About Snowdens Mill Homeowners Association
For quick access to an answer, click on a question below. The most commonly asked questions are shown below and are updated often. If you do not find the answer to your question below, please contact us.
The SMHA, as the association is known, is responsible for the upkeep of the common areas [several acres]; approving architectural changes in keeping with the covenants; Ensuring that the homes remain in harmony with the overall character of Snowdens Mill; Ensuring that homes do not fall into disrepair; Maintaining the our storm water pond; Providing for landscaping of common areas; Collecting assessments; Maintaining a reserve for major repairs and replacements; Maintaining accounting records of use of assessments; Taking legal action when necessary to collect assessments and enforce covenants; and Communicating about these responsibilities with the community.
To ensure we have the expertise to do the best job of running the SMHA and to ensure that the day-to-day responsibilities are done on a dependable and consistent basis.
The Board are all homeowners who volunteer their personal time to ensure the well being of our community. They are not paid and there is a limit to the generosity of their time and effort. Also Board members vary from year to year in their knowledge and skills in running SMHA. The management company can devote the time and expertise needed to ensure that the community is well served.
The details of the yearly budget are sent out in December of each year. If you are new and need a copy please contact the management company. In brief the largest amount is used to maintain the common grounds, followed by landscaping. There are of course costs for the management company, legal services, taxes, supplies, insurance, communication including the web site and funding the reserve.
You can contact the Board with your concern and better yet attend a Board meeting. And of course you can run for the Board when there is a vacancy.
I have a problem.
If the problem is on one of the main streets the County takes care of the lights. Call them at 240-777-2190. If the light is on a town home street the town home association is responsible. Call them.
The County is responsible for snow removal. Call them at 240-777-7623. If it is a town home street the town home association is responsible. Call them.
We have explored this with the County in the past but have not been entirely successful. Use the contact page to let us know your concerns and we will see what is possible.
Use the contact page and let us know. We want to know your concerns so that we can do our best to make this a model community. You can also submit your complaint using the SMHOA complaint form.
My House.
Montgomery County has implemented a 311 phone number for non-emergency information and services. For emergency calls you should still use 911.
| PEPCO (Outages) Miss Utility Missed Trash / Recycling Animal Control Poison Control Police Non-Emergency Street Light Outage Street Tree Damage | 877-737-2662 800-257-7777 311 240-773-5960 800-222-1222 301-279-8000 311 240-777-7623 |
Reporting Street Light Outage or Malfunction – Montgomery County manages the maintenance of street lights positioned on metal street light poles. To report an issue related to a street light on a wooden pole, please contact PEPCO at the above number. Streetlight malfunctions include Cycling (light goes on and off), Dim (light not as bright as it should be), Knockdown (light pole has been knocked over) Leaning Pole (pole is far past 90 degrees to the ground), Outage (dark) and Steady Burn (light does not turn off).
All Montgomery County Information, including how to apply for county building, shed, and fence permits plus information on events, can be found at: www.montgomerycountymd.gov. (Remember, you must submit a PIR to the SMHOA Architectural committee for any alterations that require a county permit or changes the appearance of your property.)
Note: For Townhouse areas I and II, you need to report issues regarding streets, sidewalks, streetlights, etc to the proper townhouse association.
Townhouse I – 301-384-2572
Townhouse II – 703-631-2013
Community wide trash and recycle (Blue Bins) pickup is every Thursday morning. Garbage and recycle bins should be placed at the end of your driveway by 7:00 a.m. Thursday and no earlier than 7:00 p.m. Wednesday. Please do not put the bins in the street, as this is a safety issue. (School children, school bus, pedestrian, and motorist safety comes first!) Kitchen refuse and trash waste should be placed inside covered, plastic trash containers.
All trash and the blue recycle containers must be stored out of sight from the street, such as behind your house or in the garage.
Bulk Items: Please call Montgomery County at 240-777-0311 before 11:00 a.m. on the business day before (Wednesday) your trash collection day. Any requests received after 11:00 a.m. will be scheduled for the following week. You are allowed five free pickups per year.
You can check with the Division of Solid Waste Services web site by clicking here.
in order to see if pickups have been delayed. That link also contains a sign-up for their email announcements of holiday pick-up changes that you may find of interest.
It depends. If you are keep all the colors the same or very close to the same you do not need approval. If you are changing color you do need approval before painting. See the Covenants.
Yes it does. These are two separate things. We are looking to ensure the addition does not change the harmony of the community and is not an eyesore to adjacent homes. Here it is best to contact us soon as you begin seriously thinking about an addition so we can guide you. We like improvements to homes and will work with you to make yours happen if possible.
In addition to receiving approval from the Snowdens Mill Homeowners Association, in most cases you MUST obtain a permit from Montgomery County. If you are unsure please contact them. The phone number for the Montgomery County Permitting services is 240-777-6370 or click here.
Yes, it does. And there are requirements as to type, and location. So do seek guidance before applying for approval.
No it does not. Anything you do INSIDE your homes does not need SMHA approval, but of course you may need a permit from the County.
SMHA under its by-laws has no choice but to insist that you get approval and if you don’t we are required by law to take legal action to bring you into compliance with the covenants even if that means removing the addition or repainting a new paint job. You can see why it is so important to seek SMHA guidance.
Yes, it does this in three ways:
1. we receive homeowner complaints;
2. Our managing agent drives through the community on a frequent basis looking for problems; and
3. we have a program that periodically reviews every home in Snowdens Mill. And this is not just to check on any unapproved changes but also to ensure that homes are not falling into disrepair. So it pays to maintain your home. And that keeps up the values of all the homes in the community!
