West Springs Farm Home Owners Association

Our Role

Community boundaries and WSFHOA responsibilities.

The West Springs Farm Home Owner Association (WSFHOA) was established in 1999 by an agreement between the City of Calgary and Landstar Development Corporation, the developer of West Springs Farm, to enable a higher level of landscaping and landscaping maintenance for the common areas of West Springs Farm than the City standard. This creation of a Home Owners Association (HOA) or Residents Association (RA) to maintain enhanced facilities has become a common practice in Calgary that started with the Lake Bonavista development in the 1960’s and has since extended to all new developments.

(Refer to attached map showing location and definition of Enhanced Facilities)

The required funding to maintain these enhanced facilities is raised through a common annual rent fee paid by home owners in West Springs Farm. All home owners in West Springs Farm are members of the WSFHOA by way of an encumbrance that is attached to their property title.

From its inception in 1999 until home and facility development was essentially complete in 2005, Landstar Development Corp managed the WSFHOA on behalf of the home owners of West Springs Farm. At the April 6, 2005 Extraordinary Meeting of the West Springs Farm HOA, Landstar proposed to transfer management of the WSFHOA from the developer to the home owners of West Springs Farm in accord with the initial plan. The Home Owners voted in favor of the transfer and proceeded to elect a Board of Directors from volunteer Home Owners to oversee the transition and ongoing management of the WSFHOA. Activities of the WSFHOA continue to be managed by a voluntary Board of Directors elected at the Association’s Annual General Meetings. The Directors are responsible to interact with the City, the Province of Alberta, suppliers, contractors and home owners to ensure the WSFHOA satisfies its mandate and meets all requirements for continued viability.

Further legal information will be found on the Key Documents web page. Access to some documents is restricted to WSF home owners for confidentiality reasons at present. WSF home owners may use the contact information to request a password if they have not been provided one.

Please read through all of the attached information so that, as home owners, you understand what your annual fee goes towards and how the HOA budget will be managed on your behalf. Your board is very interested in feedback from the community and we look forward to hearing from you, particularly if you are able to help with any activities or considering joining us! We welcome all involvement & help!

In the case of West Springs Farm an HOA has been established to maintain the common areas over and above the standard to which the City of Calgary would. Therefore, once the City has accepted the handover from the developer, the HOA will take over responsibility for the maintenance of those areas. It is important to note that the handover relationship is between the City and the developer and that once the handover occurs; the arrangement to maintain the development’s common areas is between the City and the HOA.

There is bound to be some confusion about what constitutes the common areas that the HOA is responsible for. Below are a list of areas we’ve received questions on and the appropriate contact information if you have a concern with regards any of those areas.

• Recreation area (school reserve, playground, soccerfield, ballfield / stormwater retention pond, including the paved walkway) between West Springs Place & 73 St - is the responsibility of the City; for concerns please call 311.
• Paved roadways and sidewalks - are the responsibility of the City; for concerns please call 311.
• Private property - anything within the boundaries of individual lots, including fences, are not WSFHOA responsibility; for any concerns to do with a private house you must either address the concern to the owner of the property or, if a bylaw has been contravened contact 311, or if it is a criminal or safety matter, the CPS at 266-1234 (call 911 if it is an emergency).
• Back Alleys - are the responsibility of those lot owners whose lots back onto the alleyway. The lot owner is responsible for the alleyway from the back of their yard to the centre of the alley for the width of their lot.
• Pathways - the 3 short paved interconnects in West Springs Farm are the responsibility of those homeowners whose lots bound them, and those lot owners are responsible for the length of the pathway adjoining their lot to the centre of the pathway, including mandatory snow removal.
• Trees - all trees along boulevards and in the recreational area are generally the responsibility of the City; call 311 with any concerns. The exception is trees in the entrance signage area and in the strip between the soundwall & sidewalk along Old Banff Coach Road which are the responsibility of the WSFHOA; use WSFHOA contact information or approach a Director with concerns.
• Annual Rent Fees - the current fee is $100 per year; the fee covers the calendar year (Jan1 - Dec31) and payment is due June 30 of each year; overdue fees are charged interest at prime rate + 3%; all costs incurred by the WSFHOA to collect overdue fees will be paid by the home owner in arrears; fees may be subject to increases as needed to cover expenses, provide an adequate capital reserve and compensate for those who do not remit their fees in a timely manner; any balance owing will be due and paid upon execution of sale of property due to the WSFHOA’s encumbrance on home owners’ property title.

Thanks,
Your Home Owners Association board.