All streets in Arbor Grove are city streets, and thus are scheduled to be cleared by the City of Noblesville. This means that your property taxes, not your HOA dollars, pay for most of the snow removal in. According to the official City of Noblesville website, Street Department crews work in 12 hour shifts, 7 days a week using as many as 28 snow plows and 18 salt spreaders if necessary. Written guidelines are used for snow/ice removal starting with primary streets, then secondary streets, then alternate routes and cul-de-sacs. As a winter storm increases in length and severity, the proportion of roads that crews can effectively service decreases. Guidelines list priority streets based on traffic volume and necessity to move emergency traffic through that area. Because the city gives last priority to circles and cul-de-sacs, the Arbor Grove HOA does hire a contractor for those areas of our community. Homeowners need to be aware, however, that clearing streets does not mean they won’t get a ridge at the bottom of their driveway. That seems to be the biggest problem, that city crews cannot clear the end of each driveway when plowing. Additionally, cars parked on the street will hinder the city’s clearing of the streets. The Noblesville Street Department will not send their plows down a residential street where there are cars parked on both sides of the street. During or after a snowstorm homeowners are encouraged to minimize street parking to allow city crews to do a better job. Homeowners are also reminded that snow removal from their driveway, from the end of their driveway, sidewalk, and around their mailboxes is their responsibility as homeowners. This is not something the city or the HOA will cover.

If your mailbox was hit by a snowplow, you may contact the street department regarding mailbox replacement. After communicating with city officials, the board was told the city will cover the full cost of a new mailbox due to neighborhood covenant requirements. If you need assistance with this matter, please contact a board member. Click here for the link to the city website.

Over time numerous homeowners have voiced concerns about street parking, line of sight issues, cars blocking the sidewalk, etc. The local ordinance applicable to these parking issues is outlined below: 72.12 Stopping, Standing, or Parking Prohibited; No Signs Required No person shall stop, stand, or park a vehicle except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with law or the direction of a police officer or traffic-control device, in any of the following places: (1) On a sidewalk; (2) In front of or between sidewalk and curb or immediately opposite a public or private driveway; (3) Within an intersection; (4) Within 15 feet of a fire hydrant; (5) On a crosswalk; (6) Within 20 feet of a crosswalk; (7) Within 30 feet upon the approach to any intersection flashing beacon, stop sign, or traffic control signal located at the side of a roadway; (8) Within 20 feet of the driveway entrance to any fire station and on the side of a street opposite the entrance to any fire station within 75 feet of said entrance (when properly signposted); (9) On the roadway side of any vehicle stopped or parked at the edge or curb of a street; (10) Within 30 feet of any railway crossing; and (11) At any place where official signs or markings so designate. Anytime an issue like this arises (broken down cars, road safety, etc.) please call the Noblesville Police Department at 317.776.6340, and ask for a Community Service Officer to be sent to the incident location. Community Service Officers deal with these issues every day and quite frankly are better versed than most patrol officers in this area. Both NPD Community Service Officers work Monday through Friday 8:00-4:00pm and will look into parking and traffic safety issues such as these. Abandoned vehicles can also be reported to the Noblesville Police Department by calling 317.773.1300. Please note that when calling you might be asked why you suspect the vehicle is abandoned or what evidence you have to support this claim, and wrecked or damaged vehicles that are still drivable are not considered abandoned or in violation unless they are parked in front of a "No Parking" sign, blocking the sidewalk, or otherwise in violation of a city ordinance. Vehicles that are broken down, leaking fluids, or in disrepair can also be reported to a NPD Community Service Officer (Ron Louks or Charlie Jones) by calling 317.776.6340.

"No Soliciting" signs at the entrance of Noblesville communities represent HOA rules, covenants, or guidelines, and are not enforceable by the Noblesville Police Department or municipal agencies. Per Noblesville City Ordinance, vendors must have a valid door-to-door permit to solicit in the city. In order to receive this permit, the Clerk-Treasurer’s office checks with the State of Indiana to verify that a vendor is allowed to sell in the state. The vendor must first have an Indiana Retail Merchants Permit in order to secure a City of Noblesville permit. The Clerk-Treasurer’s staff does notify each vendor who is approved for a permit that some Noblesville neighborhoods have “No Solicitation” policies. When a vendor comes to your door, you can ask to see their permit and identification. If the vendor cannot produce a valid door-to-door permit issued by the Noblesville Clerk-Treasurer's Office, or if the permit is not in the vendor’s name, then the vendor is in violation of city ordinance and the police can respond to tell the vendor to leave. A permit is valid for 120 days and an example can be seen here. The non-emergency number to the Noblesville Police Department dispatch center where residents can call to report such a violation is 317.773.1300. This is a 24 hour a day/7 days a week phone number.

1. There is an exemption for those soliciting for religious, political, or charity fundraising reasons. 2. Solicitors that are selling goods and services must have and display a Photo ID/Solicitors License issued by the City of Noblesville. Without this license they are in violation of City Ordinances. 3. Solicitors with this License may not solicit on your property if you have a clearly posted “No Solicitation” sign. They are in violation of the City Ordinances if they ignore it and solicit anyway. 4. “The Solicitor shall not continue repeated soliciting after a person has communicated clearly and unequivocally their lack of interest in the subject goods or services of the Solicitor.” 5. City License holders can only solicit from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm. 6. “Any person who violates any term or provision of the ordinance shall be guilty of a Class B Local Ordinance Violation and shall be punished by a maximum fine of $1000. A separate offense shall be deemed committed upon each day during or on which a violation occurs or continues.” City of Noblesville permitted and licensed solicitors list City of Noblesville Solicitor Information Letter City of Noblesville: Information Sheet / Duties of Solicitors

Noblesville residents may report properties with overgrown lawns, weeds, junk, and abandoned cars each summer. To learn more about the city law, go to www.cityofnoblesville.org/planning, click on “City Code” and find “City Code, Title IX – General Regulations, Chapter 93 – Nuisances". To report violators or for more information, contact Bryant Pedigo with the Noblesville Planning Department at bpedigo@noblesville.in.us or via telephone at 317.776.6325. In reports of violations, be sure to note the property address or location of the property and the nature of the violation (for example, overgrown grass, overgrown weeds, or junk).

Per Noblesville Unified Planning Ordinance No. 17-4-98, trees shall be planted as a public improvement along any new subdivision street. The cost of street trees and installation shall be born by the developer. The spacing of the street trees shall be every 40 to 60 feet. The developer shall follow the other standards set forth in the Street Tree Ordinance of the City of Noblesville (Ordinance No. 17-4-98, as amended). Street trees installed per this ordinance will be maintained and replaced by the City of Noblesville Street Department. Concerns regarding tree trimming, tree replacement (for dead trees only), etc can be directed to Paul Lindeman, Noblesville City Arborist, by calling 317.776.6348. (September 2014 update) As so many of you are aware of, the Emerald Ash Borer beetle has been decimating the population of Ash Trees in our state and we are seeing its presence in our neighborhood. Arbor Grove Blvd and Concert Way are both lined with Ash trees. There have been many questions from residents and confusing answers from the City of Noblesville. After a lengthy discussion with the Commissioner of the Street Department, we now have a more solid understanding of what action will be taken over the next 12 to 24 months: The City of Noblesville is absorbing the costs of removing dead or dying Ash trees and removing the stumps, but only the trees that line the streets (in the strip of grass between the sidewalk and street). They are also paying to put new trees in their place. They would like to be proactive in removing the Ash trees that are already showing early signs of infestation instead of waiting until the tree is dead. Absent large amounts of snow in the next few months, their best opportunities for tree removal will be during this Winter and then re-planting new trees in the Fall of 2015. Trees have the highest survival rate when planted in the Fall as opposed to the Spring. The hazard level of trees is determining which ones are removed and replanted first. Larger trees and “more dead” trees pose the most hazard (as opposed to the younger trees that are still fairly healthy). No specific time frame of when our neighborhood will be started, but it will most likely be that the trees in need of removal will be done so within the next 8 months. They will be planting varied species of trees (of the City’s choice) in their place; they will be intermixed along the street. One species will not be used for the entire street in order to not be in this situation again in the future. The new trees will be planted to the right or left of the old tree depending on space available. It will not be a full one for one replacement if they feel the street was overplanted by the developer of the neighborhood. ***One point to note: The City is not responsible for damage to sprinkler systems. The encroachment permits issued by the City also state this. Homeowners can have their sprinkler systems marked and the City will do their best to work around them. In the majority of cases, sprinklers aren’t hurt in the stump removal process, but the possibility of hitting a line is more probable in the replanting process. We have also received a few questions about pruning/trimming any trees lining the streets of our neighborhood: City ordinance now states that pruning these are the responsibility of the City. Having said that, a limb or a few limbs that are obstructing the sidewalk can be removed by the homeowner. They are proposing a change to that ordinance which will allow homeowners to prune these trees. The intent is to avoid having some homeowners getting carried away and causing permanent damage to the tree. For more information about tree care and maintenance click here.

Noblesville City Ordinance 78-12-04 pertains to the care, control, and welfare of animals. This measure not only defines animal abandonment, animals at large, dangerous animals, and public nuisance; but also speaks to the enforcement of issues such as (1) hitching or tying; (2) animal vaccination; (3) removal of excrement; (4) animal sanitation and medical care; (5) animal restraint; (6) animal cruelty; (7) animal abandonment; (8) noisy dogs; (9) biting animals; (10) lost or stray animals; etc. For more information or to file a complaint you can contact Noblesville Animal Control by calling 317.776.6356. Additionally, you can contact Deputy Tom Rogers, Animal Control Coordinator directly by calling 317.776.4110.

City of Noblesville residents are reminded that per City Code, Title IX - General Regulations, Chapter 93 - Nuisances, use of equipment such as lawn mowers, garden tractors, construction equipment, and power tools are restricted to the hours of 7am - 10pm, seven days a week. To read the City Code regarding this issue in its entirety, visit www.cityofnoblesville.org/planning and click on "City Code." If residents see or hear violations of this code in their neighborhood, they are invited to report those to the Noblesville Police Department by calling (317) 776-6340. Please include the address and/or location of the property and the nature of the violation (lawn mowing, construction work, etc.) For more information regarding this city code, contact the Planning Department at (317) 776-6325. http://www.cityofnoblesville.org/egov/apps/document/center.egov?view=item;id=2359

The City of Noblesville Utilities for sewage and storm water, Duke Energy for electricy, Indiana American Water for water, Repubilc Services for trash and recycling (paid for through the Noblesville Utilities bill), and Vectren for natural gas.

The number to call for a free utility marking is 811. More information can be found on the Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor website, as well as an online submission request.

Phone Numbers ​Non-Emergency Police Number: 317.773.1300 ​Fire Department: 317.776.6336 ​Library: 317.773.1384 ​License Branch: 317.773.8190 ​Parks Department: 317.776.6350 ​Police Department: 317.776.6340 Post Office: 317.773.9775 Street Department: 317.776.6348 ​County Sheriff Department: 317.773.1872 Websites ​City of NoblesvilleNoblesville Community Services OfficersNoblesville Street DepartmentNoblesville School District ​Noblesville Parks Department

If you have a streetlight that is not working, please report it to the board by emailing the board. The board will contact Duke Energy to come out and fix it.

HOA dues are sent out in December with a deadline of January 31.

5:30 PM to 8:30 PM. Porch lights are to be turned on if you are participating in handing out candy.

NPD officers Seth Miller & Matt Foley are Arbor Grove's district officers. They can be reached for general concerns/non-time sensitive problems.

A muskrat is a large semi-aquatic rodent. Muskrats Can Cause Property and Landscaping Damage Muskrats are unique because they live almost exclusively near bodies of water. Because of this, they are usually only a threat to homes with ponds or natural bodies of water nearby. While muskrats may seem harmless, they are also tunneling animals, which means that they can cause serious damage to the landscaping of your pond and yard. They can also create embankments and barriers that can cause flooding and as a result, can also cause erosion. Muskrats Carry Diseases, Including Rabies While most people don’t associate muskrats with rabies, they are still known to carry the virus. And they don’t have to directly attack a person for a family to be exposed. Muskrats are aggressive, and if an infected muskrat attacks a family pet, it can also contract the disease and pass it on to you. These animals also carry other diseases. Muskrats have been known to carry tularemia, as well as leptospirosis. Unlike rabies, these diseases can be contracted by drinking contaminated water, making it easier to be infected and making your wildlife management more important. Muskrats Are Known To Be Aggressive The aggressiveness of muskrats is especially dangerous when paired with the diseases they carry. While they are typically aggressive towards animals, they are also known to attack humans, and if your children like playing outside, they should be aware of these animals. The best way to deter these animals is to build fencing or contact wildlife management specialists. Muskrats aren’t usually associated with attacks, especially toward humans, but it’s important to be aware of them, given their predisposition to carry disease. If you live on one of our ponds and you have noticed muskrat activity, please let us know by sending an email to Grounds@arborgrovehoa.org

Board review and approval is required for any exterior changes, including additions or modifications to the original home structure. If you are thinking of installing or replacing a fence, repairing or adding a sunroom, building a backyard deck, adding a shed, or making other modifications to the home structure you must obtain approval from the architectural review committee before work begins. This is to ensure that all work complies with the original design and scheme of the community, and to help maintain everyone's property values. If you are unsure whether pre-approval is necessary, it is best to submit your information for approval. Changes/modifications that do not comply with the community's design and scheme will be addressed by the board, and may result in litigation.

As a reminder, all homeowners are issued a pool access card granting access to the pool. Homeowners not in good standing with the HOA will have their cards deactivated. There is a $25.00 fee for replacement pool access cards. Please contact the pool chair at pool@arborgrovehoa.org for a new card.

Pool hours are from 6:00 AM - 10:00 PM, Memorial weekend through Labor Day weekend. There is no lifeguard on duty and swimmers should swim at their own risk, following posted pool rules. Children under the age of 16 should have adult supervision. No glass, water balloons, or smoking at the pool.

Occasionally, with extremely hot weather, the chemical balance of the pool is changed and the pool may be closed by the Department of Health until the pool chemical balance returns to a safe level. The pool may also be closed for cleaning of fecal matter.