Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs

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1. What are the quiet hours in the Subdivision?

Answer: May through September: 8 pm to 7 am on weekdays and 8 pm to 9 am on weekends and holidays. Construction/property improvements are not allowed on Sundays and major holidays (Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day and July 4th).

October through April: 7 pm to 7 am weekdays, and 7 pm to 9 am weekends and holidays. Construction/property improvements are not allowed on Sundays and major holidays (Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day and July 4th).

Several activities, including the discharge of firearms or other weapons and the operation and riding of dirt bikes, are prohibited throughout the subdivision at all times. Further information about noise restrictions and penalties can be found on this website — www.lostspringsranch.com — and clicking the Documents and Guidelines link and then the Noise Rules and Penalties link.

2. Are there quiet hours at the swimming pool?

Answer: Yes. The posted rules at the pool prohibit loud music at all times. Quiet hours at the pool begin every day at 8 pm and continue until the next day at 9 am. If you plan to give a party at the pool please notify a Board member at least a week in advance.

3. Can we rent our homes out to third persons?

Answer: A property owner is free to rent out his or her property for a residential, nonbusiness purpose. Using a property for any commercial or business purpose is prohibited by the deed restrictions, however. In dealing with this situation, the Board follows the following guidelines:

(a) Advertising and/or renting out your property as a vacation rental, bed and breakfast or other similar purpose is prohibited by the deed restrictions regardless of the length of the lease.

(b) Any lease of less than one month will be presumed to be for commercial or business purposes and needs to be approved in advance by the Board.

(c) Any lease for six months or more for residential purposes will be presumed not to be for commercial or business purposes but it is still a good idea to notify the Board in advance.

(d) Leases of two to five months will be reviewed by the Board on a case-by-case basis. Any owner contemplating renting out their property for such a period of time is encouraged to contact the Board.

(e) The foregoing rules also apply to guest houses.

4. What types of construction require prior approval by the Architecture Committee?

Answer: The deed restrictions provide the following: “No dwelling or any other structure shall be commenced until a house and site plan shall have been approved in
writing by a majority of the members of the (Architecture) Committee”. The Board interprets the words “dwelling or any other structure” to include, without limitation, the following: new residences; additions to existing residence; fences; walls; entrance gates; detached garage; detached barn; detached workshop, and property improvements requiring any heavy equipment or construction vehicles (roadways, driveways, trenching, or excavation).

5. What are the procedures for getting my plans approved by the Architecture
Committee?

Answer: Two copies of the plans and specifications, along with the completed LSR Application for Approval of Construction Plans, should be submitted to the Committee. They will be signed and dated as received by a member of the Committee and that starts your 30-day approval period. The plans and specifications must show the nature, kind, shape, height, materials and location of the improvements. The documents should specify any requested variance from the setback lines or any other requirements set forth in the restrictions. If your plans are approved by the Committee, they will be marked “Approved”, signed by the chairman of the Architecture Committee, and returned to the lot owner or his/her designated representative. If disapproved, the Committee will return a statement of the reason for disapproval in writing within 30 days. If the Committee fails to approve or disapprove plans that have been signed for within 30 days after the date of signature, written approval of the matters submitted shall be deemed to have been given.

6. What are the restrictions applicable to the building of new houses in the
Subdivision?

Answer: The building restrictions are set forth as part of the overall restrictions for the subdivision. They can be found in our website www.lostspringsranch.com. The LSR Application for Approval of Construction Plans is on the website and contains detailed requirements. The principal building restrictions are as follows:

(i) Building plans are generally judged by the general guideline that they must be “in harmony” with structures already in place. Due to the threat of grass fires and the distances to local volunteer fire departments we have been encouraging all masonry construction. This includes Hardie cement siding which is very popular and cost effective. We recommend stone or brick on the lower one-third to one-half of new homes as the best protection against grass fires, but this is not specifically required by our restrictions.

(ii) The minimum floor area for houses is 1,800 square feet in Section 1 and 2,000 square feet in Section 2. The minimum floor area for guest houses is 600 square feet.

(iii) The front setback lines are 100 feet, and the side and rear setback lines are 50 feet.

(iv) No barbed wire or chain link fences are allowed. Fences that are primarily wood and/or masonry are required along the front and street sides of each fenced lot.

(v) All carports, garages and accessory buildings of whatever nature must be of a similar general design, quality and construction as the main dwelling and located on the lot, subject to the Architecture Committee approving the building and site plan.

(vi) Temporary structures are not permitted on any lot except during the construction of a new house for up to six (6) months provided that an approved septic system has been installed.

(vii) The entire exterior of all main dwellings must be completed within six (6) months after the commencement of work or the placing of the building materials on such property, whichever occurs first. No delivery or accumulation of building materials on any lot is allowed until both the building and site plans have been approved by the Architecture Committee.

(viii) There shall be no towers, satellite dishes or antennae of any kind rising more than 20 feet above the ground floor elevation of the residence. Satellite dishes are to be located in the least visible but still practical location from the street.

(ix) All utility lines are to be located underground on all lots.

(x) No individual water well may be drilled on any tract without written approval from the Architecture Committee and the Homeowners’ Association.

(xi) The first 25 feet of your driveway is required to be paved.

(xii) Outside mounted security lighting must be motion sensor controlled or only turned on manually, and fixtures must be hooded so they don’t direct light upwards, toward streets, or toward neighboring properties.

(xiii) Exterior lighting should be “night sky compliant” to preserve visibility of night skies and the rural character of the neighborhood.

(xiv) Metal roofing must NOT be high reflective. Pre-weathered, dull metal, or various colors of metal are acceptable and will be reviewed by the Committee.

7. What are the rules for outdoor burning in Lost Springs Ranch Subdivision?

Answer: The rules for outdoor burning in Hays County are established by the Hays County Fire Marshal’s office and can be found at the following website: http://wimberleyfire.com/rules.html.

Information about whether the burn ban is on or off can be obtained from the Fire Marshal’s office at 512-393-7339.

Among the rules posted by the Fire Marshal are the following:

(a) Burning is not allowed when the surface wind speed is less than 6 miles per hour or greater than 23 miles per hour.

(b) Burning is not allowed to start until one hour after sunrise and must be completed on the same day by at least one hour before sunset.

8. Can I camp on my property if I have not built a house on it yet?

Discussion: There are a number of restrictions that apply to this question:

1.1 All tracts shall be used for single-family residential purposes only.

1.4(m) No structure of a temporary character, such as a camper trailer, barn or other outbuilding, shall be used on any property at any time as a dwelling except during construction for up to six (6) months provided an approved septic system
has been installed.

1.4(p) There shall be no permanent camps allowed; i.e., RVs and campers shall be stored in a garage or barn when not in use or stored at another location other than within the addition.

1.4(t) No noxious or offensive activities shall be undertaken within the addition, nor shall anything be done which is or may become an annoyance or nuisance in the neighborhood. Nothing in this subparagraph shall prohibit an owner’s use of a residence for quiet, inoffensive activities so long as such activities are in compliance with all governmental and zoning requirements and does not interfere with adjoining homeowners’ use and enjoyment of their residences and yards.

1.4(o) No open fires shall be lighted or permitted except in (i) a contained barbeque unit (while attended and in use for cooking purposes), (ii) within a safe and well-designated interior fireplace, or (iii) such campfires and picnic fires in recreation and open spaces designated for such use by the Board or approved for the burning of brush by the Board.

Answer: Overnight or weekend camping by an owner on his or her lot is not prohibited by the restrictions provided all of the above restrictions are adhered to. Campfires on your property are not allowed, as the only designated area for open fires or campfires within the subdivision are the fireplace and a burn pit at the pool area. The usual noise rules would apply. The requirement that no noxious or offensive activity be undertaken within the Addition plus the requirement that all activities be in compliance with all governmental and zoning requirements and not interfere with an adjoining homeowner’s use and enjoyment is interpreted to mean that anyone camping on his or her lot is responsible for collecting and removing all graywater and human waste in a legal and sanitary manner. Long term camping is not allowed.

9. Who is the provider for trash pickup and what is the pickup schedule in LSR?

Answer: The provider for trash pickup in Lost Springs is Frontier Waste Solutions. Their telephone number is 888-854-2905 to set up new service. Frontier provides both trash pick-up and recycle services. Please identify yourself as a Lost Springs Ranch customer and provide your service and billing addresses. Trash pickup in LSR is currently once a week on Wednesday mornings. Recycle service is also on Wednesdays (contact Frontier for current schedules). If you place your cart at the street the night before, or on any occasion ahead of schedule, please make sure it is secured on those windy days, or against loose dogs or other critters which may upset the cart and scatter trash.