Rules & Regulations

The following rules and regulations are the initial rules and regulations and are subject to change as deemed necessary by the Lake Oconee Homeowners’ Association board:

1. Lake Use
   1. Use of the lake and its common property is restricted to Association members, their immediate family and guests of members. A member must be present during the use by a guest.
      The Lake Oconee Board of Directors has the power to suspend lake privileges for any violations of the Architectural Committee Rules & Regulations; and for non-payment of any assessment (rev 8/7/2006)
   2. Boat speed limits on the lake shall be as follows:
      1. There shall be a no wake zone within 75′ of the shoreline at all times.
      2. Maximum boat speed between 10:00 AM and 8:00 PM shall be 35 mph. Boats will operate at a no wake speed before 10:00 AM and after 8:00 PM.
   3. Each residential lot is limited to one gas powered boat (see chart below) and the pontoon boat motor will be limited to an outboard, four-stroke motor not to exceed 50hp. Age of boat AND motor shall be on a sliding scale of SIX YEARS prior to current year. (rev 10/20/2003)
   4. Boats which are gas powered shall have 4-stroke motors (see chart below). (rev 2/13/2011)
      Age of boat AND motor shall be on a sliding scale of six years prior to current year. (example, in 2017 boats and motors must be 2011 or newer). No 2-cycle gas powered motors are allowed. (rev 10/20/2003)
   5. Boats must comply with all State of Nebraska Safety Rules and Regulations when operated on the lake and shall be properly licensed by the State of Nebraska. Association stickers are also required and must be displayed as designated by the Association. Boats must be registered with the HOA board. A copy of the registration and boat specs must be presented before entering the lake.
   6. All boats allowed to operate on the lake shall be titled and registered in the name of an Association member.
   7. Gas powered boat operators must be of legal operating age as defined by the State of Nebraska law. Fourteen-year-old children of Association members and adult guests of an Association member will be allowed to operate gas powered boats when accompanied by an Association member.
   8. Personal motorized watercraft such as jet skis are not allowed.
   9. Swimming and floating shall be confined to the area within 35 ft of the shoreline. No Swimming is allowed beyond 35 ft from shore. No swimming is allowed across the coves or exceeding 35 ft. Children under the age of 12 are requested to wear a life jacket at all times while in or on the water and must be accompanied by an adult capable of swimming. (rev 7/30/2020)
   10. Water skiing, tubing, or similar boating activities are permissible between 10:00 am and 8:00 pm only. Water activity participants must wear life jackets and must remain at least 75 ft from the shoreline, rafts, and other boats, and at least 15 ft from docks. (rev 8/08/2006)
       Double Tubing or skiing is NOT ALLOWED on the Lake at any time.
   11. Between 10:00 am and 8:00 pm, motorized boat traffic shall be to the right and always in a counter-clockwise direction. Boat Path Map is on the Website for reference.
   12. Tow ropes shall not exceed 75 ft in length.
2. Signs
   1. Signs for commercial purpose, except for garage and rummage sales, shall not be permitted on residential lots.
   2. Signs for real estate sales shall be permitted on the front of residential lots.
   3. Association signs are permitted on common property.
   4. The developer shall be permitted to place signs of developer’s choice on lots owned by the developer.
3. Animals
   1. Not more than two household pets shall be maintained or housed on a lot. No other animals are allowed.
   2. All pets must be penned, on a leash, or under the owner’s immediate control at all times.
   3. Pets shall not be allowed on the common properties except when in transit, carried, or on a leash.
   4. Pet owners are responsible for immediate clean up after their pets.
   5. No chemicals of any kind or nature, other than that specifically approved by the governing board of the Association, shall be introduced directly or indirectly into Lake Oconee or on any lot or lake shoreline.
   6. Lawns shall be watered only from the member’s private well. Pumping from the lake is prohibited.
   7. Property owners are responsible for mowing their property. No weeds, underbrush, or other unsightly growths shall be permitted to grow or remain on any part of a lot.
   8. Garbage, refuse, rubbish, or cuttings shall be placed in suitable containers and be discreetly concealed so as not to be visible from other lots or streets.
4. Fishing Regulation and Other Considerations
   1. Catch and release for all large gamefish is encouraged by use of barbless hooks.
   2. Minimum size limit of 15″ for largemouth bass and 18″ for walleye. (rev 4/23/2010)
   3. No incidental or private stocking or unused bait (minnows) is permitted unless approved by the Association or lake manager.
   4. Bank fishing is allowed from an Association member’s shoreline and the developers unsold lots. Lake fishing is allowed from an Association member’s boat. No bank fishing without written permission is allowed on shoreline owned by other persons.
5. Vehicles
   1. No unlicensed or inoperable motor vehicle shall be stored or parked on any street or residential lot.
   2. No parking of any object is permitted on the outside lane of any roadway.
   3. Camping trailers, boat trailers, motor homes, trucks, or recreational vehicles may be parked only on a driveway for not more than 15 days per year provided a residence on the lot is occupied by a lot owner.
   4. The maximum speed limit on all Lake Oconee Subdivision roads shall be 25 mph or as posted.
   5. Lake Oconee stickers are required on ATV’s and must be displayed as provided by the Association.
   6. No driving of ATV vehicles or snowmobiles is permitted on the ice during winter.
   7. All motorized vehicles shall be operated only on the roadways or designated easements.
   8. Any Non-Member/Guest trailers coming into Lake Oconee may NOT park on the Lake Oconee Associations property (including streets, boat dock area, and HOA property along the outside of the lake) without full Board approval. Requests need to be submitted to the Board in writing 72 hours ahead of time. Outside trailers must be parked on the Lake Oconee lot owner’s driveway/property. Parking on any empty lots will need approval from the specific lot owner. (rev 7/19/17)
      
      REMINDER: Residents MUST be present when guests use the access to the river.
6. Miscellaneous
   1. Burning of trash and other waste is prohibited.
   2. Pumping from the lake is prohibited.
   3. Disposal of water from a heat and cooling system or any other mechanical devise into the lake is prohibited.
   4. Members shall not use or permit their guests to use firearms, air or gas operated guns, bow and arrow or spear guns, nor shall they engage in or permit trapping on their property. Provided, however, it may be determined by the Board to promote a program for beaver trapping to control beaver on the Loup River and the lake.
7. Compliance with Rules and Regulations
   1. The Rules Committee, consisting of three members of the Board appointed by the President shall be responsible for investigating allegations of violations of rules and regulations.
   2. Within 10 days after any alleged violation comes to the attention of the Committee, the Committee shall serve written notice thereof upon the alleged violating member(s). Service may be given by delivering the notice to the member personally, by delivering the notice to any person 18 years of age or older at the member’s residence, or by sending the notice by certified mail to the member at his or her address as indicated in the records of the Association. The notice shall set forth the alleged violation and shall be accompanied by a copy of these rules and regulations.
   3. The member shall immediately cease the prohibited activity.
   4. The member shall have the right to respond to the violation. The response shall be in writing and shall be delivered to the Committee within five days after service of notice referred to above.
   5. The Committee shall investigate each alleged violation within a reasonable time. If requested by the alleged violator, or if the Committee deems it necessary or appropriate, such investigation shall include a hearing before the Committee. The committee may in its sole discretion adjourn, continue, and reconvene such hearing from time to time.
   6. Upon conclusion of its investigation the Committee shall make a written report to the Board setting forth its findings and its recommendations. A copy of such report shall be served upon the alleged violating member(s).
   7. A member may appeal the findings and recommendations of the Committee to the full Board by delivering written notice of appeal to the President within five days after receipt of a copy of the Committee’s report, in which case the Board shall hear the matter at its next regularly scheduled Board meeting. The Board may in its sole discretion adjourn, continue, and reconvene such hearing from time to time or call a special meeting.
   8. Not more than 30 days after its receipt of a Committee report with respect to any alleged violation the Board shall in its sole and absolute discretion impose the sanctions recommended by the Committee, impose lesser sanctions, or send the matter back to the Committee for further investigation.
   9. Nothing herein shall be deemed to permit any person to violate or continue to violate these rules and regulations during pendency of any investigation or appeal.
   10. The Rules Committee shall also take such steps as it may deem appropriate in dealing with violations of these rules and regulations by non-members.

The intent of the above rules is to allow a compromise between the full enjoyment of the benefits of lakeside living and the limitations necessary to maintain a peaceful and desirable residential community. None of the above provisions shall be interpreted to limit the Association’s right to modify the rules and regulations if the Association deems it desirable in the future to do so.

It is understood that boats, equipment, cranes, etc., used by the developer to maintain or excavate the lake or shoring are excluded from the above regulations

It is further understood that the Association is empowered to enforce and modify the above rules and homeowners who do not abide by said rules shall forfeit their rights to the use of any water areas of the lake and may become subject to fines levied by the Association and termination of lake rights for non-complying members.