Information

Proposed New Policies

These are policies currently being discussed by the board, with input from residents being considered. At this point, they are not in effect, but we are hoping to finalize and add to our bylaws.

Sheds

These guidelines are designed to ensure that sheds remain visually appealing and in harmony with the neighborhood. All sheds must be approved by the Design Review Committee. Reminder that the City of Twinsburg has their own set of rules and guidelines for sheds that must be followed.
Be aware that the City of Twinsburg requires all sheds to be permitted through them as well. You can find the application HERE.

  • Construction
    1. The shed must be no larger than 80sqft
    2. The shed must be no taller than 8ft
    3. The shed must be built from professional and sturdy materials, preferably pre-fab, and preferably plastic or resin to prevent concerns about painting and rusting
    4. The shed must sit on a professionally poured concrete slab. Dirt, gravel, or other substrates are not permitted
    5. The shed must have an a-frame, or other slanted-style roof
    6. The color of the shed must match the house or otherwise be in line with the visual style of the neighborhood
  • Location
    1. The shed must be in the back yard
    2. The shed must be no more than 5 ft from the back of the house, or within 5ft of the rear property line
    3. In back yards with woods, the shed may be within 5ft of the tree line
    4. The shed may not be within 5ft of the neighboring property line
  • Maintenance and Usage
    1. Hanging any tools, equipment, etc on the outside of the shed is prohibited
    2. Storing tools, equipment, etc next to or against the shed is prohibited
    3. The shed must be maintained in good condition
      1. Any discoloration must be cleaned, repainted, or otherwise managed
      2. Any plant growth on any surface must be removed
      3. Any leaning, sagging, holes, or other disrepair must be fixed

Failure to maintain the shed can result in its removal.

Gardens

These guidelines are designed to ensure that the fenced garden remains visually appealing and in harmony with the neighborhood. For the purpose of sizing requirements, square footage refers to the total size of all gardens.

Gardens less than 40sqft in size must follow the rules below:

  • Location
    1. The garden must be in the back or side yard
    2. If in the side yard, the garden must be placed adjacent to the house, not near the property line
  • Construction
    1. The garden fence may not be constructed with chain link
  • Maintenance
    1. Tools must be properly stored, not left in the garden
    2. The garden fence must be maintained to prevent rotting, sagging, or other deterioration
    3. Any grass around the perimeter of the garden must be maintained as the rest of the yard
    4. The garden bed should be cleared no later than November 30th

Gardens between 41sqft and 150sqft must be approved by the Design Review Committee, and follow the rules below:

  • Location
    1. The garden must be in the back yard of the house
    2. The garden must be more than 5ft from any property line
  • Construction
    1. The garden fence structure must be made of treated lumber
    2. The garden fence mesh must be metal or black plastic, with a minimum hole size of 1/4 x 1/4
    3. The garden fence must be soundly constructed with a top and bottom rail to ensure the mesh remains tight with no sagging
    4. The maximum height of the garden fence is 8 feet
  • Maintenance
    1. Tools must be properly stored, not left in the garden
    2. The garden fence must be maintained to prevent rotting, sagging, or other deterioration
    3. Any grass around the perimeter of the garden must be maintained as the rest of the yard
    4. The garden bed should be cleared no later than November 30th

Gardens larger than 151sqft are not permitted.

Gardens built before this policy is enacted (2025), if they do not already fit withing the above guidelines, will need to be presented to the Design Review Committee for possible exemptions.

As an additional option, the City of Twinsburg has a Community Garden you can sign up to use.

Exterior Maintenance Guidelines

The following guidelines were written in 2013 in conjunction with our existing by-laws, as well as with consideration for the City of Twinsburg’s own regulations, to help our homeowners remain above a specified level of upkeep on their homes and properties.

The board conducts a yearly inspection of the neighborhood, as well as responds to complaints from residents, to ensure all homes remain in proper order. If a house is found to be in violation, a General Maintenance Notification will be sent to the resident from the GPHA Board. If the violations are not corrected then fines may be assessed in addition to a homeowner’s yearly dues.

Exterior Maintenance Guidelines
(74 KB PDF File)

Code of Regulations and Declaration of Covenants

The GPHA Code of Regulations and Declaration of Covenants together make up our bylaws. They are legally codified standards we use to apply fair and positive rules to our neighborhood. In the event your were not shown these documents when you moved into our neighborhood or you cannot locate your documents, please click on the appropriate link below.

Code of Regulations
(10.7 MB PDF File)Declaration of Covenants
(27 MB PDF File)

Design Review Committee

The Design Review Committee is comprised of volunteers voted into position who are tasked with making sure any proposed plans stay within our guidelines.

To submit plans to the Design Review Committee, download and complete the form below and submit it to theglenwoodpreserve@gmail.com (for review usually within one week) or P.O. Box 655. Twinsburg, Ohio, 44087 (for review usually within two weeks).

Design Review Form
(40 KB PDF File)

Collection Policy

The Glenwood Preserve Homeowners Association requires equal participation from all 268 homeowners in paying their yearly dues. These funds are used for landscape maintenance and improvements, legal expenses, liability insurance, mailings, and social activities.

For the few homes who do not follow the rules, we’ve developed a policy to fairly and uniformly proceed in collecting outstanding dues. Below is a summary of this policy.

  • The GPHA charges a $25 late fee per quarter (four per year) continuously until the respective account is current.
  • The GPHA will use its legal and lawful right to secure its unpaid debt by filing a property lien.
  • The GPHA will use its legal and lawful right with our attorneys to recover this debt plus all costs associated with this collection action in the court system.

Non payment by a small minority of homeowners is not fair to the majority who abide by the bylaws and GPHA Operating Fees for the good of all.

In conjunction with the Collection Policy above, in 2015 the board instituted an Outreach Policy to help homeowners stay informed of their status in collections.

Collection Policy
(10 KB PDF File) Outreach Policy
(46 KB PDF File)

FAQ

Who are the board members and how are they elected?

  • Board members are current residents of the Preserve and are elected by the voting members in accordance with Section 6 of the Declaration of Covenants (DOC). If you are interested in joining the board, simply attend a meeting and we’ll go from there.

What are the board’s responsibilities?

  • In general the board oversees maintenance, taxes and utilities, insurance, management, enforcement, and regulations. The board’s responsibilities are found in Section 7 of the DOC.

Can I have a shed?

  • Glenwood Preserve prohibits sheds per the Subsequent Amendment No. 3 to the DOC, Conditions, Easements and Restrictions document dated November 26, 1997.
  • Deck boxes measuring no larger than 3’ high x 3’ deep x 6’ long are allowed.
  • Add-on structures are allowed as well. The cost of a properly installed, full size, walk in addition behind or adjacent to a garage is not much more than the cost of a good proper shed, and will not only look nicer but will last longer.

The two main reasons for this decision are:

  1. Sheds are notoriously hard to maintain. Although our residents follow the basic maintenance guidelines the board puts out, there will always be cases that need looking into, and adding sheds to the list of items to keep track of puts a large strain on a volunteer organization.
  2. One of the reasons our neighborhood is so nice is our general visual design, maintaining a nice park-like atmosphere with a focus on landscaping and green spaces. The more structures there are, the less green we become.

What is a board meeting like?

  • There are two parts a board meeting; a general and executive session. The general session happens at the start of the meeting and can be attended by anyone living in the neighborhood. During this time resident participation is open for discussion. We also discuss payment of invoices, improvements, contracts, and other important issues concerning the operation of the association. Once the general session is closed the executive session begins with only board members. At this time we discuss issues that may involve sensitive or personal information concerning specific issues, such as complaints towards a resident or litigation.

How can I get involved?

  • There are several ways to get involved. The best way is to attend a meeting; please check the website for future meeting dates, times, and places. Volunteering time and resources for social events is another great way to help.

What is the purpose of the DRC?

  • It is important to maintain the integrity and consistently high standards of our neighborhood. The Design Review Committee is chartered in the DOC under Section 8. It is authorized to review and approve alterations, construction, demolition, and improvements in consideration of your residence.

What am I responsible for as a home owner?

  • Timely payments of GPHA dues are needed to properly manage, maintain, and improve the subdivision. In addition you should understand the DOC documents that you received when purchasing your residence. If you did not receive these important documents they are available on this website.
  • In review of the DOC pay particular attention to Section 8 (Design Review Committee), Section 9 (Covenants and Restrictions), as well as amendment No 3.

How are my yearly association dues spent?

  • HOA dues are spent on a variety of necessary expenses such as:
    • Landscape maintenance
    • Liability insurance
    • Printing and supplies
    • Postage
    • Legal fees
    • Website domain and hosting services
    • PO Box
    • Improvements/beautifications
    • Accounting Services

The board appreciates you taking time to read through these questions. We hope it was informative and helpful. If you have additional questions or concerns please feel free to contact a board member or attend the next board meeting.