Friendly Reminders

The speed limit throughout the community is 25 mph. This can at times, seem agonizingly slow. But, please take a minute to note how many of our neighbors walk, run, or bike at all times of the day and night in all kinds of weather conditions. Please take the time to remind all of the drivers in your household that the time you may save by driving faster isn’t worth risking an accident.

We know you can’t keep ‘em quiet all the time, but please⁠—talk to your neighbors if barking is a concern. It’s so much easier to address potential issues with a friendly conversation first. The alternatives are grumpy neighbors and a letter of complaint from the board. So again, talk first. Many problems can be resolved quickly and respectfully.

Don’t let your pet leave a mess. This includes commons areas, ditches, and far-reaching areas of your neighbor’s lawn. A pet station has been installed at the entrance to the commons complete with bags and a dedicated disposal bin. Please don’t dispose of pet bags in the trash at the pool or picnic shelter because picnics and poo are not cool!

The bathrooms at the commons area are officially open from Memorial Day through Labor Day. As weather permits, we can sometimes open earlier but as you venture forth for walks or trips to the playset in early spring or late fall, the best rule of thumb is to take care of business before you leave the house.

Whether it’s snow in the winter or weeds in the summer, the fire hydrants in the community need to be kept clear for safety purposes. Feel free to lend a hand if you see a cluttered hydrant. From time to time our friends from the Doty volunteer fire department will conduct routine flushing and maintenance. If you see them in the neighborhood, please be sure to say thanks!

Regular septic tank maintenance is always a good idea and can help you avoid messy, smelly, costly, system backups (that will undoubtedly occur when you have guests over a holiday). Standard septic system guidelines state that tanks should be pumped every 3 years at a minimum. Other very helpful septic information can be found on the Pennington County website.

Our commons area lawn is mowed, trimmed, and maintained via contracted services during the summer months. Likewise, garbage services are provided for spring clean-up and continue through the summer. Please do not use the commercial trash receptacle for personal disposal. It’s there for commons area use and fills quickly during the busy summer months.

It pays to know where your curb stops are. Check along your front property line⁠—often around a transformer, they are metal, circular in shape, and about 3 inches in diameter. They require a key to operate, and should only be accessed by a licensed plumber. You should also know where your interior water shut-off is located⁠—check around your hot water heater or where your water service enters the house. In an emergency, you’ll be glad you know!

Please be mindful of the kids and pets at play in the neighborhood. We are fortunate to have plenty of wide-open spaces for running, chasing, and all sorts of game playing but we don’t have sidewalks. Kids and pets aren’t always as focused on traffic as they should be. As drivers, we must remind ourselves to SLOW down. Do it for the kids. Do it for Fido⁠—they’ll thank you!

Suddenly everyone in your household is driving? Garage overflowing? Boats, RVs, side-by-sides, and other toys are all fun and have their season but please consider the view from across the street. We encourage all residents to refer to the covenants for guidance related to rules on how and where to store your planes, trains, and automobiles. Your cooperation is appreciated.

If you are planning an addition or alteration to the exterior of your home⁠—fences, siding, and new paint colors included, or are thinking about adding a garage or other outbuildings, our covenants require that you first submit plans, specifications, and/or color swatches to the Architectural Committee for approval. These rules are in place to ensure consistency and continuity within the development and also to help keep us up to speed on new materials, design trends, and the aesthetic preferences of the community.

We’ll be sad to see you go! Wherever your adventures take you– we wish you well! When you place your house on the market, you are responsible for notifying the bookkeeper via email of your intent to sell. Next, when you secure a closing date, please notify the bookkeeper (again) and provide contact information for the new residents. Remember, you are responsible for all associated fees until bookkeeping has the new resident information.

SCCE sits squarely in the Black Hills Fire Protection District. Wildfires are a serious threat to our beautiful forest and neighborhood. Please respect the “zero fireworks” regulation and skip the sparklers. Absolutely NO fireworks are to be discharged at any time anywhere within the development. There are several locations in and around the Hills that provide safe, supervised fireworks displays– save your oohhs and aahhs for designated shows. The illegal use of fireworks is an offense punishable by a fine of up to $500, 30-days in jail, or both. Don’t risk it.

Fire pits are allowed but again, please use caution and follow safety guidelines. We recommend that your fire is at least 15 feet from things that will catch fire including trees, overhanging branches, walls, decks, and patios. Be ready to put the fire out. Keep a bucket of water, shovel, connected garden hose, or fire extinguisher close by. Someone who can extinguish the fire must monitor the fire at all times. Sparks can quickly start an unwanted fire, especially on warm and windy days. If your smoke is bothering your neighbors, you may need to put the fire out.

It just takes a minute to call or email a board or committee member with your community-related thoughts, suggestions, or ideas. In order for feedback to be representative of the whole community, we need you to reach out, get involved and stay in touch. We’re always looking for volunteers and input to help make SCCE even better! And, if you are looking for an easy way to keep up on neighborhood news and connect with your neighbors, check out the SCCE Facebook group and the SCCE NextDoor.com neighborhood. Both platforms are free and private.

Any type of fire can be extremely dangerous in our forested neighborhood. A temporary burn permit is required to burn slash piles within the Black Hills Forest Fire Protection District. Burn Permits for open burning in the Black Hills Forest Fire Protection District are issued from November 1st thru March 31st each winter. The permits are only valid to use for burning slash piles when there is continuous snow cover, the depth of the snow is at least 2 inches for small slash piles and 6 inches for large slash piles. For additional guidance, contact the Doty Volunteer Fire Department.