Dear Canyon Creek Homeowners,
As we approach the end of the year, the board has a few topics to discuss as we head into 2025.
The long, hot and dry summer has once again been especially hard on everyone’s landscaping including the Association. Homeowners should continue to keep irrigation systems in good working order and water lawns according to the current City of Austin watering restrictions, which is once per week. Homeowner’s sod that has browned and going dormant due to heat and drought should revive this fall if you’ve kept up with watering throughout the summer.
Homeowners need to continue to care for their lawns and landscaping according to the standards published in the current Design Guidelines and other documents. Lawns are expected to be kept mowed and treated for weeds. Driveways, sidewalks and curbs are expected to be kept neatly edged and free of weeds. Bushes and tree limbs encroaching on the sidewalks are expected to be kept trimmed back in accordance with the City of Austin Right of Way Rules. Dead or downed tree limbs and branches must be removed promptly. Bare dirt is not allowed; when cooler weather arrives, either re-sod or use mulch and other plantings to maintain a neat and tidy appearance. Nothing on lawns or landscaping should appear overgrown or unmaintained.
During 2024, the HOA Board addressed several improvement projects for the benefit of the community. The volleyball court nets were completely replaced and the court surface renewed with additional sand. The Boulder North Entrance Monument sign was upgraded with electrical service, replacing the aging solar panel and battery lighting system. The electrical service upgrade will allow for additional Holiday lighting to the median this December and potentially an upgrade monument sign in the future. The basketball court surface was repaired and resurfaced to the delight of the basketball community players. Additional landscape projects were completed early in the year: Barbrook and Cinnabar Monument Island Enhancement; Cobre and Air Libre Island Enhancement; and the South Entrance landscaping and solar lighting. Last but certainly not least, Pickleball play was enabled on the lower Tennis court after a sound level study and sound reduction panels were added to the court.
During the September HOA Board meeting, the board held the annual budget review and approved the 2025 operating budget and annual assessment. The approved 2025 operating budget is available HERE. Most of the Association’s annual operating budget is allocated to paying the HOA bills for services that keep the common areas mowed and irrigated, cleaning and upkeep on the pool and courts, insurance, management fees, etc. and keeping things in good working order by fixing things when they break. Like many of you have experienced firsthand, inflationary pressures have increased our costs across the budget categories as well. As discussed in the budget review, our target operating metric is that the operating budget takes up no more than 80% of the annual assessments with the remaining 20% allocated to nonrecurring expenses. Nonrecurring expenses (NRE) are associated with items identified in the HOA triennial reserve study as in need of replacement or renovation. Other NRE projects are associated with large scale landscape refresh/renovations or other HOA common area improvements as identified by the Board. The approved 2025 NRE Project list and budget is available HERE.
After reviewing this year’s expenses and accounting for inflation through the year end 2025, the board is forecasting a year over year increase in the HOA expenses. Accordingly, the board has unanimously approved an assessment increase of $55 to $690 annually in 2025, payable in two installments, due Jan. 1 and July 1. This represents an 8.7% increase which is just below the 10% threshold permitted by the Association’s governing documents. With the assessment increase, the operating budget remains below the 80% target.
HOA emails have been distributed with most if not all of the above information. If you have not received any updates lately, please check your spam filters. You should also log into your Spectrum Association Management account and confirm/update your contact information. This will assure you continue to be informed about HOA updates, event and management actions.
Regards,
Your Canyon Creek Board of Directors