The terms used in the Governing Documents shall generally be given their natural, commonly accepted definitions unless otherwise specified. Capitalized terms shall be defined as set forth below.

 

2.1. "Areas of Common Responsibility": The Common Area, together with such other areas the Association has or assumes responsibility pursuant to the terms of this Declaration, any Supplemental Declaration, or other applicable covenants, contracts, or agreements.

 

2.2. "Articles of Incorporation" or "Articles": The Articles of Incorporation of the Homeowners Association, as filed with the Washington Secretary of State.

 

2.3. "Association" or "Residential Association": The non-profit Homeowners Association formed with the Washington State Secretary of State for the purpose of administering this Declaration on behalf of the Owners, and its successors or assigns.

 

2.4. "Base Assessment": Assessments levied on all Units subject to assessment under Article VIII to fund Common Expenses for the general benefit of all Units, as determined in accordance with Section 8.1.

 

2.5. "Board of Directors" or "Board": The body responsible for administration of the Association, selected as provided in the By-Laws and serving as the board of directors under Washington corporate law.

 

2.6. "Builder": Any Person who purchases one or more Units for the purpose of constructing improvements for later sale to consumers, or who purchases one or more parcels of land within the Properties for further subdivision, development, and/or resale in the ordinary course of such Person's business.

 

2.7. "By-Laws": The By-Laws of Homeowners Association, as they may be amended.

 

2.8. "Class "B" Control Period": The period of time during which the Class "B" Member is entitled to appoint the members of the Board. The Class "B" Control Period expires upon the first to occur of the following:

2.9. "Common Area": All real and personal property, including easements, which the Association owns, leases, or otherwise holds possessory or use rights in for the common use and enjoyment of the Owners, including, without limitation, entrance tracts, perimeter buffers, restrictive areas, parks, surface water retention/detention tracts, landscape tracts, the community center, and other tracts or parcels conveyed to the Association by Declarant. The term shall include the Exclusive Common Area and the Community Area, as defined below.

 

2.10. "Common Expenses": The actual and estimated expenses incurred, or anticipated to be incurred, by the Association for the general benefit of all Owners, including any reasonable reserve, as the Board may find necessary and appropriate pursuant to the Governing Documents. Common Expenses shall not include any expenses incurred during the Class "B" Control Period for initial development or other original construction costs unless approved by Members representing a majority of the total Class "A" vote of the Association

 

2.11. "Community Area": The real and personal property so designated by Declarant, and which is owned and/or maintained by the Association for the common benefit of all Persons. The Community Area may include, if designated by the Declarant on the face of the Plat or in a Recorded document conveying such Community Area to the Association:

2.12. "Community-Wide Standard": The standard of conduct, maintenance, or other activity generally prevailing throughout the Properties. Such standard shall be established initially by Declarant and may contain both objective and subjective elements. The Community-Wide Standard may evolve as development progresses and as the needs and demands of the Properties change.

 

2.13. "Declarant": The person identified on the signature page of this Declaration, or any successor or assign who takes title to any portion of the property described in Exhibit "A" for the purpose of development and/or sale and who is designated as a Declarant in a Recorded instrument executed by the immediately preceding Declarant or assigned all or a portion of Declarant's rights hereunder. Upon a designation of a successor Declarant, all rights of the former Declarant in and to such status as "Declarant" under this Declaration shall cease. At any time that more than one person holds any rights as a Declarant, a single Declarant may exercise any of the Declarant's rights described herein over that portion of the property owned by the single Declarant, and shall not be required to obtain the concurrence of any other Declarant who does not hold an ownership interest in the portion of the property over which a single Declarant desires to exercise sole authority, except for amendment of the Declaration, which shall require the concurrence of both. Declarants unless otherwise agreed by the Declarants in writing. A single Declarant may conditionally or permanently assign to the other Declarant all of a Declarant's rights hereunder, by recorded instrument.

 

2.14 "Declaration": This Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions.

 

2.15 "Exclusive Common Area": A portion of the Common Area primarily benefiting one or more, but less than ail, Units, as more particularly described in Article XII.

 

2.16. "Governing Documents": A collective term referring to this Declaration and any applicable Supplemental Declaration, the By-Laws, the Articles, the Residential Design Guidelines, the Use Restrictions, and the Rules and Regulations, as each may be amended.

 

2.17 "Local Jurisdiction": Any governmental authority having jurisdiction over the Properties, for a matter described in this Declaration. A Local Jurisdiction may include the State of Washington, a County, a City, or a local sewer or water district or other governmental entity assigned authority by law to regulate activities in the Properties. A Local Jurisdiction may refer to different governmental authorities, depending upon which governmental authority is assigned responsibility to regulate activities described in this Declaration.

 

2.17. "Member": A Person subject to membership in the Association pursuant to Section 6.2.

 

2.18. "Mortgage": A mortgage, a deed of trust, a deed to secure debt, or any other form of security instrument affecting title to any Unit. A "Mortgagee" shall refer to a beneficiary or holder of a Mortgage.

 

2.19. "Owner": One or more Persons who hold the record title to any Unit, but excluding in all cases any party holding an interest merely as security for the performance of an obligation. If a Unit is sold under a Recorded contract of sale, and the contract specifically so provides, the purchaser (rather than the fee owner) will be considered the Owner.

 

2.20. Permits: Collectively, the permits, land use restrictions and conditions of Plat approval as determined, approved and issued by the Local Jurisdiction related to the development and construction of improvements located at the Properties, as such may be amended or modified from time to time.

 

2.21. "Person": A natural person, a corporation, a partnership, a trustee, or any other legal entity.

 

2.22 "PIC": The Property Improvement Committee, as described in Article IV, Section 4.2.

 

2.23 "Plat": The plat of the real property described in Exhibit "A," together with all requirements described or referenced therein. "Plat" shall also include the recorded plat of any property not otherwise included with the plat of the real property referred to in Exhibit "A" which may be subjected to the terms of this Declaration in the future in the manner described in Article IX.

 

2.24. "Properties": The real property described in Exhibit "A," together with such additional property, whether contiguous or noncontiguous, as is subjected to this Declaration in accordance with Article IX. NOTICE: THE LAND LOCATED SOUTH OF SE 264th STREET IS CURRENTLY ZONED FOR COMMERCIAL USE AND THE INTENT OF ITS OWNER IS TO CONSTRUCT A COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.

 

2.25. "Record," "Recording," or "Recorded": To file, the filing, or filed of record in the Public Real Estate Records of the County in which the Properties are located, or such other place which is designated as the official location for recording deeds and similar documents affecting title to real estate. The date of Recording shall refer to that time at which a document, map, or plat is Recorded.

 

2.26. "Residential Design Guidelines": The architectural, design, and construction guidelines and review procedures adopted pursuant to Article IV, as they may be amended.

 

2.27. "Rules and Regulations": Board-adopted Rules and Regulations which establish administrative procedures for internal Association governance and operating procedures for use of the Common Area and property included within the Area of Common Responsibility.

 

2.28 "Sale" or "Sold": shall mean the date upon which ownership of a Unit is transferred from an Owner to another person or entity by recordation of an instrument of transfer such as a deed or real estate contract.

 

2.29 "Street Trees": shall mean the trees that are required to be planted, located and maintained on the property pursuant to any notes on the face of the Plat, or described by this Declaration.

 

2.30. "Special Assessment": An assessment levied in accordance with Section 8.3. 2.31. "Specific Assessment": An assessment levied in accordance with Section 8.4.

 

2.32. "Supplemental Declaration": An instrument Recorded pursuant to Article IX which subjects additional property to this Declaration and/or imposes, expressly or by reference, additional restrictions and obligations on the land described in such instrument.

 

2.33. "Unit": A portion of the Properties, whether improved or unimproved, which may be independently owned and is intended for development, use, and occupancy as an attached or detached residence for a single family. The term shall refer to the land, if any, which is part of the Unit as well as any improvements thereon. In the case of a building within a condominium or other structure containing multiple dwellings, each dwelling shall be deemed to be a separate Unit. Prior to Recording a subdivision plat, a parcel of vacant land, or land on which improvements are under construction, shall be deemed to contain the number of Units designated for residential use for such parcel on the preliminary plat or the site plan approved by Declarant, whichever is more recent.

 

2.34. "Use Restrictions ": The initial Use Restrictions set forth in Exhibit "B," as they may be supplemented, modified, and repealed pursuant to in Article III.

 

2.35. "Water Use Standards": Residential landscape and water use standards are further defined in paragraph 6.4.