Handbook of Rules and Information

Last updated: October 20, 2024

The Westfield Place rulebook is established by the Board, and is derived from the Deed Restrictions. You may download a PDF copy of the rule book, available here. If you are selling your property to a new owner or changing tenants, you should provide this rule book to the prospective buyer(s) or tenant(s) along with all other HOA documentation.

If you believe one or more of these rules does not adhere to or is in excess of the Deed Restrictions, or would like to request that a modification to your property be reviewed and approved, please contact the board.

Information

Annual Westfield Place HOA Dues

Westfield Place homeowners are required to pay annual HOA dues. The HOA dues are due on January 1 every year. Information on ways to pay your HOA dues is distributed with annual invoice notices.

Rules

General

  • Owners are responsible for the actions of their families, guests and occupants.
  • Garage doors should be kept closed at all times when the garage is not being accessed.

Landscaping

  • Owners are responsible for maintaining the landscaping in their yard and shall not plant trees, shrubs etc., that are invasive and encroach on the enjoining property. Weeds must be controlled. Artificial plants, trees, flowers and grass are prohibited on the lots.
  • Any landscaping, plant live, trees, or shrubbery that dies or becomes diseased must be promptly removed. Dead trees in particular can become a safety hazard.
  • Vegetable, herb and similar gardens are permitted as long as they are not in the front yard of the unit or visible from the street.
  • Flagpoles in the ground are prohibited.

Maintenance

Owners are required to keep their lot and dwelling in good repair, which includes, but is not limited to:

  • Painting or replacing faded shutters as needed.
  • Painting or replacing doors, windows and trim as needed.
  • Soft washing siding to remove mold and dirt; this includes the removal of mold on bricks as well as siding.
  • Owners should make sure that whoever soft washes their siding uses an anti-mold product so the mold does not come back as quickly.
  • Repairing or replacing screens, downspouts and light fixtures as needed.
  • Porches, decks, and areas along the sides and rear of the dwelling must remain free of clutter and trash and are not for storage purposes.
  • Steps leading to and from the dwelling must be in good repair
  • Repairing and/or replacing driveways and/or parking pads as needed. Note that if one seals an asphalt driveway regularly, it will extend the life of the driveway.

Outdoor recreational and play items

  • Swing sets, trampolines, playhouses, and lawn toys must be kept at the back of the property. Not more than one swing set, trampoline, and playhouse per unit is allowed.
  • Basketball hoops attached to the dwellings (fixed basketball hoops) are prohibited. Portable basketball hoops are permitted if they are kept on the owner’s property (not in the street); they must be stored in the garage or otherwise screened from view of the street and of neighboring lots when not in use.
  • Bikes and other play items should be stored inside one’s townhome or garage when not in use.

Parking and Motor Vehicles

  • Unit occupants must use their own garage or parking pad as their primary parking spaces. For units with garages, driveways are to be used for secondary parking only. For those with shared driveways into respective units’ garages, any turn around area at the bottom of the driveway is not to be used for primary or secondary parking; it is a shared space.
  • Storage or overnight parking of trailers, motor homes, campers, house trailers, horse trailers, boats or boat trailers in drive ways or on parking pads is prohibited; such storage in visitor parking is also prohibited.
  • Visitor designated parking areas are to be used for visitor vehicle parking only. Occupants must park their vehicles on their properties. Visitors are to hang the visitor parking hang tag associated with the unit they are visiting and parking in the visitor spaces. Vehicles without a hanging visitor tag are considered in violation of the HOA’s parking policies and could be towed as noted on the signs, or booted in place, at the owner’s expense.

Pets

  • Except for cats, dogs, and typical domesticated pets, no animals, rabbits, livestock, fowl or poultry of any kind shall be raised, bred or kept in any unit. Dogs and domesticated animals may not be kept, bred, or maintained for any commercial purposes.
  • Pets must be on a handheld leash at all times when outside of the living unit, except those with approved invisible fences. Any pets on staked leash lines are prohibited to go beyond their individual property lines.
  • Pet owners are responsible for clean up after their pets on their property, their neighbors, or the Common Areas. Clean up must be done immediately. Failure to do so can result in a fine with the amount to be determined at the discretion of the HOA Board.
  • Pets making or causing noise of sufficient volume, including excessive barking or other animal noises, whether indoors or outdoors, that disturbs others is prohibited.

Sale of Unit

  • Open House signs should be limited to the day of the open house.
  • For sale signs are to be removed once the property is sold.
  • The seller is responsible for providing the buyer with the following:
    • Copy of the Westfield Bylaws
    • Copy of the current Handbook of Rules and Information
  • Please notify the Board when you have sold your property and provide the name(s) of, and contact information if known, the new owners.

Signs and Banners

  • Yard signs and banners are prohibited; this includes political signs.
  • Sports team logos, signs, banners and decals are prohibited.

Seasonal and Holiday Decorations

  • Winter seasonal decorations may be placed at the end of November and must be removed by the end of January.
  • Halloween decorations may be up for the month of October.
  • Thanksgiving decorations may be up for the month of November.
  • Other holiday decorations may be placed for the week of the holiday and must be removed afterwards.

Trash & Recycling

  • All trash is required to be in a container with secure lid. Animals will tear into plastic bags that are not secured in a can and have been known to spread the trash around the yard and community; owners are responsible for cleaning up any trash from his/her containers that is distributed onto neighbors’ or common property or the street ASAP. Trash and recycling containers should be retrieved and out of sight after collection day.
  • Oil, solvents or other volatile or flammable material are prohibited in, and not allowed to be poured or spilled into storm sewers, garage drains, driveways or common areas.
  • Littering is prohibited. Throwing cigarette and cigar butts on the ground is littering.
  • Littering will result in a fine, the amount to be determined at the HOA Board’s discretion.

Design Guidelines

Storage & Buildings

  • Open storage of any kind is prohibited on the Lot. This is not limited to tools, recreational equipment, lumber or tires. The only exception is during major remodeling which shall not to exceed six-months.
  • Temporary buildings or structures (including without limitation shacks and storage sheds) as well as barns are prohibited. Campers, recreational vehicles, and boats, are prohibited on any lot for more than a week or permanently.
  • Outdoor pet kennels, pens, cages or similar structures are prohibited.

Yard Lights and Lampposts

Note that Westfield Place pays for community lighting via street lights throughout the development.

  • Yard lampposts are prohibited
  • Security lighting must be located at the rear of the dwelling and cannot exceed 150 watts.
  • Landscaping lighting is permitted; these lights are to be less than 24” in height

Fences

  • Fences and walls are permitted, and must have their design and material approved by the board so as to maintain consistency throughout the neighborhood. Fences are not permitted on any Common Area.
  • Invisible fences are permitted and must be within the owners’ property lines. Invisible fences are not permitted on any Common Area.

Hot Tubs or Saunas and Pools

  • Hot tubs or saunas are permitted but shall be on or under the decking and screened from view from adjacent lots, common property and the street.
  • Above ground pools are prohibited. In ground pools are permitted with board approval.

Dwelling Exterior Materials

  • Finish building materials must be consistent with, or better than, the like and kind of the original specifications.

Roofing

  • Roofing materials must be consistent with the like kind and quality of, or better than, the original builder. Materials must be 30-year asphalt dimensional shingles in the following colors: gray, black, or olive green.
  • All units that share an interior wall must use the same color of roofing and shingle pattern.

Windows and Doors

  • All windows must be consistent with the like and kind and quality of the original builder specifications or better which includes color, quality, size and style. Materials include white vinyl or fiberglass or clad windows.
  • Screen and/or storm doors must match the color of the primary door or trim.
  • The use of security bars or grates on windows and doors is prohibited. Owners considered about the security of their dwellings are advised to consider alternatives, including alarms and security systems.

Window treatments

  • Sheets, bed linens, blankets and paper, foil, or plastic bags are not appropriate window treatments and are prohibited.

Air Conditioners

  • Window mounted air conditioners are prohibited. Portable air conditioners that vent behind the existing window screens from inside the house are allowed. If an owner needs to use a temporary window mounted air conditioner while the HVAC unit is being serviced or repaired, he/she needs to request a variance from the Board that includes a timeline for the duration.

Garages and Driveways

  • Carports are prohibited.
  • Garage doors and automatic door openers must be maintained in a useful working condition. Garage doors must be closed when not in use. Damaged or deteriorating doors must be replaced with the like kind and quality of the original builder specifications, which includes, but is not limited to type, color, quality, texture and style.
  • Driveways must be maintained. Driveways must be either asphalt, cement, brick, or pavers with brick and pavers to be in neutral colors (i.e., black, gray, tan, or dark brown); gravel or dirt driveways are not permitted. Driveways that develop multiple deep cracks and deteriorate need to be repaired and/or replaced.

Generators

  • Permeant backup generators are permitted and must be placed at the back of the units or near the HVAC unit. Temporary backup generators can be used for emergency purposes when commercial electrical service is unavailable but must be turned off when service is restored; these should be placed at the back of a unit so as to not be a nuisance to the adjacent properties.

Porches / Stoop, Decks, Patios, Sunrooms or Other Attached Structures

  • Front porch/stoops are required to made of wood, vinyl or composite material and must be colored, stained or painted to match the unit exterior or trim colors. Painted and wood-stained decks and porches need to be maintained. Front porch/stoops can be upgraded to Trex/composite materials, cement, brick, pavers or other types of stone materials that are approved by the Board for colors and materials; tiled porches are not allowed.
  • Decks are required to made of wood composite material and must be colored, stained or painted to match the unit exterior or trim colors. Painted and wood-stained decks need to be maintained.
  • Sunrooms building materials must be consistent with the like kind and quality of the original builder specifications; wood porches/sunrooms must be painted or otherwise colored to match the unit exterior and trim.

Satellite Dishes

Satellite Dishes shall not be placed in the front or front side of the property or dwelling. They should be placed discretely at the rear of the property if possible.

Solar Panels

The installation of solar panels is subject to the approval by the Design Review Board (The HOA Board).