BALLYMEADE

Deed Restrictions - Summarized for Easy Reading!!

18 Deed Restrictions – What is their purpose?  Here is an easy to understand summary:

Purpose:

Enforcement of deed restrictions prevent cars being parked on front lawns, boats being stored in driveways, clothes lines, commercial vehicles in driveways, etc., etc.   The Deed Restrictions are basic, comment sense rules to govern the aesthetic and quality of life aspects of our fine neighborhood, and a minor adjustment on your part will make sure the future at Ballymeade will be a pleasant as the 10 or so years that have passed.

Enforcement:

It is the responsibility of the Architectural Review Committee to enforce our Deed Restrictions.  The committee, with the backing of the board, and assistance from lawyers if need be, will do what it can legally to see to it that all of the agreed to restrictions are adhered to.  Keep in mind that when you closed on your Ballymeade home you signed a document agreeing to abide by the restrictions in place.  It is your responsibility to take all of the restrictions seriously. 

Additional Comments:

The Ballymeade community has been committed to create and preserve one of the finest communities in Northern Delaware.  Owners who have been residents since the inception of the community have realized a tremendous appreciation in their property values.  Much of this appreciation can be attributed to the work of all of the volunteer members of the Ballymeade Maintenance Corporation boards and the various committee members over the past 10 years.  Our heartfelt thanks go out to all of them.  Their commitment to maintain the quality of the neighborhood as originally planned and to let it evolve in a way that will cause the values of our homes to appreciate is exemplary.

Summary of Deed Restrictions:

Since everyone in the community benefits from adhering to the governing documents of the community, we ask that you review all of the governing documents of the Ballymeade Maintenance Corporations - the Declaration of Restrictions; Deed restrictions, Maintenance declarations and other binding documents posted on the web site (http://www.ballymeade.org/). 

For you easy reference below is a summary of the 18 Deed Restrictions you agreed to when you bought you home here:

Section 1 - Private Residences - private residential use only.  Commercial use of property in Ballymeade is not allowed.  The only building allowed on the property is the residence, no sheds, unattached garages, etc.   Any type of temporary structure is not permitted.

Section 2 - Trailers, Mobile Homes, Etc.  - Campers, RV's, boats, emtpy boat trailers, etc. is not permitted on any lot in Ballymeade.

 Section 3 - Animals and Pets - only household pets, no breeding on the lot or in out buildings.  Small structures for domestic animals such as dog houses, rabbit hutches, etc. can be erected with approval in accordance of Section 18 of the Deed Restrictions.

Section 4 - Vegetable Gardens - allowed only in back yards, not in front or side yards.

Section 5 - Television and Radio Antennas, Satellite Dishes and Exterior Mechanical Devices - none allowed.  Christmas/winter holiday exterior lighting (considered to be exterior mechanical devices) are permitted but must be removed by Jan 15^th. (Note: The Board of Directors has voted, upon the prompting of the Architectural Committee and newer FCC regulations to allow the newer smaller satellite dishes at the rear of homes only - in the past the satellite dishes were very large.  The smaller dishes are still not permitted in the front or the sides of homes and should not be visible from the roadway in front of the home at all.)

Section 6 - Trash Receptacles - must be kept in enclosed areas, this means, in your garage or under your deck or where ever it is out of sight - completely out of sight from any neighbor in any direction and out of sight from the street in front of your home.  (Note: County code required that trash containers be placed at the curb no sooner than dusk the day before pick up is scheduled and should be removed out of sight the day same day as the scheduled pick up.)

Section 7 - Prohibited Vehicles - no trucks, buses, travel trailers, campers or similar types of vehicles are permitted on any street, lot or driveway.  Pick up trucks and small vans are allowed within size limits - but no commercial signage please, based on Section 8 below.

Section 8 - Signs - No signs of any kind except real state "For Sale" signs.  This means no "For Rent" signs; no signs advertising anything (except a contractor while the contractor is working on the project).  Note: Homeowners and realtors can only place for a sale sign on the property being sold, not at the front entrance, community property, etc. - not any where except on the front lawn of the house for sale.

Section 9 - Fences - must be wood, never higher than 6 feet, other very specific restrictions, for town homes, cannot be on the side of end unit town homes past the rear wall, for single family homes, can only be on the side yards.  Bottom lines, no fences at all in front of homes and all fencing must be approved by ARC in accordance with Section 18 of the Deed Restrictions.  (No fences on right-of-ways obviously - see Section 17.)

Section 10 - Swimming Pools - No above ground swimming pools, except a child's wading pool not to exceed 2 feet in height.

Section 11 - Trees, Shrubs and Landscaping - Must remain as provided by the builder for 10 years.

Section 12 - Lawn Mowing - The owner of each lot is responsible for the grass and weeds and will "mow said lot at least once during each of the months from March through November of each year".  (NCC codes also apply.)

Section 13 - Yards - no statues, sculptures, painted trees, birdbaths, ornaments or replicas of animals or other objects are allowed on any lot.

Section 14 - Trampolines - none allowed

Section 15 - Clothes Lines - permanent outside clothes lines are not allowed, temporary, portable clothes lines are allowed during daylight hours only.

Section 16 - Right of Way Laws - No structure or equipment, except standard mail boxes can be within the Dept. of Transportation right of way on any street.

Section 17 - Easements - No building or permanent structures are permitted in an easement and/or right-of-way.  Easements and rights-of-way are reserved for utilities - poles, wires, drainage pipes, etc. and are reserved 10 feet from the front and rear property lines and 7 feet from the side property line.  A 20 foot easement/right-of-way is reserved for water flow near sanitary and storm sewer pipes (10 feet each direction from the center). 

Section 18 - Review of Plans - All changes to the outside of the resident's home are to be reviewed by the Architectural Review Committee (ARC).  See Section 18 of the Declaration of Restrictions document (on http://www.ballymeade.org/).  This document describes in detail the request submission and approval process that must be followed prior to any changes outside the home.