Sunset Beach Improvement Association

P.O. BOX 343

PASADENA, MD 21123

The neighborhood of Sunset Beach is bordered on the north by Stoney Creek, on the east and south by Ft. Smallwood Rd., and on the west by the grounds of Sunset Elementary School and the neighborhood of Elizabeth’s Landing.

Only property-owner residents, (those whose name is on a deed), are eligible to become voting members of the SBIA, although all residents are encouraged to donate to the association, attend and participate in general meetings and in all community activities.  The SBIA holds six general meetings a year, on the first Tuesdays of January, March, April, June, September and October.  Meetings are held in the Fire Hall (upstairs) of the Riviera Beach Volunteer Fire Station, 8506 Ft. Smallwood Rd.  As described in our Constitution and Bylaws, officers (President, Vice President, Treasurer, Recording Secretary and Corresponding Secretary) along with six other board members are elected every October from among the voting membership.  The board members meet every month on the second Wednesday at a member’s home.

We usually conduct a membership drive in January, when we deliver a self-addressed envelope to your home along with the newsletter (mentioned below).  However, property-owner residents may become voting members of the Association by paying the $25 annual dues at any time; however, membership extends only until Dec. 31st of the year.  Non-property-owner residents are invited to donate to the Association and are welcome to attend general meetings and participate in discussions.  No one is required to join the SBIA.

All property owners in Sunset Beach, whether members of the SBIA or not, together own, and are liable for, several common properties which are our private property for the exclusive use of Sunset Beach residents (and their guests) only:

►    the park/playground area bounded by Cloverhill, Miramar, Somerset, and Geneva Rds.;

►    the monument area between Smallwood Ct. and Ft. Smallwood Rd.;

►    the beach & pier area on Granada Rd. at Geneva; and

►    Sunset Walk, the strip of land along the waterfront from Byrd Rd. to the Stoney Creek Bridge, along with several access lots along Granada Rd.

The SBIA maintains all these properties, except for Sunset Walk, either through member volunteers or by paying for services with SBIA funds.  Waterfront residents have traditionally maintained Sunset Walk and access lots adjacent to them at their own expense.

All Sunset Beach residents are welcome to use all our common properties and the equipment thereon (swings, sliding board, basketball court, seesaws, benches, tables, Porta-pot).  All residents are much welcomed at our annual parties:  the Spring Fling in April, the Summer Party in August, and the Night Before Halloween party in October.  These get-togethers are held at the beach.

The launch ramp may be used only by key holders.  Any Sunset Beach resident who owns a boat may obtain a key by paying the required fees to the current Beach & Pier chairman.  There is a waiting list for slips.  The following Beach & Pier Rules (and Private Event Rules) outline the procedures and fees for both the launch ramp and slips.

A volunteer puts out a community newsletter a week or so before each of the six general meetings.  At the beach & pier area, there is a Community Bulletin Board, where we routinely post the latest items in the newsletter, other announcements, and a current list of Officers and Board Members, with contact numbers.

Recently, a private website with all this and more information has been established.  The address is http://sbiamd.tripod.com.

BEACH & PIER RULES 2007

 

I.  BEACH & PIER AREA

A.  Use of the area.  All residents of Sunset Beach and their bona fide guests are eligible to use the community beach and pier area provided that they abide by these official rules.

 

B.  Beach tags.  Each guest must have on his/her person a beach tag issued to the resident whom they are visiting.  Anyone without such a tag may be asked to leave the premises.  Residents are responsible for their guests' actions while in the beach & pier area.

 

C.  Parking.  All vehicles parked within beach & pier grounds must display a current Sunset Beach parking sticker.  Vehicles without this sticker may be towed to Redmond's garage at the owner's expense.  Only vehicles with boat trailers may park on the lower (grass) lot.  If this lot is full, please return the vehicle to your own property.  Vehicles may pull down to the lower area for loading and unloading, but must return to the upper parking area as soon as loading is completed.

 

D.  No bikes, skates, skateboards, scooters or motorized vehicles of any type are allowed beyond the chains.

 

E.  Appropriate behavior.  Users of the beach & pier area are asked to be considerate of their neighbors especially in the following ways:

1)  Please leave the area cleaner than you found it.  Trash containers are provided for your convenience while on the beach.  Trash from boats should be taken home.

2)  No pets of any kind are permitted on the beach or adjoining community property.

3)  Please remember that neighbors live close by.  Noise, particularly in the evening, shuld be kept to a reasonable level.

F.  Use of the Porta-Pot.  The Porta-Pot has been placed at the beach for your convenience, but will be removed if misused.  Please keep it clean so that everyone may use it.

 

G.  Hours.  The beach & pier area closes at 10 PM each evening.

 

II.  BOAT SLIPS & LAUNCHING RAMP

A.  Fees.  The following fees have been established for the year:

1)  Ramp key -- $50

2)  Small boat pier slip rental -- $12 per LOA foot

3)  Large (locked) pier slip rental -- $18 per LOA foot

4)  Lost key replacement -- $20 per key

5)  Seasonal (April 1 through October 31) fee for electricity use on  large pier -- $50

6)  Fee for the use of the ice machine -- $40

B.  Slip rental eligibility.  Only residents of Sunset Beach who have either joined the Improvement Association (resident homeowners) or paid a $20 registration fee are eligible to rent boat slips and ramp keys.

 

C. Slip assignment procedure.  The Beach & Pier Committee reserves the right to assign slips as necessary to accommodate boat sizes.  Every effort will be made to reassign regular users their same slips each year.  Boat slip assignments will be made as follows:

1)  Resident homeowners who have held slips in the previous season, must notify the Beach & Pier chairman of their intent to renew their slip rental by returning the survey mailed out to each slip holder of record for last season.

2)  Resident renters who have held a slip for 10 consecurtive years are treated as resident homeowners.  Other resident rents who wish to renew their slips will be offered a slip only after resident homeowners are all satisfied.  Renters' slips do not automatically renew.

3)  Slips that become available will be offered to the resident homeowner on the top of the waiting list.  After the April meeting any remaining slips will be offered to renters.  This will also be done on the basis of the waiting list.

4)  After all residents are satisfied, residents may rent a second slip on a first come first serve basis for that season only.

5)  All reserved slips must be paid in full by April 1st.  Slips rented after that time must be paid in full at time of rental.

6)  Any slip holder who sells his/her Sunset Beach property automatically releases any and all slips to the next person on the waiting list.

D.  Use of the locked pier.  Slip holders on the locked pier will be issued keys to open the gate.  The gate is to be locked when not in use.  Only those slip holders and their guests are permitted on the locked pier.  Anyone who climbs over or around this gate is trespassing and may be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

 

E.  Electricity & water at the pier.  Electricity will be available on the locked pier from April 1 to November 1.  Boats using shore power will be charged the seasonal fee of $50.  The Association will not provide electricity during the winter.  Boaters who winter at the pier (November to April) are required to form a committee and appoint a chairman who will be responsible for paying for any electric usage during the winter months.  If a bill goes unpaid, the electricity will be turned off.  Water will be available at no charge from April 1 until all boats are pulled or freezing weather occurs.

 

F.  Use of the launch ramp.  Ramp key holders may occasionally let bona fide guests use the ramp as long as they are accompanied by the resident and have prior permission from the Beach & Pier committee.

 

G.  Use of keys.  Gate and ramp keys are not to be loaned to anyone or copied.  Anyone who is found to have loaned or copied a key will have his/her ramp privileges revoked.

 

H.  Return of keys.  All Beach & Pier keys are the property of the Association and must be returned each year to receive a new key.  If an old key is not returned, it will be considered lost and the holder will be charged the designated fee.

 

I.  Security.  The two lower chains (at the entrance to the lower lots and to the launching ramp) must, without exception, be locked after each use.