To ask questions about the Associate Member program, to confirm your property's eligibility for Associate Membership, or to add your property to the waitlist, please contact Towne Properties using the adjacent form.
Lake Forest Associate Membership Information
There are very few natural lakes in North Carolina, and Eastwood Lake is not one of them. This unique feature is one that must be maintained by all those who utilize the lake and surrounding areas for recreation, relaxation, and renewal. Eastwood Lake is constantly if imperceptibly filling in with eroded soil, and must occasionally be dredged. In 2001, dredging was completed at a large cost shared by participating members of the Lake Forest Association.
The Board and the lake community as a whole work hard to understand the ecology of the lake and have put in place certain mechanisms and practices to slow the rate at which the lake fills in due to erosion, and we don’t anticipate needing to dredge the lake again in the near future. However, this matter is ultimately out of our hands, and we therefore work hard to maintain appropriate financial reserves to manage the lake to the best of our abilities.
The Associate Membership program was formalized in 1995 and renewed in 2003 by a vote of the general membership. The current board strongly supports the AM program. Associate Memberships are limited and the number of total memberships available is set by the board. Once per year, in the spring, homeowners who have signed up for the Associate Member waitlist are invited to become Associate Members as the availability of memberships allows.
According to LFA bylaws, an Associate Member may serve on committees and participate in discussions at general meetings but are not entitled to vote. Associate Members can serve on the LFA Board, and there is currently one serving on the Board. Associate Members agree to follow all of the same rules and regulations governing use of the park and other amenities as all other LFA Members.
Becoming an associate member requires payment of a one-time initiation fee and the current year's Associate Member Dues rate set by the LFA Board of Directors. In 2021, the initiation fee is $2,000 and the current year's dues is $780. The amount is due in full upon acceptance of an Associate Membership. Associate Membership does not convey when a home is sold. The Associate Membership initiation fee plus membership cost is similar to that assessed to all members of the Lake Forest Association (LFA) after the 2001 dredging project. Should an owner move away within the first three years of their associate membership, they will be eligible for a partial refund of the initiation fee ($500). We hope to offer owners continued Associate Memberships from year to year.
Since its inception, the AM program has benefited the LFA and the community at large. Not only do we enjoy socializing at the lake, we also appreciate the support of Associate Members in many other ways. Associate Members treasure the lake and community and as good neighbors volunteer for workdays as well as other activities offering precious energy, resources and companionship.