Frequently Asked Questions

The Bristol Heights Neighborhood Association is an official dues-based homeowners association (HOA) of Bristol Heights homeowners. The purpose of the association is to maintain shared neighborhood assets like the parks, playgrounds, irrigation system, entry monuments, etc. It also provides benefits to homeowners such as the periodic newsletter, occasional social activities, neighborhood watch, and events.

What's the difference between a Homeowners Association and a Neighborhood Association?

A Homeowners Association collects dues from homeowners and oversees the maintenance of common areas and amenities used by all homeowners. Homeowners do not pay into their Neighborhood Association. Neighborhood Associations are a volunteer group that focuses on general advocacy and community events, and is a voice between residents and the city.
All residents of Bristol Heights are also members of Centennial Neighborhood Association.

Then why isn't our HOA named Bristol Heights Homeowners Association?

The name is already taken by an HOA in Idaho Falls.

The association is organized as a not-for-profit corporation with a three-member Board of Directors. Director elections are held each year at the annual association meeting. The association contracts with Sentry Management to handle day-to-day operations. There are also several committees that operate under the direction of the Board of Directors. These include the Architectural Control Committee (ACC), the events committee, the landscape committee, and the Neighborhood Watch committee. The chairpersons of these committees are chosen by the Board of Directors, who welcome volunteer participation.

There is an Annual Homeowners Meeting held each year in the late fall where reports are made concerning the operation of the neighborhood including the current and projected budgets. Elections for one of the three directors also take place at this meeting. There is also a monthly meeting of the Board of Directors which takes place on the third Tuesday of each month at the management company's office. Homeowners are welcome to attend this meeting and can make a written request beforehand that a particular issue be considered. Please contact the management company to confirm meeting schedule and location.

There are several ways to participate in the HOA. Contact the Sentry Management at 208-323-1080 if you would like to get involved. We have an Architectural Control Committee that is responsible for reviewing plans for changes to the appearance of any home in the neighborhood. We have an events committee that plans neighborhood activities for adults and children throughout the year. We have had a neighborhood watch committee that is responsible for recruiting and encouraging neighborhood block "captains". They also provide training and distribute timely warnings of crimes and other suspicious activity within and nearby our neighborhood. We have a landscape committee that helps oversee the common area landscaping. We are always looking for volunteers to help on these committees. Please contact the management company if you would like to help out.

HOA dues are currently $861 per year. Dues are spent to maintain our neighborhood's common areas and equipment. A detailed financial statement is sent to every home each year following the Annual Homeowners Meeting and is available for inspection by appointment at the management company's office. The homeowners annual assessment amount can change each year and is established each year by the Board of Directors. If the assessment changes by more than 15% from the previous year then a vote is required by the association membership. Historical dues are shown on the Dues page.

As a courtesy, the association bills the annual assessment to all lot owners twice per year. The first half installment is due on January 1 and delinquent on February 1. The second installment is due July 1 and delinquent August 1. Delinquent balances are further assessed at 18% APR until the balance is paid in full.

Yes, and we have a very effective collection rate and relatively low delinquency rate. Non-payment is pursued via a formal collections process including property liens and attorney collections.

Yes, you may pay by credit card via a link on the Sentry Management website (which redirects to another company). Paying by credit card requires an additional fee.

Amenities such as the park help increase the value of all homes and are thus a benefit to all homeowners. The Bristol Heights Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&Rs) specifically state: "No owner may waive or otherwise escape liability for the assessments provided for herein by non-use of the Common Area or abandonment of his Lot."

The annual budget is determined by the HOA Board each year in order to meet the needs of the association. The association receives funds not only from dues, but also from other sources such as transfer fees (when a home is sold), interest from reserve funds, commercial irrigation, etc. These become a part of the annual budget. As costs rise, the Board may increase the dues by as much 15% over the previous year’s dues without a vote of the homeowners. To increase the dues by more than 15% requires a vote at a meeting of the homeowners.

Every home has a main shut-off valve that must be turned on each spring and turned off each fall in order for the irrigation to work properly. Each home has a slightly different set of valves and controllers. The owner's manual, previous owner, or builder should be consulted for operation of an individual yard's lawn sprinklers.

If your sprinklers are not currently turned on then it is likely that your main shut-off valve has broken. Please contact the management company immediately so they can shut down your section of the neighborhood irrigation system. This will stop the geyser so you can have someone replace the valve.

There are several reasons why you may not have pressure to your lawn sprinklers. If your main shut-off valve is turned on and the irrigation system has been running for several weeks, then it is likely that there is a problem either with the neighborhood pumps or distribution system. In the spring when the irrigation water finally reaches our local ditches, the neighborhood system is prepared and the pumps are turned on. During the first couple of weeks, the system will frequently be turned on and off (typically due to shut-off valve failures). Sometimes a portion of the neighborhood is shut down and at other times the entire system needs to be shut off. Usually the pressure will return within a day. You can call the management company at 208-323-1080 to report an outage or to hear current information on irrigation issues that may be affecting the neighborhood.

Each homeowner has a main irrigation shut-off valve located somewhere on their property. This valve is often located near the back of the property buried 3-4 feet down. When the irrigation system is pressurized each spring there is tremendous pressure put on the shutoff valves and some of them fail. Some of the early phases in Bristol Heights have experienced significant numbers of failures but this can happen to anyone. When the valve fails, the usual symptom is a geyser of water shooting 15-25 feet into the air. If you are unsure whether your valve is of substandard quality, you may choose to hire someone to inspect or replace it. If your valve breaks, contact the management company to shut down your area of the irrigation system. You should then replace (or hire someone to replace) the valve immediately. If you suspect this may happen to your system, you can prevent this by replacing your valve during late fall or early spring when the irrigation system is not active.

Yes! All exterior changes to homes and lots require approval by the Architectural Control Committee. To get approval, please fill out the ACC Request Form and return it to Sentry Management. It will be reviewed by our ACC. You will be notified of approval or denial within 15 business days. You can learn more on the ACC Requests page.

Recreational vehicles, utility trailers, and boats may only be parked on neighborhood streets or in driveways for active loading and unloading. All such vehicles should be stored off site. By design, the developer's intent within the CC&Rs was for recreational vehicles to be effectively invisible within the community except for very brief temporary visits for loading and unloading. Voluntary compliance and non-confrontational neighborly encouragement is greatly appreciated.

Speeding vehicles is a constant concern and there is no simple or immediate solution with transient traffic. Traffic regulation and enforcement is the City’s responsibility. The HOA has no jurisdiction or authority with respect to speed and traffic on public streets. What we can each do is encourage all members of our households to honor the 20 mph limit and report appropriate issues and concerns to the Boise Police Department. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. BPD does have resources they can deploy if asked.

Yes! But please clean up after your pet. No one likes to encounter pet droppings, much less step in them. The HOA has established waste receptacles with elimination bags in the common areas and along the walking paths throughout the subdivision. Pets must also be kept on-leash. Please refer to the Neighborhood Map. Your cooperation is much appreciated!

Yes! All homes in Bristol Height are required to have a functioning pole light in the front yard. Please ensure that the bulb and the photocell are both in working order to help provide lighting throughout the subdivision.

Homeowners are responsible for maintaining fences on their property in a timely and responsible manner. The HOA has no ownership or responsibility for residence fencing within Bristol Heights. Fence maintenance is ongoing issue in our neighborhood, as many homeowners often neglect this important responsibility. This is a key area where more robust and effective enforcement measures have merit in efforts to amend our CC&Rs. More information about fence responsibilities can be found on the Fences page.