Community FAQ’s



  • 1.Neighborhood FAQ's
    All concerns FAQ
  • We’re buying a house in Bretton Ridge, is there an association or homeowners dues for our neighborhood?
    jonathanjarc26-08-2016

    Yes. First, welcome to the neighborhood! It’s a great place to live, play or raise a family. The Bretton Ridge development does have an association and a seven-member board of trustees. Every home in the development – by deed – is automatically a part of the association. The annual fees for the association are listed on our payments page here. Annual dues help to support the maintenance and upkeep of the park, salaries for the lifeguards and managers, various licenses, taxes, utilities, landscaping, capital improvements, communications and more. Each home in Bretton Ridge is required to pay dues. There are a few options for senior homeowners, homeowners not wishing to use the pool and park, or a full-access dues.  See the dues page for a breakdown of options and benefits. *We also offer a ‘non-resident’ pass to the pool and park for homeowners outside of the boundaries of the Bretton Ridge development.*

  • Does the HOA control what I can do on my property? Are there rules for fences, sheds or other things like that?
    jonathanjarc26-08-2016

    No. The bi-laws for the association are not specific when it comes to what you can and cannot do with your own property. So, the HOA does not restrict the building or modification of any part of your own home. However, the City of North Olmsted does have very clear guiding principles for improvements, updates, changes and additions to properties in the city. The HOA will default to ordinances put in place by the city, it’s boards, and its directors. BR homeowners should always check the city guidelines before doing anything major on your own property.

  • Is there any kind of brochure or information that describes what happens in Bretton Ridge? What kind of place it is to live?
    jonathanjarc26-08-2016

    Yes! It’s a great place to live! In the spring of 2016, the board and some very awesome volunteers put together a brochure of annual events, and a great description of our neighborhood. You can get your copy here:

    Bretton Ridge Homeowners Brochure

    Please keep checking back to this website for up-to-date information and access to our social media connections. Our website and social pages will have calendars and events updated regularly.

  • I have a problem with something happening in the neighborhood. Who do I talk to?
    jonathanjarc26-08-2016

    That will depend on what your question is, of course. First, please use the list of current trustees on the sidebar of this website. The trustees are listed there by their various responsibilities – they are the ‘official’ source for the most correct information about the association. If you have issues with the pool, park, membership, or other ‘official’ HOA questions, please use the contacts listed here for the trustees. If you have general questions you feel could be answered by other residents (contractor recommendations, socials, etc.), please use our various social media pages on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.

  • Are non-residents of Bretton Ridge allowed to use the Park and Pool?
    jonathanjarc26-08-2016

    Yes and No. The Bretton Ridge park is for the private use of Bretton Ridge development residents. Generally, the park is open in early spring through late fall. Residents who have paid dues to use the park are welcome as long as the gates are unlocked. Non-residents of Bretton Ridge should always be accompanied by a resident for the pool and the park. The park is private and exclusive to Bretton Ridge. That being said, guests can come to the pool and pay $4 per day to swim with a resident who has paid their homeowners’ full dues. Guests will be charged $4 at the pool gate for a single-day pass. This year (2016), we are going to offer a 10 pass punch card to guests of Bretton Ridge residents. This way, guests can pay for multiple visits in advance and will not have to worry about carrying cash or correct change. This is perfect for out-of-town guests, friends, caregivers, or other full-paying residents in need of some extra visits. The 10 visit pass costs $40 and comes with one additional ‘free visit’ (ours go to 11). The guest passes can be purchased online, or at the pool gate and are only valid during the season in which they are purchased.

  • I heard about these guest passes. There’s only one person in my family that uses the pool. Can we just buy a bunch of those instead of paying full-dues?
    jonathanjarc26-08-2016

    No. Homes and residents of Bretton Ridge are subject to the bi-laws and restrictions in the neighborhood code for pool use. Therefore, if you live here, and want to use the pool, you need to pay full-dues in order for one or all of your family members to use the pool.

  • Do pre-paid guest passes expire?
    jonathanjarc26-08-2016

    No. Each pre-paid guest pass or punch-card purchased has no expiration. There are no cash refunds for unused visits, but as long as you paid for them, we will honor them.

  • What do you consider ‘family’ when it comes to using the pool?
    jonathanjarc26-08-2016

    Anyone in your immediate family is considered ‘family’ and is covered to use the pool when your home pays full-dues. Homeowners and their immediate dependents are included as family…parents and their children. There are other family members who would be considered ‘guests’ and would need to pay to use the pool each visit. For example; grandchildren, cousins, children you babysit regularly, out-of-town guests, and school friends would all be considered guests at the pool. In this situation, you could purchase a ‘guest’ pass, and any of your guests could use the visits when accompanied by a resident.

  • What happens if I move out (or plan to move out) of Bretton Ridge before the end of the year? Do I still owe dues?
    jonathanjarc26-08-2016

    Yes. Dues are to be paid on or before June 1st, for an entire year. That being said, if you choose not to pay before you move, the title to your home may not be considered ‘clear’. The HOA is contacted regularly by title companies about dues owed, and we regularly collect dues in arrears when a property in BR is transferred. These are payments made by the title company to the HOA to clear the title for transfer. The actual title fees are then passed on to the seller or the buyer depending on the purchase agreement. The HOA will typically collect dues owed in either case. Of course, we would prefer to make it easy on everyone by collecting dues in the ‘traditional’ sense when they are due each year.

  • How do I know if the home I am buying owes dues or is current?
    jonathanjarc26-08-2016

    You can always contact the membership trustee listed on the website for the most current information on your property. Please feel free to call or email, and be sure to leave the property address for reference.

  • We moved in a few years ago, and just heard about paying dues, what should we do?
    jonathanjarc26-08-2016

    The simple answer to that question is to bring your account current as soon as possible. We are interested in getting homes current as quickly as possible, so please contact the membership trustee or the board president to work out a solution that fits your budget, and brings your account current as quickly as possible. There are options. We apologize for any communication errors on our part about the obligations of the HOA. We are constantly working on improving the way we communicate information to residents, so we apologize if this messaging didn’t make it to your home. Please let us know if you have suggestions on how we can better communicate to new (and old) neighbors.

  • I would like to get more involved in running a social or doing stuff around the neighborhood – how can I do that?
    jonathanjarc26-08-2016

    We are always looking for new blood to get involved in all of our programming or to suggest updates and changes to how we do things! Please contact either the social trustee or any of the people listed on the board to get involved. If you are interested in running to become a trustee, each year, the board of trustees holds an open meeting for residents and open elections. This annual meeting takes place in February.

  • I heard that there is a north side and a south side to Bretton Ridge. Is this true?
    jonathanjarc26-08-2016

    Yes. It is! Bretton Ridge is made up of about 570 homes, and stretches from Lorain road on the north side, over I-480 and through to Warrington and Westminster Dr. The original land maps for the development were filed in 1964 and included all these properties. In the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, I-480 was built and created a split right down the middle. br-crossing-mapThe freeway project stretches for 42 miles, and connects the east-side and west-side south suburbs, and our development was one of many to be affected by the construction. We often joke about the north and south sides of the development, and even go so far as to have an annual ‘north-south’ Olympics down at the park. All the homes in both ‘sides’ are a part of the Bretton Ridge community and are eligible to use the park and pool. There’s an interesting connection between the two sides you may take on foot if you are game. A highway pedestrian bridge connects the two sides from the south end of Christman Drive over to Bretton Ridge Drive. Give it a try some time – if you are feeling a little daring!