The HOA will be hosting a Fall Fest on October 29 from 3PM-??? at the Clubhouse.

We hope you will join us in your spookiest Halloween costumes for BBQ, face painting, and other fun surprises!  

The residents of the Cotswolds are hosting a Neighborhood Yard Sale on Saturday, September 23, from 7-10AM.  

Many residents will be at the Clubhouse Parking Lot along with the Heavenly Donut Truck, and some residents will be participating in the yard sale out of their driveway.

This update is a friendly reminder that Order Forms are due September 15 if you want a Christmas Tree placed in your front yard during the Christmas season.

Trees will be installed as follows: a piece of rebar will be inserted into your front yard, and the tree will be secured to the rebar with twine.  The trees will be about 5' tall.

If you did not receive an order form in the mail, an order form is available on this website under "Governing Documents, Financials, and Reports" for download.  

Order forms should be submitted to 1033 Snowshill Circle with a check for $35 payable to Carolyn Jeff by September 15.

New Residents:

Welcome to the neighborhood! If you have lived in the Cotswolds for 6 months or less, please join us for a Welcome event at the Clubhouse on August 24 from 6:30-8PM.

​A few HOA Board members will be there to answer any questions you have about the neighborhood, and hopefully you'll get to meet some other new residents! And there may be pizza!!!

If you have any interests or concerns regarding the zoning/construction issues with regard to the two adjacent lots, there will be an interest meeting on August 28, 2017 from 6:15PM - ? at the Clubhouse to address your questions and concerns.

Present at the meeting will be the following:
1. The original developer Ingram Tynes.
2. The ad hoc Zoning Committee (composed of all Cotswold residents who attended the zoning & planning commission hearing regarding Tynes' proposed construction on the two adjacent lots)
3. David Carrington, our representative on the Jefferson County Commission.

Please feel free to attend this meeting if you have any questions or concerns.

THE LAUNCH OF A NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH PROGRAM
 
Please mark your calendars & join us for an organizational meeting of The Cotswolds’ NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH, undoubtedly one of the oldest and most well-known crime prevention concepts in history (according to Sheriff Mike Hale). The program was developed in response to a multitude of requests from Sheriffs and Police Chiefs around the country. Law enforcement leaders were looking for a crime prevention program which would incorporate citizen involvement, and which would address the increasing number of burglaries taking place, especially in rural and suburban residential areas.
 
When:          September 6 from 7:00-8:00 p.m.
Where:        The Cotswolds Clubhouse (the building in front of community pool)
Who:            Cotswolds residents
Why:            Help deter crime
 
Sgt. John Pennington, with over twenty years of experience with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department, will tell us what works & what doesn’t in making our homes & community safer, and will answer questions, too.   It will take neighborhood-wide participation to make this program effective, as the whole program is about neighbors getting to know neighbors, and looking out for each other.
 
Please grab your neighbors and attend this event!
 
PS.  Your attendance doesn’t presume your willingness to serve…just to get educated.
​

Magic City Ice will be at the Clubhouse on August 19th from Noon-2:30PM.

So the Board has finally figured out how to approve folks on the HOA Facebook Page who have requested to join.

The problem is...  it is difficult to tell who on the "request list" is actually a Cotswold resident.

So if you have requested to join the HOA Facebook Page, and you haven't been granted access, go to the "Comments/Questions" section of this website and submit a comment to the Board, letting us know that you live here and your address.  That will help us to grant access to residents more quickly.  Thanks!

The HOA Board is currently brainstorming on cost-efficient methods to improve security throughout the neighborhood, particularly given the recent break-ins.  In fact, the HOA Board was already in the process of organizing a Neighborhood Watch, when all of the break-ins started to occur.

Although the Board has no personal knowledge of the status of the break-ins, we have heard through the grapevine that one or both of the perpetrators has been arrested.  Our condolences go out to those families who were victims of the break-ins, and we hope that you will soon feel safe in your homes once again.

If you would like to be a part of the planning committee, or otherwise serve on the Neighborhood Watch, please contact Jan Hirsch [email protected].

In the meantime, let's all work together and take steps to make our homes (and cars) safer and deter burglars and thieves.  Here are a few tips:
1.  Don't mention travel plans online.
2.  Use deadbolts.
3.  If you're going out of town, let your neighbors know so they can keep an eye out for any suspicious activity and pick up your mail/newspaper.
4.  Burglars are less likely to invade a home that has dogs.
5.  Have a home safe -- a  heavy one that the burglar can't pick up and carry.
6.  Install a home security system.
7. Consider using "Smart Home" tools, such as video door bells, locks and garage door openers that you can monitor and control from your smartphone, and entryway (door and window) monitors that you can monitor from your smartphone.
8.  Use a paper shredder to protect against identity theft.
9.  Use timing devices for lights.
10. Maintain a well lit home.
11.  Utilize the garage.  Burglars are better able to monitor when you're not home if you always park in your driveway.
12. Use blinds and window coverings so burglars cannot see into your home.
13. Don't have jewelry and other valuables lying in view of your windows.
14. Do a double-check for references for any service provider that you invite into your home.
15. If you have children, discuss home security with them, such as locking doors, not telling strangers your travel plans, and not telling strangers about the contents of your home.
16. Don't leave notes on your front door that could tip off burglars.
17. If you've just moved into your home, have the locks changed by a reputable locksmith.
18. Have a reputable locksmith do an inspection of the locks on your doors and windows to make sure they are of sufficient quality and not in disrepair.
19. Call the police immediately if you see suspicious activity in the neighborhood.
20.  Get to know your neighbors.  The more we know one another, the more we will look out for one another to protect our homes.

The Food Truck Committee has worked hard to put together a schedule of a variety of food trucks for our neighborhood to try.  August will be a trial run to see what types of foods, days of the week, frequency, etc. are the best for our neighborhood.  Stay tuned for a poll on the HOA Facebook Page on what trucks and days work best for you!

The Food Trucks this week are:

Thursday, August 3 - 4:30-7:30PM - Dreamcakes

Saturday, August 5 - 4:30-7:30PM - Rooski's

The Heavenly Donuts truck will be in the parking lot of the Clubhouse on Saturday July 1 at 7-10AM.  Enjoy!

The HOA Board received the below e-mail today.  Just sharing it for anyone who is interested.


Good Morning concerned residents of the Cotswold subdivision,
 
Hope this e-mail finds you well. 
 
As I have conveyed to you all, the rezoning request to allow the construction of one residence in the two (2) common areas was on track to be heard by the County Commission on July 13th at 9AM.  However, the applicants have requested to postpone the County Commission zoning hearing another month.  The new hearing date will be August 10, 2017 at 9AM.  That date too, may be subject to change – but I will do my best to keep you all notified of such.  We will be mailing notices to all property owners within 500 feet of the property 15 days prior to the rezoning hearing, regardless of the date.
 
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
 
Michael R. Morrison – Planner/Acting Zoning Administrator
Jefferson County Commission / Department of Development Services
Room B-200 Courthouse / 716 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. N / Birmingham, AL  35203
(205)325-5638 

For whatever reason, the HOA Facebook Page does not provide any notice that a person has requested to be added to the page.  So if you wish to be added to the HOA Facebook Page, please e-mail [email protected], and you will be sent an invite to your e-mail address.  The only way you can accept the invitation is if you cancel your Request to Join.  Sorry for the confusion.    

Pool repairs are complete.  Pool is open!!!

A Block Party will be held at 1436 Bristol Manor on May 6 from 5PM-???.  

Please RSVP to April Link Harrison [email protected] so she knows how much meat to prepare.  

Folks with an odd number address, please bring a side dish.  Folks with an odd number address, please bring a dessert.

BYO drinks, chair, bug spray, etc.

The Heavenly Donuts Truck is back!  It will be at the Clubhouse on Saturday, May 6, from 7-10AM.  

The Old Town Pizza Food Truck will be at the Clubhouse on May 4, 2017, from 4-7:30PM.  We hope you enjoy!  

Thank you to all of the residents who joined us on Saturday, April 8, for the fun and festivities at the Grand Opening of the Playground and Easter Egg Hunt.  And a special thank you to those who volunteered at the Easter Egg Hunt and helped make it a success (especially our bunny, Jamie O'Brien)!  We hope that the Easter Egg Hunt will become an annual event!  

Based on some rumors, "a little bird told us" that Advanced Disposal was planning to go to one day per week instead of two days per week for trash pick-up.  We think this only applies to homes in Jefferson County, not City of Birmingham, but don't hold us to that.  At any rate, based on a conversation with between an HOA Board Member and Hannah at Advanced Disposal 205-640-7000 today, this is what the Board was told:

• Contract with county renegotiated and as of April 1 trash pickup will go to one day per week.  She will call me back with new day of service  Let you know day as soon as I hear back from Hannah.
• New fees – Household trash pickup will be $36/quarter – Household and yard waste pick up will be $48/quarter.  You must call to add yard waste pick up.
• A one-time fee of $75 can be paid for an additional can with no additional quarterly fees.  You must call to order this container and they ask for payment at time of order
• Yard waste does not have to be in can, and with exception of brush and limbs must be bagged.  Limbs can be no longer than 4 feet and no larger in diameter than 3-4 inches.  The quarterly fee for this service is $48/quarter
• I was told an additional owner owned small container will be picked up for any overflow in garbage.  I questioned this but told it would be picked up.  We shall see.
• I was told residents were notified by postcard sent via USPS of change.  I received no such card and questioned her about this.  She checked with her supervisor and was told for some reason Snowshill Circle residents were not sent notification.  She also said a lot of other postcards were returned, no reason given.
• The county is providing new cans to all residents.  I was unclear how this was handled.  I think what I understood was if you leave your old can out they will pick up and leave a new can.  Resident might want to call to make sure Advanced Disposal is aware they want a new can.  Delivery time is usually 7-14 days so we may see a lot of cans on street for a while.  She said since county is providing these new cans to all residents, delivery may be quicker.
• I would recommend residents contact Advanced Disposal with questions.  205-640-7000.  Just so you know I was on hold forever.

Just FYI, the HOA has absolutely no control or say over the trash services provided to the neighborhood.  This is solely controlled by the County.  But because we heard rumors of a change, we wanted to investigate it to hear it for ourselves, so that we could relay what we learned to you.  This is all we know at this point regarding the situation.

The HOA is pleased to announced that doggie bag stations have been installed throughout the neighborhood!

There is a doggie bag station located on Cotswold Drive North across from the pond, at Amberley Park, and on Cotswold Lane near the townhome mailboxes.  

Please make use of the doggie bag stations to pick up after your pets.  The reduction of pet waste will help improve the appearance, enjoyment, and sanitation of the entire neighborhood.  

If you notice that a doggie bag station is out of bags, please submit a comment on the website to notify the HOA Board, and the doggie bag station will be re-filled promptly!

The HOA Board of Directors will host an annual meeting for all Cotswold residents on March 14, 2017 at 6:30PM at the Clubhouse.

Matters discussed will include the introduction of the 2017 Board, upcoming projects and events, financials, and much more!  

The HOA Board has met with the Project Managers of AT&T and Delta Directional to discuss the shoddy work and outstanding issues.  AT&T and Delta Directional are aware of the problems and in agreement that they should be fixed.  Work completion and repairs are underway immediately, and everything should be completed in 4 weeks.  If your issues have not been resolved and/or if you still see problems in 4 weeks, please notify the HOA of the outstanding issues.

The HOA Board is excited to announce that it has selected and approved a quote to repair and renovate both pools!  The repairs are expected to take 2-3 weeks, such that the pool will be ready in time for April!  Swimming Pool Services will be performing the repairs.