Dear New Property owner,
On behalf of the Aspen Hills Owners Association Board of Directors and the other owners of Aspen Hills, we welcome you to our community. Over the coming months we look forward to meeting you, whether it be walking or riding down the road, in passing at one of the gates, or at a community activity.
The operation of your owner’s association is governed by a board of volunteer directors. The nine Board members are elected on a staggered basis by the community. We are on a three-year rotation so the community elects 3 new board members each year. Elections are held at the annual owners meeting normally held in June, the weekend after Father’s Day. The Board is responsible for overseeing the daily functions and financial responsibilities of the Association, and for maintaining members’ compliance with the established rules and guidelines. Please take the time to read through the CC&R’s, and Bylaws you hopefully received during the property purchase process. Copies are available on the community website.
Our community website, ahoa.org, is a repository of information regarding Aspen Hills and the surrounding area. Upcoming activities and events, announcements, Policies, Bylaws, Budget, Board Members contact info, Meeting minutes and volunteer committee information, etc. can all be found there. Please take a few minutes to visit and familiarize yourself with this resource and to get to know your community. The website provides ready answers to most of the questions owners have.
As a new property owner, you may already have some ideas on how you’d like to improve your property. Please keep in mind, the Association has an Environmental Review Committee to help maintain the quality of our properties. Its function is to evaluate the plans for your property (such as Drives, Septic systems, excavation plans, building plans etc.), to ensure compliance with all covenants, restrictions, and guidelines. The purpose of this review is to protect our scenic environment and maintain the value of properties, the integrity of the roads, etc. Modifications to your lot such as driveway cut ins, septic tanks, or any structures etc. must be submitted to the Environmental Committee for approval before any work begins. If work is started without prior approval, the homeowner may be required to alter or remove the changes.
To help you on your new adventure as a property Owner in Aspen Hills we have included this new member packet that will help guide you with questions you may have, or where to go for needed information, permits, FAQ, etc.
Again, welcome to the Aspen Hills community! We know you’ll find this Community is a great place to recreate and we encourage your participation in our activities and functions.
Sincerely,
Aspen Hills Board of Directors
Aspen Hills Owners Association
AHOA New Owner Information Packet
Current Board of Trustees Contact Information:
I need a key: Contact Keys at http://ahoa.org/how-do-i-get-new-keys/
I want to modify my lot what do I need to do?
You must turn in a site plan designating what changes you plan to make to your lot. The site plan needs to be approved by the environmental board member or environmental committee.
Please survey your lot before any excavation takes place such as cutting in roads or pads. A property line survey is required for building a cabin or trailer cover.
Any exceptions to bypass a lot survey must be authorized by the environmental committee.
Lot setbacks for pad and road cut:
Please turn in your lot/site checklist and wait for approval before beginning.
Roads can be cut to the edge of a surveyed lot.
Pads must be at least 25 feet from the road to the edge of the pad. Please read the Driveways page, Aspen Hills has a 50 ft easement.
Pads and any other cut in (septic tank, water tank, etc.) 15 feet from property edge.
Lot site Check List – http://ahoa.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Lot-Check-List-2016-PDF.pdf
Culverts pipes: are required if deemed necessary by the environmental committee to prevent runoff. Owners are liable for road damage that occurs from not utilizing a culvert pipe. Minimum diameter is 8″ inner diameter.
Sheds:
1 shed 120 Sq ft, must be marked out on-site plan.
(Please look up Sanpete County code 14.76.126)
or 1 metal shipping container 20 ft max length must be marked out on-site plan. (Earth Tones coloring see container policy)
Container Policy= http://ahoa.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Aspen-Hills-Storage-Container-Policy-2012.pdf
Site Plan:
Please fill out the site plan check list http://ahoa.org/environmental/You must show north, south, east, and west directions on your site plan. The plan must also include a sketch designating the desired location of any buildings, roads, or infrastructure. A dimension in feet from at least two of the property lines is required. Please show the location of your modifications as accurately as possible and that they fall within the setbacks.
Water tanks:
IBC Totes/water tanks can be placed anywhere on lot 15ft min from lot edge (please keep them as inconspicuous as possible). Bury tanks are allowed to be placed at a min 15 ft from neighbors’ lots. May be able to be placed close to the road for easy refilling hoa approval required 😉 to make sure it does not interfere with road maintenance or culverts. Currently water tanks must be min 1000 gallons for a cabin build (ask county for current requirements).
Where to get Water:
Aspen Hills is a dry subdivision. Options are:
Bring it from home, seek out a water delivery service, Check with the local municipality.
Septic system: (septic tank and drain field)
COUNTY PERC TEST and HEALTH DEPARTMENT INSPECTION REQUIRED.
Septic System required if you are going to leave your trailer for more than 14 days (Article IV section 2 CC&R).
Recommendation– put in a septic tank and drain field that will handle a cabin if you believe it’s in your future. Check with county or installer on size recommendations.
Gates placed on lots: Please show placement on your site plan. Setback for gates from the road must abide by the AHOA road easement. Do not place your gate in an AHOA easement. Check with environmental and Road’s representatives.
Fences: require special approval from the AHOA and will be approved on a case-by-case basis. See CC&R’s section 13. Otherwise, no fences allowed.
CC&R’s – http://ahoa.org/wp-content/Files/CC%26R/CC%26R-6.21.2008.pdf
Lot sign: Lot signs are allowed.
Lot signs must not be set within the HOA road easement.
See County Rules for building a permanent structure:
https://www.sanpete.com/building-dept.html
Cabins and trailer covers require a permit from the county.
Cabins and trailer covers must fall within the WUI code (Wildland Urban Interface.)
If a cabin is built on a property up to a 200 sqft shed is allowed without inspection.
Recreational Vehicle Covers: county code reference 14.76.127
For Setbacks call county. Must show cover’s location on site plan and copy of survey to environmental. Measurements and dimensions are required from all edges of the building lot marked out on environmental site plan.
Sanpete county Land use Ordinance – https://www.sanpete.com/uploads/1/3/6/2/136253634/land_use.pdf
Permanent Outhouse:
The county will allow a shower house to be built even if a cabin has not been built. You must go through the standard building application process with Sanpete County.
Requirements-
Inspected septic system
Max 120 sqft
County permit
Must meet county building codes.
Current code is 14.76.125
Temporary Outhouses: The county allows for movable outhouses that are (not pit toilets). The outhouse must be capable of catching its own waste with no environmental release. Waste and unit must be capable of being removed by the lot owner.
Other Options:
Rentable honey buckets.
Small movable outhouse (Not bigger than 32 sqft.)
Rules:
The outhouse must be movable and not permanently attached to the ground with no possible way of having an environmental release. Waste must be removed and is not allowed to be openly dumped on the ground or in a pit and then covered up.
Fire pit options and fire reporting:
Propane fire pits are essential during a fire ban, gas stoves and propane fire pits are allowed. Utilize a screened Fire pit when burning wood to help control embers.
See Fire Safety and rules- http://ahoa.org/fire-safety/
Please remember to Check the fire report before having a fire:
https://utahfireinfo.gov/fire-restrictions/
Winter Use Snow plowing route:
What to expect. Bring tire chains, 4×4 drive, and utilize machines with tracks to move throughout the neighborhood. Currently only one road is plowed up to the tennis courts.
See Map link for snow route. Lake Fork to Silver Creek to Laurel Wood to the tennis court parking lot. Read Full Aspen Hills Map
Excess growth and lumber Removal: this may be removed from your lot(s) and may be dumped at the airport landing strip free of charge.
Rules are: No garbage or construction Debree. All timber dumped on the air strip must be disposed of between the signage located on the Air Strip.
Annual Burn: Once a year Aspen Hills has an annual burn party on New Years Eve in the dead of winter. Please reach out to board members for more details if you would like to participate.
Roads:
The association maintains all of the roads utilizing funding from your dues.
Driveways
Updated 6/13/2023 Driveways-2023.pdf (ahoa.org)
There are three very common complaints we hear way too often is (in no particular order):
- A new driveway should have a culvert and does not.
- A new driveway does not have enough slope and/or does not have one defined side as a bar ditch to direct the water correctly to roads culvert/bar ditch system, and therefore water has come down the middle and washed out the road.
- A new driveway has been put in which encroaches on the road system.
All of these are very sensitive subjects with everyone involved. To protect our rights to the roads, we need to use some common sense when cutting in a driveway.
A Culvert is needed if the driveway can dam up water (usually on the hill side); you can usually tell if you need a culvert by looking at the rest of the road, do others on your side also have culverts? Are there bar ditches? Can you see water erosion in the road where someone else has not installed a culvert? Are you on a hill? Is there a culvert going across the road from your side. Remember, when installing a culvert, you need at least a 8” round culvert for spring runoff; owners who use smaller culverts find they have caused road damage and are responsible for fixing.
All new driveways need at least a 2% grade sloped to one side to help direct the water to the side of the driveway and into your culvert, instead of coming directly down the middle and going over your culvert. It is important to walk the lot before cutting in to first find where the natural drainage has come from and prepare your lot with necessary drainage (French drains, etc.) to direct the water, so it doesn’t wash your lot out first year or the road. You need to continue to reassess the drainage every year because a new cut out somewhere above you may have changed the water flow.
The road easements in Aspen Hills are fifty-foot wide. Your lot starts at the edge of this easement (usually at the lot markers). Work done in the fifty-foot road easement is where the problems come up. The driveway needs to be on your lot with little or no impact on the road system. The driveway should not allow water to run to the road and pool.
It is also wise to install a sign with your lot number for emergency services. If a driveway is installed improperly (any road damage is the lot owner’s responsibility, including the cost of repair).
Notes: A site plan is required before you cut into your lot, showing what your plans are for developing your lot. It should show things like driveways, trailer pad, septic system, water storage, shed, etc. It doesn’t need to be fancy, just a sketch is fine. You can also print a Google image of your lot and draw on it.
Before building or cutting in access, email a copy of your site plan to: environmental@ahoa.org
Current Board of Trustees Contact Information: