High Desert Living

All residents want to enjoy their neighborhood. One way to do this is to show respect for everyone and get to know your neighbors. Pitch in when a neighbor needs a hand. Ask for their help when you do. Most of all, respect your neighbors and their properties. Treat them as you would like to be treated.

Traffic
Desert Mountain is a family community with lots of children and pets. Obey the STOP and SPEED signs. Our speed limit is 20 mph. If you see flagrant violations of these rules, contact the Security Patrol.

Parking
High Desert governing documents apply to all of us. You may NOT park a commercial or recreational vehicle, mobile home or boat, oversized or inoperable vehicle here unless it’s in a garage. You have 3 days to load or unload. Guests may park in your driveway or on the street for up to one week.

Common sense guidelines: Park in the direction of traffic, not on gravel or landscaped areas, across driveways or sidewalks. EMERGENCY VEHICLES NEED ACCESS - SOME STREETS ARE NARROW - DO NOT PARK OPPOSITE OTHER CARS - They may be coming to save YOU!

Trash and Recycling
Trash and recycling bins are necessary but unsightly, so follow these simple rules:

Placing Bins Out for Collection: Place bins in front of your home the morning of collection or no sooner than dusk the night before. Trash should be bagged in trash bins, but loose in recycle bins except shredded material which should be bagged. Break down boxes before placing in recycle bins.

Retrieving Bins After Collection: Remove your bins from the street promptly after collection but no later than the end of collection day. If you’re not able to put out or retrieve your bins according to the policy, ask a neighbor for help.
Likewise, let them know you are available to do the same.

Storage of Bins: Important: ALL bins must be screened from view from the street or by other neighbors. That means in your garage or behind a wall. Really.

Other Storage
Store bagged trash, cardboard boxes, ladders, bicycles, toys, sports equipment, yard supplies, buckets and paint containers in your garage
or behind a wall. They may not be seen from the street.

Protecting Your Investment:
Treat our community and environment with respect. Common areas, common walls, entrances, pocket parks and open spaces are managed by HOAMCO and our landscape contractor, but you can help. Clean up after your dog, pick your weeds, stow your trash containers out of sight and don’t litter. We’re proud of our community and want it to look its very best. By the way, failure to comply can result in fines!

Your Home:
Keep your roof, stucco, stone & painted and/or stained wood trim in good condition. Homes must adhere to approved colors and materials. You’ll find approved colors on the website.

Your Paved Areas:
Your concrete and synthetic surfaces must be maintained. Your Yard: Pretty simple. Keep it neat and attractive. No weeds.

We love our pets and yours. However, The Albuquerque Code of Ordinances has strict laws regarding the management of pets and pet waste. Everyone within our community must obey the following:

• Always keep your pets attended to and on a leash, everywhere, including High Desert Park.

• Pet Waste: THERE IS NO POOP FAIRY! Be considerate of your neighbors by cleaning up after your pet, in common areas, in open spaces and on the trails. We can’t pick up after you. For your convenience, pet bag & waste stations are located throughout High Desert. These cost our association $20,000 every year, so please USE THEM!

Your Yard
The condition of your yard says a lot about you. Follow these guidelines: PLEASE! Keep your yard free of weeds, plant debris such as leaves, dead branches and other loose trash. It gets very windy here, and nobody wants to pick up your trash on their property. If you don’t, you may be fined by the HDROA.

Keep shrubs and trees trimmed so they don’t block sidewalks, grow over or outside of common walls and view fences. Also, don’t over-water - it creates white mineral deposits.

Plantings
All plants that are visible from the street, public areas or an adjacent lot must be from the Approved Plant List on the Governing Documents page.

Common Areas Adjacent to Your Home
In addition to your own yard, you are responsible for weeding and maintaining common areas between your walls and the sidewalk, and between the sidewalk and the street. Also, you need to keep adjacent sidewalks free of snow.

The Board of Directors:
Board members are volunteers who are elected by each village’s Voting Members every year. Board duties are determined by our governing documents and include managing finances, making and enforcing policies, collecting dues and assessments and ensuring preservation of the property.

Voting Members:
Each village has Voting Members who represent your interests with the Board. You’ll find their names and contact information in the Contact link.

Community Operations Management:
HOAMCO manages day-to-day operations and community property. They oversee vendors to ensure work is properly completed and to coordinate communications with homeowners. HOAMCO is not responsible for maintaining or repairing your individual property.

Your Participation: Super important! Get to know your neighbors, participate in sponsored social activities, volunteer for a committee or special project, run for office. You can make our community even better!

As a member of the Association, you have certain rights and contractual obligations which include abiding by the governing documents and policies established by the Board on behalf of, and for the benefit of, all homeowners and their properties. As a result, disregarding or violating the Association’s policies may lead to consequences.

Generally, homeowners who are not compliant with High Desert policies and procedures will receive a written courtesy warning. Failure to comply with the warnings within the designated time frames will be subject to escalating penalties starting at $100, then $250, then $500 for a continuing violation until corrected. Penalties do not relieve you of the responsibility to correct the violation.