Hot Topics from the HOA Board: April 2021
EVENTS
Instant Picnic — Just Add People!
The Social Committee is planning on bringing a Food Truck into Sovereign Oaks for an outdoor, socially-distanced get-together in June or July. It’s an Instant Picnic where you can gather, catch up with neighbors, and eat!! Watch for the date!
Old Farm School Road Adopt-a-Road Clean Up
Sovereign Oaks, in conjunction with our neighbors in Holly Hill and River Run, has adopted Old Farm School Road between Lower Grassy Branch and Riceville Road. We are expected to do at least 4 cleanups per year, although Old Farm School Road will likely need more frequent attention. The NC Department of Transportation provides all of the supplies required to collect litter, and they’ll haul away the bags. You can get more information here, or you can contact Moe Davis at 703.589.8603 or at col.morris.davis@gmail.com. Everyone who wants to participate must sign a form for Moe to submit to the NCDOT. The minimum age is 12, and those between the ages of 12 and 17 must have a parent or guardian sign for them. The forms are available on our site on Slack under the heading “#old-farm-school-road-adoption.” Moe wants to have everything ready to submit on Thursday, April 15, to complete the adoption process, so get your forms to him soon. More information to follow.
REMINDERS
Sovereign Oaks Dogs
As the dog population continues to grow within Sovereign Oaks, all pet owners have a shared responsibility to ensure that the community remains safe, pleasant and comfortable for all residents and guests.
Dog owners are responsible for cleaning up after their pets and disposing of waste.
As a reminder, Sovereign Oaks Protective Covenants, Article VII, SECTION 4 reads in part: “All pets must be kept under the control of their Owner when they are outside the occupant’s dwelling and must not become a nuisance to other residents at any time.” A few common-sense tips from an experienced dog trainer:
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When dogs meet on the roads or trails, it’s up to individual owners to ensure that their dog remains under their verbal and physical control at all times. Each owner should have their dog leashed or otherwise under their control when meeting. This is especially important when dogs are meeting for the first time.
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Ask if you can approach a dog before doing so, even if you are not with another dog.
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Do not let children approach a dog without the owner’s permission and awareness.
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It’s up to each dog owner to anticipate situations and keep all dogs safe and separated. If you know your dog is reactive to a particular dog or other dogs in general, alert approaching dog owners not to bring their pets too close.
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If you have a problem with a neighbor’s dog management, please address the neighbor directly. The HOA Board does not mediate disputes between neighbors.
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COMMUNITY INTEREST
The Bees Are Buzzing!
All last year, our gardens benefitted from having bees in the neighborhood and, in the Fall, many of us got to enjoy some of the honey our community bees produced. Of our two active hives from last year, one survived the winter and appears to be fairly robust. We will work with our bee managers to either split the surviving hive or get a package of bees to populate one of the empty hive boxes. Our goal is to maintain at least two active hives during the honey flow in the spring. We are planning to host a “Bee Greeting” in the late summer or fall to allow anyone interested to put on a bee hat and look inside the hives with our bee yard managers as guides. Watch the Hot Topics newsletter for a date!
Why Oaks Matter
Margot Ammidown (Hawberry Court) spotted the attached article about the environmental value of the mighty oak. Aren’t we lucky to be living among so many of them here in Sovereign Oaks!
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/31/realestate/oak-trees-why-you-should-plant.html
BUSINESS
Upcoming BOD Meeting/Date Changes
The next BOD meeting is scheduled for May 3rd, 11:30-1:00, 28 Hawberry Court.
As a reminder, meetings are scheduled for the first Monday of the month subject to change based on availability of our volunteer Board members. Monday July 5th and Monday September 6th both follow Holidays. As a result, the Board will meet the following Mondays, July 12th and September 13th. Out of respect for the work schedules of our volunteer Board members, we limit our meetings to 1 ½ hours with a hard stop at 1 P.M. Any HOA members who want to attend should check with the Board to confirm the schedule: board@sovereignoakshoa.com.