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RULES AND REGULATIONS
FOR THE COMMON AREAS
INTRODUCTION
The following sets of Rules
and Regulations pertain to the use of the Balcones Woods Club swimming pool,
tennis courts, basketball courts, sports courts, and all other facilities and
surrounding grounds. These Rules and Regulations were adopted by members of the
1987 Operating Committee and have been approved by the 1987 Board of Directors
and amended at the 1990 annual meeting. They apply to each and every homeowner
and/or resident in Balcones Woods, and their families and quests. All members
are expected to read these Rules and Regulations and to abide by them.
These Rules and Regulations
have SAFETY as a primary objective, but also are intended to promote courtesy
and fairness, and to protect the properties of the Club. Each and every rule
has a purpose.
The manager and lifeguards
do not make the rules. They are hired by a committee of homeowners from
Balcones Woods. However, it is their duty to enforce these Rules and
Regulations and, thus, among other things, to ensure the safety of all
individuals who use the pool and other facilities. The manager and lifeguards
are instructed to enforce these Rules and Regulations consistently, without
discrimination among pool users, or users of the other facilities. Therefore,
if homeowners have questions, comments, or suggestions, it is asked that they
contact the manager rather than confront the guards. The Rules and Regulations
can best be amended in this manner. The pool manager will be in constant
contact with the Pool Committee.
We must all work together
to keep the pool and other facilities operating smoothly and the premises neat
and free of litter. Please keep in mind that the Rules and Regulations are
intended to ensure safety, protect property, eliminate confusion, and to allow
all members and their guests to have maximum use and enjoyment of the Balcones
Woods Club facilities. Your cooperation will be appreciated.
EMPLOYEES OF THE CLUB
The manager and lifeguards
have been charged with the responsibility of enforcing these Rules and
Regulations. Any conduct, by any person, deemed by the lifeguard on duty to be
dangerous or unwarranted is grounds for a word of caution, or a reprimand, or
suspension from the premises for at least a 24-hour period by the lifeguard.
Such suspensions will be documented. Conduct warranting longer suspensions or
other actions will be handled on an individual basis by the Pool Committee or
Operating Committee (in conjunction with the manager and/or lifeguards).
No member of the Club shall
at any time reprimand, punish in any way, or issue orders to any employee of
the Club. All complaints relative to alleged employee misconduct or otherwise, should be referred to the manager or a member of
the Pool or Operating Committees for resolution.
HOURS OF OPERATION
The common area is open
from sun-up until
I. APPLICABILITY AND
ACCOUNTABILITY
A. Members will be held
strictly accountable for the character and conduct of their guests. It is the
responsibility of the member to inform his/her guests of these Rules and
Regulations.
B. Rules apply to adults
and children alike; infractions will be handled in the same manner for all age
groups.
II. PINS
A. Members must be up to
date, with respect to paying Club dues, in order obtain security keys and gain
access to common areas.
B. Security keys will be supplied
only to Balcones Woods homeowners and or residents and
their immediate families.
C. Pins must be worn on the
person, clearly visible at all times while at the pool/ common area.
D. No loud, boisterous
language, disorderly or ungentlemanly or unladylike conduct, or inappropriate
public displays of affection will be permitted.
E. No pets will be allowed
on the Club premises at any time.
F. Except for maintenance,
official, or emergency vehicles, motorized vehicles (e.g. dirt bikes, 4WD vehicles,
etc.) are not allowed on any non-paved part of the common areas.
G. NO GLASS CONTAINERS OF
ANY KIND ARE ALLOWED IN THE COMMON AREA.
H. No skateboards,
bicycles, roller skates, etc. are allowed on the sport court surfaces (e.g.
tennis courts, basketball court, volleyball court, etc.) at any time.
III. GUESTS AND PARTIES
A. All guests must be
registered in the guest book by a member, and are required to wear a GUEST PIN
which can be obtained from the pool manager or a lifeguard.
B. No more than 10 guests
per family at any one time.
C. Guests must be
accompanied by a member of the Club at all times.
D. Members must be at least
12 years of age to sign in a guest.
E. Parties:
1.
All parties with more than ten (10) guests must be cleared with the Pool
Committee chairman at least two weeks in advance.
2.
For every twenty (20) guests in excess of the first ten (10), the party-givers
must pay wages for an additional lifeguard for the length of the party,
preparation time and clean-up time.
F. Special situations regarding guests may be approved by the chairperson of the Pool Committee.
POOL RULES AND
REGULATIONS
A. The swimming pool will be
open for the full swimming season beginning the Saturday prior to Memorial Day
and concluding with Labor Day. Pool hours are from
B. In addition to the full
swimming season the pool will be open on a weekend basis beginning the first
Saturday in May. Also, after Labor Day through the remainder of September, it
will be open from
C. There will be an adult
swim (for those 18 years of age or older) for ten minutes of each hour.
Additionally, the period from
D. One lane for lap
swimming will be available after
E. Weather-related Opening
and Closing:
1.
The pool will be open if the air temperature is above 70 degrees F.
2.
The pool will be closed if, in the opinion of the lifeguard on duty, rain is
hard enough to restrict visibility of the bottom of the pool. The pool will
normally remain open in light rain.
3.
The pool will be closed if there is lightning or thunder. The pool will be kept
cleared for at least thirty minutes following the lightning or thunder. Patrons
will be restricted to the grass areas during this period.
F. Anyone found in the
fenced common area outside of the operating hours will be subject to suspension
from the pool for one year.
II. GENERAL RULES FOR
THE POOL
A. No loud, boisterous
language, disorderly or ungentlemanly or unladylike conduct, or inappropriate
public displays of affection will be permitted. This includes but is not
limited to:
1.
Spitting
2.
"Chicken fighting"
3.
Running on the deck areas
4.
"Roughhousing" of any kind
5.
Inappropriate sunbathing
B. Eating, drinking, gum chewing,
and smoking will be permitted only under the cabana or on the grass areas
adjacent to the deck areas around the pool.
1.
Smokers are required to obtain an ashtray from the guard station, and dispose
of cigarette butts properly.
2.
Soda drinkers must dispose of pop tops properly - either in the receptacle in
the soda machine or in the trash cans.
C. Glass bottles or any
other kind of containers made of glass are strictly prohibited on the Club
premises.
D. Foreign materials and
inflatable objects:
1.
No person shall take, throw, admit or allow any foreign substance in the
swimming pool or on the deck areas surrounding the pool.
2.
Inflatable balls and Nerf balls are allowed. Tennis balls and other types of
balls are not allowed. Balloons are not allowed.
3.
Free-floating devices (e.g. rafts, air mattresses, boats, canoes, etc.) will be
permitted in the deep end of the pool at the lifeguards' discretion. These
devices must be no larger than required for one (1) person. Standing on
flotation devices or jumping from them is not allowed.
4.
Small, solid objects to be used for the purpose of recovery by surface diving
may be permitted with prior approval of the lifeguard on duty at the time.
5.
Soft rubber or soft plastic toys may be used by the children in the wading
pool.
6.
The Balcones Woods Club kickboards are for the use only by the swim team during
their practice session (
E. Age Restrictions:
1.
The wading pool is reserved for the exclusive use and enjoyment of those
children below the age of six (6). Each child using the wading pool shall be
closely attended by a responsible person. The lifeguard shall not be required
nor expected to perform babysitting duties in addition to maintaining a close
watch on the main swimming area.
2.
Any child under nine (9) years of age, who is using either the swimming pool or
the surrounding grounds, must be closely watched by a responsible person.
F. Diving Area
1.
No running off of the diving board. No jumping or diving off of the side of the
board.
2.
No objects (including articles of clothing) are to be thrown from the board.
3.
No stunt diving.
4.
Only one bounce on the board is permitted for each dive.
5.
One shall not mount the diving board until the diving area is clear and the
preceding diver has reached the nearest ladder in the diving well (not side of
the pool!). Divers should exit from the pool using the appropriate ladder.
Exceptions to this rule may be granted by the lifeguard on duty (e.g. for a
diving "coach" in the pool to ensure safe diving for small,
inexperienced divers).
6.
The board may be opened or closed with permission of the lifeguard on duty at
the time. Diving is allowed off of the side of the pool into the diving well
only when the board is closed. Cartwheels off of the sides are not permitted.
7.
Diving into the pool from the side is allowed only in water deeper than five
feet (i.e. only on the deep side of the white lifeguard stand).
8.
Swimming under the lane rope (i.e. crossing through the lap lane during lane
swimming times) is prohibited.
G. All guests will be
required to have a guest pass or pay a $1.00 per day GUEST FEE. Each owner
eligible to receive pool pins will be issued a guest pass card for 10 entries.
This card will be punched each time it is used.
TENNIS RULES AND
REGULATIONS
A. Courts may be used
between sun-up and
II. RESERVATIONS
A. All persons using the
courts must sign the reservation sheet before the start of play.
B. Reservations will be for
1-1/2 hours or less, beginning on the hour or the halfhour.
C. Reservations can be made
as much as one (1) day in advance. However, to accommodate unusual situations,
one (1) reservation may be made as much as one (1) week in advance.
D. Courts not claimed
within 15 minutes of the reserved time are defaulted to the next group waiting
to play.
E. No single or double
matches will play for more than 1-1/2 hours while others are waiting to play.
F. No group may schedule
consecutive reservations in advance.
G. No person may have more
than one reservation at any one time.
H. The
Operating Committee may, from time to time, reserve court time (e.g. for
lessons for Club members or for other special events).
III. GENERAL TENNIS
RULES
A. Rubber soled shoes must
be worn while playing. Also, do not wear black rubber types that may leave
marks on the courts.
B. Good tennis etiquette
must be observed at all times.
C. Persons entering or departing
the far court (2) and having to cross court one (1) should wait until the point
is played on court one. Please do not enter or cross court one when a ball is
in play.
D. No more than four (4)
persons will be permitted on a single court at one time.
E. Only those playing
tennis will be allowed inside the court area. All others watching or waiting to
play must stay outside the fence.
F. The courts should be
used with care. Do not slam balls into the windscreen, hit the net with your
racquet or generally abuse the courts.
G. The last group using the
courts at night is asked to please turn off the lights and close the gate.
IV. BACKBOARD
A. Please limit play to
one-half (1/2) hour if others are waiting.
B. Be considerate of
players on the tennis courts. Move closer to the backboard and/or hit softer if
you are having control problems. Please try to keep from hitting the ball over
the fence into the courts.
A. The basketball and
volleyball courts may be used between the hours of sun-up to
B. The shuffleboard court
may be used any time during normal pool operating hours.
C. If others are waiting to
use the court, then playing time on the court is limited as follows:
-
Basketball court.......... 1-1 1/2 hours
-
Volleyball court........... 1-1 1/2 hours
-
Shuffleboard court............ 1 hour
II. GENERAL RULES
A. Good sportsmanship is
the key to play on the courts.
B. Persons playing should
make every effort to work newly arrived players into their game if possible and
consistent with normal practices of the game being played.
C. During pool season,
equipment for the volleyball court, the basketball court, and the shuffleboard
court will normally be available for checkout from the lifeguards. Give them
your pool pin and sign their checkout sheet. Please return the signed-out
equipment after your game.
D. Do not abuse the equipment. The budget is limited and money for replacement equipment may not be available.