Property Closing & HOA Update 2.4.2026

January 2026

Greetings from your HOA!

The past three to four months have been exceptionally busy as we completed the transition to a homeowner-run association. I want to extend a sincere thank you to our Board—especially the Executive Committee—and to our outstanding staff: Katie Nicholson, Rhonda Lekan, and Lucas Murdock. I think everyone involved would agree that this process required far more time and effort than any of us initially anticipated, and their dedication has been extraordinary.

Now for the good news.Today, we have officially closed on the purchase of the property, and Mark has transferred all remaining property assets to the HOA as agreed. While this took considerable effort to complete, it was a critical step in securing the long-term future of our community.

We now have:

• Our own insurance policies

• Power, internet, and business accounts fully transferred to the HOA

• An independent payroll system

• All transferred green space and common areas approved by the county as tax-exempt

  
  

  In short, we are now fully positioned to begin operating our neighborhood independently.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the recent community survey. The results have been posted, and the Board will use your input to help guide our 2026 Strategic Plan. After the Board meets February 6, we will share our proposed 2026 priorities and begin forming committees to move this work forward. We will also be contacting everyone who expressed interest in serving.

Below are a few key areas I want to highlight. You will hear more detail on these—and other priority items—soon.

Architectural Review Committee (ARC) & Building Guidelines

Following the HOA transition, we received a large number of new construction applications. The ARC team has been focused first on reviewing these new builds. A special thank you to Tim Wellman, Director of Policy & Compliance; Kay Lucas, Secretary; and several other volunteers who have dedicated many hours to application review.

Some important background may be helpful:

Our building process and property standards are governed by two separate documents:

1.    Chinquapin Covenants, filed with Jackson County, which establish requirements such as limits on tree removal, vegetation protection, and maintaining materials and colors harmonious with the community.

2.    Architectural Review Guidelines, originally established over 20 years ago by the Carltons—founding owners who defined the property’s vision of harmony with the natural environment—later adopted by the Waterfront Group (Mark Adkins) and now administered by the HOA.

Changing the Covenants requires a two-thirds supermajority vote of the community. Changing the Guidelines is the responsibility of the HOA Board. Both documents are available on the owner website under Owner Resources > HOA Documents.

It is important to understand that the HOA is not suddenly being more restrictive. In fact, after the transition, the Board updated the Guidelines to relax certain requirements to reflect modern building standards, including roofing materials, siding, and gutters. We also revised the build cost structure to a sliding scale, reducing costs for existing home modifications to ease the burden on smaller projects. Additionally, fines—unchanged for over 20 years—were updated. These interim improvements were approved by the Board in October 2025.

That said, many requirements are contained in the Covenants, which the HOA is legally obligated to enforce. While we can—and intend to—further improve the Guidelines (including hiring an architect to recommend revisions), any changes to the Covenants must be approved by the community. We anticipate bringing modest Covenant revisions to owners for consideration at our next annual meeting.

One key change owners may notice is procedural. As declarant, Mark had broad discretion to grant exceptions, approve incomplete applications, or modify rules. The HOA does not have that authority. Applications are reviewed strictly against the written Covenants and Guidelines. Our process is very similar to other area neighborhoods.

We have also found that many applications are submitted without all required information. Under the Covenants, the ARC has 30 days to review an application once it is complete. Incomplete submissions delay approvals and can extend review times. If you are planning to build or modify your home, please help us—and yourself—by ensuring your application is complete and fully aligned with the Guidelines. Also remember, any tree work in Chinquapin requires prior approval. Send email inquiries to build@chinquapinowners.com.

Maintenance & Infrastructure

Bill Benner, VP of Operations, and Katie Nicholson, General Manager, have worked diligently to identify and prioritize both immediate and long-term maintenance needs throughout the community. Given the size of our neighborhood, addressing everything will take time—likely several years—but we will make steady progress. More details will be shared soon, and owner input will be welcomed.

We are also nearing completion of the remaining water system items and other outstanding developer-related responsibilities.

Technology & Security Upgrades

Finally, we are in the process of upgrading our computers and network equipment that support phones, cameras, and gate operations. Please be patient over the next week or so as these upgrades are completed. Our goal is to improve gate and door access systems, as well as overall security, and we are currently evaluating options.

Thank you for your continued patience, engagement, and support as we move forward together. We are excited about the work ahead and the opportunity to shape a strong future for our community.

Allen Dobson | HOA President

posted by Martha Dobson on behalf of the Chinquapin HOA Board President