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Owner turns over meadow for $1
By Jim Cornelius

This meadow open space now belongs to the Sage Meadow Homeowners Association.

Felix and Mary Ann Hammack owned the meadow at the entrance to Sage Meadow for almost a decade -- but they never really wanted it for themselves.

So, last month, they sold it to the Sage Meadow Homeowners Association for the princely sum of $1.

When the Hammacks first moved to Sage Meadow in 1990, they discovered that the meadow was privately owned, even though it was considered by the homeowners association as "open space," with accompanying restrictions.

The Hammacks bought the meadow for $32,000 in 1992, to make sure it was held by residents.

But Felix Hammack didn't like the situation.

"You had private individuals owning the meadow and an association having control of the use of it," he said. "It was a train wreck on the way to happening."

Hammack sought to trade the land in return for support from the Association in a minor partition resulting in five lots along Old Wagon Wheel Road. Some neighbors were under the impression that Hammack was already developing lots and the situation appeared headed for conflict and contention.

The Hammacks wanted no part of the kind of divisive conflict that often characterizes homeowners association politics -- conflict Hammack calls "an earnings ground for lawyers."

The Hammacks explored options such as The Nature Conservancy, but they were told that the property was not unique enough for a conservancy to retain. A conservancy would likely sell or trade the land.

That would not have solved the fundamental issue, as far as the Hammacks were concerned.

"The ideal place for ownership to be held is with the Association," Hammack said.

The March sale of the property to the Association was the Hammacks way to avoid a conflict with neighbors or saddling heirs with a "knotty problem."

The sale stipulated that the Association pay for cost of documentation and transfer of title; that the Association retain ownership of the meadow; and that each member be given the opportunity to donate to a charitable fund in the amount they deem appropriate for the value of the meadow.

The selected charities are: American Red Cross; Salvation Army; Habitat for Humanity; and St. Vincent De Paul.

Contributions are to be made to the charities' Sage Meadow Fund.

According to the Hammacks, it was important to give homeowners a chance to pay for the value of the preserved land.

"Some people don't want to feel like they're taking charity from us," Mary Ann Hammack said. "It leaves people free to not feel that they've taken a gift from us."

In a letter to homeowners, Association president Allen Boyette said, "Felix and Mary Ann have done a great service for each of us in the community.

"It demonstrates their desire to see the Sage Meadow Community remain the beautiful community that attracted many of us to come here."

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