FAQ

  • chevron_rightHow does the Board work?
    The MPOA Board is made up of 5 Owners, each of whom are voted upon by the community at the annual meeting. The normal term for a Board Member is 2 years, at which time the Board Member may stand for re-election.  In order to maintain continuity between acting Boards, 3 members have their terms beginning in odd years, and 2 members have their terms beginning on even years.  For more information about the Board structure and its responsibilities, refer to Articles III, IV, and V of the MPOA By-Laws.
  • chevron_rightHow do I send messages/requests to the Board and/or a Committee?
    The most efficient and preferred method to contact the Board and/or Committee is to use the “Contact” tab on the navigation menu on the website.  This will ensure your communication is logged electronically for tracking and that it gets to the proper person(s).  At the current moment, there is only one active Board Committee, that being the Sewage Committee.
  • chevron_rightWhat are the community’s common areas and facilities?
    The community’s common areas are those tracts of land outlined on Plat X that are owned by the Association.  In general, these are buffer areas between our neighborhood and adjacent ones, public utilities and roads and, in a few cases between residential lots.  Our facilities are the roadways and the two community-owned utilities within our neighborhood.  The first utility is the Reverse Osmosis Water System, including sea intake, pump houses, piping, and Reverse Osmosis Plant that serve the entirety of our community.  The second utility is the Sewage System, including a pump house, three holding tanks, a drain field, and all connecting piping.  This system only services those households that don’t have their own septic tank and drain field on their property (the system currently serves 10 households).  The common area, roadways, and sewage system all fall under the purview of the MPOA (although the sewage system is managed by a Sewage Committee made up of members of the user households). The water system is managed by the MPWA.
  • chevron_rightWhy do we have a Homeowner’s Association?
    The MPOA manages the common areas and facilities of the community, promotes quality living conditions within the community, and protects and enhances the real property values of the real property located within Mitchell Point, a private subdivision recorded in the office of the San Juan County Auditor in Volume 4 of Plats, pages 12 and 12A in San Juan County, State of Washington, and to own and maintain common property and property rights for the benefit of said owners present and future in such described property under the applicable laws of the State of Washington.
  • chevron_rightHow many homes are in the MPOA community?
    There are 34 homes in the MPOA at this time.
  • chevron_rightWhen was Mitchell Point Owners' Association founded?
    The Mitchell Point Owners' Association was formed in 1974.
  • chevron_rightWhen is the Annual Meeting?
    The annual meeting of the Association is held on San Juan Island on the second Saturday in July.  The Notice of the meeting is sent out to members at least 14 days prior to the meeting, and states the place and time of the meeting.
  • chevron_rightIs regular garbage/recycling pickup available to the neighborhood?
    San Juan Sanitation has offered convenient, affordable curbside pickup of your garbage and recycling.  At this time, garbage is collected in our neighborhood every Monday morning. Recycling is collected on the third Monday of each month. San Juan Sanitation can be contacted at:
    San Juan Sanitation
    P.O. Box 267
    Lynden, WA 98264
    360-376-4709
    https://www.sanjuansani.com
     
    Residents may alternatively opt to take their refuse and recyclables directly to the San Juan Transfer Station. 
    Address: 212 Sutton Rd, Friday Harbor, WA 98250
    https://www.sanjuantransferstation.com
  • chevron_rightCan you see whales from the MPOA neighborhood?
    Killer, Humpback and other whales are regular visitors passing through the Haro Strait. Sightings vary by the season and the day. Often the best way to track sighting opportunities is to join the Facebook group called "Whale Sightings in the San Juan Islands". People throughout the San Juans will post sightings there, usually providing location, time and direction of travel. You can find this group here:
     
    https://www.facebook.com/groups/217640418999356/
     
    Many of our homeowners can see the whales from their homes. Others can quickly travel down West Side Road to the San Juan County Park and/ or the Lime Kiln State Park to see the whales pass by.
  • chevron_rightIs the neighborhood plowed during snow storms?
    As of December 2021, the board has contracted with Lawson Plow to plow the MPOA roads in the case of a snow storm (>3” of snow). They will plow and sand in the morning after a snowfall; and again in the afternoon if needed.
  • chevron_rightWhat is the water source for the neighborhood?
    The MPOA community has invested in a reverse desalinization plant, which provides the majority of the water to the neighborhood. The desal plant is supported by a backup well. This water infrastructure/service is managed by the Mitchell Point Water Assocation. BOARD Members:  Gerry Miller, Ron Krocker, Paul Lingane
  • chevron_rightWhen must I make requests of the Board and/or a Committee?
    In accordance with the MPOA CC&Rs, members must interact with, and receive permission from the Board in the following circumstances:
     
    •   When an owner desires to construct any structure on their lot.  In this case, a location plan and construction plans must be submitted to the Board (or an Architectural Control Committee if one is in place) for approval before breaking ground
     
    •   Removal/major trimming of trees in excess of 12 inches in diameter. Other considerations may include the health of the tree, threat to individuals or property, proximity to houses (per our Firewise policy), density of trees in area, neighbor or neighborhood impact. For those homes along the shoreline, MPOA approval does not supersede the requirement of the FWHCA section of the Critical Area Regulations (SJCCD 18.35.130.B.1) and be in compliance  with shoreline regulations of SJCC 18.50.330.B.8 and D2 Residential Tree Removal.
     
    •   Landscaping.  Plans and specifications must be submitted to, and approved by the Board before any landscaping work may commence.  This includes the installation of fences, hedges, or boundary walls with a height of greater than 5 feet and/or unreasonablyimpairs the view of any other lot.
  • chevron_rightWho provides power to our homes?
    Orcas Power & Light Cooperative (OPALCO) is a member-owned, non-profit cooperative utility providing energy services to San Juan County since 1937. Delivered to the islands by way of submarine cables, our mostly hydro-electric power is generated by Bonneville Power Administration (BPA).
     
    OPALCO distributes energy to 20 islands in the archipelago and employs approximately 50 people in the county. Co-op member-owners elect a seven-member Board of Directors, who set policy, rates and direction. Elections are held each year prior to their Annual Meeting. The OPALCO wholly-owned subsidiary, Rock Island Communications, provides broadband Internet services in San Juan County.
     
    You can call a Member Services Representative at (360) 376-3500.