If you have a question not addressed anywhere below, or otherwise need to get in touch with someone, log in to RowCal and use the applicable form or email the Care Team at CareTeam@rowcal.com. You can also call them at 512-5804212. RowCal business hours are posted on the HOA support page. The general Board email is Board@saratogahillsaustin.com.
For more information on how the Board operates or why we do what we do, please see the note to the community linked below.
The property manager handles complaints via email, calls or forms. When complaints are received, they send a courtesy letter first, or otherwise evaluate the nature of the violation. All complaints are evaluated in accordance with our CC&Rs and our actions are directed by our Bylaws. Per the management contact and in order to maintain our property values, the management representative visits the neighborhood 2x per month from March through October and once per month in other months. If something specific is brought to RowCal's attention, they will follow our Bylaws and enforce. If you have a specific complaint, please include details, as well as the address, date, time and nature of the violation and let RowCal know.
For all payments and billing questions, please log in to your RowCal account. The link is below. For more detailed information, see the Payments and Accounts box on the Member Home page of this site.
The Architectural Review Request form is found on the RowCal website. If you do not have an account yet, see "Join RowCal" in the top nav bar. All requests should be submitted using the RowCal website. Follow the instructions found there and the request will be routed to the members of the ACC. Check back in the portal for updates. Requests can take up to 30-days; or longer if an application is incomplete. Please plan your project accordingly. The current fee for submission is $50.00.
The builders often included a remote upon closing of homes and previous owners can pass them along. You can order one on Amazon using the link below. The HOA does not provide any clickers. The clickers that are sold on Amazon arrive pre-programmed using the "dip switches" inside. It should work by default. If it does not, see the dip switch info in THIS LINK.
Reach Rowcal with a service order in their portal or email the Care Team at CareTeam@rowcal.com.
For Amazon, we use 1999 (time restricted 7am to10pm)
For other deliveries use 2121 (24/7)
After an initial survey (with three choices) ahead of the annual meeting, and a follow up survey with the two final choices, the entrance and exit gates will be held open during "peak hours" only.
While these could be adjusted slightly by the Board over time, the current hours are:
There are two general types of requests we see for these - both require submission and approval before you begin construction or place the building:
For "matching", you submit the ACC request using the process and form found on the website, detail the materials to be used, size, placement on property (inside build lines/setbacks) etc. Once received, the ACC reviews and approves or comments. Keep in mind, matching means stone all around, roof pitch, stucco, color of stucco - everything matches).
For non matching, the placement requirements are the same (inside Build lines and setbacks) and submission is the same as to where it is, but it must be stated that it will be screened completely from neighboring properties and the street. "Completely" is where we get most of the questions. If you plant trees to block the high parts and shrubs to block the low parts and you end up seeing the shed when the wind blows for example, that is ok. If you buy a composite shed, and don't block the roofline etc, we get complaints. The best thing to do is show your neighbor(s) what you are doing, and if they say it is sufficiently screened, you generally don't have any issues.
No. We live in the Dripping Springs ETJ, which means we attend Dripping Schools and have access to some services, but we are only subject to the County when it comes to permitting. There are neighborhoods in the ETJ who are subject to permitting by agreement at the time they were constructed. It depends on a "development agreement", which would have been put in place using very specific procedures - these procedures and approvals were not followed when developing Saratoga Hills. While the City has in the past tried to enforce permits, they now recognize our independence and published the above list for neighborhoods where agreements were properly put in place.
Yes; Saratoga Hills Austin HOA. This group is owned and operated by the Board, with selected residents to act as moderators. If you are not a regular Facebook user, you can find all official communications from the HOA here on this site, or by registering with RowCal for your community account. The Facebook page is not always monitored by the Board, and should not be considered the most effective way to communicate with the Board. For anything urgent, please email us at Board@saratogahillsaustin.com.
Yes! Visit the RowCal link below for more details. You should have received info on creating your account with your account number in Feb, 2024. If you did not, please reach the RowCal Care Team at CareTeam@rowcal.com or 512-580-4212.
Areas the HOA/Property Manager handles:
Areas you may need County Authorities:
Annual dues are paid on, or before, January 15th each year. Please see the Payments & Account page accessible from the Member Home page here on this site.
The short answer is yes. The State of Texas has laws that dictate what an HOA can or cannot restrict when it comes to solar. For roof mounted, they must conform to the slope of the roof, closely match color (there are a few options), and not extend past the top peak of the roof. For ground mount there are a few more restrictions, like where, and height off the ground, in addition to color. All solar additions must be submitted through the ACC process.
Fireworks are allowed, but ONLY during times posted on this website by the Board. On January 19, 2022 we held a community meeting, and the survey leading up to the meeting collected feedback on the days and hours of permitted Fireworks throughout the year. As each Holiday approaches, the Board will post the approved Fireworks days and times on the site. Setting off Fireworks outside of the approved hours will result in a $500 fine for the first occurrence as the Texas Property Code defines the violation of this type as an "uncurable" offense (See 202.006 sub-section "(h)"). Fines may escalate from there. No times outside of Hays County approved legal times will be posted. During periods of extreme drought, often indicated by a Hays County burn ban, the Board may decide against any Fireworks hours for any given holiday. See the Fireworks Survey results in the "All Surveys" page linked from "Member Home."
The short answer is yes. While the ordinance itself applies to Dripping Springs, and we are technically in the "ETJ" (Extra-Territorial Jurisdiction), the community (originally through the Developer and now through the Board) has chosen to follow Dark Sky as a requirement for us. This is enforced through the ACC. You can find the ordinance itself in the link below. The ACC approves all changes to landscaping and external home improvements. Any changes, especially changes such as adding outdoor lighting or removing the light shields that ensure the reduction in light trespass, must receive approval. The ACC will not approve changes that run counter to the Dark Sky ordinance.
The HOA Bylaws permit just about any addition that the board votes and the neighborhood funds. The question is more - how bad does the community want it (whatever "it" is). The board serves the community and regularly takes surveys around key issues; like landscaping, dogs, or just about anything else. Landscaping and covers on mailboxes are not truly must have's though many want them. In our current budget (2021) it would take a significant raise of dues, plus a special assessment to fund.
The short answer is "sure" - we can manage the budget in whatever way the community wants. To date, however, the majority of responses can be summed up as "keep things minimal and add whatever you like to your own backyard, don't raise my dues to add more stuff." We run a fairly tight budget, as our expenses are pretty predictable. We have landscaping, water bill, property taxes on open space, and some administrative costs like mailings, website etc. We are running a surplus to hold funds in reserve for the road repairs that will be coming, but aside from that we try to keep dues low. As always, as community sentiment develops, the Board remains happy to serve and coordinate should opinions change. See the historical emails and surveys for more on past discussions regarding these items.
See the link below to a wealth of info on Septic Management as shared by a local septic company. Quick answer: if your light is on, see if it is red vs yellow. Yellow is often high water after a rain. Red may mean a failed aerator, or other problem and you need the repair company out. You should have a company that checks your septic every quarter by contract (per Hays County law).
The Bylaws of the Association make up the "operating manual" of the corporation, which is Saratoga Hills HOA Inc. The Board is elected by Members according to the Bylaws and CC&Rs. These Governing documents contain specific instructions as to authority and "powers" vs what must be decided by the Community. Generally speaking, the Board has broad authority over things like budgeting, the management company approach, legal issues, violations, variances etc. Many items have boundaries in place, like the ability to raise dues (a maximum of 20% each year) and the requirement that the Board cast its vote for such a change in a properly noticed open Board meeting
Check with RowCal (Careteam@rowcal.com). You should also check your spam folder.
Yes. Texas Property Code Chapter 209 covers Property Owner protections and includes governance of many HOA actions including who can be on the Board, elections, notices, the ACC, fines, foreclosures and many other topics.
If you need to provide access to the public version of our documents (takes out meeting minutes access etc), see the link below. This is also accessible to visitors of saratogahillsaustin.com when they are not logged in (they see different options when not logged in). There are a few fees when selling a home - See below:
These fees are charged at closing and are remitted with the final closing paperwork after closing.
