LAKEWOOD FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
Q: When did Lakewood get started?
A: The first building lots for Lakewood were sold in 1988.
Q: How many homes are in Lakewood?
A: As of March 2023, there are 194 homes in Lakewood.
Q: Is Lakewood still growing?
A: Yes. Several new homes are built in Lakewood each year.
Q: Are building lots still available for sale in Lakewood?
A: Yes. Contact Lakewood Enterprises at 301-707-9843 for available lots and prices.
Q: What is the difference between Lakewood Enterprises and the Lakewood Property Owners Association (LPOA)?
A: Lakewood Enterprises is the developer who markets and sells undeveloped land (lots) upon which new homes are built. LPOA is the non-profit association that manages the Lakewood development and its Common Areas. Once a lot is sold, the property owner automatically becomes a member of the LPOA for as long as they own the property. LPOA falls under the general category of a Homeowner’s Association, commonly called an HOA.
Q: What is the annual HOA assessment, or dues, for owning a lot in Lakewood?
A: As of 2023, the mandatory annual assessment for each lot in Lakewood is $620, billed to the lot owner in optional quarterly increments of $155 each.
Q: Why does LPOA collect an assessment on all lots?
A: Lakewood is a private development and common interest community in which all lot owners share the costs for the maintenance and upkeep of streets and Common Areas. The acceptance of a deed in Lakewood represents a legal contract for the property owner to pay an assessment to LPOA to support the common expenses of the Association, which include, but are not limited to maintaining and repairing common areas, streets, and streetlights, snow removal, dam maintenance and inspection, and the costs for mandatory Association liability insurance, professional services, events, and funding reserves for major projects and repairs.
Q: What is a Common Area?
A: Common Areas are properties that are owned and maintained by LPOA for the use or benefit of its members. The Common Areas of Lakewood include the dam, lake, beach and pavilion area, the outdoor basketball court and pond area on Meadowland Drive, the Lakewood entrance circle, and most of our streets.
Q: What is a reserve fund?
A: Reserve funds are highly liquid assets that are set aside by LPOA for the exclusive use of paying for major repairs, maintenance, or capital projects which could not normally be accommodated in an annual operating budget. LPOA has a paving reserve fund to maintain and repair our streets, and a project reserve fund for other major projects or repairs. Well-funded reserves reduce the risk of LPOA having to impose a special assessment on all lot owners in the event of an unforeseen major repair or expense.
Q: What are Governing Documents?
A: The Governing Documents are the legal instruments by which LPOA exists and operates. They include the Articles of Incorporation, the LPOA By-laws and, most importantly, the Lakewood Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CCRs). In addition, HOAs in West Virginia are regulated by the Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act (UCIOA) and must adhere to the West Virginia Nonprofit Corporation Act.
Q: I own a vacant lot in Lakewood. Why do I have to pay an assessment?
A: Lakewood is a Property Owners Association, and Article IV, Section 2, paragraph (a) of the Lakewood CCRs establishes a covenant for assessment on all lots.
Q: What do I need to do before I build on my lot or make an exterior modification to my property?
A: Consult the Lakewood Design Review Guidelines and submit a completed and signed Design Review application prior to beginning any work. Allow 30 days for Design Review Committee review and decision.
Q: How do I get a numbered street address for my lot?
A: Contact the Mineral County Mapping and Addressing Office at 304-788-4111.
Q: Where can I dispose of yard waste in Lakewood?
A: Yard waste should not be deposited onto any property, common area, or lake. Residents may deposit their own yard waste at the Lakewood Community Compost Center (CCC), which is accessed via a gravel driveway located between 1443 and 1465 North Lakewood Drive. The CCC is a free service to Lakewood residents. Please deposit yard waste as far in the rear of the site as possible. Tree limbs and trunks more than 2 inches in diameter are not permitted to be deposited at the CCC.
Q: When and why is the water level in the lake lowered?
A: The lake is lowered by 10 to 15 feet in November of even numbered years to allow for dock and shoreline construction and maintenance. The lake refills naturally by the following spring.
Q: Why is boating on the lake restricted to lakefront lot owners only?
A: The Lakewood CCRs govern the use of the lake. Article VII Section 3 limits boating rights to lakefront properties. However, any Lakewood property owner may swim, fish, and use the community beach and pavilion. Exclusive use of the pavilion is by reservation only. Non-lakefront owners may fish from the boat ramp at the west end of the lake, the west dock of the beach, or the dam and spillway area.
Q. Who is responsible for Lakewood’s public water and sanitary sewer system?
A. For new service or repairs, contact the Frankfort Public Service District at 304-738-9552.
Q: Why does my property need an Environment One (E-One) grinder pump?
A: The Lakewood sanitary sewer system was specifically designed to use E-One grinder pumps which run at a higher pressure than most other grinder pumps. Other grinder pumps will not function properly in Lakewood. The purchase, installation, maintenance, and repair of the grinder pump is the responsibility of the property owner.
Q: Who sells, services, and repairs E-One grinder pumps?
A: Trombold Equipment Company (TEPCO) sells, services, and repairs E-One grinder pumps. Contact them at 724-625-4260.
Q: Does Lakewood have natural gas service?
A: No, but many Lakewood homeowners use liquid propane (LP) as an alternative. You can arrange for LP service from any number of local suppliers including AmeriGas, Bedford Valley Petroleum, Southern States, and Surburban Propane.
Q: Who manages LPOA?
A: LPOA is self-managed by a seven-member volunteer Board of Directors. Each year, at the annual LPOA membership meeting, two directors are elected to staggered three-year terms. The seventh director is the developer’s permanent seat on the board.
Q: How is the LPOA annual budget developed, approved, and communicated?
A: The LPOA Treasurer, in coordination with the Board of Directors, develops and proposes an annual budget to help forecast and manage the Association’s operating expenses. The LPOA budget is based on historical year-over-year income and costs for each expense category, plus estimates for inflation and new projects. The annual budget is approved by the Board of Directors, postal mailed to each LPOA property owner at least 30 days prior to the start of the fiscal year (November 30th), and ratified by the members present at the annual meeting.
Q. What is LPOA’s fiscal year for accounting and budgeting?
A: LPOA’s fiscal year runs from January 1st to December 31st.
Q: Who performs the financial bookkeeping and accounting for LPOA?
A: LPOA’s financial records are maintained and audited by Huber, Michaels, and Company Certified Public Accountants in Cumberland, Maryland.
Q: Where do I get a keypad code or padlock combination to access a gated Common Area or building?
A: Go to the Access Codes link on the Resources page of the LPOA website.
Q: How do I get the password to the Access Codes and Member Files section of the LPOA website?
A: Send an email request to lpoabod@lakewoodwvpoa.com.
Q: What are the ATV/UTV, motor bike, and golf cart rules in Lakewood?
A: ATVs, UTVs, motor bikes, and golf carts must observe the 20 mph speed limit on Lakewood streets and all other safety rules found on the LPOA website. Recreational riding in Lakewood and on Lakewood Enterprises trails is reserved for Lakewood residents only. For liability purposes, all Lakewood property owners must register their ATV, UTV, motor bike, or golf cart and display a Lakewood permit on the rear of the vehicle.
Q: How do I contact the Board and make my voice heard?
A: LPOA members may bring items to the attention of the Board of Directors in several ways, including sending an email to lpoabod@lakewoodwvpoa.com, mailing a letter to LPOA at PO Box 400, Ridgeley WV 26753, or by attending a Board meeting or the annual meeting. To make appropriate arrangements, property owners who wish to attend a Board meeting are asked to notify LPOA in advance by sending an email to lpoabod@lakewoodwvpoa.com or by contacting a Board member.
Q: When and where does the LPOA Board of Directors meet?
A: The Board of Directors meets six times a year, usually on the second Wednesday in January, March, May, July, September, and November at a private residence or at the beach pavilion during favorable weather. The LPOA meeting calendar is found at the Member Files password-protected section of the LPOA website.
Q: I am interested in running for a seat on the LPOA Board of Directors. What do I need to do?
A: Lakewood property owners interested running for the Board must complete, sign, and submit the nomination form to the Board Secretary no later than 45 days before the annual meeting. Online training and additional resources about serving on the Board of Directors of a Common Interest Community are available through the West Virginia Organization of HOA’s (WVOHOA) website.
Q: When is the LPOA annual membership meeting held?
A: The annual meeting is held in the spring on a date, time, and location determined by the Board of Directors. The date of the annual meeting is published in the LPOA meeting calendar located at the Member Files password-protected section of the LPOA website. Written notice stating the date, time, and place of the annual meeting is postal mailed to all property owners of record approximately 30-40 days in advance.
If you have a question that does not appear in this list, please email it to the board at: lpoabod@lakewoodwvpoa.com.
