an existing home or to your property.
What is the use policy of the AuSable Acres trail system?
The AuSable Acres trail system was a deeded right given to property owners at the inception of AuSable Acre as a community. It is a unique commodity and enhances the quality of life in AuSable Acres and is provided for the benefit of AAPOA members only. The ten mile trail system can be used for hiking, trail running and mountain biking during warm weather months and cross country skiing and snowshoeing during the winter, when adequate snow conditions prevail. No motorized vehicles, of any type, are allowed on any trails in the system. A trail system map is located on the ‘Maps’ tab of this website.
What are the main reasons the trail system is private?
There are several important reasons for this policy.
- One of the AAPOA’s goals is to enhance property values. By making our trails private, they become an asset to AAPOA members and our community.
- The AAPOA is here to serve our members. Making the trails private ensures our members experience will be a quality one and limiting the impact on the existing ecosystem.
- Overcrowding of the trails would affect the trail experience in that the habitat and wildlife could potentially be at risk. Our goal is to properly manage the trails and the land and to minimize the impact these trails have on the wildlife and the habitat.
- The trail design and construction was funded by the AAPOA. No public funds were used to design and construct the trails. Further, trail maintenance is completely funded by the AAPOA as a member service.
Isn’t this a rare practice for communities and/or Property Owner’s Association to follow?
No. This is very common practice in homeowners associations. Most homeowners associations have common area properties that are private and for the use of the members of that community. Many associations have community pools, private clubhouses, tennis courts, lakes, trails etc. that are private and only for the use of their members (property owners).
Why join the AAPOA?
The AAPOA is a privately funded organization and like every private group, country club, golf course, swimming pool, or lake, membership does have its privileges. Our members purchased homes in AuSable Acres with the expectations of having certain assets to sustain and enhance the value of their homes and quality of life. The trails, along with the tennis court and lake are tremendous assets. AAPOA members pay annual dues which entitle them to the use of these assets and to expect a quality experience each time they do use these assets.
How to become a member
Click on the owner resource tab on home page, and select “Become a Member” or “Online Membership Form”.
What is done with my Association dues?
Your association dues cover items such as:
- Lawn and landscape maintenance of lake and tennis court areas
- General maintenance of tennis court, trails, playground, dock area and bathrooms
- Miscellaneous signs
- Rules enforcement issues
- Common area liability insurance
- Member picnics
- Community newsletters
- Association website
Can homeowners use Lake Eaton?
Although members of the AuSable Acres’ Property Owners’ Association do not own Lake Eaton we do have deeded rights to use the lake area for recreational purposes. There is a children’s playground area, athletic fields, bocce ball and volleyball courts, charcoal grills, and picnic tables for all members to use. The lake itself can be used for fishing and boating. However, the quality of the water does not support swimming.
What is the status of Lake Eaton?
Lake Eaton is a manmade lake that was excavated in the 1960’s as part of the creation of the AuSable Acres Community. Over the years it has become increasingly shallower as the lake’s plant life dies back and begins to decay each fall. In the spring of 2012, 75 special grass eating carp where introduced into the lake in an attempt to begin to rid the lake of its excess aquatic plant life. It is hoped that these sterile carp will help to reverse the natural tendency of lakes of this type to fill in over time. Being sterile these carp will not overpopulate the lake or impact the other natural fish species that inhabit the lake. This is a long term project that is still in its infancy. It is too soon to evaluate the effectiveness of the carp or whether or not additional measures will need to be considered. The cost of the project is being underwritten by JLKN, under the supervision of John Johanson, who owns the lake area.
What is the status of the water supply in AuSable Acres?
While some older homes in the Acres still have their own private wells, water for most homes is supplied by a privately owned public water company called “Forever Wild Water Company.” Their office number is (518) 946-2131. Since 2009, in addition to the regular quarterly fee, the State of New York Department of Health has granted Forever Wild the ability to also charge a $50 quarterly surcharge. The purpose of this fee is to enable Forever Wild to raise additional monies which they are required to put into capital improvements of the water company’s infrastructure. The expenditure of these additional funds is being closely monitored by the State of New York. If you have any questions and or concerns regarding this utility your inquiries should be directed to Forever Wild at the above listed phone number. There address is P. O. Box 162, Route 86 Jay, NY 12941. Their office is located in the building at the intersection of Route 86 and AuSable Drive.
Who maintains the roads within AuSable Acres?
All of the paved and unpaved roads within the Acres are maintained by the Town of Jay. The Town plows the roads during the winter months and oversees road maintenance during the warm weather. In the summer of 2012, the Town re-worked the numerous culverts which weave under AuSable Drive and then repaved the road from its intersection with route 86 ending just prior to Ridge Top Road.
DISCLAIMER: This Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) is provided solely as a general guide and reference. In no way, shape or form is this an official document nor is it enforceable. All information relating to the community documents is provided as a general interpretation. The official community documents take precedence over all information provided within this FAQ and the community documents should be referenced for additional information and clarifications. The AAPOA is not responsible for any inaccuracies provided in this FAQ or to other resources linked to or provided within this FAQ.