The weather is shifting, and the days are growing longer, bringing more blue skies and sunshine. More folks are taking advantage of the pleasant weather to work in their yards, tackle projects around the house, and simply enjoy being outside. Let’s hope we get some “April Showers” to help with our “May Flowers” and keep the lake water levels up.
As a resident/property owner in Tamarack Shores, I sometimes browse social media platforms and community websites. This weekend some fellow residents/property owners expressed their dismay about a few things that are happening in our community. In an effort to shed some light on a few issues, here is what is going on.
With regard to the Park/Pool condition. Most everyone knows that fellow residents Joe and Rosalia are tasked with maintaining both. During the last few meetings there have been discussions on improvements that are being planned such as adding more lights and security cameras around the exterior grounds to prevent trespassing as well as lights in both the bathrooms. The delay in this project was removal of old electrical, installation of new electrical in preparation for new equipment and consequently waiting for the new equipment to arrive. Additionally there has been some suggestions about adding doors to the entrances of the men’s and women’s restroom/dressing area(the discussions are still ongoing). The best features of the new cameras/security system that will enhance the area is that it will be monitored 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by a third party! What this means for the community, alerts will be dispatched to live agents who will process the incidents accordingly. As this project continues to take shape, more details will be provided. There are still plans to update the buildings within the area so they are more appealing. With regard to the pool, Joe and Rosalia began performing all the necessary work to clean the pool however, upon the removal of some equipment, it was determined that a key component was in fact broken. This specific component was difficult to find but after a diligent search by another member of the Maintenance Committee, it was found, ordered and we are awaiting its arrival!
Next the issue regarding properties that are not in compliance with the Tamarack Shores Deed Restrictions. Did you know that Texas Property Code Chapter 209 (Texas Residential Property Owners Protection Act) governs how Property Owners’ Associations (POAs) address deed restriction violations and that there is a Statute of Limitations? POAs generally have four years from the date of the violation to gain resolution. This is a long process as the POA’s must follow each step as outlined in Texas Property Code 209. There are several properties within our community that fall into this category and have fallen outside of the “Four Year window” So, what can we do to get help? As a community we can reach out to the Comal County Environmental Enforcement at the following website: https://www.comalcounty.gov/812/Environmental-Enforcement. Many communities and cities have these resources for residents to utilize. If we want to help our community become a better place to live and see our property values increase, we should consider using this resource offered by Comal County.
Next item that was mentioned was the Entrance Sign. The TSOA Board experienced long delays due to the amount of time to process the paperwork from the community insurance company. And to cause further delays, the storms that caused the loss of the Entrance Sign happened during the months when the TSOA is not operating for the holidays (November & December). Much thought and discussion is being considered so that we find right design and contractor who can provide the best service and product while the TSOA Board seeks to keep costs down. This is not as easy as one might think. We are getting closer to the “finish line” on this project as well.
All the items listed above have been included at the monthly meetings. If residents don’t attend the meetings, then they won’t get a clear understanding of what is happening within our community. And for residents who state they want to be “left alone to live”, the TSOA Board understands and respect your decision. Please know that the TSOA Board does care a great deal about the community and will do our best to work together for the greater good of all residents. And if you ever want to find out what is going on in the community, the website is a great source and TSOA contact email is available.
Finally, the TSOA Board would be remiss if we did not address the statement of “disbanding the TSOA Association.” This statement has been made a few times over the past few months by perhaps one or two individuals. It is self-evident that the most effective way to determine whether this course of action would resolve the community’s issues is to conduct thorough research. Just as individuals do before making significant purchases, the same thought process should be applied to this comment. Therefore, it would be beneficial to review Article 15 in our Bylaws, “Dissolution of Tamarack Shores Owners Association,” as it will clearly outline the consequences for several important items. After reading this section, it is even more prudent to research the potential impact on our community and the effects it will have on every property owner. Dissolving a Texas POA while deed restrictions remain in place typically has a mixed—but often negative—impact on property values. The primary concern lies not solely in the existence of rules but in the enforcement and consistency of their application. This brings us back to an earlier question regarding properties that are currently non-compliant. Consider this: the issues plaguing our community did not emerge overnight. These issues have persisted for many years and have not been resolved for various reasons (and it is important to note that this statement does not assign blame to any individual). It will take some time for the new TSOA Board to address the situations within the four-year limitation, commencing from the time this new Board assumed office in August 2025. It has only been approximately eight months since the Board’s inception, and some members are new to the entire process and are still learning. It is easy to overlook the fact that the Board members volunteer their time, some of whom work full-time or part-time jobs, and some of whom have families to care for. Despite these commitments, they still find the time to contribute to our community. The TSOA Board is committed to fostering a thriving and secure community where individuals can live, raise families, and retire peacefully. However, the Board has encountered unforeseen challenges and unprecedented situations that have tested our collective expertise and resolve. We kindly request your patience and understanding as we navigate these complexities and strive to implement effective solutions.
We encourage all property owners to attend a meeting whenever you can. Meetings are held every 3rd Monday of each month, except for November and December. The last 3 meetings have been held at the Hill Country Bible Church because of the weather and lack of sunlight. We will continue to monitor the weather over the coming weeks and announce the location of our meeting details by April 13. If there any items you would like to address, please send them to the TSOA Board at tamarackshoresresidentquestions@gmail.com no later than April 13th as well.