Challenging Taxes for POA owned properties

The POA received twenty-eight properties at transition from a developer run community to POA.

After receiving the 2023 Tax estimate it was determined that we needed to address the 118% tax increase for the community. In working with the Tax Assessor Collector for Walker County we were able to reduce the community taxes significantly.

The estimate based on the original assessed value the community would have had a tax bill over $39,000. Our current estimate, based on the revised assessments, is that the community will owe less than $10,000 in taxes for POA owned properties.

Launch of new ARC Committee

The Architectural Review Committee is a 5-person committee which oversees, administers, and gives guidance in implementing the Site Building Requirements (SBRs) which are a subset of the Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CC&Rs). The ARC reviews and approves applications for new home builds, pools, fences, solar panel installation and outbuildings.

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The ARC is continually refining and updating the SBRs to meet the needs of TGR, and to stay in alignment with changing State laws. In addition, the Committee has fostered relationships with property owners, builders, contractors, and county agencies.

Maintain 2023 Budget

The Board is committed to maintaining the budget for the POA through December 2023. Effective September 2023, the POA is currently at 48% spend rate of the 2023 Budget.

Launch of Communications & Information Subcommittee

The transition from a developer controlled POA to property owner controlled POA is a journey. As the Board progressed on our shared journey, we realized we had an opportunity to turn a traditional POA into a next level elevated POA. Our initial efforts focused on the processes and procedures necessary to manage a POA. An important next step is focusing on communications between the Board and all property owners.

We formed a Communications and Information Committee to assist the Board in their efforts to improve communications and transparency. The committee’s first milestone is the creation of a website which will serve as a centralized repository for POA and community information. The Board appreciates the patience of the community as we continue our journey step by step.

County Commissioners Court Introduction

The Board and our Infrastructure Subcommittee presented the TGR community to the Commissioner’s court July 31, 2023. This was done to align ourselves with the Commissioner’s court and familiarize them with our infrastructure concerns and community tax base. Continued involvement will be essential to our community growth and ongoing infrastructure needs.

Bids for pergolas for Lonestar and Dedication Park Mailbox

Improvements to the three mailbox areas in TGR were bid by several contractors.  The original site on Texas Grand Circle has mailboxes both covered and new uncovered boxes on the same cement pad.  Houston Deck and Shade is the contractor selected after receiving several bids from other companies.  Houston Deck and Shade will build and finish the uncovered boxes to match the existing original covers.  The new covering will match the aesthetics of the existing covers and include lighting of the boxes. Also, the existing mailbox cover will be power washed and stained to match the new cover. This project will begin as soon as the parking area around them is completed.  The Mailbox drive is currently under construction and it has tipped the halfway point to completion.

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As the community developed, two additional mailbox areas were constructed, one on Larkspur Lane and the other on Lonestar. They were installed without covers.  Mailbox covers for these two sites will match. They are designed to be a freestanding structure with lighting. The boxes will be completely covered. The selected contractor for these two projects is Axis HOA Maintenance & Development LLC. This construction is about to get underway and once it has begun it has a building time of 5-10 days, depending on the weather.

Launch of Infrastructure Subcommittee

An infrastructure focused subcommittee was established to assist the POA with Community Infrastructure items. These items include Taxes, Water, Roads, Fire & Safety. The short-term goal was to establish relationships with the entities that control these areas of our community.

The Board and this team have established relationships with key entities such as County Commissioners Court, Tax District and Quadvest as a start. These relationships have led to the ditch and road repair, saving 85% on POA property taxes, and a reengineering project with Quadvest. Two of our subcommittee members have been instrumental in assisting the board in these initiatives (Greg Valdez & Tom Stevenson).

Ronnie White Precinct 3 County Commissioner

The Board met with Ronnie White, Precinct 2 County Commissioner to discuss the community roads and ditch erosion concerns. We were advised at this meeting that the County has a budget of $5400 per mile for repairs and maintenance. We discussed the erosion issues and offered to allow the County to use one of our Oil & Gas reserve lots for staging of materials. The Commissioner has made major progress on addressing the erosion concerns and road repairs.

Lonestar Park - Completions and Upgrades

The newly turned over pavilion and restrooms at Lonestar park in section 5 of TGR (built by Patten) will require additional amenities such as picnic tables, trash cans and ceiling fans. In addition, to these standard needs the board felt it was necessary to get expert opinions on the park so it could be improved and be a space that residents would be excited to see and use. The consultant (Environments & Company) is currently working on a full design that will incorporate the existing pavilion, the restrooms, a new commercial grade play area for kids, outdoor picnic/sitting areas, and ADA pathways to integrate each element into a cohesive design. We requested that our consultant focus on sustainable and low-maintenance designs.

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Additionally, we are working on a plan to beautify the Park grounds by cleaning up debris and developing a quality street appearance. This will include for example, erosion control and grass. There is further discussion to add access to a currently inaccessible area of the park. It would include walking paths from the pavilion up to the overflow parking at the end of the paved “unnamed road”. The road to this parking area also leads to the spillway area of the large retention pond where walking paths and a potential bridge are also included as part of the plan, and to which feasibility study and cost estimates are being secured.

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We are creating a Special Project fund for an investment in the park that would be used in a phased approach to improve the park, where we will seek community involvement for prioritization and approval of added amenities.

We know that the park is important to the community and from a budgeting perspective, we need to allocate a special project budget for before the 2024 budget is created and approved.