Twenty homeowners in the Fontaine Place neighborhood have signed the necessary documents to establish protective covenants and more are expected to follow their lead.
“With good legal counsel, we’ve established the proper format and are moving forward,” said Jon Turner, vice president/treasurer of the Fontaine Place Neighborhood Association.
“We had 20 homeowners sign on at or just after our annual meeting and we will be reaching out to the entire neighborhood in the coming months.”
In the roughly 80 years since the neighborhood took shape off Old Canton Road, it has never had the protective guidelines for homeowners.
The neighborhood includes about 85 homes and lots in an area bordered by Brecon Drive to the north, East Northside Drive to the south, Old Canton Road to the west and Ridgewood Road to the east.
Each Fontaine Place homeowner plus a witness is asked to sign an affidavit and that is filed along with a copy of the covenants in the Hinds County Chancery Clerk’s Office in the file for each plat. The association will also maintain a copy on file.
Homeowners who sign onto the covenants can abide by the covenants themselves once they’re filed with the chancery clerk, or they could sign with the understanding that the covenants would not be enforced on the property until the property changes ownership.
Any existing covenant violations would be grandfathered in, Turner said.
The neighborhood’s attorney, Mark Hosemann, will file the documents with the Hinds County Chancery Clerk in batches as they are accumulated, Turner said.
Fontaine leaders have been discussing covenants to preserve property values and make the area more attractive to homebuyers for several years and paused their efforts when the coronavirus pandemic occurred.
Several individuals who considered buying homes there asked if covenants were in place, Turner said.
Proposed guidelines govern everything from the placement of clotheslines to minimum house size and architectural requirements.
Among them, houses must have no less than 2,350 square feet of living space and cost no less than $250,000 to construct. Additionally, all residences shall have paved driveways that stretch from the street to a garage or carport, or to the rear of a dwelling to provide off-street parking.
Covenants also mandate that anyone who purchases a home or lot in the subdivision pays association dues. However, dues will remain voluntary for current home and property owners.
Ashby Foote, who represents Ward One on the Jackson City Council and serves as president, applauded the neighborhood’s efforts.
“The residents care and want to improve their neighborhood,” he said. “It’s a constructive effort.”
Virgi Lindsay, who represents Ward Seven on the Jackson City Council, said she could not recall another neighborhood establishing covenants retroactively. “Steps like that can do a lot to help sustain and protect a neighborhood.”
The Fontaine Place Neighborhood Association in Jackson is also exploring the idea of installing public access gates.
