CAAt a Glance2014FISCALYEAR May1, 2013 through April 30,2014

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We’re lookingtoward the future!We’ve created the Inner Arbor Concept Plan to redevelop Symphony Woods Park,finished dredging Lake Elkhorn and Wilde Lake, completed plans to rebuild the Hobbit’s Glen Golf Club Clubhouse, began developing a Comprehensive Plan for Serving Older Adults, and launched a new community engagement website. Columbia Association has

launched a new community engagement website, InspireColumbia.com. The site was designed to engage Columbia communitymembers in conversationwith CA by submitting ideas in response to topic questionsposted by CA. The topicsposted are related to CA’s organizational goals andeach serves to garner publicopinion on how to maintainand enhance the quality oflife for people living andworking in Columbia. Thequestions posted remain on the site for 30 days and are then rotated out for new questions.

There’s a lot going on with the ColumbiaAssociation (CA) lately! As part of our missionto enhance the quality of life for people living, working and playing in Columbia, CA has been working hard this fiscal year toprovide residents with numerous facilities andprograms, as well as plan and think aboutthe future of the community with large-scaleprojects and initiatives. We’re all lucky tocall this great place called Columbia ourhome, and CA is proud to be a major part ofwhat makes this community so fantastic. �

By creating the image of the rational potential of a city, we generate the power to carry it forward.

WITHOUT VISION, THERE IS NO POWER.— James Rouse, Founder of Columbia

HelpshapeColumbia’s

future!

speakUPget

inspired

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What isColumbiaAssociation?Columbia Association (CA) is in the quality-of-life business. Columbia is not a city; rather, it’s a master-planned community.

CA is a private, not-for-profit community service corporation which not only provides high-quality facilities and programs for

residents to enjoy, but also maintains the open space land in Columbia, helps keep property values in the area high, supports

standards for altering homes’ exteriors on CA-assessed property, protects and restores Columbia’s waterways and more.

Columbia has won numerous awards for being one of the best places in the country for people to live, and it’s thanks in part

to CA’s involvement that the community is as desired and well-regarded as it is. �

Property values and the benefits of living in Columbia

Did you know that homes in the USwithin a three-block radius of a parkor open space have higher property values? You can probably guess thatthe majority of homes in Columbiameet that criteria, and it’s CA that provides and maintains more than3,600 acres of open space, which includes almost 94 miles of pathways,167 tot lots, three lakes and 41 ponds.

The village community associations in Columbia set and enforce the architectural covenants (the exterioralteration standards) for homes in Columbia. The covenant system isadministered by each individual village community association, andeach association has its own ResidentArchitectural Committee made up ofresidents in that village. You can learnmore about your village’s guidelinesat ColumbiaVillages.org. �

$3,307 MORE

THE AMOUNTPEOPLE ARE WILLINGTO PAY FOR A HOMENEAR PERMANENTLY

PRESERVED OPEN SPACERATHER THAN PASTURELAND THAT

COULD BE DEVELOPED IN THE FUTURE.Journal of American Planning Association

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handles what?

Columbia VillageCommunityAssociationshandle the following:• enforcing covenants• providing resources and referral services for residents

• advocating for residentsat the village, Columbia and county level

• fostering partnerships between villages, Columbia Association and Howard County

• facilitating informationsessions and community meetings with local stakeholders

• managing, maintaining and renting out CA’s village buildings and neighborhood centers

• hosting individual villageevents and partnering withall villages for Columbia-wide special events

• offering programming, including classes, camps and lectures

• creating village master plans

• working with village merchants

• communicating to residentsvia newsletters, web sites, and social media

• encouraging neighbor-to-neighbor connectivity via block parties, beautificationgrants and block captainsYou can learn more at ColumbiaAssociation.org/Villages.

Columbia Associationhandles the following:• maintaining fitness facilities, golf clubs,tennis and basketball courts andindoor and outdoor swimming pools

• operating the Columbia Ice Rink, Columbia Horse Center (via lease), Columbia SportsPark and SkatePark

• operating the Columbia Art Center, Youth and Teen Center at the Barn, Columbia Archives and Volunteer Center Serving Howard County

• providing Before and After School Care to Howard County elementary and middle school students

• organizing free summer concerts/filmsat the Downtown Columbia Lakefront

• providing summer camps to area children and teens

• maintaining more than 3,600 acres of open space

• developing plans to improve the connectivity of the pathway system in Columbia

• developing plans to protect and restore Columbia’s watershed

Learn more at ColumbiaAssociation.org; click on “About.”

• schools and library management

• water and sewer management

• road maintenance and snow removal

• solid waste and recycling collection

• county parks and recreation facilities

You can learn more at co.ho.md.us.

• watershed management/restoration

• inspections, licenses and permits

• planning and zoning management

• historic preservation

• police, fire and rescue services

Howard County Governmenthandles the following:

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How is the Columbia Associationannual charge calculated?If you have walked through thewoods, fished in a lake, enjoyed an outdoor pool, attended a freesummer concert on the DowntownColumbia Lakefront or voted in a village election, you have experienced some of the benefits of the CA annual charge.The CA Board of Directors has theauthority, per CA’s by-laws, to setthe rate to a maximum of 75 centsper $100 of valuation assessed on 50 percent of the fair market value,as determined by the state of Maryland for real estate tax purposes.Columbia Association applies thesame methodology used by HowardCounty and the State with respectto their caps on property taxes, andthey don’t apply those caps in calculating taxes due on a propertyin the year following the purchase.The income provided by the annualcharge covers a little more than halfof the cost of operating CA. Whilemany amenities are provided free toall residents, many programs andservices such as fitness facilities, artclasses, Before and After School Careand golf clubs require the paymentof dues and fees. These dues andfees provide the balance of CA’s revenues. Since CA resident mem-bers pay the annual charge, theirdues are significantly lower thanthose paid by non-CA residents. For example, CA resident families normally pay approximately 35 to50 percent less for a membership forthe Package Plan or for the outdoorpools than non-CA residents.For information about your annualcharge, call the Annual Charge Hotline at 410-715-3058 or visitWhyIPayCA.org. �

Budget CA’s Fiscal Year 2014 budget was approved by CA’s Board of Directors in January 2013. The total revenues for the FY 2014 budget are $1.2 million higher than the FY 2013 budgeted total revenues. The budgeted total operating expenses for FY 2014 are $61 million, which is about $1.3 million higher than FY 2013budgeted total expenses. Learn about CA’s budgets for Fiscal Year 2014at ColumbiaAssociation.org, click on “Budgets.” �

Columbia Association

where the money is used$67,963

* Total Capital Expenditures of $11,416 have been decreased by $1,822 due to certain unallocated non-cash adjustments.* The most recent financial statements and independent audit report are located at ColumbiaAssociation.org.This data representation is not in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).

MOREINFORMATIONcan be found regarding CA and the issues on the horizonin Fiscal Year 2014 by visiting ColumbiaAssociation.org.

Borrowings$3,484 - 5.1%

Commercial Annual Charge$11,866 - 17.5%

Interest and Others$434 - 0.7%

Community Services Programs$4,099 - 6.0%

Residential Annual Charge$22,036 - 32.4%

Columbia Association FY2014 Approved Budget ($000’s)Summary of Funds, Expenditures and Annual Borrowings

where the money comes from$67,963

Capital Expenditures *$9,594 - 14.1%

Community Services Programs$6,290 - 9.2%

Village Community Associations$4,686 - 6.9%

Contingencies/Other$1,990 - 2.9%

Sport and Fitness Programs and Facilities

$25,366 - 37.3%

Open Space Management$10,646 - 15.7%

Administrative Services$2,099 - 3.1%

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Sport and Fitness Income$26,044 - 38.3%

Board of Directors$999 - 1.5%

Debt Repayment$6,293 - 9.3%

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FAQs

For about 64¢ aday*,you help make Columbia one of the

best places to live in thecountry.We think that’s a pretty good investment. The average Columbia resident household pays an annual charge of just 64¢ a day, per person. This gives all of us open space, lakes, bridges, pathways, village community centers, tot lots and concerts; reduces the cost for camps,pools, gyms, golf and tennis; helps support bigger projects such as Symphony Woods Park development and

improved pathway connectivity around Columbia; village center master planning; watershed protection and restoration; and more. When you figure a latte at your local coffee shop averages about

$4, what you pay CA goes pretty far.

What makes Columbia Columbia? That’s easy. You do!Your dollars are what makes Columbia a desirable area to live, work and play. They keep home values up and

bring smiles to everyone from 1 to 101 who takes advantage of all the good stuff there is to do around Columbia.

It’s thanks to you that Columbia is all that it is. Three lakes covering more than 85 acres are just the tip of the

melted iceberg. To learn about all of the other ways your CA dollars enrich our community, check out

WhyIPayCA.org.

commercial or industrial propertyCA covenants, which are attachedto every deed that requires you topay the annual charge.

Will my lender pay theannual charge for me?

Some lenders do and some don’t;check your mortgage escrow account and speak with yourlender. CA is not a governmentalentity, so the annual charge cannot be called a tax. It,

Why do I have to pay CA?

CA is a community-controlled, private, non-profit service corporation created to provideservices and amenities for thebenefit of Columbia. In order to ensure that financial resources will always be available to maintain CA’s property and amenities, the developers of Columbia added to every CA residential,

&Answers

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Fitness Facilities

Village Community Associations

Tennis Clubs

Golf Clubs

Pathways

Pool & Mini WaterParks

Ice Rink

Ponds & Lakes

Tot Lots

Camps

Trees & Forests

Basketball Courts

Open Space

SkatePark

KidSpace

Bridges & Pedestrian Over & Underpasses

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WhyIPayCA.orgWe invite you to go to WhyIPayCA.org

to learn more about where your annual

charge goes. You can also go to

ColumbiaAssociation.org where

you can find CA’s most recent financial

statements and independent audit

report. The more you know, the more

we think you’ll feel good knowing how

much you get for your money.

however, resembles a tax to the extent that it is a first lienagainst your property and haspriority over your mortgage.

Why do I now pay morethan the previous owner?

The state’s phase-in value is usedthe first year following a purchaseto calculate the annual charge,and that value may be higher than the previous owner’s last value.

64¢ a day per person based on an average residential property value of $350,000 with an average of 2.53 persons per household.

Are you wondering why you pay an annual charge?

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Awards&Accolades

Columbia Association and the business communityAccolade after accolade make Columbia one the best places in thecountry for people to live, work and play. CA doesn’t just provideamenities and programs for residents, it also benefits the local businesses and our regional economy by providing quality-of-lifeamenities that make Columbia and the surrounding area more attractive for professionals, families and businesses to locate here. While 70 percent of CA’s annual charge revenue is collected from residents, 30 percent comes from businesses on CA-assessed property.If your company is located on property protected by CA covenants,your full-time employees can purchase an individual CA membershipfor themselves at the CA resident price or apply the individual discountstoward the purchase of a two-member or family membership. �

Columbia has been recognized with the following:• Number 2 Best Place to Live (jointly with Ellicott City)Money Magazine, 2010

• Number 7Town to Live WellForbes Magazine, 2009

• Number 8City to Date a NerdMatch.com, 2011

• Number 8 Best Place to Live(jointly with Ellicott City)Money Magazine, 2012

• Number 10Perfect SuburbCNBC, 2011

• Number 16Smartest Community in the U.S.Baltimore Business Journal, 2011

• Number 17Best Place to Raise a FamilyForbes Magazine, 2008

• Best Neighborhood for the MoneyDaily Finance, 2010

9FY2013Major accomplishments and initiatives

FY2013 was a great year for the Columbia Association (CA) and muchwas accomplished. Last fiscal year,CA completed dredging at LakeElkhorn and Wilde Lake. Throughoutthe fiscal year, CA also continued itswork on the project to develop

Symphony Woods Park by developingthe Inner Arbor Concept Plan to transition the park into an enhanceddowntown setting for cultural eventsand performances, art installationsand community events. CA alsomoved forward in planning to build anew clubhouse and turnhouse at the Hobbit’s Glen Golf Club. CA alsolaunched its new customer servicesoftware system, Spectrum NG. The

new system increases the speed andconvenience of transactions andgives members the ability to checkaccount information and register andpay for programs and services online.During the year CA also completed itsConnecting Columbia project with animplementable plan to improve thepathway system in Columbia and increase the overall connectivity ofColumbia for bikers and walkers. �

Upcoming major initiatives

As we look toward the future of the Columbia

Association (CA) and our community, there

are plenty of new initiatives on the horizon.

At the beginning of the fiscal year, CA

launched a new community engagement site,

InspireColumbia.com, to garner feedback and

ideas from Columbia residents on the future of

Columbia. This new site seeks to involve community members

in two-way discussions with Columbia Association to further

enhance the quality of life for those living and working in

Columbia.

During this upcoming fiscal year, CA will also be focused on

rebuilding the clubhouse at the Hobbit’s Glen Golf Club with

demolition and construction slated to begin in October 2013

and continue through October 2014. This year CA will also be

working on a Comprehensive Plan for Serving Older Adults.

CA will be working to construct a dog park in Harper’s Choice.

To learn more about upcoming initiatives and projects, visit

ColumbiaAssociation.org. �

Anew spiritwithin Columbia Association

FY2014

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Get involved in the bestcommunity association

Whether you have a few

hours a week or a few days

a month to offer, options are

abound if you want to get

more involved in local

leadership.

Columbia is a master-

planned community

governed by the Columbia

Association (CA) Board of

Directors (which handles the

business affairs of CA)

and the village community

association boards (which

manage the business affairs

of the ten Columbia village

community associations).

But that’s not all. There are

also committees and work

teams that could use the

help of dedicated, thoughtful

and enthusiastic Columbia

residents. You can learn

about the many leadership

opportunities available in

Columbia by visiting

ColumbiaAssociation.org/

Leadership-Opportunities.

Columbia Card Available toColumbia ResidentsCA AmenitiesWithout a MembershipPersons who live on CA-assessed property may pay reduced daily admission andprogram fees with a free Columbia Card. Visit the Membership Service Center and show your driver’s license or imprinted personal check to verify your CA residency.

Jointhefun!Don’t have a membership?No problem!

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Via Membership

You can sign up for membership at a singlefacility, or you can sign upfor Package Plan, whichprovides you with accessto all CA facilities. Membership prices arediscounted for those residents who live or work on property protected by the CA covenants.

Via Columbia Card

CA residents who don’twant to purchase a membership may obtain afree Columbia Card andaccess the membership facilities on a “pay-as-you-go” basis. The ColumbiaCard is available exclu-sively for residents wholive on property protectedby CA covenants.

How to Join

To purchase a membershipplan or obtain a ColumbiaCard, please visit CA’s Member ship Service Center (MSC), Mon-Satfrom 10am-7pm, at 10221Wincopin Circle, 21044or call 410-730-1801. For more information onincome-qualified discountprograms and Earn-a-Membership programs,contact the MSC.

Get involved!Go to ColumbiaAssociation.org/Leadership-Opportunities

OPPORTUNITIESHow to Participate in Columbia Association’s Facilities and Programs

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It’s easier thanever to find us!ColumbiaAssociation.orgFacebook.com/CA.ColumbiaAssociationIssuu.com/CA-ColumbiaAssociationTwitter.com/ColumbiaAssnYouTube.com/CATVchannel

ColumbiaAssociation

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