Policy Guidelines

1. Garage sales are permitted in the Village of Sugar Bush Knolls.

2. Please do not place directional signs in individual homeowners’ property without their permission.

3. Please remove all directional signs within 24 hours after the conclusion of your garage sale.

1. The Village of Sugar Bush Knolls owns two lakes.

   1. Lake Martin is located off of Lake Martin Drive via a walkway between 1200 and 1220 Lake Martin Dr.

      1. Average depth – 6.7’

      2. Maximum depth – 12.0’

   2. Lake Roger is located off of Lake Roger Drive.

      1. Average depth – 3.4’

      2. Maximum depth – 8.0’

   3. The lakes are not connected by water

   4. East and West Twin Lakes, located south of the Village of Sugar Bush Knolls, are not owned by the Village.

2. Other lakes and ponds in the Village are on private property.

3. Do not add anything to the lakes, including fish, amphibians, plant life, or chemicals without the express permission of the Village Council.

4. Private property owners whose land includes public lake shoreline

   1. May not build a dock on the lake according to Ordinance 1130.06.

   2. To prevent Canada geese from entering your property, do not mow within two feet of the lake and allow grass to grow there. Geese do not like the feeling of the grass and will not come ashore in locations with grass. Low pink or orange roping may also prevent them from entering your property.

   3. Please use fertilizers safe for the lake and do not fertilize within two feet of the lakes.

5. Lake Martin and Lake Roger are only to be used by residents of the Village of Sugar Bush Knolls.

6. Guests must be accompanied by a resident of the Village of Sugar Bush Knolls.

7. Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult.

8. Residents and guests may fish, boat upon, and swim in the lakes at their own risk.  

9. The water in the Village’s lakes or ponds is not tested for fecal or other contaminants because testing only demonstrates the quality of the water at a particular point in time and the lakes are not generally used for swimming.  The Village does not recommend swimming in the lakes because of the lack of testing, the lakes are not staffed with lifeguards, and village docks are not equipped for swimmers.

10. Boating

    1. Boats may not produce wakes.

    2. Only human or wind-powered watercraft are permitted other than for emergency services or training exercises approved by the village.

    3. No ice skating, snowmobiling, ice fishing.

11. Fishing

    1. WARNING:  As of Sept. 18, 2017, residents are advised not to catch fish caught in the lakes and not to swim in the lakes as dangerous bacteria is within the lakes (which will be treated).

    2. Limited to catch and release, unless specifically authorized by the Village Council or if the fish is classified under the family Cyprinidae and common referred to as carp.

    3. Removal of bass from the lakes is prohibited.

12. No person, corporation, or entity may store any type of watercraft on Village property.

13. No person, corporation, or entity may moor any watercraft in the lakes.

14. Residents and guests at the lakes should not disturb the peace and quiet of the Village.

15. Do not litter: please remove trash or use the trash can provided at Lake Martin.

16. Alcoholic beverages are not permitted on the lakes or the public land leading to them.

17. Violations of the ordinance will face a $1,000/day fine for each offense and a separate offense shall be deemed to have been committed on each day during or on which a violation occurs or continues.

1. No street parking on Orin Drive on either side.

2. Other (non-Orin) Village streets shall have parking on only one side of the street at any given time.

   1. Vehicles may not park directly across from vehicles on the opposite side of the street.

   2. Leave 100 feet of separation between a parked vehicle on one side of the street and the next vehicle on the other side of the street.

3. Do not obstruct curves, driveways, mailboxes, or safe line-of-sight for vehicles driving around parked vehicles.

4. No parking on the street if snowfall exceeds two inches.

5. In the event of an emergency, on-street parking for non-emergency vehicles is suspended.

6. Parked vehicles must be oriented in the direction of traffic.

7. No overnight parking between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m.

8. Commercial vehicles may park on Village streets but must adhere to these parking restrictions.

9. Vehicles in violation of the ordinance are subject to towing, impounding, and all associated fees at the owners’ expense.

10. Neighborly guidelines

    1. Use your driveway and front yard first.

    2. If your guests park in front of someone else’s yard and cause any damages, it is your responsibility to make and/or pay for any repairs.

Types of Easements

The Village of Sugar Bush Knolls has two types of easements:

1. Utility-owned easements.  Examples include easements along our major thoroughfares for natural gas pipelines or county sanitary sewers.

2. Village-owned easements.  Examples include easements for roadways, storm sewer piping, and pathways to Village-owned lakes.

Ownership of the Land

Although the term “owned” is applied to an easement, the owner of the easement (the Village or utility) owns only the right to access the property covered by the easement.  Title to the real property is still held by the landowner.  Hence, the Village may have an easement for a storm sewer line on your property, but the Village holds no real property in ownership.  The easement simply permits the Village to access the property subject to the easement for repair, replacement or maintenance on the storm sewer line.

Restrictions for Land with an Easement

Because access is necessary for these activities, structures cannot be built upon the easement and elaborate landscaping cannot be developed thereon.

 Returning the property to its original condition

The Village, or its contractor, is responsible for returning the easement property back to its original condition following access for work.

Ongoing Work

The Village continues to obtain easements for storm sewer improvements, which will allow our Village to best manage its storm water and to protect properties from uncontrolled water runoff.

Village Map with all easements

Survey of Lake Martin Access Trail Easement May 2020

Who Can Use West Twin Lake and Why they Can Use It

1. Some properties in the Village are eligible to use West Twin Lake, just south of the Village of Sugar Bush Knolls.

2. The owners of these 39 properties are eligible to use West Twin Lake because in 1927 the Twin Lakes Company, which was at that time the owner of the Twin Lakes and substantial surrounding property, conveyed 47.27 acres of land to the Davey Tree Expert Company and granted it “free and undisturbed privileges to the use of West Twin Lake.”  This land was later subdivided into 39 lots.  Those rights have passed down through the years as part of the properties’ chain of title.

Use of the Non-amenities of West Twin Lake (via the north shore) Without Paying an Assessment

The Twin Lakes Association, which currently owns the Twin Lakes and surrounding common areas, recognizes the language from 1927 and supports those properties’ use of West Twin Lake for fishing, boating, and swimming via South Blvd. at the end of Elma Street and the end of South Blvd.

Before using West Twin Lake for any reason,

1. The property owners should contact the Twin Lakes Association (1509 Merrill Ave., Kent, OH  44240   330-678-9116 or 330-842-1634  or  twinlakes1509@gmail.com)  and express interest in using West Twin Lake. The property owner must confirm that they plan to use a non-motorized boat on the lake that has not been in any other body of water within 48 hours of launching said boat into West Twin Lake.

2. The Association will return a form to fill out and return to them.

3. Upon returning the form, the property owner will receive from the Association a letter that acknowledges their right to use West Twin Lake along with stickers to display prominently on the outside of their watercraft.

4. The property owner must carry the letter with them every time they use the lake and show it to any party who asks why they are there.  Several owners act as security to keep the neighborhood safe and regularly patrol the area.

5. The property owner may not leave boats or other belongings on the common properties at any time.

Use of the Amenity Provisions of West Twin Lake (South Shore) Through Paying an Assessment

1. The 39 property owners may use the amenities on the south side of West Twin Lakes (including the beach and bathhouse area, the boat and canoe racks, the docks, and the pavilion and picnic areas) if they pay an annual assessment, as conditionally allowed by the Twin Lakes Association Board of Trustees.

2. If a property owner wishes to use West Twin Lake amenities, please express interest to the Twin Lakes Association.

3. The assessment fee fluctuates each year depending on the Twin Lakes Association’s annual budget.
   a.  For the 2013 year, the assessment fee is the assessed land value (the 35% column of the property as found on the Portage County auditor’s office website multiplied by .01685
   b.  The assessment runs from April 1 to March 31 of each year.

4. Once the property owner pays the assessment, they will be billed in subsequent years.  If the property owner doesn’t wish to use West Twin Lakes’ amenities in the coming year, they do not have to pay the bill but are obligated to inform the Twin Lakes Association that they no longer wish to continue.

5. Note that the property owner is not “joining” the Twin Lakes Association nor are they a “member” of the Twin Lakes Association because both of those terms imply a club and the Twin Lakes Association is not a club.  The correct term for Village of Sugar Bush Knolls property owners who pay the annual assessment is “property owner.”

6. Property owners should familiarize themselves with the general rules as listed on the Twin Lakes Association website.

7. Property owners who pay the assessment are able to reserve the pavilion for parties.  To book your summer party at the TLA Beach House, please send your reservation request to tlabeachparty@gmail.com.