CA
At a Glance 2015
FISCAL YEAR May 1, 2014 through April 30, 2015
Looking toward the
future! We’ve created a Comprehensive Plan for Serving the Older Adult Community, opened the Columbia DogPark, commenced design and engineering for the Haven on the Lake mind and body wellness retreat, launched a new ColumbiaAssociation.org website and updated Columbia Association’s strategic plan. There’s a lot going on with CA these days! Our new mission statement is “working every day in hundreds of ways to make Columbia an even better place to live, work and play.” CA has been working hard to provide residents with numerous facilities and programs, as well as to plan for and think about the future of the community with large-scale projects and initiatives. CA is proud to be a major part of what makes this community so fantastic. n
We love our members,
and throughout this publication you’ll see photos of our members taken during our annual photo shoot.
get inspired
speak
UP
Help shape Columbia’s future!
CA has a community engagement website, InspireColumbia.com, and we need your feedback! The site was designed to engage Columbia community members in conversation with CA by submitting ideas in response to topics and questions posted. The topics posted are related to CA’s organizational goals, and each serves to garner public opinion on how to maintain and enhance the quality of life for people living and working in Columbia.
2 What is Columbia Association? Columbia Association (CA) is in the quality-of-life business. Columbia is not a city; rather, it’s a planned community. CA is a private, not-for-profit community service corporation which not only provides high-quality facilities and programs for residents to enjoy, but also maintains the open space land in Columbia, helps keep property values in the area high, supports standards for altering homes’ exteriors on CA-assessed property, protects and restores Columbia’s waterways and more. Columbia has won numerous awards for being one of the best places in the country for people to live, and it’s thanks in part to CA’s involvement that the community is as desired and well-regarded as it is. n
Property values and the benefits of living in Columbia Did you know that homes in the US within a three-block radius of a park or open space have higher property values? The majority of homes in Columbia meet that criteria, and it’s CA that provides and maintains approximately 3,600 acres of open space, which includes almost 94 miles of pathways, 167 tot lots, three lakes and 41 ponds. The village community associations in Columbia set and enforce the architectural
$
3,307 More
the amount people are willing to pay for a home near permanently preserved open space rather than pastureland that could be developed in the future. —Journal of American Planning Association
covenants (the exterior alteration standards) for homes in Columbia. The covenant system is administered by each individual village community association, and each association has its own Resident Architectural Committee made up of residents in that village. You can learn more about your village’s guidelines at ColumbiaVillages.org. n
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Columbia Village Community Associations •
Enforcing covenants
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Providing resources and referral services for residents
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Advocating for residents at the village, Columbia and county level
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Fostering partnerships between villages, Columbia Association and Howard County
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Facilitating information sessions and community meetings
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Managing, maintaining and renting out CA’s village buildings and neighborhood centers
•
handles what? Columbia Association • Maintaining fitness facilities,
golf clubs, tennis and basketball courts and swimming pools • Operating the Columbia Ice Rink,
Columbia Horse Center (via lease), Columbia SportsPark/SkatePark • Operating the Columbia Art
Center, Youth and Teen Center at the The Barn, Columbia Archives and Volunteer Center Serving Howard County • Providing Before and After
Offering programming, including classes, camps and lectures
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Creating village master plans
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Working with village merchants
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Communicating to residents via newsletters, websites and social media
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Encouraging neighbor-toneighbor connectivity via block parties, beautification grants and block captains You can learn more at ColumbiaAssociation.org/ Villages
concerts and films at the Downtown Columbia Lakefront • Providing summer camps • Maintaining approximately
3,600 acres of open space • Developing plans to improve
the connectivity of the pathway system in Columbia • Developing plans to protect
and restore Columbia’s watershed
School Care to Howard County students
Hosting individual village events and partnering with all villages for Columbia-wide special events
•
• Organizing free summer
You can learn more at ColumbiaAssociation.org; click on “About Us.”
Howard County Government Schools and library management • Water and sewer management • Road maintenance and snow removal • Waste and recycling collection • County parks and recreation facilities •
• Watershed
management/ restoration • Inspections, licenses and permits • Planning and zoning management • Historic preservation • Police, fire and rescue services
You can learn more at co.ho.md.us.
4 Columbia Association
Budget CA’s Fiscal Year 2015 budget was approved by CA’s Board of Directors in February 2014. The total revenues for the FY 2015 budget are $1.9 million higher than the FY 2014 budgeted total revenues. The budgeted total operating expenses for FY 2015 are $63.3 million, which is about $2.3 million higher than FY 2014 budgeted total expenses. Learn more about CA’s budgets for Fiscal Year 2015 at ColumbiaAssociation.org, click on “Transparency” and “CA Budget.” n
How is the CA annual charge calculated? If you have walked through the woods, fished in a lake, called your village community association for information, enjoyed an outdoor pool, attended a free summer concert on the Downtown Columbia Lakefront or voted in a village election, you have experienced some of the benefits of the CA annual charge. The CA Board of Directors has the authority to set the rate to a maximum of 75 cents per $100 of valuation assessed on 50 percent of the fair market value, as determined by the state of Maryland for real estate tax purposes. The current rate is set at 68 cents. Residents contribute approximately 70 percent of the annual charge revenue, and the business community contributes approximately 30 percent. Columbia Association applies the same methodology used by Howard County and the state with respect to their caps on property taxes, and they don’t apply those caps in calculating taxes due on a property in the year following the purchase. The income provided by the annual charge, while significant, covers a little more than half of the cost of the services provided by Columbia Association. Therefore, some of the most popular activities and services, such as Package Plan and facility memberships, require the payment of dues and fees. Since CA resident members pay membership dues and the annual charge, their dues are significantly lower than those paid by non-CA residents. For example, CA resident families normally pay approximately 35 to 55 percent less for a membership in the Package Plan or for the outdoor pools than non-CA residents. For information about your annual charge, call the Annual Charge Hotline at 410-715-3058 or visit WhyIPayCA.org. n
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MORE INFORMATION
can be found regarding CA and the issues on the horizon
in Fiscal Year 2015 by visiting ColumbiaAssociation.org. Columbia Association FY 2015 Approved Budget ($000’s) Summary of Funds, Expenditures and Annual Borrowings
where the money comes from
$74,100
Sport and Fitness Income $26,780 36.1%
Residential Annual Charge $22,651 30.6%
Commercial Annual Charge $12,196 16.4%
Borrowings $7,706 10.4%
Community Services Programs $4,136 5.6%
Interest and Others $631 0.9%
where the money is used
$74,100
* Total Capital Expenditures of $14,810 have been increased by $558 due to certain unallocated non-cash adjustments.
Board of Directors: Includes administrative costs for supporting the CA Board
* The most recent financial statements and independent audit report are located at ColumbiaAssociation.org.
Departmental costs related to supporting the organization
This data representation is not in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
Sport/Fitness Programs and Facilities $26,953 36.4%
Capital Expenditures* $15,368 20.7%
Open Space Management $12,280 16.6%
Community Services Programs $5,999 8.1%
Village Community Associations $4,981 6.7%
Debt Repayment $4,338 5.8%
Administrative Services:
Capital Expenditures: Includes items such as construction and improvements to new and existing buildings and land, as well as costs for vehicles, equipment, etc.
Contingencies/ Administrative Other Services $1,793 $1,445 2.4% 2.0%
Board of Directors $943 1.3%
6 For about $1.28 a day,* you help make Columbia one of the
best places to live in thecountry. We think that’s a pretty good investment. The average Columbia resident household pays an annual charge of just $1.28 a day, per person. This gives all of us open space, lakes, bridges, pathways, village community centers, tot lots and concerts; reduces the cost for camps, pools, gyms, golf and tennis; helps support bigger projects such as completing a pathway loop around Lake Kittamaqundi and improved pathway connectivity around Columbia; village center master planning; watershed protection and restoration; and more. When you figure a latte at your local coffee shop averages about $4, what you pay CA goes pretty far.
FAQs& answers Why do I have to pay CA? CA is a community-controlled, private, non-profit service corporation created to provide services and amenities for the benefit of Columbia. In order to ensure that financial resources will always be available to maintain CA’s property and amenities, the developers of Columbia added to every CA residential, commercial or industrial property CA covenants, which are attached to every deed that requires you to pay the annual charge.
Will my lender pay the annual charge for me? Some lenders do and some don’t; check your mortgage escrow account and speak with your lender. The annual charge resembles a tax to the extent that it is a first lien against your property and has priority over your mortgage. Why do I now pay more than the previous owner? The state’s phase-in value is used the first year following a purchase to calculate the annual charge, and that value may be higher than the previous owner’s last value.
Are you wondering why you pay an annual charge? WhyIPayCA.org
We invite you to go to WhyIPayCA.org to learn more about where your annual charge goes. The more you know, the more we think you’ll feel good knowing how much you get for your money.
*
$1.28 a day per person based on an average residential property value of $350,000 with an average of 2.53 persons per household.
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Watershed Energy Management
&
CA operations effect the environment in numerous ways through the management of our facilities and open space. Below we highlight aspects of our operations that effect energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, watershed quality and waste management. Energy and GHG Emissions
Waste Management
Watershed Management
CA is actively working to reduce the energy consumption and GHG emissions associated with its operations. Numerous upgrades have been made throughout CA’s building portfolio to reduce lighting loads, improve the efficiency of air conditioning and water heating equipment and operate our facilities so they use less energy. Reducing CA’s energy consumption by 10 percent will save approximately $250,000 in utility costs and reduce GHG emissions by 1,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2e) each year.
CA actively works to manage its waste in a sustainable manner. From scrap metal recovery to plant material mulching and composting, CA is helping to reuse resources and divert materials away from landfills. These efforts help to reduce CA’s indirect GHG emissions associated with raw material production and landfill disposal.
CA’s watershed management program has been working hard to implement the Watershed Management Plan accepted by the CA Board of Directors in 2009. Stormwater runoff carries sediment into our streams, causes stream bank erosion and fills our lakes and ponds with the sediment. The runoff includes nitrogen and phosphorus carried off of lawns and pet waste from sidewalks and lawns, all of which end up in our lakes and ponds and degrade water quality. Program achievements to help address these issues include planting eight acres of trees, the construction of 10 bioretention facilities, and 3 large-scale stream restoration projects.
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Awards
Accol a des &
Columbia has been recognized with the following: Top Workplace The Baltimore Sun, 2013
Gold Level Healthy Workplace Healthy Howard, 2013 Number 2 Best Place to Live (jointly with Ellicott City), CNN/Money Magazine, 2010 Number 4 Best Place to Live (jointly with Ellicott City), CNN/Money Magazine, 2006 Number 7 Town to Live Well, Forbes Magazine, 2009 Number 8 Best Place to Live (jointly with Ellicott City), CNN/Money Magazine, 2008 and 2012 Number 8 City to Date a Nerd Match.com, 2011 Number 10 Perfect Suburb CNBC, 2011
Columbia Association and the business community Accolade after accolade make Columbia one the best places in the country for people to live, work and play. CA doesn’t just provide amenities and programs for residents. It also benefits the local businesses and our regional economy by providing quality-of-life amenities that make Columbia and the surrounding area more attractive for professionals, families and businesses to locate here. While 70 percent of CA’s annual charge revenue is collected from residents, 30 percent comes from businesses on CA-assessed property. If your company is located on property protected by CA covenants, your full-time employees can purchase an individual CA membership for themselves at the CA resident price or apply the individual discounts toward the purchase of a two-member or family membership. n
9 FY2014
Major accomplishments and initiatives FY2014 was a great year for Columbia Association (CA) and much was accomplished. Last fiscal year, CA completed “Community for a Lifetime — Columbia Association’s Comprehensive Plan for Serving the Older Adult Community” to better understand what older adults would like to see in terms of programs and services that can serve them as they age. The organization also finished work on the new Columbia DogPark in Harper’s Choice. Construction began on a new Hobbit’s Glen Golf Club clubhouse and turnhouse. CA also commenced the design and engineering for Haven on the Lake, a mind body wellness retreat in Downtown Columbia. CA’s newly designed website ColumbiaAssociation.org was launched, and a strategic plan was updated and approved. CA also started the Excite Columbia residents academy and hosted two sessions to educate residents on what Columbia Association does and how the organization operates. n
FY2015 Upcoming major initiatives As we look toward the future of the Columbia Association (CA) and our community, there are plenty of new initiatives on the horizon. At the beginning of the fiscal year, CA launched the new CA Strategic Plan to guide the direction of the CA Board of Directors and the organization as a whole. During this upcoming fiscal year, CA will also be focused on completing the clubhouse at the Hobbit’s Glen Golf Club. CA will also be moving forward to complete construction on and host the grand opening of the Haven on the Lake mind and body wellness retreat. To learn more about upcoming initiatives and projects, visit ColumbiaAssociation.org. n
A new spirit
within Columbia Association
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Get involved in the best community association Whether you have a few hours a week or a few days a month to offer, options are abound if you want to get more involved in local leadership. Columbia is a planned community governed by the Columbia Association (CA) Board of Directors (which handles the business affairs of CA) and the village community association boards (which manage the business affairs of the ten Columbia village community associations). But that’s not all. There are also committees and work
teams that could use the help of dedicated, thoughtful and enthusiastic Columbia residents. You can learn about the
Join the fun! Don’t have a
membership? No problem!
many leadership opportunities available in Columbia by visiting ColumbiaAssociation.org/ Leadership.
Columbia Card Available to Columbia Residents CA Amenities Without a Membership People who live on CA-assessed property pay reduced admission and program fees with a free Columbia Card. Visit the Membership Service Center and show your driver’s license or imprinted personal check to verify your residency.
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Get involved! Go to ColumbiaAssociation.org/Leadership
OPPORTUNITIES How to Participate in Columbia Association’s Facilities and Programs
Via Membership
Via Columbia Card
How to Join
You can sign up for membership at a single facility, or you can sign up for Package Plan, which provides you with access to all CA facilities. Membership prices are discounted for those who live or work on property protected by the CA covenants.
CA residents who don’t want to purchase a membership may obtain a free Columbia Card and access the membership facilities on a “pay-as-you-go” basis. The Columbia Card is available exclusively for residents who live on property protected by the CA covenants.
To purchase a membership plan or obtain a Columbia Card, visit CA’s Membership Service Center (MSC), Monday-Saturday from 10am-7pm, at 10221 Wincopin Circle, 21044 or call 410-730-1801. For more information on income-qualified discount programs and Earn-aMembership programs, contact the MSC.
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Connect with
Columbia Association It’s easier than ever to find us!
ColumbiaAssociation.org Facebook.com/ColumbiaAssociation Issuu.com/CA-ColumbiaAssociation Twitter.com/ColumbiaAssn YouTube.com/CATVchannel