News, newsletters, and meeting minutes

The SCCA Board is pleased to announce that registration is now officially open for residents wishing to attend the upcoming 2026 Annual Membership Meeting virtually on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at 7:00 PM.

To ensure every resident has the opportunity to stay informed and engage with our neighborhood's governance, SCCA is providing a private virtual stream via Google Meet. If you are unable to join us in person at the Swim and Tennis Club Clubhouse, you can request access via our new online registration form. Private invite links will be sent out to verified residents 24 to 48 hours prior to the meeting.

Why Sign Up for Virtual Attendance?

The Annual Membership Meeting is the most critical event of our fiscal year, covering elections for officers and directors, financial statements, and ongoing common grounds projects. Virtual registration enables you to:

• Observe all Board presentations and reports live from your home.
• Listen to the comprehensive Treasurer's financial update and SCCA audit certification.
• Follow the floor discussions, project reviews, and SCBD petition updates in real-time.

Important Rules for Virtual Participants

Please note the SCCA voting and attendance rules established to comply with our community Bylaws and Maryland legal requirements:

Official paper absentee ballots and detailed voting instructions will be distributed to all resident households in the coming weeks. If you plan to attend virtually, please make sure to fill out and return your ballot in advance to ensure your voice is counted and SCCA achieves its quorum.

We are thrilled to announce that the official SCCA Statement of Financial Condition is now available directly online! Residents can now review SCCA's verified accounts, current operational expenses, and multi-year funding metrics under our new dedicated Financial Condition dashboard.

First and foremost, we would like to sincerely apologize for the wait in getting these financial documents posted online. As many of you know, the SCCA website and its operations are a volunteer labor of love. Over the past several months, our board webmaster has been executing a total, ground-up overhaul of our digital presence—migrating our entire ecosystem away from the legacy Weebly platform.

Building a modern, highly-featured, and secure portal from scratch has taken substantial time, as we wanted to ensure that every available historical document, map scan, meeting notes, and community resource list has been properly formatted, verified, and safely migrated. We deeply appreciate your patience while we did the hard work necessary to get our materials completely and accurately integrated.

The great news? This total redesign has been successfully completed, and by migrating our infrastructure from Weebly to Vercel, the SCCA now operates its entire state-of-the-art website at $0.00 ongoing operational hosting cost. Every dollar we save on administrative software overhead is a dollar that goes directly back into maintaining our commons areas, managing our tree safety, and protecting our community.

What's Included in the Financials Dashboard?

Our new Financials page has been built with transparency and user interaction in mind. When you visit the dashboard, you can:

• Toggle Archived Statements: Seamlessly switch between the newly compiled September 19, 2026 Statement and the prior June 4, 2026 Statement to track financial movements.
• Consolidated Balance Grid: View unencumbered cash positions, gross checking accounts, restricted playground funds, and outstanding checks to the penny.
• Interactive Budget Progress: Track line-item YTD actual expenditures (such as tree removals and landscaping) against SCCA's approved annual operating budget with progress gauges.
• Voluntary Dues & Burden Simulator: Adjust a slider to model community participation and see firsthand how the current voluntary system (~69% participation) impacts SCCA finances and places a higher effective financial burden on contributing properties compared to a unified SCBD model.
• Raw Excel Ledger Downloads: Download the raw, verified spreadsheet files prepared directly by the SCCA Treasurer for total independent community oversight.

We encourage all residents to explore the new dashboard and download the verified files. Promoting transparency, protecting the integrity of our expenditures, and keeping our neighbors fully informed of SCCA operations remains a core priority of the Board.

We have received a major update from Anne Arundel County's Traffic Engineering Division regarding our community's streetlight replacement initiative. The county is actively moving forward with replacing our 45-year-old aging streetlights with modern, energy-efficient LED fixtures and brand-new poles!

Due to the scale of the upgrade and supply chain availability, the county will complete the installations in phases. They have provided the following scheduled timelines and details for our community's primary sectors:

The county has shared the official streetlight layout and zoning maps for both sections. These maps highlight the precise placements and coverage of the new fixtures. You can click on either map below to open the high-resolution version in a new tab.

Streetlights Map — Section 1

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Detailed fixture layout and placement planning for Section 1 homes.

Streetlights Map — Section 2

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Detailed fixture layout and placement planning for Section 2 homes.

The SCCA Board is thrilled that this long-needed safety and aesthetic upgrade is coming to fruition. Brighter, more efficient LEDs will significantly improve nighttime visibility and safety along our streets. We will continue to share updates as soon as BGE and the county communicate final logistics for the Rustling Oaks area.

The Shipley's Choice Community Association (SCCA) Board of Directors has officially confirmed the date, time, and location for the 2026 Annual Membership Meeting. All residents of Sections 1 and 2 are highly encouraged to attend this pivotal community session.

Key Agenda & SCCA Bylaw Context

As outlined in our official Bylaws (Articles V & VI), the October Annual Meeting is the most significant democratic forum of our community's fiscal year. At this meeting, we conduct general elections for SCCA Officers and Directors, present a comprehensive review of SCCA's financial health, discuss ongoing maintenance initiatives, and provide updates regarding our petition to designate SCCA as a Special Community Benefits District (SCBD).

Please keep the following essential voting and governance parameters in mind as we approach the meeting:

Meeting Schedule & Order of Business

In accordance with Article V, Section 5, the meeting will be conducted by the chair following established Robert's Rules of Parliamentary Procedure. Under Article X, the official agenda and flow of the session will strictly observe the following designated order of business, detailed here with additional context and description for each segment:

Elections & Absentee Balloting

Under Article VI, Section 2, the general elections of Officers and Directors (who serve staggered two-year terms) will be finalized during the October meeting. To ensure full community participation:

• Notification & Ballots: No later than two weeks prior to the October meeting (by October 6, 2026), the Secretary will mail official candidate selections along with absentee ballots to all household members.
• Absentee Voting Counts: If you are unable to attend the meeting in person, please return your official absentee ballot to the Secretary. All returned absentee ballots are legally counted toward establishing our 25% quorum.
• Confidentiality: Absentee ballot counts will be kept strictly secret until the written votes of members present at the meeting are counted on October 20.
• Floor Nominations: In accordance with our democratic procedures, additional nominations for open Board vacancies may also be made directly from the floor prior to the start of the election.

Your voice and participation are what keep our neighborhood vibrant, beautiful, and safe. Please mark your calendars for October 20th at 7:00 PM, and stay tuned for your official election package in early October!

We are pleased to announce that the Shipley's Choice Community Association (SCCA) website has integrated with Brevo, a secure platform for managing our community newsletter and official email list. This new integration ensures that important neighborhood updates, board announcements, and safety alerts are delivered safely and reliably to our residents' inboxes.

The current roster of active SCCA email registrations has already been pre-loaded into Brevo, and the first Brevo-powered newsletter will be sent to all currently-registered residents in the coming days. If you are already subscribed, no action is needed to remain on the list. For peace of mind, anyone can easily opt-out at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link included at the bottom of every email.

If you are not yet registered, or if you need to update your email details, please visit our Registration page to securely sign up today.

The Shipley’s Choice Community Association (SCCA) Board of Directors is pleased to see so much interest and engagement in our community. We hear you—and we want you to be involved.

Now is your opportunity to help shape the future of Shipley’s Choice and continue making it a great place to live. We currently have three openings on the Board of Directors: Treasurer and two Director positions.

Any resident of Sections 1 and 2 who is in good standing (meaning annual dues are current) may be nominated or may nominate themselves. If you’ve been following the recent conversations on Facebook and have been thinking about getting involved, now is the time to step forward.

We also want to clarify one point: suggestions that the SCCA will be “taken over” by Anne Arundel County are without merit. The current Board openings are the result of normal organizational turnover. One longtime Director passed away earlier this year, while the Treasurer and another Director are completing their two-year terms and will be retiring from the Board.

We encourage interested residents to consider serving and bringing their ideas, experience, and perspective to the Board. Your involvement can make a difference. To be considered for a Board position, please send your nomination or self-nomination to shipleyschoice.scca@gmail.com.

We look forward to hearing from you!

The playground on Live Oak Drive is getting an upgrade! The Shipley's Choice Community Association Board of Directors approved a request from an Eagle Scout candidate to build two benches and apply mulch. In addition to the picnic table that's already in place, the benches will provide lots of seating for children and parents. The project is underway!

The Board of Directors contacted the County's Traffic Engineering Division to request replacement of the original street lights in our neighborhood which are 45 years old and in poor condition. The senior engineer in charge of the County's street lights responded immediately and agreed to replace them. The lights in the SCHOA part of Shipley's were already replaced and our new lights will be like those. The new light fixtures and poles will improve the appearance of the neighborhood. The fixtures are brighter LED lights which will improve safety.

We are hopeful the street light replacement project will begin in the Spring of 2027. The senior engineer explained the funding for this project comes from two different sources and, consequently, the upgrade will take place in stages; the fixtures will be replaced first and then the poles. Your Board of Directors is working hard to improve the neighborhood!

In December 2025, we announced the SCCA Board of Directors voted to pursue designation as a Special Community Benefits District (SCBD). This would allow Anne Arundel County, through the property tax process, to establish separate funding dedicated exclusively to maintaining the 45 acres of common property and other assets described as follows:

The purposes of the Special Community Benefit District are:

1. 1) To maintain and improve community-owned real and personal property, including open space, recreation property, and entry signs for Sections 1 and 2 of the community.
2. 2) To pay administrative expenses to accomplish this purpose, including repayment of any loan and interest thereon, and payment of insurance, legal, utility, and administrative expenses.

This fund would be administered by the SCCA. Membership in the association would continue to be voluntary and open to all residents.

We are pursuing this because currently only about 70 percent of SCCA homeowners pay annual dues, while community income does not keep pace with expenses. An SCBD would ensure all homes contribute and provide the financial stability needed to address maintenance and improvements.

On July 24, Anne Arundel County staff confirmed our eligibility and approved the wording of our petition. In order to obtain approval for the SCBD, our next steps are:

1. 1) obtain signatures from two-thirds of SCCA homeowners
2. 2) submit the signed petitions to the County for review.

Beginning in September, we will share more information on our website and in the annual newsletter, with an informational Q&A planned for our October annual meeting. We are committed to keeping the community informed and being open and transparent throughout the process.

More information to come!

A friendly reminder: all work on community-owned common grounds must be approved by the SCCA Board before it is undertaken.

While we deeply appreciate the spirit of volunteerism, this policy is essential for several reasons. First and foremost is safety and liability; uncoordinated work can create hazards and expose our community to legal and financial risks. Additionally, any modifications to common areas must comply with county zoning laws and align with the community's long-term landscaping and maintenance plans.

Under SCCA bylaws Article IV, Sections 1 & 4, Association-owned facilities and common properties are reserved strictly for the managed use and enjoyment of members in good standing under rules established by the Association. Individual homeowners do not have individual property rights to alter, landscape, or build on common property.

We've noticed an increase in residents walking in the street, especially during evenings and on weekends. While we love to see our neighbors out and about, this can create hazardous situations for both pedestrians and drivers.

For everyone's safety, we strongly urge all residents to use sidewalks whenever they are available. When walking on a street without a sidewalk, please walk facing traffic and stay as far to the side of the road as possible. Let's all do our part to keep Shipley's Choice a safe community for everyone.

During our SCCA Board of Directors meeting on December 12, 2025, the Board voted to pursue designating SCCA as a Special Community Benefits District (SCBD).

Such a designation would result in Anne Arundel County collecting our annual dues through annual county tax collection. We are pursuing this action for one reason: only 70 percent of houses that are part of SCCA pay annual dues and the community’s income doesn’t match our expenses. There are many homeowners’ associations designated as SCBDs in Anne Arundel County, including our neighbors in Chartwell.

Two-thirds of SCCA homeowners must sign a petition in order for our community to become a SCBD. Establishing a SCBD will likely be a lengthy process; we will be sure to share information regularly and provide an opportunity for members of the community to share their opinions about this initiative.

Riding bikes and scooters can be a lot of fun, but it's also important to teach our children about the potential dangers, especially when riding at night. To help keep our community safe, we encourage all parents to talk to their kids about bike and scooter safety. Here are some important safety tips to share:

• Always wear a helmet.
• Ride defensively and be aware of your surroundings.
• Use bike paths and sidewalks when available.
• Avoid riding at night.

The intersection of Governor Stone and Benfield can be especially perilous, as well as the intersection of Severncrest and W Benfield. It is vitally important for children to learn their safety basics and for drivers to be vigilant.

For more information regarding children and e-scooters, please visit HealthyChildren.org and watch this short video from MarylandEMS.