RHAC By-Laws

Pursuant to Section 3.01 of the River Hill Community Association, Inc. (RHCA) By-Laws, the River Hill Architectural Committee (RHAC), has been established to review and issue final decisions and hear resident appeals of its decisions on all exterior alterations to existing residential property, any rebuilding of existing residential buildings, and in-home businesses, to take Covenant enforcement actions, and to perform such other duties as prescribed and permitted the RHAC by the River Hill Village Covenants.

A Resident Architectural Committee (RAC) may be established to assist in routine architectural matters and to make recommendations regarding applications for exterior alterations and in-home businesses.

Article 1. Organization

Name. The Committee shall be known as the River Hill Architectural Committee (RHAC).

Composition. The RHAC shall be composed of three or more individuals, as determined from time to time by the RHCA, Inc. and appointed by RHCA and the Columbia Association (CA).  The CA shall have the right to appoint a majority thereof. The Village Covenant Advisor will act as an advisor to the RHAC.

Membership. All members of the RHAC shall serve at the pleasure of the RHCA and, unless removed or replaced as herein provided, shall have perpetual tenure. Prior to appointment and annually thereafter, or at such other times as determined by the RHCA in its discretion, RHAC members and member-candidates shall have their property inspected by the Covenant Advisor to determine if such property is in compliance with the River Hill Covenants as amended. Any member or member-candidate whose property is determined to be out of compliance shall be ineligible to serve or continue to serve as a member of the RHAC.

Compensation. Members and Officers of the RHAC as such shall not receive any compensation for their services. A member who serves the RHCA in any other capacity, however, may receive compensation therefore.

Article 2. Meetings

Frequency. The newly composed RHAC shall meet as soon as possible to elect officers. Thereafter, the RHAC shall be convened as necessary, in accordance with these By-Laws.

Place. All meetings shall be held at the principal office of the RHCA in Clarksville, Maryland except in cases in which the notice thereof designates some other place; but all such meetings shall be held within Howard County, Maryland.

Notice. Except for regular meetings as established by the RHAC or the RHCA, not less than ten days nor more than ninety days notice shall be given for any meeting of the RHAC.

Article 3. Voting

General. Except as hereinafter provided, the affirmative vote of a majority of the membership of the RHAC shall be required in order to adopt or promulgate any rule or regulation, or to make any findings, determinations, ruling or order, or to issue any permit, authorization or approval pursuant to directives or authorization contained in the River Hill Village Covenants.

Review of Plans and Other Matters. With regard to the review of plans and specifications pursuant to Article VII of the River Hill Village Covenants and with regard to all other specific matters (other than the promulgation of rules and regulations) as may be specified by resolution of the entire RHAC, each individual member of the RHAC shall be authorized to exercise the full authority granted by the River Hill Village Covenants to the RHAC.

RHAC Decisions. The RHCA may designate one or more members of the RHAC to act on behalf of the entire RHAC for purposes of voting to approve, disapprove or approve with conditions any exterior alteration applications and in-home business applications after review of such applications by the RAC. If such designation is not made, such applications may only be acted upon by the affirmative vote of a majority of the membership of the RHAC.

Guideline Revisions. Guideline Revisions will be developed by the RAC and approved by the RHAC and RHCA.

Resident Appeals. Applicant appeals shall be submitted in writing to and reviewed by the entire RHAC as soon as possible. An appeal may only be decided by the affirmative vote of a majority of the membership of the RHAC.

Covenant Enforcement. All covenant enforcement actions involving a 15-day notice or a more formal action shall require the approval of the RHAC and the RHCA.

Article 4. Officers

Titles. The officers of the RHAC shall be a chair, a first vice-chair, and a second vice-chair, each being elected annually by the RHAC.

Duties. The chair shall preside over all meetings of the RHAC at which he/she shall be present and shall and may exercise such additional powers and duties as are from time to time assigned to him/her by the RHCA. The first vice-chair shall assume all duties of the chair in his/her absence. The second vice-chair shall assume all duties and responsibilities of the first vice-chair in his/her absence.

Article 5. Quorum

Defined. A majority of the members of the RHAC shall constitute a quorum. No meeting shall occur without a quorum. A vote of a majority of the members present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be sufficient to take any action, except as otherwise provided in these By-Laws.

Article 6. Vacancies

Appointment. Any vacancy in the membership of the RHAC, whether by reason of an increase in the number of members, removal, resignation or any other reason, shall be filled by the RHCA and/or, if required by the Covenants, the CA.

Article 7. Amendments

Authority. These By-Laws may be amended at any time by the RHCA.

Effective Date. Amendments shall become effective when adopted by the RHCA, unless otherwise provided in the amendment.