| The Hot Springs Village Property Owners Association is REALLY LOOKING FOR NEW REVENUE from residents. They got the last increase in dues passed, by telling folks that there would be no more asking for an increase until 2013 or so, so they can't look there. They are sending out letters to property owners, telling them that their property is "overgrown with weeds," and that, if the property owner doesn't get it taken care of soon, the POA will get it done and CHARGE THE PROPERTY OWNER $300 to do it. I know 2 different people who got such a letter, and neither property was overgrown with weeds. One is a real old man who has back and leg trouble, and now you can see him out in his yard in the late evenings, spraying weed killer on everything. His yard has very little grass, and what is there is now turning yellow! I guess that's the POA's view of "beauty." The other yard is owned by 2 brothers, one of which lives in Memphis, and they only come over once every month or so, to go out on the lake. Neither yard has much growing, at all, except large pine trees, and there isn't much that will grow under pine trees! The POA would love to collect $300, if they could. I know of another fellow who had the wind to blow a tree down into his driveway. He got out his chain saw and cut up the tree, putting it across the street into some "common property" where the POA had put some other trash. When someone complained and a policeman came out (apologizing for having to bother him), this property owner took it to the POA and sued them and won (I heard). The POA won't come out and clean out ditches any more. They say they are "stacked up until December" on requests! They want to take in the $$$ but not provide the service! They are ALWAYS crying MONEY, in all their fancy glossy brochures they mail out. They seem to have plenty of money to buy stamps, send out glossy brochures and $300 letters, and pave streets that don't need paving! Another friend has some dogs, and he found out that he couldn't put up a fence unless he paid $45 for an Application (whether it was approved or not), went down to the POA and got down on his knees and begged, then if it was approved, the fence had to be "decorative" (whatever that means) and not over 3 feet tall! He has 3 dogs that can jump higher than 3 feet, so this would be of no benefit to him, as they could easily jump over a 3 foot fence! Nobody tells you any of this while they are selling property to you; you find it out later, that it's all in the "covenants" you signed! Be aware, if you are considering Hot Springs Village! It's nice in a lot of ways, but the POA is a bunch of redneck ignoramusses! They are all from the "good-old-boy" system from years gone by! The POA's main interest is protecting Cooper's interests (the developer) - this came out in some of their literature recently (they finally admitted it)! They are not concerned about the property owner, unless they can sell one of their "repossessed lots" to them and TAKE IN SOME MORE $$$!! I used to really enjoy seeing the deer come up into my back yard. I have almost a square city block of land behind me that will never be developed because it has a "wet weather branch" running thru the middle of it and houses can't be built on it. It was a perfect place for deer. I've seen 2 or 3 of them grazing, or just standing next to a tree, and it was really enjoyable. I do like deer meat, but I'm not a hunter. I hated to hear that the POA was going to allow bow hunting in the Village. Now, they've pretty well cleared out all the deer. I haven't seen any in almost a year. I hope they're satisfied, as this was one of the pleasures that came with "living in Paradise!" I realize it became a problem, and I realize it caused a lot of property damage, especially to cars (but also to one woman's house, when a deer crashed thru her picture window into her living room). But they could have peacefully relocated the deer without having to kill them, couldn't they? Or do the people on the POA just think of killing? There are many places in the United States that would welcome deer! They could have "darted" them, peacefully sedating them, then loaded them onto a truck and taken them somewhere else. I have pets, and I feel for the animals! The POA, as usual, didn't ask anybody, as they are ALMIGHTY and they KNOW ALL! If you want to live in Paradise, just make sure who's running Paradise! |
