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1. Is a property exchange permitted by SROA’s governing documents?
Yes, a property exchange is permissible by SROA governing documents. Section 3.04 of the Sunriver Consolidated Plan specifically addresses SROA land exchanges.
2. Has SROA ever exchanged property before?
Yes, back in December of 1993, the SROA membership voted overwhelmingly in favor of trading parcels of land in the resort core area with the resort, Sunriver Resort Limited Partnership (SRLP). The current property exchange measure includes the same parties (SROA and SRLP) that were previously involved. The 1993 property exchange provided SROA with ownership of the North Pool and north tennis complexes, as well as SROA’s public works yard/recycling area and Fort Rock Park.
3. Why an election?
There are two main reasons for holding an election for this measure. First, it is required that any exchange of association owned property be authorized by vote of the membership. Secondly, the South Pool will soon prove to be a liability for SROA relative to properly safeguarding the site and will eventually cost SROA in standard property ownership maintenance.
4. When is this election scheduled?
Ballots, along with a detailed voters information pamphlet, will be mailed to each SROA voting member on March 19, 2012. All ballots need to be returned to SROA no later than 12 p.m. on April 19, 2012.
5. Will I receive a ballot in the mail?
Each listed primary owner of a Sunriver property has a right to vote in SROA elections and will receive the election voting material and ballot in the mail.
6. Does the Resort get to vote? If so, how many votes do they get?
The Resort is a voting member of the community and as such they are entitled to participate in the election. They have a total of 134 votes to cast. Like any other member of SROA, the Resort is also responsible for paying SROA maintenance assessments and any special assessments authorized by the association.
7. I own a Sunriver home with several other partners, do we all get a vote?
No. Each property or individual unit within Sunriver is entitled to one vote. Multiple owners of an individual property or unit will have to coordinate casting their unit’s/property’s vote.
8. In order for the proposed property exchange to pass, what are the vote result requirements?
The Consolidated Plan of Sunriver is very clear on this matter requiring a 60% approval by those members ultimately exercising their voting rights for passage of the measure. With property exchange measures, the Consolidated Plan also requires a secondary threshold of a 60% approval by those who vote who also reside within the village where the parcel (South Pool) exists.
9. How can I find out the results of the election?
Upon the close of the election, the Election Committee begins to tabulate the vote results. After confirming the vote counts, they first notify the SROA board president and general manager and then post results in the SROA Administration foyer. SROA’s Communication Department will then post the election results on the association website. Ordinarily, the Election Committee is capable of completing their tasks on the day that an election officially closes.
10. Are there any costs to this property exchange?
Yes. All costs (e.g. surveys, appraisals, election materials) are to be borne equally by SROA and the Resort.
11. What measures were taken to make sure that the exchange is a fair deal for SROA?
Following in the footsteps of the 1993 property exchange, SROA has involved its legal counsel from the very beginning. To ensure that SROA has adequately fulfilled its fiduciary duty, an independent third party certified appraiser has been hired to examine each parcel and provide property valuations. In addition, SROA’s assembled team of staff, board members and volunteer owners has been working on the details of the property exchange from the onset.
12. Did SROA consider other uses for the South Pool?
While SROA explored various alternative uses (playground, performance arts venue, etc.) for the 1.54-acre South Pool property, each possibility encountered a similar set of drawbacks. Significant financial outlays required to reconfigure the property, not to mention the constrained parking and access to the property were all major detractors to any alternate use for the site. Thus, trading this property was deemed the most viable option for attaining SROA’s long range goals.
13. How does acquiring about 33 acres of land help SROA?
As the property exchange video presentation details, SROA stands to gain nearly 33 acres that will enable the association to properly plan for community-wide needs such as: river access, improved tennis facilities, enhanced public works and a better functioning recycling depot. In addition, SROA will more than double the riverfront gem known as Mary McCallum Park.
14. How does acquiring the 1.54-acre South Pool parcel help the Resort?
Imagine trying to plan the remodel of your home with someone other than you owning and using the living room. In many ways this analogy represents the current situation in the Resort area. The South Pool is that “living room” sitting in the very middle of the 50-acre Resort. By consolidating this property into the overall Resort core, the Resort will be able to plan and develop in the most logical and coordinated manner.
15. We owners recently voted to pay for increasing the reserves (2009) and for the SHARC (2010); won’t this property exchange hit our pocketbooks again?
No. One of the most pleasing features of this measure is that there are no special assessments for owners to pay. The SROA board sees this initiative as extremely important to our community’s long range planning and the enhancement of community-wide property values.
16. Instead of exchanging properties with the Resort, shouldn’t we try to sell the South Pool to the highest bidder?
Our governing documents prohibit selling association lands. And even if selling the parcel was permissible, the South Pool property is “landlocked” by Resort properties where access and parking are permitted through an easement with the Resort. The issue of restrictions to the easement for this parcel would limit SROA’s ability to offer the property to potential purchasers.
17. Where exactly are all of the parcels involved in this exchange located?
All of the properties under consideration are located within the boundaries of the Sunriver community and are outlined in the property exchange PowerPoint presentation and short video posted on the association website. While the Resort would be obtaining one parcel (1.54 acres in the heart of the Resort’s core), SROA would receive almost 33 acres in seven separate parcels located throughout the community.
18. What valuations did the appraiser come up with for all of the properties?
The independent appraiser is working on confirming the values for each parcel. When available, they will be included here and in the voters information pamphlet that accompanies the special election ballot. 19. Could the Resort simply rebuild the South Pool for their private use? If so, they could be in direct competition with our new SHARC facility!
No. As part of this property exchange the Resort has agreed to placing a restriction on the South Pool property that would prohibit the operation of an aquatic facility. When approached with this request, the Resort pointed to their support of SHARC along with nearly three quarters of a million dollars of funding for the SHARC as added assurance that they have no intentions of constructing and operating a pool at that site.
20. Lifting of certain deed restrictions is also being considered, what is this all about?
A comprehensive overview is available at “Deed Restrictions Explained” within the Property Exchange Information section of the SROA website. In a nutshell, the deed restriction removals being considered are those within the Resort’s core (lodge area) that were originally drawn up by the Resort ownership and implemented as part of the previous 1993 property exchange between SROA and the Resort. Regardless of the deed restrictions, all county zoning ordinances, along with all SROA design rules and processes, will remain in full effect.
21. Are all of the Resort deed restrictions being lifted through this ballot measure?
No. The only restrictions being considered are those within the Sunriver Resort core. The Resort has acreage by the river and in the great meadow area where restrictions previously imposed will remain in place.
22. Other than property, is there any other compensation due SROA in this exchange?
There will be no monetary exchange other than SROA and the Resort agreeing to share all legal, surveying and appraisal costs, and equally share the costs associated with this ballot measure.
23. How many acres does the Resort currently own?
The Resort and it affiliated companies own 928 acres of property within Sunriver.
24. If we exchange properties, what will we be leaving in place at the South Pool for the Resort?
The main bathhouse and all site fencing will remain in place. However, prior to this election deadline SROA will be demolishing the pool shells, decking and associated pool equipment as per the decommissioning plan for the South Pool. The plan is to grind the material on site and place the material into the pool cavity area.
25. We had to address an asbestos issue at the SHARC site, have we made sure that the properties SROA will be gaining do not pose the same issue?
All properties involved in the proposed property exchange will undergo an environmental assessment.
26. Is SROA gaining only land through this trade? Are there any structures that SROA will acquire?
As part of a successful property trade, SROA will be acquiring the Resort’s golf course maintenance facility adjacent to the SROA Public Works yard. It has several storage sheds along with a large maintenance building.
27. Does this exchange affect the work going on at the Village in any way?
No.
28. How does this exchange affect SROA’s long-range amenity planning?
By obtaining nearly 33 acres, SROA will be able to complete their amenities and site facilities master planning for the community. SROA will be able to comprehensively plan for: enhanced tennis facilities, improved recycling and public works facilities, expand and improve our parks as well as finally address the issue of river access.
29. I heard that SROA will get the entire marina with this exchange…is this true?
No, this statement is incorrect. While true that SROA would possess ample acreage with frontage on the marina lagoon, the Resort will retain ownership of their developed marina, buildings, docks and parking areas (approximately 11 acres). The Hola! restaurant property of .36 acres (previously the Trout House) will remain as in independent private ownership. A successful property trade will result in SROA owning all of the property surrounding both Resort and Hola! properties on the marina lagoon.
30. We don’t need an exchange; can’t we simply lease the South Pool property to the Resort?
The Resort has no interest in leasing the South Pool property. Additionally, the South Pool property as it exists severely limits the Resort’s ability to effectively improve their overall Resort core.
31. Does this exchange affect my SROA maintenance fee amount?
None whatsoever. There is no SROA assessment or maintenance fee increase caused by this ballot measure.
32. Does this ballot measure include any zoning changes?
No. Deschutes County governs any zoning change and outside of recording new property lines, the county will have no involvement with this measure. The same zoning that exists today will continue to govern all of the properties involved in this property exchange.
33. Doesn’t more acreage mean higher property taxes for SROA?
No. As a 501c-4 organization, SROA does not pay property taxes on common property owned by the association.
34. Doesn’t less acreage for the Resort mean lower taxes for them in the end?
The Resort pays close to three quarters of a million dollars annually in property taxes. It is estimated that the exchange of properties would result in a net tax reduction to the Resort in the neighborhood of $2,000 (depending on future county property assessment of the property).
35. Does Deschutes County also have to approve this property exchange?
The decision to accept or deny this property exchange measure rests solely with the voting members of the SROA.
36. I rent out my Sunriver property as a vacation rental, how does this property exchange affect me?
Initially, there will be little to no effect. However, through an improved Resort core and SROA’s ability to continue making community-wide improvements, the impact of this measure will eventually provide owners and guests with an enhanced Sunriver community.
37. I have a question about land use restrictions and the proposed exchange. With the SHARC facility about to open, it is in our best interest to make sure that the South Pool facility is razed, and to have legal assurances that the Resort will not use that parcel to build a competing aquatic facility in the future. Are we protected in the proposed exchange from the possibility that the Resort could use the South pool parcel for a pool facility in the future? Dan Oswald, 9 Warbler West Lane
Good question, Dan. From the jump, we have been clear with the resort that we would need such an assurance. It has been agreed to and will be accomplished via a deed restriction. Furthermore, the property will be razed except for the bath house and fencing which possibly could be used by the resort in some fashion, for example, as additional restrooms for their Resort functions.
38. I need more information? How do I find out more?
Explore the other menu items available on this website: www.sunriverowners.org or visit the SROA Administrative Building located at 57455 Abbot Drive.
39. My question was not addressed here, who can I ask?
We would love to hear your question. Please contact us at
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