Residents

Quick links

FirstService Residential Portal

Used for:

Condo Payments
Submission of Service Request
Most Recent Approved Documents such as Rules and Regulations.

Vehicle/Parking Permits please fill out this form

By All New Residents/Tenants
With Purchase of a New Vehicle
Every Two Years

Slip/Vessel Permits slip owners must fill out this form

By All New Resident Slip Holders Annually
With Docking of a New Vessel
New Tenants Renting Slip

Small Craft Registration. To Be Completed:

Annually Each May
Purchase of a New Craft

Bicycle Registration. To Be Completed:

Annually Each May
Purchase of a New Craft

Emergency and Important Contacts

Police & Fire Department (Emergency) – 911
FirstService Residential Customer Care Center – (800) 870-0010
BGE Emergency Service – (800) 685-0123
City Services (Non-Emergency) – (410) 263-7997
Fire Department (Non-Emergency) – (410) 222-8200
Police Department (Non-Emergency) – (410) 268-4141
COVID-19 Help Line – (410) 222-7256

Bikes

To house your bike in the storage areas, you must obtain and permit and pay the applicable $50 annual fee. You will receive a tag and an assigned spot.

The property manager will dispose of abandoned or unidentified bicycles in storage areas.

You may keep your bike on your deck without tags.

To obtain a bike permit, fill out this form.

Community Bulletin Board

All residents can post messages for sale/lease notices on the pool bulletin board. Notices will be cleaned out every month or so.

Condominium fees

Fees include the following:

Professionally managed community with 24-hour access, including repair and maintenance of many items.
Full-time cleaning service to maintain a clean and healthy environment
Trash and recycling pick up three times a week from designated areas in each building
Landscape and grounds maintenance
Snow removal as applicable
Water and natural gas provided to the residences

Residents are responsible for their units’ electricity, cable, and Wi-Fi services. Contact Comcast or Verizon directly to obtain accounts and any related available – contact them directly for service issues.

Decks and Patios

Set potted plants in waterproof containers to avoid rotting the wooden decks.
Avoid placing flowerpots on balcony railings and only hang flower boxes on the inside of the railings.
To maintain a uniform, attractive appearance of decks and patios, rugs, towels, and laundry is not to be dried outdoors.
Avoid sweeping dirt, shaking dust, or dripping water over the edge of decks onto your neighbors’ property.

Grills

The use of grills must meet Anne Arundel County codes and regulations.

No hibachi, gas-fired grill, charcoal grill, or similar devices used for cooking, heating, or any other purpose that produces an open flame, shall be used or kindled on any balcony or under an overhanging portion or within 15 feet of any structure.
Only electric grills that provide no open flame may be housed on balconies

Reference: NFPA 1 – Uniform Fire Code, 10.11.7, 2012 edition, as amended, State Fire Prevention Code and 2006 edition, Anne Arundel County Fire Prevention Code.

Landscape

The City of Annapolis and the state of Maryland have special 1000-foot Critical Area and 100-foot Buffer zone requirements when planting or replacing trees adjacent to tidal waters. Replacement trees will be placed as carefully as possible to avoid impeding water views.

Before planting or replacing existing shrubs in garden beds, owners must send a request to the property manager via the FirstService Residential portal using the service request option and submit a sketch or pictures of the plantings. Upon approval, the owner will assume costs. Any future owner of that unit will assume responsibility for the maintenance of the plantings. The following applies to plantings:

Shrubs require approval; mature height must be 6 feet or less.
Annuals, perennials, and bulbs do not require approval.
Plantings may not block views and should remain within established borders.
No plantings under building eaves.
Gardens must be maintained in good condition and pruned to 3-6 feet in height.
With the owner’s prior permission, the landscape company will prune any shrub that is within this limit.
Privately maintained beds must be designated by garden stakes and may not extend into the common area.
The landscape company is responsible for integrated pest management, fertilization, dormant pruning, mulching, and leaf removal from all Severn House grounds and resident gardens.
Trees and shrubs will be trimmed or removed for safety reasons or the health of the tree or shrub. All tree removal and replacements for trees within 100 feet of the water require approval from the City.
Native plants are encouraged: No invasive species may be planted and are subject to removal without the owner’s permission. Some examples of invasive species are Bamboo, Burning Bush, Chinese Wisteria, Creeping Jenny, English ivy, Japanese honeysuckle, Liriope, Nandina, Periwinkle, Vinca major & minor; Spirea Japonica, Winter Creeper, Creeping Euonymus.

Laundry

Laundry cards may be obtained from the machine located at the pool entrance. Directions are provided, along with a help number printed on the machines. Only cash is accepted. You may do laundry between 8 am to 10 pm. Please leave Washer doors open when not in use to deter condensation and mildew.

If using both machines, wait several minutes before starting the second load to avoid overloading the drain. Clean out the dryer lint after each use.

Marina

Marina.

Sell or lease

If leased, slip owners must fill out this form providing the property manager with the tenant’s name, email address, phone numbers, certificate of Insurance and emergency contact.
All vessels, including those leased or loaned or utilizing the transient slip, must submit the Registration of Slips and Acceptance of Liability Form (see Appendices) to the property manager prior to berthing, along with proof of Insurance that includes at least $300,000 in liability coverage. One form must be completed for each slip and submitted to the property manager before the slip is occupied.
Visitors may only park in spaces at green curbs.
Visitors may only use the pool if accompanied by the owner of slip.
Slips can only be sold to owners of Severn House units.

Small craft

You must submit a request each year to obtain a permit and pay the associated annual fee to store a small craft.
Kayaks, paddle boards, dinghies, and other small craft must be stored and locked on racks.
Space is determined on a first-come, first-served basis.
Craft not kept in good condition are subject to removal at the discretion of the Dock Master.
Small craft may not impede pedestrians on the promenade.
Small craft covers must be maintained in good condition or will be removed and discarded.

Master Insurance Policy

Our Condominium Association and Management Company have the annual task of keeping you informed about your responsibility regarding the Master Insurance Policy that covers your unit. The Master Policy, held by the Condominium Association, restores your unit in the event of sudden or accidental damage to the original state as it was first conveyed. It also protects the condominium’s common areas.

All Master Insurance Policies carry a deductible amount.

Effective October 1, 2020, Maryland Law changed to provide that those condominium associations, at the Association’s discretion, may collect the deductible portion of its policy from the unit’s owner where the cause of the damage originated, up to a limit of $10,000.

Before October 1, 2020, the maximum chargeback amount was $5,000.

The deductible on your Master Policy is $5,000.00. In the past, this only applied to associations that amended their bylaws to allow this collection. Under the law enacted June 1, 2009, this amendment is no longer required.

We recommend to all of our Homeowners that they contact the carrier of their HO-6 Policy (Condominium Unit Owner’s Policy) to confirm that their policy covers their share of the Association’s Master Insurance Policy deductible. Should a leak occur in your unit, a fire begin and spread to another area, or any other unforeseen insurable event occurs, your loss would be limited to the deductible you maintain on your HO-6.

Anyone who does not carry an H0-6 Policy should be reminded of the need to do so. The annual premium on such a policy is very little compared to the loss of personal belongings and the cost of temporary living quarters should your unit be uninhabitable during restoration work.

Your HO-6 also covers the value of any improvements or upgrades performed in your unit, an expense not covered by the Association’s Master Policy.

If you need a copy of the Association’s Certificate of Insurance, please get in touch with the Insurance Agency:

Insurance Agency: Maury, Donnelly & Parr
Phone Number: 410-685-4625
Fax Number (if available): 410-685-3071

Homeowners who wish to know more about the law (House Bill 287- Senate Bill 201) can find the entire bill on the Maryland General Assembly website.

Please feel free to contact our Community Association Manager with any questions.

New owners and tenants

Contact the Property Manager to register you and your household members and obtain a login to their system (owners only) and instructions.
Review and adhere to the Rules and Regulations.
Review all internal site content for information about our community.
See the Marina section if you own a slip
Provide proof of Insurance; see the insurance section
Review SH Internal website information for details on everything you need to know about our community
Obtain appropriate permits for vehicle parking, bicycles, small crafts, and vessels as needed.

Pool

General Pool Operations & Rules

Wi-Fi is available at the pool area. Password: Fairview2019
The pool is typically open from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.
The days and hours will be announced at the beginning of each pool season.
All persons using the pool or pool area do so at their own risk and sole responsibility.
Neither SHC nor the Pool management company assumes any responsibility for accident, injury, illness, loss damage or theft of personal property.
The pools may not be used unless a lifeguard is on duty.
Personal listening devices may be used with headphones.
Water toys and larger floats may be used at the discretion of the lifeguard. The lifeguard may request that toys and floats be removed if the pool is crowded or they interfere with other swimmers’ use of the pool.
Every hour, the lifeguard may call a 15-minute lap swim only.
The Pool Manager or lifeguard may close the pool at any time due to inclement weather, mechanical breakdown or other operational difficulties.
All trash and crab debris must be taken to the dumpster.

The following are prohibited in the pool area:

Glass or breakable containers
Smoking in any pool area, including the upper and lower decks and wading pool.
Wheeled vehicles, except wheelchairs, rollators, and strollers
Diving
Anyone under the influence of drugs or alcohol
Loud, belligerent, and or disruptive behavior that interferes with others’ enjoyment of the pool or disturbs those in the units near the pool

Children

Parents or guardians are always responsible for the safety and behavior of their children.
Non-toilet-trained persons are not permitted in the main pool. No swim diapers in the main pool.
The lifeguard administers swim tests for ages 15 and under.
Wristbands are provided to those who pass the test. Please remember to bring your wristband to each pool visit or the lifeguard may ask for the swim test to be repeated.
An adult must accompany swimmers under 12; they may swim alone after they pass the swim test.
Swimmers 12-15 may use the main pool alone after they pass the swim test.
All children under the age of 12 using the wading pool must be accompanied by an adult or responsible person who is a competent swimmer.
All children who are not toilet trained must wear swim diapers in the wading pool.

Guests

Owners and tenants are responsible for the behavior of their guests.
Owners/tenants are authorized to bring up to six (6) guests per unit daily to the pool.
Owners/tenants are responsible for verifying their guests.
The lifeguard may limit the number of guests to manage pool crowding.

Private Events

The upper deck area may be used for private or community-wide gatherings and events.
Requests must be submitted to the Property Manager for approval by the pool committee.
The event organizer is responsible for the behavior of their guests as well as clean up.
Severn House Board and committee meetings held at the pool upper deck have priority over other events.

Pool Management Company

Severn House contracts with a pool management company to maintain the pool and provide lifeguard services. The pool manager and lifeguards have full authority to enforce the rules and regulations and to deny any persons use of the pool for any infraction of the rules. Should anyone be asked to leave the pool, the Pool Manager or Lifeguard must notify the Property Manager in writing within 24 hours.
The lifeguard is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the pool, including, but not limited to, the following:
Verify authorized pool access, providing a sign-in sheet for owners/guests to include unit address.
Manage pool use, including required water tests, cleaning, monitoring crowd size, designating breaks, and ensuring that non-swimmers are properly supervised.
Manage deck area use, including ensuring that clean up takes place and noise levels are appropriate.
Address any problems relating to inappropriate or unsafe behavior, compliance with health and safety regulations, violations of the rules, and related matters.
Conduct swim tests.

Parking

Resident Parking Stickers

SHC owners and tenants must register each vehicle with the property manager.
Please fill out this form to obtain a Parking Permit
A copy of the vehicle registration shall be submitted with the application for resident parking stickers.
Every second year (even years), the property manager issues a maximum of 2 parking stickers per unit.
Stickers must be affixed to the lower right-hand corner, front passenger side windshield of the vehicle.

Red Curbs and Fire Lanes

Red curbs mark the immediate area of fire hydrants, fire lanes, and/or other areas for public safety. Vehicles may use fire lanes for loading and unloading for a maximum of fifteen (15) minutes.
Any vehicle, trailer, or boat parked, stored, or used in violation of this time period may be removed from the property at the discretion of the property manager and at the risk and expense of the owner or user.

Resident Parking:

Residents may park in any space except red curbs, as noted above.

Visitor/Guest Parking/Leased Boat Slip Users

Green curbs mark these areas. No parking sticker is required. There is a 10-day limit on parking for visitors.

Accessible Parking Spaces

Vehicles parked in these spaces must display a current Resident Parking Sticker and current Handicapped vehicle permit.
Other Parking and Vehicle Requirements
Commercial vehicles (e.g., contractors) are permitted to park in all but red curbs and handicapped spaces while working on-site.
Scooters, bicycles, and skateboards may not be used on the promenade.
No vehicle repairs are allowed on community property.
Vehicles on community property may be washed only in two (2) locations near the dumpster.
All vehicles must be operational while on community property.
Covers on vehicles must be in good condition and properly maintained. Vehicles must have current parking permits.
No trailers, motor homes, campers, or similar vehicles may be parked on SHC property at any time.

Pets

Animals are not permitted on the property except for animals that qualify in Maryland as a certified service animal. If you are interested in obtaining approval for a service animal please email the Property Manager.

Renovations

Request must be submitted to the property manager via the FirstService Residential Portal before making any changes that impact the unit’s structure, such as moving walls, electrical, plumbing, etc.
The owner must obtain and post any required permits from the City of Annapolis prior to the start of work.
Owners and contractors working on the project must follow the requirements specified by the City of Annapolis.

Rules and regulations

Rules and Regulations apply to all Severn House Condominium (SHC) owners, residents, tenants, and guests and are to enhance the safety, welfare, and quality of life of the entire community. We strive to safeguard the condominium’s architectural integrity and protect our collective property values. Observance of these Rules and Regulations is to promote harmony among neighbors and help keep SHC an attractive and desirable place to live.

The complete legal description of the Severn House Condominium is provided in the Declaration, along with a description of the common elements and limited common elements.

Rules and Regulations have been developed in accordance and compliance with the Severn House Condominium bylaws and the Maryland Condominium Act and are subject to revision from time to time.

View Rules & Regulations

Selling and Renting units

Owners who wish to lease their unit must first obtain a Rental License from the City of Annapolis.

Any owner who wishes to sell or lease their unit must follow these rules:

You can post these items on the community bulletin board at the pool or click the button above.
For Rent or For Sale signs are not permitted in front of the units
Owners and tenants may display signs and commercial advertising on the bulletin board near the pool.
Open House signs may only be posted on the property when a unit is held open.
They will also provide a Certificate of Insurance for the buyer’s mortgage company. You’ll need to provide: Unit owner’s name & specific address at Severn House, the Mortgage company name & address, the Loan number, and where you would like the COI sent (Mortgage Company and/or Unit owner. They can fax, email, or mail)
All leased units require a rental license to be obtained through the City. This is important to protect homeowners as the landlords as well as resident tenants as an inspection is performed to confirm that necessary maintenance items in the unit are completed. Information is at https://www.annapolis.gov/1065/Rental-Licenses.
Rental licenses must be renewed annually with the City.
A copy of the current Rental License must be submitted to the Property Manager prior to leasing the unit.
All tenants must be registered with the Property Manager
Tenants should be directed to this website to obtain a login.
Owners must provide a current copy of the Severn House Rules and Regulations.
No parking permits will be granted without proper registration.

Service requests and violations

Be sure a FirstService Residential ticket is created for all requests!

All service requests, issues, or questions concerning the Severn House Condominiums are to be reported to our property management company, FirstService Residential, following the steps below:

The fastest and most efficient way to get service for issues with your residence or common areas is to submit a service ticket request with the property manager via the FirstService Residential Portal under the Service Request button. Doing so enables tracking of your issue to make sure it is addressed in a timely manner.

You must have a Login to the First Service Residential site to do so. If you don’t already have one call First Service Residential to obtain a login.

Contact the customer care center at (800) 857-0010. Only true emergencies are addressed after regular business hours or on weekends.

Tenants must be registered by owners to submit service requests. The unit owner must submit authorization with the property management company. If they have not, you’ll need to report issues to your owner and ask them to submit a service request.

How To Submit a Service Request

If you have an issue within your residence:

Click here to Submit Unit Service Request

Login if necessary
Under “Quick Actions”
- Click Service Request (Wrench Icon)
- Select the category and subcategory which best describes your issue
- In Comments enter a brief but specific description of your request/issue
- Confirm your contact information.
- Attach supporting documents and/or photos.
- Click “Submit”.
Record ticket number
- You can view the ticket and its status on the property management site.
If the issue is not covered, FirstService Residential will change the ticket status to Not Approved and advise resident.
If the issue is covered, FirstService Residential will:
- Assign a vendor and then let the owner know which vendor has been assigned
- Either FirstService Residential or the vendor will coordinate with owner on date/time to address
- Close ticket when repair is completed.
Resident follow up
- You can view your ticket status by clicking: “Maintenance, My Requests”
- If you don’t receive a timely reply you can email (recommended) or call FirstService Residential at (800) 870-0010 for status
- Be sure to reference the ticket number and insist that they document your follow up in the ticket status.

Common Area Service Request

Follow these steps to report service requests for common areas/grounds. You would also follow these steps if submitting a ticket for someone within the community.

Submit Common Area Service Request

Login if necessary
Under “Quick Actions”
- Click Service Request (Wrench Icon)
- Create New Request
- Select Common Grounds
- In Comments, enter a brief but specific description of your Click the black arrow next to the category to select the subcategory
- Confirm your contact information
- Attach supporting documents and/or photos
- Click the “Submit” button
Record ticket number
- You can view the ticket and its status on the property management site
If the issue is not covered, FirstService Residential will change the ticket status to Not Approved and advise the resident
- Some requests for common area repairs may be considered projects requiring SH Board review and budget alignment.
If the issue is covered, FirstService Residential will:
- Assign a vendor and let the owner know which vendor has been assigned
- Either FirstService Residential or the vendor will coordinate with the owner on a date/time to address
- Close ticket when the repair is completed
Resident follow up
- You can view your ticket status by clicking: “Maintenance, Common Area Requests”
- If you don’t receive a timely reply, you can email (recommended) or FirstService Residential for status
- Be sure to reference the ticket number and insist that they document your follow-up in the ticket status

Violations

If you are an owner and experience a disturbance or issue or believe another resident is violating Severn House Rules and Regulations, follow the steps below.

Although you may feel something is against the policy, that might not be the case. You will find the current Rules and Regulations on this site. More complex matters may be defined in the condo docs or other areas. The property management company will review and advise you if an item you are reporting is not a violation.

If it is an actual violation, the property management company will take the applicable action to address it. You will not be kept informed of the status. However, the SHCB does monitor the status and resolution of violations.

Do not address your neighbor directly or leave notes.

The property management company handles these situations

Please be considerate
Rude and aggressive behavior is simply unacceptable
Anonymous reports will not be addressed
Only owners can report violations; tenants should refer any concerns to the owners

Sewers, garbage disposals, and drain stoppages

To help avert plumbing backups and costly flooding damage to your or your neighbors’ units:

Use garbage disposals as infrequently as possible.
Flush ONLY human waste and toilet paper.
Put flushable wipes and ALL other items in the trash.
Do not flush the following items (including those advertised as “flushable” ): flushable wipes, dental floss, hair tissues, cigarette butts, cotton swabs, feminine hygiene products, and anything else that could clog sanitary plumbing in your unit or others.

Suggested maintenance of mechanical equipment

We urge owners and tenants to keep their units’ mechanical equipment in good working order to avoid damage that may result in costly repairs and insurance claims.

Heating and air conditioning unit filters should be cleaned or changed regularly.
Regularly clean HVAC condensate lines and refrigerator drip pans.
Hoses for washing machines within units should be replaced before they fail and flood your neighbors’ units.
The vents and filters of dryers within units should be kept clean to avoid fires.

Wildlife

We strongly discourage all bird feeders, but residents who use them should ensure that feeders are squirrel-proof and placed well away from the buildings. To minimize damaging building infestations by squirrels and other rodents attracted by bird seed, do not attach bird feeders to buildings or railings.