Bridgewater Homes Need Active Security against Fires & Fireworks at High Risk Times
The Issue
Synopsis
About Bridgewater
Bridgewater is a residential community located within an anthropogenic peninsula in Collin County. It is comprised of approximately 2,200 single family homes built by Lennar, and all homeowners are required to be part of and pay dues to the Home Owner’s Association (HOA). As the Bridgewater community does not exist in any city nor town, its HOA sets many of the rules here, the Collin County Municipal District No. 2 (MUD) is responsible for the streets and sidewalks, and the nearest police presence is the Collin County Sheriff.
The Problem
In spite of “rules” or “please do nots” mentioned by the HOA every year, residents within Bridgewater are firing off fireworks in increasingly dangerous locations and quantity, sometimes setting literal fire to the streets and sidewalks, as well as raining down firework material on other people’s houses and lawns. The main times of the year that other residents must take cover from these hazards are the 4th of July and the New Year, although fireworks and other explosives are fired off for weeks before and after these holidays. Asking the HOA to step in with submitted video proof has only garnered the response, “Well, go tell the sheriff!”, while calling the sheriff about these dangers garners the response, “not our problem, go tell your HOA!” In addition to the physical damage, homeowners who have ptsd literally have nowhere to hide from the warzone noises caused by fireworks being lit in the streets, next to houses, and into the lakes. Regarding the latter, the HOA has shown no regard to the harming of the wildlife that live in and near the lakes. In addition to fish, the lakes at Bridgewater are home to soft-shelled turtles, egrets, blue herons, killdeer, grackles, red wing blackbirds, ducks, geese, frogs, and toads, among other fauna.
A Proposed Solution
This petition requests two main improvements:
- That distinct language in the HOA bylaws regarding setting fires and exploding fireworks next to houses and at lakes be clarified if if such language exists, or clearly established if it is not.
- That the lakes and residences of Bridgewater (note: not the Amenities or other HOA-owned assets) receive the active security necessary to stop and/or prevent fireworks and fires being set near our homes and into the lakes. (See the bottom of this petition for specific requests of amelioration.)
Why Petition Now?
As of this year, I’ve lived here for three Fourth of Julys, and the earsplitting, dangerous, and downright scary lighting of fires and fireworks proximal to our actual homes has worsened each year. These activities have put our homes here at increasing risk, going so far this year as to fly embers upon people’s lawns and roofs, and the resulting debris have also greatly increased the pollution of hazardous materials into the lakes that serve as homes for many fauna.
Before 4 July 2026, the current HOA manager Chelsea Chambo, of Insight Association Management (IAM), had sent two community-wide emails in what seemed like attempts to discourage unsafe fireworks discharge. The first email was the Weekly Community Update of 26 June 2026: 26Jul26 Weekly Update Full Email
Her second email was sent to the community on 26 June 2026 and focused on the City of Princeton Fire Department Memorandum: Fire Department Memo Full Email
In spite of these emails, the quantity and dangerous proximity of fireworks and fires to homes ramped up in comparison to the previous two years. In fact, on July 4th of this year, people were shooting fireworks and setting fires so close to my home, other homes, and into the lakes that by 9:40PM I’d called the “afterhours HOA phone number” and submitted an online report via the HOA portal’s “Ask the Manager” function. This online report included links to the following video evidence:
Children a few houses down swinging fire around on the public sidewalk, Ashbrook Way.
Other incidents that happened in this short time span included fireworks landing right on the roof of a neighbor two homes down, and another neighbor at the end of Ashbrook Way having to turn his sprinklers on to try to fight the embers flying directly into his yard.
The HOA Manager’s Response to My Report
On 6 July 2026, the current manager of the HOA emailed me a response to my report and video submissions. Her reply was as follows:
"Thank you for taking the time to contact us and for providing your concerns and video documentation. I understand your frustration and appreciate you sharing your experience.
The Association's ability to enforce fireworks violations is limited to activity that occurs on HOA-owned common area property and when the individuals responsible can be positively identified. If residents are identified discharging fireworks on Association property, the HOA can pursue enforcement, including issuing a non-curable violation and fine in accordance with the governing documents. Additionally, if damage is caused to HOA-owned property, the Association would coordinate with the Sheriff's Office and pursue any appropriate recovery measures [1].
Please note that the public streets and sidewalks within the community are owned and maintained by MUD 2 and are not HOA-owned property. As a result, violations occurring on streets or sidewalks generally fall outside the Association's enforcement authority [2]. For activity occurring on privately owned lots, homeowners are generally responsible for protecting and addressing issues involving their own property [3].
If you are able to identify the individuals responsible, please provide the names and property addresses of those involved [4]. With positive identification and supporting documentation, the Association can review the matter for potential enforcement action, including the issuance of a non-curable violation and applicable fine where authorized under the governing documents.
While the Association is not a law enforcement agency and cannot police resident behavior, we can continue to support property values and community standards by:
Communicating community rules and safety reminders to residents.
Enforcing governing document violations when they occur on Association property and responsible parties can be identified [1].
Documenting and reporting damage to Association-owned property when it occurs [1].
Evaluating deterrent measures for common areas, including additional signage, increased communication efforts during holidays, security patrol options [5], and other seasonal monitoring measures.
Exploring amenity rental and reservation options that provide additional oversight and accountability for gatherings within Association-owned facilities.
Your comments regarding holiday enforcement, coordination with law enforcement, security patrol services, amenity rental options, and other preventative measures may be shared with the Board for review and consideration as future community safety discussions take place.
Thank you again for bringing this matter to our attention and for your continued efforts to help keep the community safe.
Chelsea Chambo CMCA®, AMS®
Community Manager
Bridgewater Residential Community
Insight Association Management, AAMC®
Unfortunately, this response from the HOA manager is open to several rebuttals, correlated to the bracketed numbers added to the reply above.
1: Management says, ”Additionally, if damage is caused to HOA-owned property, the Association would coordinate with the Sheriff's Office and pursue any appropriate recovery measures.” In my original submission at 9:30PM on 4 July 2026, I had mentioned my awareness of the HOA’s continuous concern about THEIR assets, and here the manager of the moment reiterated my statement of this priority they have.
2: Management says, “public streets and sidewalks within the community are owned and maintained by MUD 2 and are not HOA-owned property. As a result, violations occurring on streets or sidewalks generally fall outside the Association's enforcement authority.” This statement indicates that firework and fire damage to the sidewalks and streets caused by residents are the MUD’s problem, so I submitted the video evidence to the MUD and included her response. This information, emailed to ccmud2@districtdirectory.org on 14 July 2026, was confirmed received and understood by Marshall Alexander, and was shared with the other board members of MUD.
3: Management says, “For activity occurring on privately owned lots, homeowners are generally responsible for protecting and addressing issues involving their own property.” Well, if we homeowners are responsible for fixing any damage to our homes from other residents (including renters) exploding their fireworks and making their fires right next to our homes, then management’s above rule works both ways. As per this rule by management, there is to be no penalties for things as, “not having a tree in our yard”, “having a trash can that can be seen”, or “grass is too tall” for example. If the HOA is not to interfere with damage caused by nearby residents playing with fireworks, then it is not to interfere regarding any aspect of our owned properties. As Ms. Chambo said, “homeowners are generally responsible for protecting and addressing issues involving their own property.” Anything different would be a double standard.
4: Management says, “If you are able to identify the individuals responsible, please provide the names and property addresses of those involved.” It is unreasonable that homeowners suffering from the fear for their safety and the safety of their owned properties to be expected to go up to people setting fireworks and fires in the streets, sidewalks, and into the lakes and interrogate them about their names and residences. We are being safe, good neighbors by not lighting fires and fireworks where people and homes are, to go up to people who are already engaging in dangerous activities is unreasonably unsafe.
5: Management says, “Evaluating deterrent measures for common areas, including additional signage, increased communication efforts during holidays, security patrol options”. The only possibilities of patrolling security that have been mentioned in the monthly HOA board meetings have been specifically with regards to amenities and HOA-owned assets. Our concern regards the safety of homeowners, our property, and the disregarded lake fauna.
And It Has Been Going on for Years, Ignored by the HOA
IAM was also the HOA managing company in 2025, and it was to them that I sent a report with video evidence of a resident and his child purposely setting fire to the sidewalk on Ashbrook Way: 2025 Submitted Video
When I asked the then Manager of the Moment Shane Ousey (IAM) if this event should warrant a call to the fire department, seeing as the resident had set the sidewalk on fire and just stood there as it burned, Mr. Ousey’s response was, “I dunno, do whatever.”
Even the previous HOA managing company, PMP, ignored submitted evidence. July 2024 also had irresponsible firework activities that were ignored by the HOA, in spite of the following video evidences being submitted to the Manager of the Moment Louis Ruiz (PMP):
A fire sparkler is being sprayed directly into Pennell Pond.
A firework is exploded on the street I was on at the time (Mystic Glade Way).
More fireworks are being exploded right in this residential street.
As 2024 was my first 4th of July here, I called the sheriff right then. An officer drove out to the street I was at watching people explode fireworks into the lake, and she told me that it’s not the sheriff’s problem; tell the HOA! This tracks with the HOA Board President mentioning at the Board meeting on 16 July 2026 that “it’s frustrating to call the sheriff and they come out and tell us they don’t do anything”.
We Ask that the Safety of Homes, Homeowners, and Wildlife be Prioritized
Suggested Solutions
We understand that all things cost money, and as such we’re not asking for a year-round on site police force. Pragmatically, it would help the homeowners, residents, and wildlife here if the HOA performed the following actions:
- Establish and/or clarify specific and exact rules about exploding fireworks and lighting fires in the streets, sidewalks, at houses, and into the lake.
- Set up and have accessible to homeowners one or more open and responsive phone lines to be staffed on “Firework days”. NOTE: This is really "Firework months" - people in this area are still exploding fireworks every single last night before July 4th and past July 25th, well after the creation of this petition!
- Hire security (that can and will enforce the exact community rules) patrolling the community for the lakes and residences specifically, instead of hiring security just for the HOA’s amenity centers and their other owned assets. Ideally the hired security will have the ability to receive calls from different parts of the community if/when unsafe fireworks and fires are being lit, and will appropriately respond to such instances.
In closing, we own homes here, we live here, and we would like to feel safe here. We care about our local wildlife and take pride in the condition and quality of our community. Proposed here are some specific, finite, and pragmatic options that may help reduce or eliminate these holiday threats.
We pay dues, and we would like to be heard.
2
The Issue
Synopsis
About Bridgewater
Bridgewater is a residential community located within an anthropogenic peninsula in Collin County. It is comprised of approximately 2,200 single family homes built by Lennar, and all homeowners are required to be part of and pay dues to the Home Owner’s Association (HOA). As the Bridgewater community does not exist in any city nor town, its HOA sets many of the rules here, the Collin County Municipal District No. 2 (MUD) is responsible for the streets and sidewalks, and the nearest police presence is the Collin County Sheriff.
The Problem
In spite of “rules” or “please do nots” mentioned by the HOA every year, residents within Bridgewater are firing off fireworks in increasingly dangerous locations and quantity, sometimes setting literal fire to the streets and sidewalks, as well as raining down firework material on other people’s houses and lawns. The main times of the year that other residents must take cover from these hazards are the 4th of July and the New Year, although fireworks and other explosives are fired off for weeks before and after these holidays. Asking the HOA to step in with submitted video proof has only garnered the response, “Well, go tell the sheriff!”, while calling the sheriff about these dangers garners the response, “not our problem, go tell your HOA!” In addition to the physical damage, homeowners who have ptsd literally have nowhere to hide from the warzone noises caused by fireworks being lit in the streets, next to houses, and into the lakes. Regarding the latter, the HOA has shown no regard to the harming of the wildlife that live in and near the lakes. In addition to fish, the lakes at Bridgewater are home to soft-shelled turtles, egrets, blue herons, killdeer, grackles, red wing blackbirds, ducks, geese, frogs, and toads, among other fauna.
A Proposed Solution
This petition requests two main improvements:
- That distinct language in the HOA bylaws regarding setting fires and exploding fireworks next to houses and at lakes be clarified if if such language exists, or clearly established if it is not.
- That the lakes and residences of Bridgewater (note: not the Amenities or other HOA-owned assets) receive the active security necessary to stop and/or prevent fireworks and fires being set near our homes and into the lakes. (See the bottom of this petition for specific requests of amelioration.)
Why Petition Now?
As of this year, I’ve lived here for three Fourth of Julys, and the earsplitting, dangerous, and downright scary lighting of fires and fireworks proximal to our actual homes has worsened each year. These activities have put our homes here at increasing risk, going so far this year as to fly embers upon people’s lawns and roofs, and the resulting debris have also greatly increased the pollution of hazardous materials into the lakes that serve as homes for many fauna.
Before 4 July 2026, the current HOA manager Chelsea Chambo, of Insight Association Management (IAM), had sent two community-wide emails in what seemed like attempts to discourage unsafe fireworks discharge. The first email was the Weekly Community Update of 26 June 2026: 26Jul26 Weekly Update Full Email
Her second email was sent to the community on 26 June 2026 and focused on the City of Princeton Fire Department Memorandum: Fire Department Memo Full Email
In spite of these emails, the quantity and dangerous proximity of fireworks and fires to homes ramped up in comparison to the previous two years. In fact, on July 4th of this year, people were shooting fireworks and setting fires so close to my home, other homes, and into the lakes that by 9:40PM I’d called the “afterhours HOA phone number” and submitted an online report via the HOA portal’s “Ask the Manager” function. This online report included links to the following video evidence:
Children a few houses down swinging fire around on the public sidewalk, Ashbrook Way.
Other incidents that happened in this short time span included fireworks landing right on the roof of a neighbor two homes down, and another neighbor at the end of Ashbrook Way having to turn his sprinklers on to try to fight the embers flying directly into his yard.
The HOA Manager’s Response to My Report
On 6 July 2026, the current manager of the HOA emailed me a response to my report and video submissions. Her reply was as follows:
"Thank you for taking the time to contact us and for providing your concerns and video documentation. I understand your frustration and appreciate you sharing your experience.
The Association's ability to enforce fireworks violations is limited to activity that occurs on HOA-owned common area property and when the individuals responsible can be positively identified. If residents are identified discharging fireworks on Association property, the HOA can pursue enforcement, including issuing a non-curable violation and fine in accordance with the governing documents. Additionally, if damage is caused to HOA-owned property, the Association would coordinate with the Sheriff's Office and pursue any appropriate recovery measures [1].
Please note that the public streets and sidewalks within the community are owned and maintained by MUD 2 and are not HOA-owned property. As a result, violations occurring on streets or sidewalks generally fall outside the Association's enforcement authority [2]. For activity occurring on privately owned lots, homeowners are generally responsible for protecting and addressing issues involving their own property [3].
If you are able to identify the individuals responsible, please provide the names and property addresses of those involved [4]. With positive identification and supporting documentation, the Association can review the matter for potential enforcement action, including the issuance of a non-curable violation and applicable fine where authorized under the governing documents.
While the Association is not a law enforcement agency and cannot police resident behavior, we can continue to support property values and community standards by:
Communicating community rules and safety reminders to residents.
Enforcing governing document violations when they occur on Association property and responsible parties can be identified [1].
Documenting and reporting damage to Association-owned property when it occurs [1].
Evaluating deterrent measures for common areas, including additional signage, increased communication efforts during holidays, security patrol options [5], and other seasonal monitoring measures.
Exploring amenity rental and reservation options that provide additional oversight and accountability for gatherings within Association-owned facilities.
Your comments regarding holiday enforcement, coordination with law enforcement, security patrol services, amenity rental options, and other preventative measures may be shared with the Board for review and consideration as future community safety discussions take place.
Thank you again for bringing this matter to our attention and for your continued efforts to help keep the community safe.
Chelsea Chambo CMCA®, AMS®
Community Manager
Bridgewater Residential Community
Insight Association Management, AAMC®
Unfortunately, this response from the HOA manager is open to several rebuttals, correlated to the bracketed numbers added to the reply above.
1: Management says, ”Additionally, if damage is caused to HOA-owned property, the Association would coordinate with the Sheriff's Office and pursue any appropriate recovery measures.” In my original submission at 9:30PM on 4 July 2026, I had mentioned my awareness of the HOA’s continuous concern about THEIR assets, and here the manager of the moment reiterated my statement of this priority they have.
2: Management says, “public streets and sidewalks within the community are owned and maintained by MUD 2 and are not HOA-owned property. As a result, violations occurring on streets or sidewalks generally fall outside the Association's enforcement authority.” This statement indicates that firework and fire damage to the sidewalks and streets caused by residents are the MUD’s problem, so I submitted the video evidence to the MUD and included her response. This information, emailed to ccmud2@districtdirectory.org on 14 July 2026, was confirmed received and understood by Marshall Alexander, and was shared with the other board members of MUD.
3: Management says, “For activity occurring on privately owned lots, homeowners are generally responsible for protecting and addressing issues involving their own property.” Well, if we homeowners are responsible for fixing any damage to our homes from other residents (including renters) exploding their fireworks and making their fires right next to our homes, then management’s above rule works both ways. As per this rule by management, there is to be no penalties for things as, “not having a tree in our yard”, “having a trash can that can be seen”, or “grass is too tall” for example. If the HOA is not to interfere with damage caused by nearby residents playing with fireworks, then it is not to interfere regarding any aspect of our owned properties. As Ms. Chambo said, “homeowners are generally responsible for protecting and addressing issues involving their own property.” Anything different would be a double standard.
4: Management says, “If you are able to identify the individuals responsible, please provide the names and property addresses of those involved.” It is unreasonable that homeowners suffering from the fear for their safety and the safety of their owned properties to be expected to go up to people setting fireworks and fires in the streets, sidewalks, and into the lakes and interrogate them about their names and residences. We are being safe, good neighbors by not lighting fires and fireworks where people and homes are, to go up to people who are already engaging in dangerous activities is unreasonably unsafe.
5: Management says, “Evaluating deterrent measures for common areas, including additional signage, increased communication efforts during holidays, security patrol options”. The only possibilities of patrolling security that have been mentioned in the monthly HOA board meetings have been specifically with regards to amenities and HOA-owned assets. Our concern regards the safety of homeowners, our property, and the disregarded lake fauna.
And It Has Been Going on for Years, Ignored by the HOA
IAM was also the HOA managing company in 2025, and it was to them that I sent a report with video evidence of a resident and his child purposely setting fire to the sidewalk on Ashbrook Way: 2025 Submitted Video
When I asked the then Manager of the Moment Shane Ousey (IAM) if this event should warrant a call to the fire department, seeing as the resident had set the sidewalk on fire and just stood there as it burned, Mr. Ousey’s response was, “I dunno, do whatever.”
Even the previous HOA managing company, PMP, ignored submitted evidence. July 2024 also had irresponsible firework activities that were ignored by the HOA, in spite of the following video evidences being submitted to the Manager of the Moment Louis Ruiz (PMP):
A fire sparkler is being sprayed directly into Pennell Pond.
A firework is exploded on the street I was on at the time (Mystic Glade Way).
More fireworks are being exploded right in this residential street.
As 2024 was my first 4th of July here, I called the sheriff right then. An officer drove out to the street I was at watching people explode fireworks into the lake, and she told me that it’s not the sheriff’s problem; tell the HOA! This tracks with the HOA Board President mentioning at the Board meeting on 16 July 2026 that “it’s frustrating to call the sheriff and they come out and tell us they don’t do anything”.
We Ask that the Safety of Homes, Homeowners, and Wildlife be Prioritized
Suggested Solutions
We understand that all things cost money, and as such we’re not asking for a year-round on site police force. Pragmatically, it would help the homeowners, residents, and wildlife here if the HOA performed the following actions:
- Establish and/or clarify specific and exact rules about exploding fireworks and lighting fires in the streets, sidewalks, at houses, and into the lake.
- Set up and have accessible to homeowners one or more open and responsive phone lines to be staffed on “Firework days”. NOTE: This is really "Firework months" - people in this area are still exploding fireworks every single last night before July 4th and past July 25th, well after the creation of this petition!
- Hire security (that can and will enforce the exact community rules) patrolling the community for the lakes and residences specifically, instead of hiring security just for the HOA’s amenity centers and their other owned assets. Ideally the hired security will have the ability to receive calls from different parts of the community if/when unsafe fireworks and fires are being lit, and will appropriately respond to such instances.
In closing, we own homes here, we live here, and we would like to feel safe here. We care about our local wildlife and take pride in the condition and quality of our community. Proposed here are some specific, finite, and pragmatic options that may help reduce or eliminate these holiday threats.
We pay dues, and we would like to be heard.
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Petition created on July 14, 2026