NCCIA Board Report - October 2003

The NCCIA Board of Directors has had a great deal of discussion of late concerning satellite dishes and their placement.

The Deed Restrictions for all sections of Nottingham Country do not address satellite dishes because they did not exist during the early 1970’s when our restrictions were written. Our Architectural Control Guidelines state the following regarding satellite dishes,

“Small Satellite Antennae (18” or less in diameter) must be located so that they are not readily visible from the front property line of the lot, and in a location which minimizes their visibility from surrounding properties.”

“Pre-Approved. Satellite dish antennae which will be installed in the Rear Yard with an installed height no more than 6’ above the natural grade or with a diameter not greater than 18”, are pre-approved and require no application permit or inspection.”

The Board of Directors is interpreting the guidelines to mean that if a satellite dish is visible from the street it is violation of our Architectural Guidelines and can be cited as a violation.

To further complicate this matter, the Federal Communication Commission, as directed by Congress in Section 207 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, issued rules concerning satellite dishes and their installation and location. The rule reads as follows:

“The rule applies to video antennas including direct-to-home satellite dishes that are less than one meter (39.37”) in diameter (or any size in Alaska), TV antennas, and wireless cable antennas. The rule prohibits most restrictions that: (1) unreasonably delay or prevent installation, maintenance or use; (2) unreasonably increase the cost of installation, maintenance or use; or (3) preclude reception of an acceptable quality signal.”

The Association attorney has interpreted the FCC ruling to mean that homeowner associations can enforce architectural and deed restriction guidelines regarding the placement of satellite dishes. However the Association cannot require the removal of a dish that violates the guidelines if the homeowner has a written letter from the satellite vendor stating that the placement of the dish is necessary for an acceptable satellite signal.

Needless to say this can be a confusing and difficult matter for deed restriction and architectural guideline enforcement. I can state from personal experience that most satellite company installers will take the easiest route to install a satellite dish. The best placement for a dish is on the back roof of a home facing the southwestern sky. However many installers will not climb on the roofs of second story homes. They would rather just put it on a post in the ground if the homeowner allows it. It then becomes a matter of importance for homeowners to inform the satellite installers that we have guidelines in Nottingham Country regarding the placement of dishes and they cannot be placed just anywhere.

The Board is seeking input and suggestions from Nottingham Country homeowners regarding this matter. Does it matter to you where you neighbor places a satellite dish? Do you wish to eventually see satellite dishes located on fences, sides of homes, roof tops, posts, etc? Your input is important. Without your input, eight NCCIA Directors will make a decision for you and you may or may not agree with the decision. Please go to www.nottinghamcountry.org and contact one or more Board members and let us know your thoughts on this matter.

For now, the Board is taking this approach:

If satellite dishes are visible from the street, the homeowner will be cited for a violation and will be asked to relocate the dish or produce a written letter from the satellite company stating that in order for the homeowner to receive the proper satellite signal, the dish must be placed as is.

If you receive a citation from the management company regarding a satellite dish placement and you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact Nancy Callaway at SCS Management at 281-463-1777.

Don Mach
NCCIA President and Legal Liaison

The holidays have come and gone, and the spring semester at Katy ISD is back to full activity. The Constables Office, Sheriff’s Dept. and Katy ISD Police will all be watching not only the school zones but also those areas with increased traffic to assure safe and compliant vehicle operation.

Residents should remember to not only comply with the reduce speeds but should also be alert for young pedestrians and “pick-up / drop-off” traffic patterns. HOUSEHOLDS WITH YOUNG DRIVERS SHOULD HAVE A “REMINDER” TALK ABOUT APPROPRIATE SPEEDS IN THE SUBDIVISION AND NEAR SCHOOLS. It also can be beneficial to remind expected guests of the presence of the school zones.

The Constable’s office is always available to maintain security and to assist. The number to report any suspicious activity or to request deputy assistance is
281-463-6666.

Ken Gentile

If you haven't visited our web site lately, it is undergoing some changes, so please take a moment and see what's new at http://nottinghamcountry.org. While you are there, Click on the “Suggestions” Link to offer your comments or suggestions or email the webmaster directly by sending an email to: WebMaster@NottinghamCountry.org. We appreciate any and all ideas from our neighbors as to how we can improve our Internet presence and make our web site a useful tool for our neighborhood.

The latest happenings in Nottingham Country are posted on the Website first. Items like Heavy Trash Pickup dates, Election Results, Lost Pets and Safety/Security Incidents in our neighborhood are posted on the site. We also have applications and forms posted on the website – we will have our General Meeting and Election of Board Members coming up in November.

Tired of seeing all the unsightly, "Lost Pet" signs posted around the neighborhood? Send an email to: WebMaster@NottinghamCountry.org and we will post your lost (or found) pet on our website. We will also notify our email subscribers or your loss. That will go along way in keeping our neighborhood neat and clean while assuring the loss of your pet gets even more coverage.

Also, as a reminder, we do have a link to Sex Offenders on our site called Predator Check. Please check it out if you haven’t already. It’s good information especially for all parents and grandparents.

Remember, the “NEW STUFF” Button always denotes where the latest information is.

As a reminder, the Deed Restrictions for All NC sections, as well as, the By-Laws, are posted on the web site

President	Don Mach	Legal Liaison
Vice President	Bruce Hamelin	Deed Restriction, Section 1, 2, 3, and 6
Secretary	Carol Neef-Brown	Volunteer Coordinator / Web Site Coordinator / Deed Restrictions - Sections 8 and 9
Treasurer	Robert Wills
Director:	Ken Gentile	Contract Security
Director	Kim Svetlik	Landscape
Director	Allen Hess	Environmental / Deed RestrictionsSections 4 and 7
Director	Shanon Hole	Community Relations

CONSTABLE ACTION SUMMARY NOVEMBER 2007
BURGLARIES, AUTOMOBILE BREAK-INS, AUTO THEFTS, AND ASSAULTS	40
ACCIDENTS AND TRAFFIC CITATIONS	74
OTHER DISTURBANCES	114
PUBLIC SERVICE	255

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