Do you have extra copies of the neighborhood bylaws available?
Absolutely! You can download or print a PDF copy of the by-laws here. The North Carroll Farms Board of Directors can provide you with a printed copy for $50 to cover the cost of printing and delivery. Please contact the board if you are in need of one.
How much are HOA dues, and what are they used for?
As of 5/29/23, dues are $174/year, and will climb 5% per year. By doing this, we will hopefully avoid ever having to do a special assessment again. Dues notices are sent in January, and payments are due by February 28. The dues pay for things like grass cutting, snow removal, dead tree removal on HOA property, maintaining mulched areas on HOA property, and social events. We submit a projected budget in November of each year and include it the following newsletter. You can see the latest newsletters here.
Why isn’t my “common driveway” being plowed when it snows?
The HOA is responsible for snow removal in the following areas:
The sidewalks coming in from Rt. 30 on Upper Forde Lane (until the 1st house), the sidewalks coming down Farmwoods Lane (until the 1st house), the access roads between the townhomes, the access road behind the townhomes, & the overflow parking areas behind the townhomes.The HOA does not remove snow from resident owned parking spaces, any streets or common drives.
If you live on a street with a Green street sign, your street will be plowed by the town. If you live on a street with a white street sign, then your street is owned by the residents of that street. (Some examples would be Barn Raisers Court, Harness Court, and Bushel Basket Court)
You are welcome to pay a third party to plow the common driveway. You may even want to organize to chip in with your neighbors on the street, as some homeowners have done. The Homeowner’s Association currently uses Pine Ridge Property Maintenance for all of our snow plowing. You can contact them and ask about having them plow your common driveway while they are plowing the rest of the neighborhood, and you can work out payment terms directly with Pine Ridge. Contact them via phone – 410-374-3906 or mail 18618 Falls Road, Hampstead, MD 21074.
What if I want to make a structural change to my property, like adding a fence or a shed?
North Carroll Farms Architectural Committee handles all requests of this kind. You can download a PDF version of the Architectural Modification Form here. If you have any questions about the approval process, please contact the committee.
What about trash pickup?
***We do not run our own garbage service, that is part of the Town of Hampstead. Watch for updates from them about yard, weekly garbage, weekly recycling, Christmas Tree pickup and bulk trash.
Trash and recycling is collected on Tuesdays, but place it next to the curb on Monday evenings to ensure that you don’t miss the garbage collectors. When there is a holiday, garbage will be collected on the following day. Containers should be placed curbside no sooner than 24 hours before pick-up, and empty trash containers must be collected no later than 24 hours after pickup. Trash should be placed in secured, lined containers with lids, so as not to invite unwanted pests. Also, please be sure to secure light bags and small boxes so that they don’t blow away and litter our yards and streets. To ensure that you and your neighbors have sufficient room to put garbage containers, please park at least 15 feet away from the driveway on trash days.
Lawn clippings and yard waste is collected on Mondays from the first Monday in April to the third Monday of December. On Mondays that are holidays, yard waste will be picked up on the following Tuesday. To help keep our neighborhood beautiful and our sidewalks and roads clear, please do not place these items out until Sunday evening.
Bulk trash is collected the 3rd Saturday of March, July, and October. Please place items curbside on Friday evening. The town of Hampstead will collect non-hazardous items such as furniture and appliances. Paint, tires, and construction material will not be collected, however. At any time, bulk items can be taken to the Northern Landfill in Westminster.
What is North Carroll Farms’ parking policy?
Townhome Parking: Residents are encouraged to use their own parking bays. Please inform your guests to park in the rear overflow parking lots away from the townhomes, or in a vacant parking spot on Upper Forde Lane. Parking bays directly behind the townhomes are privately owned by the residents and are not for public parking. This will lessen congestion and ensure that each homeowner has adequate parking.
On-Street Parking: You may, of course, park your vehicles on the street. When doing so, we ask that you please do not park on the townhome side of Upper Forde Lane or on the access roads to the townhomes. Be mindful of parking near stop signs, fire hydrants, and in front of mailboxes. Following these guidelines will help keep our streets passable and safe for both motorists and pedestrians.
No Parking Signs on HOA-Owned Property Beside the Townhomes: The HOA will maintain a log of all vehicles ticketed, and the policy is as follows: 1st offense – written warning, vehicle towed in 48 hours; 2nd offense – written warning, vehicle towed in 24 hours; 3rd offense – vehicle towed without warning. The HOA does not profit in any way from the towing. Also, please remember that none of these policies apply to signs installed by the Town of Hampstead or to parking violations on land not owned by the HOA.
Pavilion Parking Policy: Parking is only permitted in the marked spaces near the pavilion and in the marked spaces behind the townhomes that face MD 30. Parking spaces directly behind the townhomes are owned by the homeowners. Accordingly, townhome owners have the right to request vehicles be towed from these spaces at their discretion. Periodic monitoring of your guests’ parking is strongly recommended. Also, be mindful of any and all “No Parking” signs.
Are there any rules that apply to pets?
We all love our pets and want to keep them safe! For that reason, please do not allow your pets to roam free and wander onto others’ property or into the street. When taking your dog (or dogs) for a walk, please keep them on a leash and kindly pick up after they use the “facilities”. Remember that Carroll County has specific laws when it comes to pets. Here is some information from the Carroll County Humane Society.
Who is in charge of paving common driveways?
You and your neighbors that share that common driveway.
Page updated as of 5/29/23