| Utilities | |
| Who pays for the Utilities? | All utility costs are paid for by the owner, except those utilities that are used for common areas. For construction projects, homeowners may need to provide electrical and water to the contractor. |
| When is Trash Pickup? | Trash Pickup is on Thursday Morning by Waste Management under contract with Mill Creek. |
| Who provides Internet service? | Wired internet is provided by Comcast or Frontier. Wireless Internet is provided by Verizon among others. |
| Who provides water? | Alderwood Water, including sewer service. |
| Who provides my electricity? | Snohomish PUD |
| Who provides natural gas? | Puget Sound Energy |
| Can I get a satellite TV dish? | Yes. You will need to get approval from the ACC for placement of a satellite dish on the exterior of your unit. |
| Repairs | |
| What repairs does Copper Tree pay for? | Generally speaking, Copper Tree pays for repairs to the outside of the units, and owners pay for repairs inside units. In cases of damage by the owner, Copper Tree may require owners to pay for the repairs. A detailed breakdown may be found in the Maintenance Responsibility Matrix |
| How do I report a problem? | Use the Work Request feature in MyGreenCondo. |
| Are there specific hours contractors can work? | Yes. Contractors must begin work after 8am on weekdays or 9am on weekends. Work must cease by 6pm. In special cases or emergencies, the Board of Directors may grant an extension of these hours. |
| Who is responsible for the crawl space? | Copper Tree is responsible for the drainage within the crawl space and the installation, if required, of sump pumps to control water intrusion into the crawl spaces. |
| Maintenance | |
| Who is responsible for the Landscaping? | Copper Tree provides Landscaping service for Common Elements most Wednesdays. There are a few exceptions like holidays or weather related where service will not be provided. The owner is responsible for the landscaping maintenance in the Limited Common Elements. |
| Will the landscapers pick up my yard waste? | The landscape service will pick up your yard waste if you leave it in a compostable bag by the street. No yard waste is to be dumped into the Nature Preserve. |
| Does Copper Tree provide exterior light bulbs? | The light bulbs for exterior fixtures are supplied by Copper Tree for a consistent look. Fixtures within Limited Common Elements are the responsibility of the owner. |
| Can I plant flowers/bushes in front of my unit? | Please consult with the Landscape Committee before adding landscaping to a Common Element. |
| What can I plant in my courtyard? | The board has set guidelines for landscaping within Limited Common Elements. Following these guidelines will continue to present a favorable impression to our community. |
| Does Copper Tree plow the roads when it snows? | Yes. Copper Tree has contracted to plow the roads when more than 3” of snow accumulate. |
| Who is responsible for pest control? | Copper Tree is responsible for exterior pest control and ensuring barriers to the Common Element within a structure (crawlspace and attic areas) are in place and sufficient to eliminate rodent and large pest intrusions. Pest control in attics, crawl spaces and the Interior of units are the owner’s responsibility. |
| Do I have to clean the gutters? | Roofs and gutters are cleaned annually in the fall. In addition, moss control is applied where necessary. |
| What about the driveway? | The homeowner is responsible for cleaning their driveway, including moss removal. |
| My fascia board on my townhouse deck is dirty. Does Copper Tree clean it? | The decks on Units 11-29, aka the town homes, have a fascia on the deck that needs to be cleaned regularly, especially after winter and the spring rains. This is the owner’s responsibility. |
| Usage Restrictions | |
| Can I store firewood in the garage? | Firewood should not be stored in the garage due to the possible infestation of termites. |
| Can I decorate for the holidays? | Yes. However, December holiday decorations are to be set up no earlier than the day after Thanksgiving and must be removed by January 31st. |
| Where can I fly a flag? | Residents can fly a flag on your unit or in a Limited Common Element. |
| Where can I use my grill? | Charcoal grills must be 15 feet away from any structure and are not permitted on the decks for units 11-29. Gas grills must be 5 feet from the structure. |
| Can I hold a Garage Sale? | The Mill Creek Community Association has restrictions on the timing of garage sales. Please refer to their website for details. |
| Are there quiet hours? | The quiet time for Copper Tree is 10:00 pm to 8:00 am. |
| Are my pets welcome? | Copper Tree, the City of Mill Creek, and the MCCA require all dogs and pets (other than cats) to be leashed and under the full control of the person walking the pet. The person walking the pet is responsible for cleaning and removing all evidence of the pet’s activity. |
| Can I rent my unit? | Copper Tree has a rental cap on the number of units that can be rented or leased at one time. Any Owner wishing to rent out or lease a unit, must receive approval from the Board of Directors prior to advertising the unit for rent or lease. All homeowners leasing or renting their residence must register tenants of the home with SUHRCO within 30 days of the signing of the tenant’s lease/rental agreement. |
| Can I put up a sign? | Owners may display signs for advertising units for sale or lease, or regarding candidates for public or Association office, or ballot issues, on or within a Unit or Limited Common Element. |
| Where can I smoke? | Smoking is prohibited throughout the Common Elements in Copper Tree. When smoking outside, please be considerate to your neighbors. |
| Services Provided | |
| Who is in that security car driving around? | MCCA provides limited security via a vehicle that tours the area on a regular schedule. Security will also do house checks if requested. A Residential Security Check Form is available on the Forms section of the MCCA website. |
| Do I need homeowners’ insurance? | Copper Tree provides insurance for the structure, so that in the case of a fire, the insurance will cover the rebuilding of the structure. The homeowner should have proof of insurance for the contents of their unit. |
| Where are the mailboxes? | The mailbox is at the entrance of the complex across from unit 5. Extra keys and replacement locks are the owner’s responsibility. |
| Who do I contact about mail delivery issues? | All issues should be addressed to the USPS office in Mill Creek. (425) 379-8698. |
| Where do I file a complaint? | Any issues you wish to report should be in writing and sent to the Copper Tree Property Manager (copies will be provided to the Board of Directors). All communications will be confidential. |
| Vehicles | |
| What is the speed limit? | 15 miles per hour. |
| Where can I park? | Owners may park in their driveways. Visitors and/or contractors working on a unit may temporarily park their vehicles on the street between the hours of 7 am on weekdays or 8 am on weekends and by 9 pm if driveway or guest parking spots are not available. No overnight street parking is allowed. Temporary is defined as the few minutes required to load/unload the vehicle, typically less than 15 minutes. |
| Where can my guests park? | There are 18 visitor spaces for visitors, so there is no need to park on the street and Visitor Parking is for vendors and visitors. Visitor parking is not “long term” parking. If you have a long-term guest, please contact the management company. Long term is defined as more than a day or two. |
| Will I get towed? | Only in the most egregious cases. Copper tree has a contract with a towing company. The fines are set by the company, and they are STEEP. Please obey the rules. The fees are, and they are subject to change: $236.25 for the tow plus $30.38 per 12 hours of storage and $60.75 per 24 hours of storage and $95 for off hours pick up. These fees are set by the towing company. Copper Tree receives no money from towing. |
| Payments and Expenses | |
| Where do I pay my monthly dues? | SUHRCO is responsible for collecting all payments from homeowners for dues, assessments, and any other costs charged to a unit or homeowner. All dues are due and payable on the first of each month and are determined to be late if received after the 15th of the month. A late fee of $30 will be charged for each month where the payment is not received by the 15th. |
| Does Copper Tree have a collections policy? | Copper Tree has a collection policy for dues and assessments that are not paid on time. The policy is enforced through SUHRCO. |
| Can I get fined? | The fine schedule for rule infractions or violations is determined by the Board of Directors. The fines and/or fees shall be assessed against the Unit, and the Owner of the Unit, and shall be collected as any other assessment. |
| How can I see the financials? | Financials are posted every month in MyGreenCondo in the Document Library. |
| What does Copper Tree spend my dues on? | Most of the dues collected are put in a reserve fund to fund major repairs to the complex, such as roofs, siding, painting and pavement. The rest goes to an operating budget, which pays for all the services including administrative fees, utilities, insurance, landscaping and repairs. Details can be found in the annual budget in the MyGreenCondo Document Library. |
| What is a Reserve Fund? | Copper Tree cannot get a home improvement loan for large projects, so by law, the Condominium Owners Association must save money for major projects. This money is put into a reserve fund. |
| What is the Reserve Fund used for? | Generally, large expenditures for items that are “worn out”. This includes roofs, siding, painting, and other items. The projected costs are updated yearly in the Reserve Fund Study, contained in the MyGreenCondo Document Library. |