Orchard Hill (and Sewell's Orchard) were originally working orchards - Sewell's had a produce store. Some of the original Orchard Hill apple trees remain next to 6206 Hopewell. The first houses as we see them today were build in the early 1980s.
Columbia Association is responsible for enforcing their covenants on most residential properties in Columbia . Each village center has a Covenant Advisor that makes sure the covenants are enforced. Orchard Marbella (Orchard Hill) was designated as an “outparcel” and is not required to meet CA’s convenant requirements and is independently managed by a board of volunteers. Sewell's Orchard, an adjacent neighborhood, is also an outparcel and is independently managed.
Orchard Hill is legally named Orchard Marbella Community Association (OMCA).
The Orchard-Marbella Community Association was incorporated on October 25, 1979 by Mr. Thomas Barbuti from Baltimore. Lighpoint Associates, the company in our present bylaws, was a member of the Association along side the owners. They wrote the 1st Bylaws that were signed on April 21, 1980. The first board was composed of L. Earl Armiger, Mary Louise Armiger, Thomas Guidera, Jr., Theodore Weiss Jr., Vernon Kalkman. Lightpoint Associates voted as member in the Association until December 1989 (according to the Articles of Incorporation). The 1st Declaration was signed on February 12, 1980 with a term of 30 years.
The annual assessement in 1981 was $12!
The parcels recorded among the land records were named Marbella and so the name of our Association.
Orchard Hill did not have any street lamp posts until the late 1990s. Association President Phil Sauer decided the streets were too dark and found a way to get the street lights installed. In addition, he was able to get all original sidewalks that had cracked as the street trees grew tall, repaved.
In January 2010, the name of the Association was changed to Orchard Hill Homeowners Association to reflect the common name used and the sign at the entrance.