The Edgehill Farm Master Association approved a “no smoking” policy for the community pool and surrounding area at its April 10, 2012 regular business meeting.
The proposal, which passed unanimously, authorizes the installation of seven, “no smoking” signs and declares the inside-the-gate portion of the pool completely smoke-free while creating a 15-foot “smoke free” radius surrounding the pool fence exterior, effective on the first day of the 2012 pool season (Mid-May) and becoming a permanent policy of Edgehill Farm pool operations.
As a matter of full disclosure, there is no state or local ordinance that bans outdoor smoking on private property. This is a community policy with the board seeking to create a non-smoking culture at the pool while reserving the privilege of revisiting and tweaking the policy.
The board’s resolution is open-ended and can be addressed at any future, public, master association meeting. Technically, violators can lose access to the pool in accordance with our by-laws and it addresses violations. Property owners are responsible for the behavior of their guests and their rental tenants. The board does not deal with guests or renters, we deal with the dues payer in all cases.
The board’s approach with the newly-enacted smoking policy is to raise awareness and beg smokers for courtesy – which the overwhelming majority are courteous. The board is NOT creating the Smoking Police. It asks dues payers keep awareness high. If no-smoking is important, the community will rally around it. If blatant disregard is charted and it’s obvious the community is rallying behind the policy, the board has other options, like enforcing open-container alcohol consumption w/ Cary Police. The police will enforce this ordinance regardless of HOA rules if they’re called or requested. One could argue that some of the belligerence we occasionally see and hear about at the pool could be stoked by certain beverages.
The master association is the sum-total of 236 property owners in Edgehill Farm. It is not an eight-member board of directors exclusively. Therefore, this is a community call to action.
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