Sierra Norte

What Sierra Norte's governing documents say

This is the bylaws of the Sierra Norte Community Association, a homeowners' association (HOA) in Carefree, Arizona. It sets out how the association is run—meetings, board elections, fines, and architectural review—and applies to all owners of lots in the community. The actual rules about what you can do with your property (like pets, rentals, or parking) are in a separate document called the Declaration.

• Meetings of Members: An annual member meeting is required at least every 12 months. Special meetings can be called by the president, a majority of the board, or by members holding 25% of eligible votes. A quorum is 10% of eligible votes (in person or by absentee ballot) at the start of the meeting. Absentee ballots must be filed at least 24 hours before the meeting.
• Board of Directors: The board has 3 to 9 directors, always an odd number, and only one director per lot. Directors serve staggered 2-year terms; in the first election, the top 3 vote-getters get 2 years, the next 2 get 1 year. Directors may be removed with or without cause by a majority vote of members present at a meeting. Vacancies are filled by a majority of remaining directors until the next annual meeting.
• Fines & Violations: The board can impose reasonable fines for violations of the governing documents. A Notice of Violation must describe the violation, the fine amount, and the owner's right to a hearing. The owner must pay the fine within 10 days or request a hearing within 10 days. After a hearing, the board's decision is final, and the fine is due within 10 days of notice.
• Architectural Review: A Design Review Committee of at least 3 members (odd number) reviews and approves plans under the Declaration. Members serve 1-year terms and are appointed and removed by the board. The committee adopts Design Guidelines by unanimous vote. Its decisions are not a waiver of future approvals.
• Voting & Membership Rights: Each lot gets one vote, even if jointly owned. If joint owners disagree, the vote is lost. Corporate owners must designate a voting representative. Voting rights are suspended if assessments are unpaid for 30 days after the due date. A majority of votes cast (with a quorum) decides most member actions; amending bylaws requires a quorum of 1/4 of members and a 2/3 affirmative vote.
• Officers & Their Duties: The board elects a President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer from among the directors, each for a 1-year term. Officers can be removed with or without cause by the board. The President presides over meetings, the Secretary keeps records, and the Treasurer handles finances. Duties may be delegated to a managing agent, but the board retains control over budgets, rules, and borrowing.
• Indemnification & Liability: The association can indemnify directors, officers, and committee members to the fullest extent allowed by Arizona law. The Design Review Committee, board, and officers are not liable for acts done in good faith, such as approving plans or failing to provide accurate statements.
• What this document doesn't cover: These bylaws do not contain daily-use rules like pet limits, lease restrictions, parking regulations, or age restrictions. Those are in the Declaration or separate rules. Also, assessment amounts and budgets are not detailed here—those are set annually by the board.

Plain-language summary generated from the governing documents on file for this community. It may be incomplete and is not legal advice — read the full documents below or consult the official recorded versions.