Frequently Asked Questions

The only 100% definitive way is to hire a professional survey company to locate your property corners. But, you can also get a rough idea online! It looks cumbersome, but just follow along, step by step, and it’s easy. Go to: Washington County Maps.

• Click on the map icon under the words ‘InterMap Individual Property / Tax lot Research Tool’.
• Next, type in the address you are interested in, you will see a long list of choices, then choose the address again. On the map, you will see a red dashed line around the property (this is your property line).
• To see the aerial view, click on Maps drop-down on the upper right side, choose Aerial. You can also zoom in here and it gives a better vantage point for viewing trees, paths, etc. Remember that trees can be tricky, as the trunk isn’t always directly under the canopy, it could be at an angle that is undetectable in an aerial view.

No, you do not have to sign the complaint form. It does help to know who to ask if there are further questions or documentation needed. If you do sign it, we do keep that information as confidential as possible, however please know that if anything escalates to requiring legal assistance, all names/information must be disclosed. As a reminder, the first step is always to try to talk to your neighbor about what might be bothering you and why. Perhaps there’s a reasonable explanation, or there is a short-term situation, or maybe you can brainstorm solutions together.

The Annual Assessment must always be paid between the first business day in January and February 15th. That’s six weeks to plan and pay! We are sorry, but we CAN NOT accept your payment early. We understand that many residents travel for the winter, however, all you have to do is either put a check in the mail or set up an on-line banking check to be dispersed during the proper time frame. Make checks payable to Summerfield or SCA, and yes, you can include annual assessments with the annual golf tag and/or golf cart permit on one check. We’ll set aside your golf tag and/or permit until you return. If you are staying in town, just come by the SCA Office between 8:00 AM—12:00 noon to pay by check or cash only (no credit/debit). We will post in the January newsletter if there will be any extra office hours or weekend office hours. When you pay your assessment, you will receive your new Resident and Business Directory. However, you can drop your check in the mail slot under the office window at any time during the posted timeframe and pick up your Directory at another time.

The SCA administrator would love the opportunity to sit down and talk about the options! Our Committees are so valuable to the health and well-being of our association. We need more volunteers! Some Committees require more time, energy or special skills than others, some need leaders and some need followers, and some need assistance with organization and execution of ideas. If we can learn more about your interests, your professional experience, your strengths and even your personality, then we can help make a recommendation of how you can best volunteer. Let’s set up a time to talk: call, stop by or email the office at sca55@comcast.net.

Clubs are formed by a group of residents with a common interest. Clubs may choose to develop their own by-laws, elect officers, generate funding, etc. at their discretion. The SCA Board does not sponsor or participate in Club activities, they encourage any Clubs that add to the enjoyment of Summerfield residents. New Clubs need to be officially approved by the SCA Board (first routed through the Clubhouse Committee). If you have an idea for a Club, you can put in a “Call for Interest” in this newsletter and on the hallway bulletin board. You should also check the online Clubhouse Calendar to see about possible dates and times for meetings. If you have a new idea, please set up an appointment with the SCA administrator to review the established policies, procedures and guidelines.

Committees serve the Board, and members are appointed by the Board. They assist with the various duties and responsibilities of the association and it’s amenities as per the CC&Rs, By-Laws and other governing documents. There are procedures for the required officers, responsibilities, and if necessary, funding.

Summerfield’s CC&Rs were originally set up in 1974, and that was what they decided back then. To change it from the per person structure to a per household structure would require a 100% vote by residents which is highly unlikely.

Yes, we think you should! It’s an easy way to look up another resident’s contact information. For example, if you met a Samantha at a social event and wanted to call her, you could search for all the Samantha’s in Summerfield. Or maybe you wanted to see if your neighbor has an email listed, so you could write a nice request to trim their tree, rather than have to ask them in person. Keep in mind, however, that you’ll only find those that have opted-in. We encourage everybody to opt-in! If you’ve lost your log-in password information you can email the SCA office at sca55accounting@comcast.net and it will be sent to you.

Yes, residents’ attendance is most appreciated! SCA Board Meetings and all Committee Meetings in Summerfield are open meetings and all residents may attend. Visitors who wish to address the Board may sign in prior to 9:00 AM and are allotted 5 minutes each. SCA Board meetings are held the second Monday of each month.

Please let the office know as soon as possible. We will record the fob as ’lost’ which will make it inactive. That way somebody else isn’t using your fob. You can choose to keep looking and wait to get another one, or go ahead and pay the $20 deposit again for another one. If you find the first one, just return one of them and we’ll refund the second deposit.

Yes, the Newsletter is posted online. In fact, it is posted online long before it is hand delivered or mailed to you. It’s also in color! So if you are a snowbird, or just need to reference something, just look it up.

Section 1.6 Use of Property of our CC&Rs states “No dwelling is to be used for the conduct of business or for any commercial purpose unless prior written approval is obtained as provided in Section 1.10.

It is possible, and that would be lovely! We do have a Gifts and Memorial Donations Policy, and it states that we can certainly accept gifts, donations and endowments, however the giver must realize that the gift is not tax exempt.

There has never been anything in our governing documents that restricts this. It helps our community by having updated properties, Annual assessments are payable even if the property is vacant and the New Buyers Fee ($2,000) applies as well (unless the buyer purchases a unit within 9 months of selling another unit in Summerfield).

CC&Rs allow signs for a garage/estate sale (upon submitting the appropriate form), signs advertising for-sale properties and community event signs (such as the golf charity auction, holiday bazaar, etc.). No other signs are permitted unless the SCA Board has approved a written request. Garage sales require an approved Garage/Estate Sale Request Form.

Summerfield is part of the City of Tigard. Traffic control falls under their jurisdiction. There is a long history of speeding through our neighborhoods, both by residents and non-residents (some using as a cut-through, avoiding Durham or Hall). Our City of Tigard Liaison routinely asks for enhanced patrols from the City of Tigard.

If you are a Club or Committee Chair, just submit your article electronically by the deadline, which is always s the 15th of the month. If you are a member of a Club or Committee and have an idea, share it with your Chair, and they may choose to submit it. If you are a resident with an idea, please feel free to write a brief article and email it to the SCA office. There are specific policies for this newsletter, but general interest articles are welcome.

Per the By-Laws, any Proprietary Member owning 150 or more units may each appoint one Director. Since the Apartments and the Estates each have over 150 units, the managers of each have a seat on the Board (and indefinitely, no term limit). Yes, they are voting members.

The CC&Rs are very clear about the process and you can reference Section 2.3 Assessments, Liens, and Collections. We start with a letter from the office followed by a final letter from the Board President. If the assessment still isn’t paid, then it is turned over to our lawyer for collection, and a lien is placed on the residential unit.

Most dog owners are wonderful and responsible, but there are the few that give the others a bad name. We’ve put reminders in the newsletter and even posted little signs around the community. If you see an owner ignoring their responsibility, you could politely point it out to them. If you know of a repeat offender, please let the office know a name or address and the administrator can follow up with them as well.

There was a Resolution adopted in December 2004 by the SCA Board that clarified their position on parking. A full copy of the Resolution is available on our website or from our office. Here is an excerpt:

“Section 1.2 of the Declaration prohibits the parking of certain vehicles on lots or on Summerfield streets. This section has two primary purposes. First, the rule attempts to aesthetic values within Summerfield. Ideally, every vehicle within Summerfield, when not n use, would be parked within a unit’s garage, with the garage door closed. While this may not be possible as a practical matter, it is the preference of the Summerfield residents…. The second primary purpose behind the prohibition against parking certain vehicles is community safety. The more vehicles that are parked on Summerfield streets and the larger the vehicles are, the more safety hazards are presented, both due to narrowed travel and obstructions to the vision of drivers and pedestrians. Accordingly, the Summerfield regulations are designed to minimize the number of vehicles that may be parked on such streets, they are smaller, traditional passenger vehicles rather than trucks, campers, etc.”

In addition to the SCA’s preference of parking is in the garage W we also follow the Municipal Code for the City of Tigard. The full code can be found on their website, www.tigard-or.gov, but here is an excerpt:

“10.32.200 Obstructing Streets.

no person shall place, park, deposit or leave upon any street or other public way, sidewalk or curb, any article or thing or material which in any way prevents, interrupts or obstructs the free passage of pedestrian or vehicular traffic. . .”

The owner or responsible party shall keep a public street and/or sidewalk abutting their property free from earth, rock and other debris and other objects that may obstruct or render the street or sidewalk unsafe for its intended use.”

It is preferred that vehicles be pulled up as far in the driveway as possible so as not to not obstruct the sidewalk. If one finds that the sidewalk is obstructed, then safe street parking is the next best option (not on a curve).

We recommend to not open the door. You might yell through the door that you’re not interested, and that this is a No Soliciting community as per the entry signs into the community.

• You can also post a No Trespassing sign by your front door if you’d like.
• If you do have a solicitor call the office and provide the specifics of the encounter, such as date, time, vendor name, etc. The office will call the vendor and let them know of our No Soliciting status.

The copy machine in the lobby of the Clubhouse is for your use. The cost is 5 cents per copy. To send a fax or to receive a fax is $1.00 per page.

The SCA Office does not provide Notary Services. We recommend that you go to your bank.