1.How much are the Eagle Crest Homeowner’s Association Dues?

• Eagle Crest Community Association dues are currently $330.00 per annum and should be paid no later than March 1^st (delayed to April 1^st for 2024 only). Interest charges are added past due date.
• Eagle Crest Community Association is one of two HOAs in Eagle Crest. There are a total of 63 lots within Eagle Crest.  Ten of those lots are Condominiums that belong to Talon Loop Homeowners Association and which also participate in the Eagle Crest Community Association. Talon Loop members pays an additional $350.00 per month to their Condo Association.

2. What are your annual HOA dues used for?

• Eagle Crest Community Association dues pay for the maintenance of our Detention Pond, our most expensive obligation. The City of Oak Harbor oversees the conditions and requirements governing the pond and communicates with the Board on any maintenance concerns.
• Community mailboxes were just replaced. Two in 2021 and the final three in 2023. Estimated life expectancy is 25-30 years.  This is a budget item.  We are already collecting for this future project to ensure the mailboxes are fully funded when needed.
• Landscaping: Front entrance to Eagle Crest.  Replacing dead plants, placing bark every other year, watering the plants, and weed control.  We have a landscaping business take care of these duties at the entrances, at the buffer to the Eagle Preserve on SW Capital Drive and along Hwy 20 as necessary, and the entrance from Highland Trace.
• Tree cutting or removal within the Eagle Preserve (that are dying, dead or compromised). Eagle Crest Association is also responsible for the area 20 feet from the Eagle Crest property line along SR-20.  Every year we organize a self-help working party to clean up the area along SR-20 and around the perimeter of the Eagle Preserve to help keep the dues low.  This can be continued as long as we have the volunteer help.  Volunteer help also cleans up the highway debris along SR-20 from SW Eagle Vista Ave to Capitol Street at Highland Trace.
• Insurance: Liability Insurance for current Board Members and common areas within Eagle Crest.
• Website maintenance.
• Administrative Costs. We use email to communicate with our community to keep costs down and to improve the speed information is shared.  For those who do not have a computer, we print out the information and deliver to their home.  Annual Meeting expenses, Notary, Mailing/postage, Backflow inspection of our water irrigation system, P.O. Box rental, Legal assistance, and miscellaneous printing costs are some of our other expenses.

Talon Court Association Costs
Includes:  Exterior Painting, replacement/repair of skylights, roof replacements, front yard landscaping, window replacement, and Pest Control.

3. Can you enter the Eagle Preserve?

• This is a preserve for the nesting Eagles. Hiking or exploring through the preserve could disrupt the Eagles natural habitat.  In addition, there are wild animals such as coyotes, raccoons, possums and deer.  It could be dangerous.  The area has been untouched and the terrain is rough and hard to navigate.

4. What utilities companies service our area?

• City of Oak Harbor Water and Sewage, Natural Gas (Cascade), Electricity (Puget Sound Energy)

5. Do you provide any other services?

• We have an active Neighborhood Watch Program. If there is an incident, an “Emergency Alert” email is sent to all residents.
  We have a Welcoming Committee that will visit you shortly after you arrive and will give you information about our neighborhood such as garbage pick-up days, where to get information on our CC&R’s, and who are your Neighborhood Watch Team Captain for your residence.

6. I heard we have to maintain the detention pond.  Doesn’t that belong to the city, why do we have to pay for it?

• Like many communities in Oak Harbor, we have a detention pond which collects rain runoff from our streets and rain gutters to allow it to be filtered and slowly released to our harbor. When our community was developed, it included the housing area, the Eagle reserve area, and the detention pond.  Maintenance of the pond is the HOA’s most expensive line item and it’s steadily growing due to the strict enviromental requirements enforced by the city.  Failure to keep the pond in good shape can cost thousands in fines until deficiencies are corrected.  Landscaping costs, including common areas and the pond, are projected to consumes more than our collected dues without increasing those dues in 2024 and beyond.   Significant costs were incurred recently when the berm was breached and had to be re-enforced and repaired.  The Detention pond is ours forever, and unfortunately we will always bear the cost of its maintenance.

7. I understand we have a strong volunteer program in the community, what can I do to help?

• Volunteers show the pride and character of our community and has been a tradition since the Eagle Crest Community was founded. Volunteers are essential for running our HOA and help keep our annual dues down.  Self-help cleanup projects have saved the community thousands of dollars that would otherwise have come out of increased dues.  Without our volunteer Board of Directors, it would cost thousands of dollars to hire a professional HOA management company (if one can be found).  Homeowners are the lifeblood of our community, and new volunteers are always needed.  Please consider volunteering by giving your name to one of the board members or signing up at our annual meetings.

8. Where can I find what our HOA rules are in Eagle Crest?  Why are there so many rules?

• Eagle Crest’s CC&Rs (Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions) can be found on the Community’s website (https://www.eaglecresthomeowner.com/) and can be downloaded as a pdf document. The CC&R was written in the early 1990’s and with so many changes in the community and society in general, it is in the process of being updated by the current Board of Directors.  Updating will require approval by 2/3 of the association homeowners, and if approved, the updated CC&R will be provided to all homeowners via internet or by print.
• The Eagle Crest Community website should also be looked at since it has a wealth of information about our community and highlights many of the more important provisions in our CC&R. It also lists our Board of Directors, Neighborhood Watch captains, and other additional information about our community.

9. Who are our HOA Board members, and what do they do?  Can I become a board member or volunteer?

• Check out the Eagle Crest Community website (https://www.eaglecresthomeowner.com/) which has a current list of board members. We are always looking for new community volunteers, including replacement new board members.

10. Why do we have an HOA?  Do all neighborhoods in Oak Harbor have HOAs?

• HOAs have a general goal of helping to ensure homeowners keep homes and property up to standards to maintain and improve the community’s overall appearance and property value. The Eagle Crest Community Association Board of Directors have a Mission statement to represent the homeowners in a professional manner ensuring our community is perceived as a unique and premier Oak Harbor neighborhood.   The affairs will be managed in a way that preserves the harmony of our natural settings while respecting the needs and goals of each homeowner.
• Our HOA has a requirement to maintain our common areas clean and safe. With many tall trees growing in common areas next to homes, we will have trees cut down or trimmed if they pose a danger to homes.  A significant responsibility of the HOA is to maintain the berm structure and grass in our detention pond to keep it operating as designed.  We will always need an HOA, either staffed by a volunteer Board of Directors or run by a paid professional management company.  The HOA is an asset to homeowners, but it is not always appreciated.

11. Why do I need the HOA’s permission to make changes to my yard or house?

• Typically most Community Associations (HOAs) require homeowners to submit plans for landscape and architectural changes for approval and Eagle Crest is no exception. The main reason is not to restrict homeowners in what they can do to their homes, but to keep our community looking its best and to help maintain the value, desirability and character of our community.  After all, those are some of the main reasons most of us choose to live here and why we need to keep our homes in harmony with the community.

12. Why did I get a letter saying my yard needs work?  Why is it the HOA’s business?

• Curb appeal is important to everyone in our community. It reflects our values and the respect we hold for our neighbors and ourselves.  We should all want our yards to show pride and attention.
• We have a diverse community with different priorities, however yard presentation is easy to maintain and can be enjoyable. There are some situations, such as deployed service members or other reasons yards may be neglected.  If there is a special need for help, please do not hesitate to contact the board.  Fortunately, there are volunteers in our community, including neighbors, who are willing to help with your yard.

13. What are the parking restrictions on Talon Loop?

• Talon Loop is a one-way street. The left side is a designated Fire Lane and it is illegal to park or block access on that side.  Please park instead along the sidewalk side.  Also, parking at the bottom (west end) of the “U” shaped loop can cause a safety hazard for other cars making the turn since a parked car can cause congestion and the existing shrubs can create a blind spot.

14. I heard we have a community annual garage sale.  When is that and how can I join?

• Depending on the interest of the community and if there is an organizer, we have had community garage sales in the past (most recently in 2023). Normally it is held in the summer on the weekend.  If interested, please contact a member of the Board of Directors.  Once planned, it will be advertised on our Facebook page and in the local community.

15. I heard there’s an annual homeowners meeting.  When is that and what is discussed?  Do I need to attend?

• Annual meetings are held in the first quarter of each calendar year, normally February, with all homeowners and renters invited to attend. Announcement of the meeting will be published at least 30 days prior to ensure and encourage as many people to attend as possible.  Meet your Board of Directors and your neighbors.  A report will be provided of the previous year, and future plans and projects will be discussed.

16. Who runs our neighborhood watch program and what’s involved?

• The Neighborhood Watch Program is active and strong in Eagle Crest. See our website (https://www.eaglecresthomeowner.com/) for details and a listing of Block Captains.  The program is strongly supported by the city of Oak Harbor and is a grassroots anti-crime and community safety program.  Know your Street Captains and help keep our neighborhood safe and our neighbors aware of possible dangers.