Some as yet unidentified individuals or subcommittee of the SROA Rules & Regulations Update 2025 Task Force (the “R&R”) have — behind closed doors — proposed a horrific penalty on Sunriver owners who might dare to not pull a few weeds from their lot or commit other minor infractions. Here are the details …

Sunriver owners could be fined over $10,000 for not pulling weeds on their property

CURRENT RULES

1.05 Schedule of Fines

A. Except as otherwise provided in the Rules, the Scheduled Fine for violation of any Rule shall be an amount not exceeding:

1. $2,500 for a Class A offense and/or Suspension of Recreation access privileges.

2. $500 for a Class B offense and/or Suspension of Recreation access privileges.

3. $250 for a Class C offense and/or Suspension of Recreation access privileges.

4. $100 for a Class D offense and/or Suspension of Recreation access privileges.

5. $50 for a Class E offense and/or Suspension of Recreation access privileges.

6. $20 for a Class F offense and/or Suspension of Recreation access privileges.

4.01 Trees and Vegetation

B Privately owned properties

1.b. Failure of an owner to manage his/her privately owned property in compliance with SROA’s Noxious Weed Plan within thirty (30) days after written Notice of Deficiency constitutes a Class C offense. …

PROPOSED RULES

4. Enforcement and Fines: Failure to remedy a Notice of Deficiency within the stated timeline will result in escalating fines, as follows:

a) If not corrected within 60 days from date of notice: Class C offense. [$250]

b) If not corrected 30 days after the first fine or by the end of any approved weather extension: an additional fine equal to a Class B offense. [90 days = $750]

c) If not corrected 30 days after the second fine: an additional fine equal to a Class A offense. [120 days = $3,250]

d) For every subsequent 30-day period during which the violation remains unresolved: another fine equal to a Class A offense will be levied. [$5,750 … $8,250 … $10,750 …]

e) Fines are cumulative.

COMMENT

Note that 4(a) says “from the date of notice.” The current rules do not make clear what that date is; however, it appears to be when the SROA staff issues a “citation” asserting a violation. But the date on which the Magistrate or SROA Board makes a final, local determination that a violation actually occurred can be weeks or months later. So this proposal would royally screw owners as a result of the staff’s accusations only.

Obviously (you would think) this could not withstand appeal to the Deschutes County Circuit Court. But this is how the SROA Administration works to intimidate owners with potential budget-breaking escalation of fines and potentially large legal expenses so that most owners will simply comply, whether or not the citation was valid and lawful.

SROA ADMINISTRATION HYPOCRISY

In mid-summer 2025, my wife and I received a notice from the SROA demanding that we remove “Knapweed” from our two lots. I dutifully pulled about 10 small plants from our property, and over FIFTY Knapweed plants from the SROA “Common” area adjacent to our property.

Like so many other offenses (e.g., miles of barbed wire on SROA property lines along River Road), the SROA chooses to hammer owners, but refuses to accept comparable accountability.

ACTION

Send comments in an email to: infosroa@srowners.org
Include the following first sentence:
PLEASE FORWARD THESE COMMENTS TO THE RULES & REGULATION TASK TEAM AND THE SROA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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