Covenants Conditions and Restrictions for Winfield
CC&R’s Page 6 of 11
Page 6 of 11
ARTICLE 6
COVENANT FOR ASSESSMENTS AND CREATION OF LIEN
6.1 Creation of Lien and Personal Obligation of Assessments. Each Owner, other than the Declarant, by becoming the Owner of a Lot, is deemed to covenant and agree to pay Assessments to the Association in accordance with this Declaration. All Assessments shall be established and collected as provided in this Declaration. The Assessments, together with interest, late charges and all costs, including but not limited to reasonable attorneys’ fees, incurred by the Association in collecting or attempting to collect delinquent Assessments, whether or not suit is filed, shall be a charge on the Lot and shall be a continuing lien upon the Lot against which each such Assessment is made. Each Assessment, together with interest and all costs, including but not limited to reasonable attorneys’ fees, incurred by the Association in collecting or attempting to collect delinquent Assessments, whether or not suit is filed, shall also be the personal obligation of the Person who was the Owner of the Lot at the time when the Assessment became due. The personal obligation for delinquent Assessments shall not pass to the successors in title of the Owner unless expressly assumed by them.
6.2 Annual Assessments.
6.2.1 In order to provide for the operation and management of the Association and to provide funds for the Association to pay all Common Expenses and to perform its duties and obligations under the Project Documents, including the establishment of replacement and maintenance reserves, the Board, for each Assessment Period, shall assess against each Lot which is Assessable Property an Annual Assessment, which shall be allocated to each Lot in accordance with Section 6.3 below. The total amount to be assessed against the Lots as an Annual Assessment shall be the amount which is reasonably estimated by the Board to produce income to the Association equal to the total budgeted Common Expenses (other than Common Expenses pertaining to Subdivision Assessment Areas and Subdivision Services which are to be assessed as Subdivision Assessments) taking into account other sources of funds available to the Association.
6.2.2 The Board shall give notice of the Annual Assessment to each Owner at least thirty (30) days prior to the beginning of each Assessment Period, but the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of the Annual Assessment established by the Board nor relieve any Owner from its obligation to pay the Annual Assessment. If the Board determines during any Assessment Period that the funds budgeted for that Assessment Period are or will become inadequate to meet all Common Expenses for any reason, including, without limitation, nonpayment of Assessments by Members, it may increase the Annual Assessment, to the extent permitted by law, for that Assessment Period and the revised Annual Assessment shall commence on the date designated by the Board. Notwithstanding any provision in the Declaration, Bylaws or Association Rules, the Board shall not impose an Annual Assessment in any Assessment Period in excess of that amount permitted by law; however, to the extent that the law shall permit any increase in the Annual Assessment which requires the approval of the majority of Members, such increase shall be implemented only upon approval of the majority of Members.
6.3 Determination of Annual Assessment. Except as set forth below, the amount of the Annual Assessment for each Lot owned by Class A Members shall be the amount obtained by dividing the total budget of the Association for the Assessment Period for which the Annual Assessment is being levied by the total number of Lots contemplated for the Project by the Development Plan. If the Development is amended during any Assessment Period, then the Annual Assessment levied for such Assessment Period may be adjusted accordingly at the discretion of the Board. The amount of the Annual Assessment for each Lot owned by a Builder shall be twenty-five percent (25%) of the amount paid by all other Class A Members until the earlier of (i) the date which is six (6) months after the Builder has acquired title to such Lot, and (ii) the date on which a certificate of occupancy is issued for such Lot, whereupon the amount of the Annual Assessment shall be the same as the Annual Assessment paid by all other Class A Members.
6.4 Obligation of Declarant for Deficiencies. Until the Transition Date, Declarant shall pay and contribute to the Association, within thirty (30) days after the end of each fiscal year of the Association, or at such other times as may be requested by the Board, such funds as may be necessary, when added to the Annual Assessments collected by the Association, to pay all Common Expenses of the Association as they become due.
6.5 Special Assessments. The Association may levy against each Lot which is Assessable Property a Special Assessment for the purpose of defraying, in whole or in part, the cost of any construction, reconstruction, repair or replacement of an Improvement upon an Area of Association Responsibility, including fixtures and personal property related thereto, provided that any Special Assessment is approved by Class A Members having more than two-thirds (2/3) of the votes entitled to be cast by Class A Members present in person or by proxy at a meeting duly called for such purpose and the consent of the Declarant so long as the Declarant owns any Lot or property within the Project. Special Assessments shall be levied at a uniform rate per Membership.
6.6 Subdivision Assessments.
6.6.1 All Subdivision Expenses shall be shown separately in the budget adopted by the Board. The Common Expenses pertaining to providing Subdivision Services shall be assessed solely against the Lots within the Subdivision Assessment Area as established by the Supplemental Declaration designating the Subdivision Assessment Area. No Subdivision Expenses shall be used in computing the Annual Assessments to be levied pursuant to Section 6.2 of this Declaration. Unless otherwise provided for in the applicable Supplemental Declaration, Subdivision Assessments shall be levied against the Lots within the Subdivision Assessment Area at a uniform rate per Membership. If the Board determines during any Assessment Period that any Subdivision Assessment is, or will, become inadequate to pay all Subdivision Expenses for any reason, including, without limitation, nonpayment of Subdivision Assessments by Owners within the Subdivision Assessment Area, the Board may increase the Subdivision Assessment for that Assessment Period and the revised Subdivision Assessment shall commence on the date designated by the Board.
6.6.2 In addition to a Subdivision Assessment assessed pursuant to Subsection 6.6.1, the Association may assess against each Lot within a Subdivision Assessment Area a special Subdivision Assessment for the purpose of paying, in whole or in part, the cost of any construction, reconstruction, repair or replacement of an Improvement situated within the Subdivision Assessment Area. Any such special Subdivision Assessment shall be assessed against all Lots within the applicable Subdivision Assessment Area at a uniform rate per Membership.
6.7 Assessment Period. The period for which the Annual Assessment and any Special Assessment is to be levied (the “Assessment Period”) shall be the calendar year, except that the first Assessment Period, and the obligation of the Owners to pay Assessments, shall commence upon the conveyance of the first Lot to a Purchaser and terminate on December 31 of such year. The Board in its sole discretion from time to time may change the Assessment Period.
6.8 Commencement Date of Assessment Obligation. Each Lot within the Property described in Exhibit “A” to this Declaration and each Lot annexed pursuant to Section 22.3 of this Declaration shall be subject to assessment upon the conveyance of each such Lot to a Purchaser or a Builder.
6.9 Rules Regarding Billing and Collection Procedures. Annual Assessments and Subdivision Assessments shall be collected on a monthly, quarterly or semiannual basis or such other basis as may be selected by the Board. Special Assessments may be collected as specified by the Board. The Board shall have the right to adopt rules and regulations setting forth procedures for the purpose of making Assessments and for the billing and collection of the Assessments provided that the procedures are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Declaration. The failure of the Association to send a bill to a Member shall not relieve any Member of his liability for any Assessment or charge under this Declaration, but the Assessment Lien therefore shall not be foreclosed until the Member has been given not less than thirty (30) days written notice prior to such foreclosure that the Assessment or any installation thereof is or will be due and of the amount owing. Such notice may be given at any time prior to or after delinquency of such payment. The Association shall be under no duty to refund any payments received by it even though the ownership of a Lot changes during an Assessment Period but successor Owners of Lots shall be given credit for prepayments, on a prorated basis, made by prior Owners.
6.10 Effect of Nonpayment of Assessments, Remedies of the Association.
6.10.1 Any Assessment, or any installment of an Assessment, not paid within fifteen (15) days after the Assessment, or the installment of the Assessment, first became due (or such longer period of time as required by applicable law) shall be deemed delinquent and shall bear interest from the due date on which such Assessment or installment of the Assessment first became delinquent at the rate of eighteen percent (18%) per annum. In addition, the Board may establish a late fee, not to exceed the greater of fifteen dollars ($15.00) or ten percent (10%) of the amount of the unpaid Assessment or installment thereof (but in no event an amount greater than permitted under applicable law), to be charged to any Owner who has not paid any Assessment, or any installment of an Assessment, within fifteen (15) days after such payment was due. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent applicable law from time to time provides for any shorter period of time after which Assessments or any other amounts payable hereunder may or shall become delinquent, such shorter period of time may be set by the Board to apply in lieu of the time period set forth in this Declaration, and to the extent applicable law from time to time provides for any greater amount of late fee or other amount to be charged to any Owner deemed delinquent in the payment of any Assessment, or any installment of an Assessment, such greater amount may be set by the Board to apply in lieu of the late fee set forth in this Declaration.
6.10.2 The Association shall have a lien on each Lot for: (i) all Assessments levied against the Lot; (ii) all interest, lien fees, late charges and other fees and charges assessed against the Lot or payable by the Owner of the Lot; (iii) all monetary penalties levied against the Owner of the Lot; (iv) all attorneys’ fees, court costs, title report fees, costs and fees charged by any collection agency either to the Association or to an Owner and any other fees or costs incurred by the Association in attempting to collect Assessments or other amounts due to the Association by the Owner of a Lot; (v) any amounts payable to the Association pursuant to Section 7.3 or 7.4 of this Declaration; and (vi) any other amounts payable to the Association pursuant to the Project Documents. The Recording of this Declaration constitutes record notice and perfection of the Assessment Lien. The Association may, at its option, record a Notice of Lien setting forth the name of the delinquent Owner as shown in the records of the Association, the legal description or street address of the Lot against which the Notice of Lien is Recorded and the amount claimed to be past due as of the date of the Recording of the Notice, including interest, lien recording fees and reasonable attorneys’ fees. Before Recording any Notice of Lien against a Lot, the Association shall make a written demand to the defaulting Owner for payment of the delinquent Assessments and all other amounts due to the Association by such Owner. The demand shall state the date and amount of the delinquency. Each default shall constitute a separate basis for a demand, but any number of defaults may be included within the single demand. If the delinquency is not paid within ten (10) days after delivery of the demand, the Association may proceed with Recording a Notice of Lien against the Lot. If the Association records a Notice of Lien, the Association may charge the Owner of the Lot against which the Notice of Lien is Recorded a lien fee in an amount to be set from time to time by the Board.
6.10.3 Unless otherwise provided under Arizona law, the Assessment Lien shall have priority over all liens or claims except for: (i) liens and encumbrances Recorded before the Recordation of this Declaration; (ii) tax liens for real property taxes; (iii) assessments in favor of any municipal or other governmental body; and (iv) the lien of any First Mortgage on the Lot. Any First Mortgagee or any other Person acquiring title or coming into possession of a Lot through foreclosure of the First Mortgage, purchase at a foreclosure sale or trustee sale, or through any equivalent proceedings, such as, but not limited to, the taking of a deed in lieu of foreclosure shall acquire title free and clear of any claims for unpaid Assessments and charges against the Lot which became payable prior to the acquisition of such Lot by the First Mortgagee or other Person. Any Assessments and charges against the Lot which accrue prior to such sale or transfer shall remain the obligation of the defaulting Owner of the Lot.
6.10.4 The Association shall not be obligated to release the Assessment Lien until all delinquent Assessments, interest, lien fees, monetary penalties, reasonable attorneys’ fees, court costs, title report fees, collection costs and all other sums payable to the Association by the Owner of the Lot have been paid in full.
6.10.5 The Association shall have the right, at its option, to enforce collection of any delinquent Assessments together with interest, lien fees, reasonable attorneys’ fees and any other sums due to the Association in any manner allowed by law including, but not limited to: (i) bringing an action at law against the Owner personally obligated to pay the delinquent Assessments and such action may be brought without waiving the Assessment Lien securing the delinquent Assessments and (ii) bringing an action to foreclose the Assessment Lien against the Lot in the manner provided by law for the foreclosure of a realty mortgage, provided, however, that an Assessment Lien is extinguished unless proceedings to enforce the Assessment Lien are instituted within one year after the full amount of the Assessment becomes due, or as otherwise provided in A.R.S. §33-1807(F), as amended from time to time. The Association shall have the power to bid in at any foreclosure sale and to purchase, acquire, hold, lease, mortgage and convey any and all Lots purchased at such sale.
6.11 Evidence of Payment of Assessments. Upon receipt of a written request from a lien holder, Member or Person designated by a Member, to the extent required by law, the Association shall issue, or cause to be issued, within the time period required by applicable law, a statement setting forth the amount of any unpaid Assessment or other fee or charge against the Lot. The Association may impose a reasonable charge for the issuance of such statements, which charge shall be payable at the time the request for any such statement is made. Any such statement, when duly issued as herein provided, shall be conclusive and binding on the Association with respect to any matters therein stated as against any bona fide Purchaser of, or lender on, the Lot in question.
6.12 Purposes for which Association’s Funds May Be Used. The Association shall use all funds and property collected and received by it (including the Assessments, income derived from the operation or lease of any Winfield Resort facilities, fees, loan proceeds, surplus funds and all funds and property received by it from any other source) solely for the purpose of (i) discharging and performing the Association’s duties and obligations under the Project Documents; (ii) exercising the rights and powers granted to the Association by the Project Documents, and (iii) the common good and benefit of the Project and the Owners, Lessees and Residents, by devoting said funds and property, among other things, to the acquisition, construction, alteration, maintenance, provision and operation, by any manner or method whatsoever, of any and all land, properties, improvements, facilities, services, projects, programs, studies and systems, within or without the Project, which may be necessary, desirable or beneficial to the general common interests of the Project, the Owners, Lessees and Residents. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Declaration to the contrary, until the Transition Date, funds of the Association may not be used for the initial construction of Improvements on the Common Area.
6.13 Surplus Funds. The Association shall not be obligated to spend in any year all the Assessments and other sums received by it in such year, and may carry forward as surplus any balances remaining. The Association shall not be obligated to reduce the amount of any Assessment in the succeeding year if a surplus exists from a prior year, and the Association may carry forward from year to year such surplus as the Board in its discretion may determine to be desirable for the greater financial security of the Association and the accomplishment of its purposes.
6.14 Reserve Fund. To ensure that the Association shall have adequate funds reserved for repair and replacement of the Improvements within the Common Areas, each Purchaser of a Lot from the Declarant or a Builder shall pay to the Association immediately upon becoming the Owner of the Lot a sum to be determined by the Board prior to the conveyance of the first Lot to a Purchaser. Until the Transition Date, funds paid to the Association pursuant to this Section shall be deposited into a separate reserve account and may be used by the Association only for the repair and replacement of Improvements within the Common Areas. Payments made pursuant to this Section shall be nonrefundable and shall not be considered as an advance payment of any Assessments levied by the Association pursuant to this Declaration. 6.15 Transfer Fee. Each Purchaser of a Lot shall pay to the Association or to its managing agent, if directed to do so by the Board, immediately upon becoming the Owner of the Lot, a transfer fee in such amount as is established from time to time by the Board.
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