You will also want to find out what the minimum lot size is, required setbacks for the house, landscaping, any curb, gutter and sidewalk, etc.

What are the  required setbacks for buildings, landscaping, sidewalks, etc.?

In the past, I've received some pretty outrageous notices from my HOA; things like "children no longer allowed in the common areas", and telling me what sidewalk I have to use to get my mail, because the route I was taking took me by an HOA member's house, and made her dog bark.

.-  Tenant is supposed to shovel snow off the sidewalk and "forgets" to do it -- then someone walking past slips and falls?  

They have us submitting not only their development permit(approving their "concept" with no designs yet), they have submitted for grading permits, right of way improvements (curb gutter sidewalk), and site utilities like storm drain, water, fire service and sewer. 

There was a settling of the foundation on one side of the property and a lot of the sidewalks needed to be replaced.

Any sign placed on any curb, sidewalk, post pole, hydrant, bridge, tree, or other surface located on, over, or across any public street, right-of-way, property or thoroughfare, unless authorized by the City Council.

The gated parking, sidewalks, and entries are never maintained.

Dan, in the case of a single, common sidewalk. do you leave it up to the tenants to work out who does the shoveling (or hires someone to do it).

The dues could be broken down into the following major categories:repairs & maintenance (R&M)structural maintenance (roofs that are shared, sometimes balconies)repairs for any amenities grounds & roadslandscapingrepairing sidewalks and roadsutilitiesclubhouse utilitieslandscaping irrigationparking lot or site lightstrash if there's a compactor or dumpsterinsuranceproperty damagegeneral liabilitymanagement expensesreserves for capital repairs (major repairs like roof replacements, seal coating roads)New construction usually carries a 1 year warranty so any major defects will be repaired free of charge, sometimes it includes maintenance of equipment and sometimes it doesn't.