A: Highland Park 3 is located in El Paso County, Colorado, situated on the far northeastern edge of Colorado Springs. The community sits roughly two miles north of Woodmen Road, nestled directly between Black Forest Road to the west and Vollmer Road to the east, running right up to the southern treeline of the Black Forest area.

A: Emergency fire and medical first responder services are provided by Black Forest Fire and Rescue. For non-emergency inquiries, resources, and community safety updates, you can visit their website at https://www.bffire.org/.

A: The community is located within the highly regarded Academy School District 20 (Air Academy School District).

• Assigned Schools: Students residing in the neighborhood typically attend Ranch Creek Elementary, Timberview Middle School, and Liberty High School.
• Transportation & Choice: School bus service is provided by the District. Please note that neighborhood school assignments are subject to change, and alternative magnet or school choice options may be available. Homeowners are encouraged to contact District 20 directly for the most current information.

A: For any questions, please email the Association at info@hp3a.org. This account is actively monitored by the Board of Directors. The Board holds regular public meetings—typically hosted online—and distributes vital community announcements, meeting notices, and event updates primarily via email. All members are required to maintain current email and billing contact information with the HOA.

A: No. Property owners have complete freedom to select any builder of their choice to construct their home. Additionally, owners are legally permitted to act as their own general contractors if they choose to manage their home construction directly.

A: Yes. When purchasing a property within Highland Park 3, owners automatically become mandatory members of the Highland Park 3 Association, Inc. (HP3A). The community is governed by a carefully drawn set of protective covenants designed to preserve the neighborhood's quiet, unspoiled beauty, protect property values, and ensure peaceful enjoyment for all residents.

Before any work begins, property owners must submit plans to the ACC and receive formal, written approval. This mandatory review applies to:

• Drilling a well or digging a septic system.
• Constructing homes, outbuildings, or structures of any kind.
• Installing driveways or implementing landscaping designs.
• Modifying exterior paint colors or roofing materials.

The ACC is legally empowered to order a temporary or permanent halt to any construction activities conducted without prior written authorization.

A: In accordance with the community covenants, the ACC is allotted a reasonable review period to thoroughly evaluate all submittals. To ensure fairness and architectural harmony, the committee will not rush a decision due to builder scheduling or materials being ordered prematurely. Property owners are strongly advised to submit their comprehensive building and landscaping plans well in advance of their targeted construction start date.

A: HP3A enforces a strict Mowing Policy to maintain neighborhood aesthetics and, most importantly, mitigate the severe wildfire dangers associated with overgrown, arid vegetation. Property owners generally keep their lots well-maintained by mowing approximately once per month during the summer season (June through September).

Homeowners have two choices:

1. Self-Maintain: Utilize a personal lawn tractor or equipment to mow their own properties.
2. Contracted Service: HP3A coordinates seasonal mowing packages with a trusted local contractor. Homeowners may sign up for this program to have their lots mowed professionally and billed directly through the Association.

A: No. While Highland Park 3 is designed as an exclusive enclave of country estates featuring rolling 2.5-acre homesites, horses and livestock are strictly prohibited under the protective covenants.

A: Highland Park 3 is serviced by the following regional utility companies:

• Electricity: Mountain View Electric Association (MVEA) | https://www.mvea.coop/.
• Natural Gas: Black Hills Energy | https://www.blackhillsenergy.com/.
• Telecommunications: High-speed fiber optic infrastructure is deployed throughout the community via Quantum Fiber and Conexon Connect.

Note: While the developer provided the main underground infrastructure to the lot lines, property owners are individually responsible for arranging and paying for the utility extensions from the property line to their residence.

A: HP3A maintains an exclusive community contract with Waste Management of Colorado Springs. This master agreement provides homeowners with exceptionally low pricing for standard service—well below independent residential market rates. Standard service includes one 96-gallon trash tote; additional totes or recycling services must be coordinated and paid for independently. Trash collection is currently scheduled every Friday.

To register your property, follow these steps:

1. Email info@hp3a.org to request the secure HOA Customer ID number (this ID is withheld from the public website for security purposes).
2. Call Waste Management Customer Service at 800-288-9666 (Available Monday–Friday, 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM MST).
3. Provide your service address and personal contact information.
4. Identify the master account name exactly as: HIGHLAND PARKS 3 (Note the "S" in PARKS).
5. Provide the secure HOA Customer ID number.

Billing Structure: Waste Management will link a property-specific customer ID to the HP3A master invoice. Initially, the Waste Management charges will be billed to the HOA, and the HOA will invoice you directly for that exact amount. Beginning the following January, your prorated trash fees will be seamlessly integrated into your annual HOA dues, consolidating your neighborhood expenses into a single annual payment. Please review the official Trash Policy for full details.

A: Transitioning from municipal "city" water to a private well system is common for residents moving to Highland Park 3. Because well water is not municipalized, management of the system rests entirely on the property owner. Keep these crucial operational facts in mind:

1. Well Depth & Bidding: Local homesites typically require wells drilled between 600 to 800+ feet deep to access the protected Denver or Dawson aquifers. It is highly recommended to acquire multiple competitive engineering bids from certified well drillers to ensure fair pricing.
2. Water Quality & Annual Testing: Private well water is un-regulated by municipal entities. Groundwater tables can fluctuate in hardness and mineral content, and environmental runoff (fertilizers, wildlife, etc.) can migrate into local aquifers over time. While your homebuilder or well driller may have only performed a basic biological check (such as testing for E. coli) to fulfill immediate permitting mandates, the County Health Department strongly recommends having your well water comprehensively tested once per year for metals, nitrates, and total chemical potability.
3. Filtration Systems: Water treatment is a matter of personal preference and well characteristics. Homeowners use various systems ranging from simple sediment filters and standard water softeners to advanced, point-of-entry reverse osmosis (RO) systems that purify water for the entire residence. We advise conducting a certified water test before purchasing a filtration system to ensure it targets your well's specific mineral makeup. Remember that all filters require routine maintenance and replacements per manufacturer guidelines.
4. Developing a New Well: Brand-new wells naturally produce a significant amount of cloudy sediment immediately after drilling. A new well must be "developed"—meaning it must be left running continuously for several hours, or even a couple of days, to flush the silt completely out of the system. Ensure your builder completes this development process before hookup to prevent fine grit from damaging your interior plumbing, faucets, and home appliances.
5. Power Outages: Private well pumps run entirely on electricity. If a regional power outage occurs, your home will lose water pressure. Homeowners are encouraged to invest in a secondary backup power supply, such as a generator, solar storage, or battery backup system, to maintain water access during electrical interruptions.

A: We live in a semiarid climate where water resources are strictly protected. Because groundwater pumping in our region eventually impacts downstream flows in the Arkansas and Platte River basins, state law mandates that depletions must be legally replaced or "augmented".

Highland Park operates under a strict Water Court Decree (Case Nos. 95CW188 and 97CW148) and an official Plan for Augmentation. Wells in our community are classified as non-exempt "fee wells" (signified by a "-F" suffix on your state permit). The plan functions by taking the indoor wastewater returned through your mandatory non-evaporative septic system, combining it with senior water rights contracted from the Cherokee Metropolitan District, and returning that volume to the river basin to keep downstream flows whole.

Maintaining this decree is a vital, non-negotiable legal duty handled jointly by HPA and HP3A.

A: Every property owner is strictly bound by their individual state well permit conditions and the overarching court decree. The specific restrictions include:

• Maximum Diversion: You are permitted to pump a maximum of 0.56 acre-feet (equivalent to 182,504 gallons) per calendar year per lot. This equates to an average of roughly 499 gallons per day.
• Maximum Pumping Rate: Water cannot be drawn at a rate exceeding 15 gallons per minute.
• Irrigation Limits: Outdoor watering of lawns, trees, and gardens combined cannot exceed a maximum of 5,000 square feet per lot. This 5,000 sq. ft. cap is absolute; you cannot expand your lawn simply because you use less water inside the house. For landscape calculations, budget 9 square feet of irrigated space per planted tree.

A: No. The Highland Park 3 Association and the ACC cannot legally approve swimming pools (indoor or outdoor), swim spas, hot tubs, or decorative outdoor water features/ponds . Because these features lose significant water to evaporation and require volumes outside standard domestic allocations, they directly violate our court-ordered water decree. Installing any such water feature is a direct violation of both the covenants and state law, and owners do so at substantial legal risk.

A: No. Rainwater harvesting and graywater recycling systems (reusing water from sinks, showers, or washing machines) are strictly prohibited in Highland Park 3. Our state-mandated augmentation plan relies on 100% of your indoor wastewater being directed through a closed, non-evaporative septic system to recharge the underlying aquifer. Retaining graywater or capturing rain disrupts this required cycle. Any unauthorized systems discovered must be removed immediately, and their presence must legally be disclosed as an active regulatory violation to prospective buyers upon resale.

A: To satisfy State Engineer and Water Court requirements, every lot owner must maintain an active, functioning flow meter on their well head. Property owners are legally required to record and submit their meter readings three times per year:

1. February 28/29 (Establishes base winter/non-irrigation usage)
2. October 31 (Captures peak summer irrigation usage)
3. December 1

Readings must be submitted promptly via email to ensure accurate annual reporting to the State Division Engineers and the Cherokee Metropolitan District. If you plan to be away on vacation or residing at a winter home during a reporting deadline, you must submit your readings early or arrange for a neighbor or proxy to read the meter on your behalf.

A: Because a single violation can jeopardize the legal standing of the entire community's water supply, enforcement is taken very seriously.

• Failure to Report: Homeowners who neglect deadline submissions will face persistent follow-ups from Association Directors. Under the covenants, the Association reserves the right to initiate formal legal action at the non-compliant owner’s expense to force compliance.
• Over-Pumping Violations: If meter data reveals that a lot has exceeded its 0.56 acre-foot annual limit, the District 10 Water Commissioner will issue an official warning letter to seek voluntary reduction remedies, such as transitions to xeriscaping or installing low-flow appliances. Continued over-pumping triggers escalating enforcement from the State Division Engineer. If unresolved, the State Attorney General’s office will file a formal lawsuit against both the individual property owner and the Association for breaching the Court Decree. In this scenario, the Association will cross-claim against the violating homeowner, who will be held personally liable for all state litigation costs, potentially resulting in a foreclosable lien against their property.

A:

1. Locate the Meter: Water meters are typically installed in your home's mechanical/furnace room, basement, or crawlspace close to where the primary water line pierces the foundation wall. Look for your pressurized water tank (usually a blue or tan cylinder); the meter is typically mounted on the copper piping immediately adjacent to this tank. The meter face may be protected by a flip-up plastic or bronze cap.
2. Record the Odometer: Read the seven consecutive digits displayed across the center dial face from left to right.
3. Include All Zeros: You must report all leading and trailing zeros, even if some numbers are permanently painted or fixed onto the dial face. Do not insert any random decimal points; simply type the exact number string shown.
4. Numbers in Transition: If a digit is physically rolling over or split between two numbers during your reading, always record and report the higher number.
5. Ignore the Sweep Hand: If your meter face includes a spinning red needle or sweep dial, ignore it for reporting purposes. Tip: If all faucets, showers, and appliances in your home are completely turned off, but this red sweep hand continues to move, your plumbing system has an active water leak.