Maple Springs has two associations that have different responsibilities for the ownership and management of property held in common trust.The common property of Maple Springs is known as the Whiteside Allotment and lies between Chautauqua Avenue and the lake. There are 120 homes inside and 70 outside of the Allotment. The common property runs along the lakefront from Midway State Park on the north to a little wall near the end of Arrot Road on the south. The only exception is the land in front of several cottages just south of the Maple Springs townhouses who own their own lakefront. Other common property tracts include the Circle behind the townhouses, a right of way to the lake called ‘The Plaza’ south of the cottages and a variety of other small parcels.
In 1950 Mrs. Margaret Prather deeded the common property to the Maple Springs Improvement Committee (MSIC) to hold in trust for the owners. It has a nine-member board of trustees. The deeds of the Whiteside Allotment properties give perpetual rights to the owners and their guests to use the allotment common property. Property owners outside of the Allotment do not have that legal entitlement. In practice, the common property is used by all residents of Maple Springs. As such all residents of Maple Springs are encouraged to participate in the Maple Springs Citizens Association (MSCA), the group that manages the common land, pays taxes and insurance, and takes care of maintenance and upkeep. Funds for the MSCA's operation are raised through annual dues assessments for each of the property owners within the Allotment, supplemented by voluntary contributions from those outside the Allotment and for various special funds that support lake enhancement and beautification, legal defense, and the occasional capital improvement.
The entire common waterfront property is open to all residents of the Whiteside Allotment and their guests. The Association currently places a public swimming dock next to the concrete abutment just north of the town house property and maintains a small swimming beach. Swimming anywhere along the waterfront is at one’s own risk as there is no lifeguard on duty. Many residents have docks along the waterfront. The shore end of a dock is on common property, but the rest of the dock is on State of New York property and subject to State regulations.
