History
The Shenandoah Shores subdivision was developed by Shenandoah Shores, Incorporated in six sections between 1958 and 1966. Each of the six sections was made subject to separate and distinct sets of covenants when recorded in the land records of Warren County, Viriginia.
In 1972, Shenandoah Shores Property Owners Association, Inc. was incorporated as a Virginia nonstock corporation shortly before Shenandoah Shores, Incorporated assigned to SSPOA certain of the rights reserved to the developer in the six sets of covenants. Specifically, SSPOA was assigned the rights to maintain the roadways and collect annual fees to provide that maintenance. All the other rights reserved in the covenants to Shenandoah Shores, Incorporated, including the right to enforce the covenants, were assigned to National Mortgage Corporation and later reassigned to Shenandoah Shores Resort Properties Inc.
Separate from SSPOA, the Warren County Circuit Court entered an order in 1971 upon the petition owners of lots in the subdivision to create a sanitary district covering Shenandoah Shores. Pursuant to the court order, Warren County was given the statutory authority to impose an additional real estate tax on owners of property within the sanitary district to provide funding for maintaining the water supply systems, streets, and street signs. Consistent with the assignment of rights from Shenandoah Shores, Incorporated, SSPOA took on the responsibility of maintaining the streets and street signs in the subdivision while the Shenandoah Shores Cooperative Water Association was assigned the responsibility to operate and maintain the water supply systems serving the development. These sanitary district responsibilities were later memorialized in separate agreements between SSPOA and SSCWA and the County. Then, in 2013, SSCWA was merged into SSPOA in accordance with another Warren County Circuit Court order so that SSPOA alone is responsible for maintaining the water supply systems, streets, and street signs as the entity charged with fulfilling sanitary district responsibilities.
Over time, amendments were recorded in land records in 1994, 2013, and 2017 purporting to change the original covenants which applied to the six sections of the community. Among other things, these amendments sought to expand certain rights and responsibilities of SSPOA. However, in reviewing these amendments, it appears to be clear that none of the amendments were properly approved because the amendments were not approved in writing by a majority of owners of lots in each section of Shenandoah Shores. In order to ensure all property owners are aware of the covenants that actually apply to their property, SSPOA has posted a copy of each set of covenants applicable to each section under the Forms & Documents tab of this website.
Given these conclusions, we wish to make clear the role SSPOA serves for Shenandoah Shores.
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SSPOA’s sole responsibilities are to fulfill its sanitary district responsibilities with the County – SSPOA maintains the water supply systems, roads, and street sights.
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SSPOA is not a property owners’ association, nor is it subject to the Virginia Property Owners’ Association Act or Resale Disclosure Act.
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Membership in SSPOA is not required for all property owners in Shenandoah Shores.
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SSPOA does not have the power to generally enforce the covenants against all of the lots in Shenandoah Shores.
The Board will be reviewing these conclusions and determining what, if any, changes will be attempted; however, no changes to the covenants can be accomplished without the written agreement of a majority of owners in each of the six sections of Shenandoah Shores. Should any SSPOA member or Shenandoah Shores resident have any suggestions, please provide them in writing to the Board.