What is the Paw Paw Lake Home Company?  Paw Paw Lake Home Company is the legal name for the Homeowners Association and is legal responsible for maintaining company property, paying taxes and other expenses of the Association.  The Paw Paw Lake Home Company is operated by a Board of Trustees comprised of seven (7) members of the community. Each term is for a period of three (3) years. The business of the Association is transacted at the meetings of the Board of Trustees.  The meetings are open to all homeowners in the community.

How frequently does the Board meet?  The Board meets once per month, typically on the first Sunday of the month.  The location changes from month to month as the meetings are hosted in the homes of members of the Board.

What is the Annual Meeting?  Every year, now in November, the Paw Paw Lake Home Company conducts annual meetings of all members of the Association.  This meeting is used to report to the community on the events of the year, discuss major projects or upcoming events, consider by-law changes and vote on the budget for the following year.

What dues/fees/assessments are required as a resident of Paw Paw Lake Home Company?  At the time that a home in Paw Paw Lake transfers title, there is a new homeowner fee of $750.00 which is ordinarily paid out of escrow at the time of closing.  Thereafter, each homeowner is billed for annual dues and capital assessments.  They are billed bi-annually in January and July.  The Capital Assessment, billed twice a year is $400.00/half year for a total of $800.00 annually; the Annual Dues are billed twice a year: $291.00/half for a total of $582.00.

What do the dues/fees/assessment cover? PPL is a private community that maintains the entirety of the property including our roads, lake and grounds. The goal is that the dues cover operating expenses and the capital assessment covers the cost of capital projects in the neighborhood, including the recently completed pump house that was financed through a low interest EPA loan.  Budgets and any increases to the foregoing are discussed and approved at the annual meeting of the members.  We just approved a budget for 2019 which will not increase either of these items.  The capital assessment is a proactive assessment which is billed in anticipation of larger expenses.  We use a portion of it to pay the debt service on the EPA loan.

Please explain the community water system? Paw Paw Lake has a community water system.  The system is fed by two wells and the system is now pressurized by a newly installed pump house.  Previously. the system was pressurized by a water tower which was reaching its useful life.  The quality of the water is excellent.  We are fortunate to have several members of the community who manage the system, conduct the regular testing and reporting to the EPA and ensure that it continues to operate correctly and in compliance of all EPA regulations.  At the same time that dues and capital assessments are billed, we bill for water usage based upon actual readings.  The cost of water is .50 per 100 gallons.  By comparison to public water, the cost is quite low.

The only rules for water usage are found in the community Regulations which provides:

• No lawn sprinklers. New lawns are to be watered by handheld method only.
• No automatic or soaker type devices permitted. Use hand-held means to water flowers, shrubs and/or grounds. No open or unattended running of hose(s).
• No geothermal systems permitted.

What architectural/design requirements does the Paw Paw Lake Home Company have for modifications/additions/renovations/new construction? Paw Paw has very minimal requirements for approval of modifications/additions/renovations/new construction.  From a zoning and variance perspective, we defer to South Russell Village and the process employed by the Architectural Board of Review as well as the Zoning Board of Appeals.  From a community standpoint Article VI of the By-Laws provides the relevant guidance. Article VI, Section 8-9 provide as follows:

Section 8. No building or buildings shall be erected on any lot in the Paw Paw Lake Subdivision without a written permit from the Board of Trustees; who are to view the site and consult with adjoining lot owners before issuing the permit. Provided that the building or buildings are approved by the Village of South Russell Architectural Board of Review and/or South Russell Zoning Board of Appeals, permission will not be unreasonably denied.

Section 9. Each member hereby agrees that in the use and occupation of the lot or lots, owned by them respectively in said subdivision, the plans and specifications for any building shall be submitted to the Board of Trustees for their approval and written permit before any construction is started; that no member shall erect, or allow to be erected, more than one building useable for dwelling purposes on any one lot; and that no member shall use, or allow and permit the use of his or her lot as a place of public resort, or to erect, or permit the erection of tents, sheds, auto trailers or other tenements thereon for the purpose of dwelling therein, or permit others to erect, use or dwell in same on his or her lot.

What is work day?  Twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall, the community schedules a weekend to complete projects that require some measure of additional labor.  These projects include trimming, cutting fallen or dying trees, placing the swimming platform in the lake and removing it in the fall, and other projects as the Board deems necessary.  Attendance is important, thus we require one member of the household to attend either the Saturday or Sunday workday. It usually is scheduled for 8:00am to 12:00pm. If no member of the household is able to attend there is a workday charge assessed in the amount of $100.00.  This will appear on the semi-annual billing.

Does Paw Paw Lake have sewer/community septic/individual septic? Every homeowner has their own septic.  Some are leach field, some are drip systems.  But every home has their own system/ 

Can we fish in the lake?  If so what are the rules? Yes.  Article VI, Section 12 of the By-Laws provides:

Section 12. Fishing in the lake and on the property of the Corporation shall be permitted, subject to fish and game laws of Ohio, except at such times or times as the Board of Trustees shall rule otherwise. The Board of Trustees shall make such regulations covering fishing on the property of the Corporation, subject to the fish and game laws of the State of Ohio, as it deems expedient for the welfare and good of the Corporation and members.    No hunting shall be permitted on the property of the Corporation except as expressly authorized by the Board of Trustees.

Separately, the community has Regulations which provides that more specifically provides:

• Fishing is to comply with the laws of the State of Ohio, with the exception that no bass will be kept under fifteen ( 15 ) inches in length, and no bass shall be kept until July 1st of each year, with a limit of two ( 2 ) per fisherman per day. Do not disturb bass spawning beds during spawning season. There is no season limit for rock bass or crappie– there is a limit of fifteen ( 15 ) fish per day. There is no day or season limit for bluegill. No seining of the lake, unless permission is given by the board of the trustees. Seining of the lake, with permission, must be done under the supervision of a Member designated by the Board. No frogging will be allowed.
• No motors allowed, except electric trolling motors.
• Ice fishing is restricted to MEMBERS ONLY. 
• NO MINNOWS shall be brought in from any outside source for use in Paw Paw Lake.
• No boating or fishing in the swimming area. Only member’s and resident’s boats will be permitted on Paw Paw Lake. ( No outside boats. )The swimming area is the area from the beach to the raft to the trampoline and back to the flagpole, also that area twenty (20) feet in diameter around the raft.

Should you have any further questions which are not adequately addressed herein, please contact the Board of Trustees directly at http://www.pawpawlakeohio.com/contactu/