• Home
  • About
    • Mission, Vision, Values
    • Services
    • Contact Us
      • HCCA Staff
      • Village Board
    • Corp Info/Governing Docs
    • Harper’s Choice Village Community Plan
    • Directions
  • Living
    • Apartment Complexes
    • Block Party Grant
    • Buyers/Sellers/Realtors
    • Cul-de-sac Beautification Grant
    • HCCA Donation Application
    • Juanita Robinson Fund
    • Maps
      • Neighborhood Boundaries
      • Village Map
    • New Residents
    • Places of Interest
  • Calendar
  • Resources
    • Columbia Association
    • County Government
  • Village Board
    • Agendas
    • Minutes
  • Covenants
    • Architectural Committee
      • AC Agendas
      • AC Minutes
    • Operating Documents
    • FAQ
  • Contact
    • HCCA Staff
    • Village Board

HCCA

Harper's Choice Community Association

  • AC Minutes/Agendas
  • Board Minutes/Agendas
  • Community News
  • Save a Life with Naloxone!
  • Planning and Development Tracker

Covenants

checkThe Harper’s Choice Village Covenants are a set of legal documents which are a part of your deed of ownership and represent a binding contract between the Village and each of its property owners and residents. Similar covenants exist for each of the other nine villages in Columbia.

The covenants address property maintenance standards, architectural control over exterior changes to property, and in-home industry or professions. Complete copies of the Covenants may be obtained at Kahler Hall, or you may download them from our website.

Buying and Selling in Harper’s Choice

When property is purchased in the state of Maryland, sellers must disclose any and all information they have regarding the property, including the fact that Columbia and the Village of Harper’s Choice are covenant protected communities. This information is most fully disclosed when the Harper’s Choice and Columbia Association resale documents are purchased and provided to the buyer, along with a letter of compliance which clearly states whether a property is in compliance with the Village Covenants.

The resale documents provided by the Harper’s Choice Community Association include the Harper’s Choice and the Columbia Association documents and may be purchased from the village for a total cost of $20; $25 if we have to mail the packet. We do not provide an electronic version of the documents.

If you are selling property in Columbia, in addition to purchasing and providing these documents for settlement, please request a Letter of Compliance (see Applications below). This letter provides written documentation from the Harper’s Choice Community Association that your property is free of covenant violations. If the property does not meet compliance standards, a letter will be written listing the non-compliance issues. If you are purchasing property in Columbia, we suggest that you ask the seller to provide you with a Letter of Compliance. Uncorrected violations become the responsibility of the buyer to resolve or disclose to future buyers once they have purchased the property.

A copy of the Harper’s Choice Architectural Guidelines is provided to sellers as part of the resale packet; they are also available for viewing online. The guidelines are a supplement to the Covenants and are written to help property owners by providing information, in layman’s terms, on seeking architectural approval for changes to the exterior of the home and property, as well as their maintenance responsibilities. Additional free copies of the guidelines are available at the village office or can be viewed and printed here.

If you have questions about buying or selling in Harper’s Choice; the covenants, guidelines, or the Harper’s Choice Community Association, please contact our Covenant Advisor; 410-730-0770 or email us at: covenants@harperschoice.org.

Forms, Documents, and Guidelines

  • HCCA Village Covenants
  • Guidelines for Exterior Alterations & In-Home Businesses
  • Columbia Association Policy for Vacant and Abandoned Property
  • Forest Glen Design Criteria for homes on Manorstone Lane only

Applications

  • Request for Letter of Compliance
  • Exterior Alteration Application
  • In-Home Business Application

Covenant Enforcement Process

maintenanceWhen a property in Harper’s Choice is not being maintained or a change has been made to property without the prior approval of the Village Architectural Committee, the owner may be in violation of the covenants. Please contact HCCA staff by phone, email, or in person with any concerns or complaints. Where practical, we suggest residents first talk with their neighbors about any concerns. Your view may be directly into your neighbor’s rear yard, but they may not regularly see that pile of debris that is an eyesore to you. Talking with your neighbors can often resolve the matter without the formal intervention of Village officials.

Please be aware that the staff of the Harper’s Choice Community Association does not inspect homes for covenant violations as a regular course of business. Most often, violations come to our attention through complaints that may be made anonymously. The Covenant Advisor will make a site visit to determine the validity of the complaint and will then send the homeowner a letter asking for the problem to be corrected. Experience has shown that most violations are resolved this way.

In some cases, residents have circumstances that prevent them from quickly resolving the matter. We encourage residents to contact the Covenant Advisor promptly when they receive a letter from this office. Once contacted, we will work out a time frame that works for the individual property owner, as well as the Village.

Rarer still is that property owner who, for one reason or another, chooses not to comply. We are then obligated to uphold the covenants and must seek remedy in the courts. All costs associated with these proceedings become the personal obligation of the homeowner and represent a lien on the property. It is important to note that the courts have consistently upheld the covenants, so promptly resolving a maintenance violation is in everyone’s best interest.

Special Announcements

Have a Great Day!

See Something? SAY Something!

If you SEE something in our community that causes you concern, please SAY something by calling 911. Problems can only be addressed when they are reported.

Report concerns such as pot holes, street tree issues, problems with storm drains, and curb damage through the Tell HoCo website or mobile app.

SEE something? SAY something!

Together, we can make a difference in our community.

Connect with Us

Click the Subscribe button below to register for our weekly e-newsletter. You can also follow us on your favorite social networking sites.

Subscribe
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Calendar

Feb
7
Tue
7:00 PM Village Board Meeting
Village Board Meeting
Feb 7 @ 7:00 PM
 
Feb
14
Tue
7:30 PM Architectural Committee Meeting
Architectural Committee Meeting
Feb 14 @ 7:30 PM
 
Feb
28
Tue
7:30 PM Architectural Committee Meeting @ Kahler Hall
Architectural Committee Meeting @ Kahler Hall
Feb 28 @ 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM
Architectural Committee Meeting @ Kahler Hall | Columbia | Maryland | United States
The Architectural Committee meets the second and fourth Tuesday of the month at Kahler Hall from 7:30 PM – 9:00PM.  The meeting is open to the public and the community is welcome to attend.  Agendas[...]
Mar
7
Tue
7:00 PM Village Board Meeting
Village Board Meeting
Mar 7 @ 7:00 PM
 
Mar
14
Tue
7:30 PM Architectural Committee Meeting
Architectural Committee Meeting
Mar 14 @ 7:30 PM
 
View Calendar
Add
  • Add to Timely Calendar
  • Add to Google
  • Add to Outlook
  • Add to Apple Calendar
  • Add to other calendar
  • Export to XML

Put Your Advertisment Here

Copyright © 2023 · Harper's Choice Community Association · Website Admin · Privacy Policy · Terms & Conditions