45-Day Notice: Architectural Standards Fee Schedule Changes

Pursuant to Tahoe Donner Covenants and Restrictions Article V Environmental and Architectural Regulation, modifications to the architectural standards fees and fines must go out for 45-day member notification prior to the board of director consideration and approval.

Changes to the Architectural Standards Fee Schedule will be considered for action by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors is expected to take action to adopt the proposed fee schedule changes, as they are presented here or with some modification, at its July 2023 meeting. The meeting date is still to be determined and will be noticed. The board welcomes any input you may wish to offer regarding the proposed changes.

BACKGROUND

Over the last seven years, the association has worked diligently through staff, committee, and task force work focusing on continuous improvement with the goal of maintaining a minimum aesthetic standard that is harmonious with the diverse and mature association while achieving operational efficiencies and member service goals. Improvements include:

• Technological advances for permit submittals and member communication
• Downgrading project types from major to minor project reviews, and submittal requirements.
• Reducing permit application submittalto-approval time through the above downgrade of project types.
• Delegation of authority to staff level for minor projects without neighbor notification and maintenance projects.

The Tahoe Donner Covenants and Restrictions require any improvement of a lot to be reviewed and approved by the association. This includes such items as irrigation and landscaping, changes to the exterior of structures, and adding any kind of structures, from sheds and play structures, to additions and new homes. The Association is allowed to charge fees related to the cost of inspection/plan processing and deposits of improvements to lots in Tahoe Donner. (C&R Article V section 5(e)) These fees are found in the Architectural Standards Fee Schedule which is reviewed on an annual basis by the Architectural Standards Committee and staff as part of their regular business and the annual budget cycle.

From time to time, recommendations to change the fee schedule are made due to changes in business dynamics, and efficiencies gained decreasing staff time and improving member experience. Similarly, recommendations for changes are made due to economic impacts such as inflationary factors hitting direct costs to the operation including minimum wage increases year-to-year, gasoline prices, cost of technology and mail, etc. No changes to the fee schedule have been made since 2020, which included a reduction rather than an increase to some of the fees. In this case, this was due to gained efficiencies through technology.

ADMINISTRATIVE PROJECT FEES

Project administrative fees have not increased since 2019. The proposed changes to major and minor project fees are directly related to inflationary impacts on labor and operating supplies costs. The proposed changes include a reintroduction of a small maintenance project fee for staff time to review and process low-level exterior changes on homes such as A/C and generator installations, animal garbage can enclosures, and roof material changes. Like-for-like changes to the exterior – for instance, window replacement or painting where there is no color change – do not require permits with Tahoe Donner.

MISCELLANEOUS OTHER FEES

An Additional Plan Check fee is proposed for any plan checks needed after a design submittal’s initial submittal packet. Additional plan checks require staff time to review changes to the plans and process for committee review and approval. The fee addresses the direct cost associated with this staff time.

At times, the association is made aware that a member has completed an improvement project without a permit. In this case, members are required to submit for approval after the fact and often require extensive review due to the scope of improvements. The proposed change to the No Permit fee brings it in line with other HOA and public agency treatment of improvements made without a permit.

Finally, the proposed fee changes include eliminating plan printing fees by eliminating the costly printer owned by the association. The association started to move to digital plan review starting in 2018 and went completely digital for all activities during the pandemic. There is minimal to no impact on owners eliminating the plan printing service as due to digitization and available printing services at multiple business supplies stores in Truckee.

Purpose and effect of the proposed changes to the Architectural Standards Fee Schedule:

• Increasing the administration fees for project fees is proposed to further offset increasing administrative costs like wages, insurance, and operating supplies. The effect on members is a modest increase in project fees.
• Address the direct cost relating to staff review and processing additional plan checks beyond the initially submitted plan packet. The effect on members is a new fee for any plan review after the initial review is included in the administrative fee.
• Align no permit fees with other HOAs and agencies. The member effect is increasing the no permit fee by double the standard fee.
• Eliminating unnecessary plan printing fees and decreasing association capital and operating costs. There is little to no member impact.

Proposed Changes to Architectural Standards Fee Schedule

Key Dates

• June 1, 2023: 45-Day member notification and comment period begins
• June 23, 2023: Board of Directors meeting; hear member comment, discussion item only
• Friday before July 2023 Board Meeting: 45-Day member notification and comment period ends
• July 2023 Board Meeting: Board of Directors consider acting on proposed changes to the Architectural Standards Fee Schedule with or without some modifications

Your comments are welcome via email at arosenfeld@tahoedonner.com, telephone at (530) 582-9630, or US Mail at Tahoe Donner Association, 11509 Northwoods Blvd., Truckee, CA 96161.