Newsletter

We hope this newsletter will provide our owners and residents helpful information about what’s happening in our neighborhood!

If you have any questions about this content or Avensong, please feel contact the Avensong HOA at hoa@avensong.org!

In order to receive real-time e-blast updates, owners and residents must "Register" (link at the top right of this page).

Homeowners who register will also receive a password that allows them access to the Owner Information page on this site.

(posted March 1, 2023)

The Avensong HOA Board of Directors presented an overview of the community at the 2023 HOA Annual Meeting on February 28, 2023. The meeting was held virtually and the presentation can be viewed on the Owner Information page.

Highlights from the meeting:

Streamlined violations process has been implemented. Please read your violations notices carefully. Most of those who receive notices are not being fined but rather being given warnings! If you do receive a fine notice, please make sure you address the issue quickly - failure to do so may cause your account to be sent to our attorney for resolution.

Investors - please review the updated Leasing Rules and Regulations to make sure your leases contain the required Avensong information (which is not simply what you think you need to include).

The basketball court is being fenced in and you will need an active amenity card to get onto the court.

ACC top violations reminders - don't' top your Crape Myrtle, no window AC units (not even "low-profile"), don't "coat" your driveway instead of repairing or replacing it. Fix your mailboxes and pressure wash your homes - violation letters are coming!

Village homeowners with front yards that are mostly pine straw will receive notices that they must have a majority of their front yard be grass. Detailed notices will be mailed soon.

Check the Upcoming Events page for planned community events, including a community garage sale and scheduled parties throughout the year.

None of the three HOAs reached a quorum, so there were no elections or other community business handled at this meeting.

We'd love for our residents to become more involved in our community (it's your community too!). If you'd like to help with any committees or upcoming events, please let us know!

(updated February 20, 2023)

Why do you need an amenity card?

It's not just for the pool or tennis courts!

You now need an active amenity card to rent the clubhouse.

The basketball court will be fenced in by April and you will need an active amenity card to access it.

At the playground with your kids? Hanging out with friends on the Lawn? Any resident with an active amenity card can access the bathrooms without having to run home (great for just washing hands too!).

Amenity card questions? Please email: amenities@avensong.org

For those of you who have already completed the 2023 Amenity Card Audit process, thank you! We truly appreciate you taking the time to do this early so your amenity access is uninterrupted. We understand it seems redundant to do this every year, but with the high turnover of residents, it is the best way to make sure those of you who should have access to the gated amenities have access.

"2023 Amenity Card Audit Packets" are available for download from the Owner Information page of our community website. We encourage everyone to take 15 minutes now to download, complete and submit the packet so your amenity access will not be interrupted this year.

Once you receive your amenity card activation confirmation, please make sure your card still works by testing it on the gates by the clubhouse. If it does not work, please let us know.

TENANTS: Important reminders if your amenity card doesn’t work:

Your landlord must download the "2023 Amenity Card Audit Packet", complete their section, and forward it to you to complete your section.
Your landlord’s homeowner account(s) must be in good standing (dues paid, no outstanding violations). If your amenity card doesn't work, please don’t insist that your landlord's accounts are in good standing unless you handle your landlord's business.
If your landlord owns multiple properties in Avensong and ANY of their properties are not in good standing, NONE of their tenants get access to the amenities. All Avensong owners must have their properties in good standing before amenity access is granted and investors who own multiple properties are no different.
It is up to you to remind your landlord to ensure you have access to the amenities. There is nothing anyone can do if your landlord won’t do their part.

INVESTORS - NEW AMENITY CARDS WILL NO LONGER BE MAILED TO YOU

Due to the number of issues last year with newly activated amenity cards mailed to investors, beginning December 5, 2022, all newly activated amenity cards will be delivered directly to your tenants in Avensong.

Unfortunately, issues with USPS kept many deserving tenants from accessing the amenities in a timely manner and we replaced far too many "lost cards" throughout the spring and summer. As you know, as investors you do not have the right to use the amenities, so there is no need for a newly activated amenity card to be sent to you just so you can turn around and send it to your tenant.

Investors with questions about this new process can email amenities@avensong.org.

(posted April 25, 2022)

We have been getting requests for, and complaints about, residents who wish to raise/house chickens and other non-traditional pets in their yards. While we appreciate area farmers’ contributions to our community, Avensong is not a farming community.

Non-traditional animals, oversized gardens, and large numbers of fruit trees create “nuisance situations” for your neighbors and are prohibited by our Governing Documents. If you wish to raise your own food, please purchase land outside of Avensong.

While we appreciate that many of you want to use your yards to help feed your families, please consider the impact these will have on your neighbors.

Our Governing Documents prohibit animals that are non-traditional pets, specifically poultry.

From our Covenants –

Article VII – Use Restrictions and Rules, Section 8 – Animals and Pets

No animals, livestock, or poultry of any kind may be raised, bred, kept, or permitted on any Lot, except that dogs, cats, or other usual and common household pets in reasonable number, as determined by the Board, may be kept on a Lot.

If you wish to plant fruit trees in your back yard, please review the tree information in our Community Design Standards. Large trees, or multiple fruit trees, can cause property damage to you and your neighbors due to our small lot sizes and the location of underground utilities. The fruit will also attract unwanted animals to the surrounding properties, resulting in a nuisance violation which will include fines and the removal of the tree(s) at the owner’s cost.

Small, back yard gardens, that do not cause a nuisance to your neighbors (don’t attract pests, rodents, or snakes), and do not touch your neighbor’s home/property, are permitted in the back yards only.

If you have questions about what is permitted in Avensong (animals, gardens) please contact ACC@avensong.org.

(updated October 10, 2022)

As the leaves begin to turn and fall, these items become more obvious and need attention. Please check your home and take care of these before you receive formal violation notices.

Pressure Washing

Check all sides of your home and fences for mold/mildew build-up (green discoloration). Once you can see it, it will get worse real quick! Please be pro-active and schedule pressure washing for your home and fencing now. There will be a rush on pressure washing companies after the notices go out so it is best to get on their schedules now!

Painting

Now that your home is clean, remember to touch up paint on window/door trim, vents and decorative accents. While you're painting, re-attach loose siding and if you need to replace siding, please make sure the color matches existing siding! Remember, the color of your front door, shutters and decorative awnings must be the same color. To those of you have already repainted, thank you! If you have questions about painting your home, color choices, siding concerns or any exterior changes to your home and yard, please email ACC@avensong.org.

Mailboxes

We have too many mailboxes that are fading, falling over or broken. Unless you live in Avencroft, these are homeowner responsbiilities. In the Village, if you share a post with your neighbor, get with them and share the work - it's much easier when there are two of you! Faded numbers must also be replaced and put on the DOOR of the mailbox, not the side.If you need to replace your mailbox and decorative post, please check our community Design Standards (on the Governing Documents page) for the proper mailbox, paint color and number style information.

Mulch - Carriage Owners

If you live in the Carriage, fall is a great time to put a fresh layer of mulch on your landscaped beds. This will get you through winter and keep you in good shape until spring gets here and you re-start your regular lawn care routine.

We would like to remind everyone, no matter which section you are in, it is your responsibility to maintain your backyard. This means you need to mow the lawn and keep the yard kept in a manner that doesn't encourage snakes or nuisance pests to move in and eventually bother your neighbors.

These are all basic home-improvement projects that will really help your home and Avensong stay looking great! If you have questions about these items, please email hoa@avensong.org.

In and around the clubhouse

Propping Open Secured Gates and Doors is Prohibited!

The gates and doors around the pool and tennis courts require secure card access for everyone’s safety and protection. Propping these gates and doors open leaves the neighborhood (you!) open to security concerns, damages and liability. It also causes damage to the gates and locking mechanisms. Anyone caught propping open secured gates and doors, or accessing the amenities by any means other than using an active amenity card will be subject to loss of amenity privileges. (Smile, you’re on video camera!)

No Parking at the Clubhouse without HOA approval!

Any unauthorized parking at the clubhouse will result in your vehicle being towed. If yoiu or your guests want to park at the clubhouse (extra house guests, moving van, etc.) please contact the HOA to get a parking permit (no charge!). If we don’t have your vehicle make/tag info on file, your vehicle may be towed. Contact hoa@avensong.org for more information and to get a parking permit!

Amenity Committee Volunteers Needed

We are still looking for volunteers to help the Board of Directors keep an eye on things in and around the amenities. If you’ll be using the amenities and would be interested in helping keep them fun and safe for everyone (you are not “amenity police” and will not have to confront anyone) please email hoa@avensong.org. If you have already volunteered, thank you and someone will be contacting you soon!

(updated May 12, 2021)

Around the amenities

Please remember the amenities are for all Avensong residents to use and enjoy. We ask that you keep other people in mind when playing in and around our amenities and common areas. Show respect to your neighbors and to the amenities. If you are playing or riding your bike in the parking lot, please watch for cars and stay far away from parked cars. Parents should accompany small children when they are playing on the play structure. If you bring potential trash with you to the common areas (food containers, bottles, bags) please take any trash with you when you leave. If your amenity card is activated, please place trash in the receptacles stored under the clubhouse deck.

Bicycle Safety

(Originally posted March 14. 2021)

The Milton Police would like to remind all parents to make sure your kids are wearing helmets when riding their bikes. This is a law in the City of Milton, but more importantly, wearing a helmet could prevent serious injury in the event of an accident.

Children should also be extra careful when riding on the streets throughout our community. Many drivers don’t keep an eye out for bikes (or pedestrians) and often don’t stop at stop signs. Whether riding or walking, please make sure the intersections are clear before going through them, especially the two main intersections near the clubhouse: Avensong Ives/Avensong Crossing and Avensong Ives/Avensong Village Circle.

When riding bikes, scooters and skateboards or playing in the clubhouse parking lot, please stay away from parked cars. You may not know when a car is about to pull out or someone is about to open their car door. You also don’t want to damage someone's car with a bike or other toy. The gates around the old basketball court are open, please consider playing in that area away from cars and other people that are coming and going through the clubhouse parking lot.

Avensong’s Dogs

(Originally posted March, 14, 2021)

If your dog is not in your yard please respect your neighbors; control and pick up after your dogs.

The pet waste issue continues to be a big problem for our community. Please remember to pick up after your dog. Not only is it a law in the City of Milton, it is the polite thing to do. We do have a $50.00 “Instant Penalty” for not picking up after your dog when not on your own property. If you see someone not pick up after their dog, please take a picture of the person with the dog and the mess they left behind. When we identify the human, they’ll be issued a fine. (This penalty and others can be found on the Governing Documents tab of this website.)

If you own a home and/or live in Avensong, this is your community and the HOA Board of Directors needs your help taking care of it! We have several committees with openings and would love to have more of our residents involved!

If you are interested in being a part of any of these committees, or would like more information on what they do, please email hoa@avensong.org and put "committees" in the subject line!

Architectural Control Committee

ACC@avensong.org

In 2018 the ACC completed an update of our community design standards. We'll be doing that again toward the end of the year and would like volunteers to help with that. We'd love to have people with a flair for style, designers, real estate agents and contractors, professionals or hobbyists! If you are an owner or resident in Avensong and would be interested in working on a Design Standards review and update this fall, please contact ACC@avensong.org.

Please remember an ACC Change Request form must be submitted and approval received before exterior changes to your home or landscaping can begin. In the event that any exterior work without prior approval of the ACC occurs, the board may impose an immediate fine of $250.00 with additional daily fines possible.

The Design Standards and Application for Architectural Change can be found on the "Governing Documents" page of this website.

If you have questions about our community standards, exterior projects you are considering for your home or the ACC process, please contact the ACC at ACC@avensong.org.

Finance Committee

Are you good at managing finances? Do you have a knack for numbers? The HOA Board of Directors is looking for help with our community's finances. Avensong has three sections with three budgets and three separate project plans. If you are interested in helping Avensong manage your money, contact the Board at hoa@avensong.org.

Amenity Committee

If you enjoy our amenities and would like to help the Board of Directors keep them safe and open, please volunteer to help us do that! We need eyes and ears to give us a head's up if something isn't working or if there are other problems. We'd also love to get some positive feedback and ideas about how we can improve things around our community. We are not looking for "police" or "enforcement", just a little help making sure our residents are enjoying themselves. If you'd be interested in helping with this committee, please contact hoa@avensong.org.

If you have other ideas for our community, please let us know! We're always willing to hear from our neighbors!

The Neighborhood Watch

hoa@avensong.org

Currently we are not holding regularly scheduled Neighborhood Watch meetings. As the Milton Police Department provides us with crime watch updates, we will share them on the "Crime Watch" page of this website.

Please check our Upcoming Events page, our Community Calendar and this Newsletter page regularly for updates about what's going on in Avensong!

If you have not registered on this website, please do so. You will be added to our email list and you will receive regular updates and notices about Avensong happenings!

If you have any comments, thoughts or questions about our community, we’d love to hear from you! Please visit our Board Members & Contacts page for how to email any of the HOA Boards of Directors and management company personnel.