IMPROVING SAFETY ON TOURMALINE COURT

The homeowners association (HOA) has asked the county to build a sidewalk along the west side of Tourmaline Ct.  There are times when the street is not safe to walk on due to auto traffic. A sidewalk would increase pedestrian safety on the street. We have proposed to have the sidewalk built along the west side of Tourmaline Ct. No tree’s will be removed in the construction of the sidewalk. But we aren’t there yet. To move forward with this project, we need your help. If you haven’t indicated your support for this project, please do so now. Its relatively easy to do. As with most requests, the number of submissions showing support will help to prioritize this project. Please find instructions below.

1. Click here to display the MCDOT Sidewalk Installation Request page.
2. Type, "Tourmaline Court" in the search bar and select, "TOURMALINE COURT" under Sidewalk Requests.
3. Click the magenta line that is displayed on Tourmaline Court and a pop-up will display that says, "From East Randolph Road to Olivine Way."
4. Click, "Support this Sidewalk," and complete the form with your information.

We thank you for helping to make our neighborhood safer. We thank those of you who have already gone online to express your support of this sidewalk project.

CRIME UPDATE

We have received notification that there is someone stealing small things from open garages. Please keep your garages closed when you aren’t outside.  Also, be aware of your surroundings. If you see strangers hanging around your neighborhood, please call the police. They don’t mind coming out to check things out. Safety First!!

PLANNING A MODIFICATION TO YOUR PROPERTY?

Are you about to paint your house a different color, replace the roof with a different color shingle, or build a shed in the backyard or any other type of exterior modification?

Before you break out the power tools or call the contractor, be sure to submit your plans to the HOA Architectural Control Committee.

The committee’s job is to ensure that the size and style of a project, the building materials and the overall appearance fit the association’s design requirements. The architectural control committee looks out for the entire community – including you .

If the Architectural Committee finds issues with your proposed project, we’ll try to work with you to come up with acceptable alternatives. Also, if an approved design changes, let the committee know: submit revised plans as soon as possible. If you are replacing a door for another door that looks just like the original, no approval is required. Replacing anything that looks like what is currently there doesn’t need approval.

If you undertake a building project without the association’s approval, you may have to remove the structure at your own expense. The association has the legal authority to enforce the architectural requirements, so save money and headaches by getting approval before building. You can obtain the property improvement request form on our website. If you have any questions, about an exterior modification, please let us know.  Thank you for partnering with the Architectural Committee to keep your home and our community looking great.  

TOWN HOME ROUNDUP (HELPFUL INFORMATION FOR TOWNHOME OWNERS)

Snowden's Mill Townhome Association #1 (Tufa Terr and Tourmaline Terr)

Spring is here and the grass is growing quickly. Please remember to be courteous to your neighbors and your neighborhood by keeping your lawn mowed. We are planning to work on any down or dying trees in the common areas. If you know of any issues near your property, please let us know. 

PAST DUE --- There continues to be a significant number of residents with outstanding balances on their quarterly payments. In May, you can expect to see letters outlining your balances. Please let us know if there is an issue with the letter or if you need assistance.

The Townhouse HOA would love to hear from you. Please email us with your questions or concerns at snowdensmillhoa1@gmail.com.

Board:

• Anna Douglas, President
• Wes W, Vice President
• Marc Chasen, Treasurer/Secretary
• Ermiyas Mengesha, Member

EMAIL ADDRESSES

Snowdens Mill HOA Board of Directors

smhoa.bod@comsource.com

Snowdens Mill HOA Covenant Enforcement Committee

smhoa.ce@comsource.com

Snowdens Mill HOA Managing Agent (Charles Laskey)

clasky@comsource.com

ROAD REPAVING

Due to the effort of our Treasurer, Neil Pedersen, the county has agreed to pave some of our bad roads. The county will complete the work sometime between 7/1/24 to 6/30/25. Some of our roads are very bad. The county patched them last year, but the patches are degrading. Please see the map below to see which roads will get paved. We will continue to work with the county to get our other roads paved in the future.

EARTH DAY

The Earth Day event this year was well attended and eliminated 14 bags of trash around our neighborhood. We will try to do it again next year, as well as organize other gatherings. In addition, this created an opportunity to meet and talk to their neighbors. It was a win-win for our community and our environment. If you have any ideas for a community gathering, please let us know.

COVENANT INSPECTION UPDATE

We are approaching the end of our biennial covenant inspection process. We are down to 6 unresolved violations of which 5 will soon be sent to the HOA attorney. The attorney will initiate legal action against those owners to compel them to correct their violations. The violations include unkept landscaping, dead trees, paint, and dirty siding.

SPRING FOOD

We hope that you enjoy the recipe section of our newsletter. We have received many positive comments. If you have a recipe that you would like to share with your neighbors, please send it. For fall food we have:

SPRING ORZO

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 shallot chopped
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 2½ cups vegetable or chicken broth 
• 1 cup orzo pasta
• 1 bunch asparagus 
• 1½ cups frozen peas 
• ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley 

Instructions

1. 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and 2 cloves of minced garlic.
2. Sauté for about 3-5 minutes until softened and beginning to turn golden brown.
3. Add the stock, increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. 
4. Add the orzo, stir, and lower heat to medium. Simmer for about 8-10 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed and orzo is chewy. NOTE: The orzo is still moist at the end of the cooking time. This slight moisture will be reabsorbed by the additional ingredients.
5. While the orzo is cooking, rinse the asparagus. Trim the ends and cut the asparagus in ½ inch pieces. Set apart the asparagus tips as they take less time to cook.
6. In a separate pot steam the asparagus pieces for 2-3 minutes until tender crisp. Add the asparagus tips and frozen peas and cook for a few more minutes.
7. When the vegetables are tender, remove from heat.
8. When the orzo is cooked (8-10 min.), stir in the vegetables.
9. Remove the pan from the heat and combine the grated Parmesan cheese and parsley.
10. Enjoy

(These recipes are contributed by your neighbors.  If there is a recipe that you would like to share with your neighbors, please send it to us.)