PURPOSE
The purpose of the following Rules and Covenant are outlined to give visitors and residents an outline of our regulations, rules and expectations within the Pine Hill roleplay community. Pine Hill strives to make roleplaying in our community more than just a game you play, but a fully immersive, and enjoyable experience within the virtual world that we hope you will call home.


COMMUNITY MISSION
Pine Hill is a roleplay community dedicated to providing visitors and renters a space to experience a variety of roleplay encounters with a diverse background of characters. At its core, roleplay will remain the focus and main mission of Pine Hill , community staff will work towards an inclusive roleplay experience for everyone, regardless of background, race, ethnicity, gender, age, or religion.


APPLICABILITY
All aspects of this document are applicable to all visitors, residents, renters, staff, and volunteers of Pine Hill and will be the reference point for any disputes within the Community. Managers may amend this document or make exceptions to it as deemed necessary and in the best interest of the Community by the Managers.


DEFINITIONS / TERMINOLOGY
The following section will outline the definitions of the language used within the document and, generally, throughout the Community as a whole.

 

• Community - The totality of the Pine Hill servers, sims, estates, parcels, forums, groups, and any and all resources or services managed by or for Pine Hill.

 

• Management - The entire staff that comprises the Pine Hill Management team to include Managers/Owners, Administrators, Moderators, and any volunteers as appointed by the Managers.

 

• Manager(s) - The most senior members of Pine Hill Management who contribute through financial assistance, dedication, skill, experience and knowledge.

 

• Administrator(s) - Full-fledged members of the Pine Hill Management Team who are charged with executing duties and maintaining facets of the community to include events, rule enforcement, rentals, building, discord and other resources of our community. Each administrator brings a unique skill set to the Management team and functions as a cohesive unit, voting on major changes that affect the community as a whole.

 

• Moderator(s) - Moderators are entry level Management and are responsible for the overall safety and security of the community by overseeing all discord servers and in world activities to ensure they conform with the Rules and Covenants as well as line up with the mission and vision of the Community as outlined by the Managers.

 

• Volunteer(s) - These are residents of the Pine Hill Community who are not official members of the Management team, nor do they hold any official authority; however, they have been appointed by an Administrator or Manager to assist with a specific event, task, or aspect of the community.

 

• Faction Leadership - To include all official and recognized government agencies and emergency services and their respective Department Heads.

RULES & COVENANT


1.0 General Provisions and Community Rules
1.1 - Management reserves the right to amend the Rules and Covenant at any time, with or without notice and at our sole discretion. 1.1(a) - This provision is not promulgated with the intent to allow Management to discriminate or deviate unnecessarily and will only be done with unanimous approval from all Managers and only when the amendment is in the best interest of the Community as a whole.
1.2 - Managers reserve the final decision-making authority in all situations and once a decision has been made by the Managers it is not subject to further review. Administrator or Moderator decisions can be appealed to a Manager by opening a support ticket in the main Pine Hill Discord; however, it is never permissible to argue with any staff members or cause a dispute within the community.
1.3 - All messages, tickets, discussions, or other communications with Management will be held in confidence; however, by participating in the Community we reserve the right to use any and all monitoring logs or transcripts to include but not limited to local chat, instant messages, discord messages, tickets, screenshots, recordings, and any other method use to retain information or data when making decisions regarding the Community or investigating any abuse or misconduct.
1.4 All “groups”, official or unofficial, operating within the Pine Hill Community must register and receive approval for and moderation from the Management team at all times. Further, the name and all trademarks or other intellectual property remain the property of Pine Hill and its owner and therefore using any of these without prior authorization will result in administrative punishment and Management reserves the right to seek real life criminal or civil penalties as allowed by applicable law.
1.5 At no point is any individual allowed to recruit for other communities or servers without prior approval. Violating this rule is essentially poaching and is punishable by a permanent ban from all Pine Hill servers, groups, and property.
1.6 Management can only moderate and/or intervene on matters that occur within our Community. Situations that arise on other estates/sims or in private chats are to be dealt with between the involved parties.
1.7 Spamming of any type be it gesture, sound, music, text, or any other form (as deemed by Management) of spam is strictly prohibited and will not be tolerated under any circumstances in public places.
1.8 Pine Hill will have a sim rating of “Moderate”. As such, all Linden Lab TOS and Community Guidelines regulating moderate areas will be in effect. There may be certain parcels or areas marked “Adult” at the discretion of Management and the rules regarding “Adult” areas will apply there.
1.9 Community Events, as authorized by Management (both in character and out-of-character), can have an affect on the normal day to day operations of the community, the weather, IC/OOC status, etc. While participation is voluntary, it is not permissible to attempt to interfere with operations of the Community. Further, it is not considered a violation of the Covenant or Rental Agreement if these events should happen to cause an interruption to your normal desired decorations, landscaping, weather, etc. - For example, a large scape roleplay disaster (hurricane, tornado, wildfire, etc.) may be approved by Management and should this affect the weather of your rental for less than 5 consecutive days it is not considered a interruption in your rental or a violation and as such a refund or credit will not be given.
1.10 Flying is not permitted for anyone outside of Management. Any attempt to use an exploit to get around this will be subject to ejection, ban, or other administrative discipline.

2.0 Rental Rules
2.1 Right to Privacy - While all renters can expect a reasonable right to privacy within the confines of their rental, Pine Hill is at its core a roleplay community and therefore all residents are encouraged to allow and participate in roleplay within their various rentals. That said, in the event a renter asks a visitor OOC’ly to leave their property the trespassing individual will be subject to ejection, removal, and or ban as deemed necessary by Management.
2.1(a) - Management reserves the right to enter rentals at any point in the performance of their official duties and in the investigation of misconduct or the enforcement of these Rules and Covenant. Such entrance shall not constitute a breach of the Covenant or rental agreement.
2.2 At no time will refunds be required and will remain in the discretion of Management at all times. Rent may be applied to other properties if desired however unused tier will be considered a donation back to the community.
2.3 Each citizen is eligible to have a maximum of 1 residential and 2 commercial properties at any given time without prior approved permission of Management.
2.4 Renters are responsible for landscaping their own properties; however, it is subject to review and intervention by Management if it is found to be in conflict with what is realistic to be found in Montana.
2.5 Swapping the building upon which a property you rent is generally not an issue; however, it will always require permission of the Management team. We encourage you to seek this approval prior to renting as a refund will not be given if you decide to rent a property and then subsequently have your request denied.
2.5(a) The theme/design of the home must comply with the setting of the Community and be realistic, aesthetically pleasing, and not counter to the design/theme/or style of the Community . This is to include any and all exterior aspects of a property to include the building, driveway, landscaping, garages, stables, roofs, fences, and anything else visible from the public view. Any modifications to the exterior of the home must be approved by a member of the Real Estate Team or Management.
2.5(b) The Real Estate Team will consider the occurrence of the same and/or similar property and its proximity to the property in question.
2.6 The current standard rental rate is 2L/prim per week. Individual rentals are subject to an increase or decrease based on location, interest, and other factors.
2.6(a) - Prim limits are set by Management at the time of rental and are a direct influence of the rental rate. Additional prims can be arranged if desired and if so please open a support ticket.
2.7 In the event a rental, commercial or residential, is deemed abandoned, we reserve the right, as Management, to reclaim the property, return all items, and evict the tenant. Rentals are considered abandoned if two or more of the following circumstances are in occurrence:
2.7(a) - Fewer than 15% of the allotted prims are currently in use
2.7(b) - Tenant is set to not renew and/or there is a week or less left on the rental
2.7(c) - Tenant has not responded to a direct messages via in-world or discord messaging and at least a 48 hour period between both messages has passed
2.7(d) - The tenant has been banned from the Community or left with notice (This can constitute abandonment of the property in and of itself)
2.8 All roleplay businesses (except those prohibited in 2.10) may rent a commercial property without prior authorization; however, if an individual wishes to host an actual commercial enterprise (selling items or services for actual lindens) they must first obtain permission to operate by Management and such can be obtained by opening a support ticket.
2.9 Rental Discounts are issued for employment with the Community or one of its affiliated government agencies. Discounts are removed upon your removal from that position and can not be combined with any other discount or promotion.
2.9(a) The discount rate for department members: 10%
2.9(b) The discount rate for Community Staff is: 10%
2.10 The following commercial activities are barred from operating or opening without prior approval from Management: Bars (Restaurants that also server liquor do not meet this restriction however a common sense rule will be applied), Strip Clubs or Sexually Focused Enterprises of Any Nature, Breedable Stores of any sort, or any public safety / military focused company or organization.
2.11 Ban lines are not permitted under any circumstances. Security orbs must be approved by Management prior to them being placed.
2.12 Changing, modifying, or removing any fences, sidewalks, gates, driveways, road signs, or exterior aspects of the home requires a permit/permission to be obtained from the “County” prior to being done. This can be obtained by submitting the appropriate ticket in the discord.
2.13 Loss of no-copy items is not the responsibility of sim management under any circumstances.
2.14 If a renter chooses to have adult rated (sex) furniture within their property, they are prohibited from having any avatar appearing or roleplaying to be under the age of 18.
2.15 Non-Payment / Evictions - Pine Hill strives to be a welcoming Community for all of our tenants and always hopes to be able to be flexible with our tenants needs. With that in mind, payment terms and schedules are non negotiable. A 48 hour grace period is allowed with proper notice given to the Rental Team of your intent to continue tenancy and become current with your rent within a period of 48 hours from the expiration of your current lease.
2.15(a) Failure to notify the Real Estate Team prior to your expiration of your current lease can result in your eviction and/or return of your items remaining on the property.
2.15(b) Tenants who have remained a renter in good standing for a minimum of 6 weeks consecutively may have a grace period extended by up to 7 days with approval from the Real Estate Team.
2.15(c) Any tenant who utilizes a grace period will still be responsible for repaying that period of time or having it subtracted from their remaining time upon bringing your rental current. This will be prorated based on the time you utilized during the grace period.

3.0 Roleplay Rules
3.1 All areas within the Community that are not rentals or otherwise designated are to be considered public and in character at all times. Use of an “OOC” group tag or attached object is not permitted unless you are actively dealing with an OOC issue with Management. If you do not wish to engage in roleplay then remain in a private rental.
3.2 All driving is considered in character and requires a license issued by Pine Hill and registered within the Community Management System. Further, vehicles are to be registered and display a proper plate.
3.2(a) In the event a vehicle is not capable of bearing a rear facing plate the user is to have a copy of the plate in their character “picks”.
3.3. Voice chat is not considered roleplay, is disabled in the community, and anything learned or discussed via voice chat can not be used in roleplay and would be considered meta-gaming.
3.4 Gestures that are not realistic and/or aid roleplay within the context of the scene are considered spam and therefore not allowed.
3.5 Major emergency scenes, terroristic actions, or disasters are required to have prior approval from an Administrator or Manager. This is to include anything involving explosives, mass casualty incidents (described as any incident with 5 or more dead or severely injured people), or anything requiring an act of god (earthquake, major wildfire, pandemic, hurricane, etc.). Management will consider the resources available by the various departments and emergency services. Requests should be made as much in advance as possible to accommodate the coordination required.
3.6 Automatic weapons, military grade equipment, or explosives of any form for civilians are prohibited without approval from an Administrator or Manager.
3.7 Crime scenes that you will not physically remain at until law enforcement responds will require an evidence box be left at the scene containing what evidence has been left behind and other pertinent information.
3.8 Criminal convictions become part of your character's criminal record and will affect positions with government agencies or public employers as they deem appropriate. You will need to end your current character and create a new one if you wish to start fresh.
3.9 Only vehicles that are realistic for the environment and for your character to have access to are permissible. No vehicle may be more than 80 prims without prior authorization.
3.10 Unlocked vehicles in public spaces MAY be stolen and you are required to roleplay this out fully. Simply “rezzing” out another vehicle is fail-roleplay and will be handled administratively.
3.11 Sexual roleplay, even between consenting adults, are confined to private rentals and are not permitted to be acted out in public. Not only will it result in law enforcement action in-character but it will also be handled by Management.
3.12 NPC victims and accomplices are allowed however they must only be in support of your scene and can not be foundational characters.
3.13 Management and its representatives are authorized to terminate any roleplay without prior warning; further, Managers and Administrators have the discretion to determine the action and/or consequences on a case by case basis for matters not explicitly covered by these Rules and Covenant.
3.14 Anyone who’s character plans to roleplay as a repeat / career criminal and/or commonly commit criminal offenses are required to be registered in the SonoranCAD system. Failure to do so can result in administrative action including the termination of future role plays until compliance with this rule has been achieved.

4.0 Roleplay Department and Dept. Member Rules
The following Code of Conduct set forth expressly prohibited acts and professional standards expectations (Rules) for all members of the Roleplay Operations team and their associated departments/agencies/and organizations:
4.1 All members of Roleplay Departments must be above the real-life age of 18.
NOTE - Department heads are specifically held responsible for enforcing this standard within their respective departments. Failure to do so will result in administrative action.
4.2 Violation of any real-life law or regulation.
4.3 Violation of any Terms of Service or Community Standards
4.4 Violation of any Rule as outlined by Management.
4.5Violation of the Chain of Command without proper cause.
4.6 Any action or conduct which impedes the team’s efforts to achieve its policy and goals or brings discredit upon the team or the community.
4.7 Impersonating or misrepresenting yourself to be or be affiliated with any real-life law enforcement agency, public safety employee, emergency management official, military service member, firefighter, licensed attorney, licensed medical professional, or other government officials will not be tolerated under any circumstances and will result in administrative discipline.
**ZERO TOLERANCE - IMPERSONATION WILL RESULT IN TERMINATION, EJECTION, AND / OR PERMANENT BAN FROM THE COMMUNITY AND / OR DEPARTMENT**
4.8 It is the policy of Management to recognize the authority and dedication each department head brings to Pine Hill, and that is shall never be the goal of the Team to interfere with the authority of the appointed department heads. As a Team we will never engage in the process of micromanagement or the ability of the various department heads to successfully complete their responsibilities at their discretion. That said, Management is responsible for ensuring that the mission and vision as outlined by the Owners and Managers of Pine Hill is implemented and should there come a time that the actions of a department or department head are counter to that mission, the Team will step in to correct the issue as needed. Except on an emergency basis, all efforts should be made to not publicly intervene as Staff/Management and to refer any issues to the appropriate Department Head.
4.8(a) In an effort to promote the above referenced atmosphere among our departments, Administrators, Managers, General Managers, and all other Management and prohibited from holding any Command or Supervisory role within any of the various departments.
4.9 Any failure to promote the team's efforts to implement its policy or accomplish its goals.
This Rule applies to supervisory and other members who, through carelessness, inefficiency or design fail to implement all policy goals, rules, regulations, orders, and directives of the team or fail to report to the team any and all known violations.
4.10 Any conduct or action taken to use the official position for personal gain or influence.
4.11 Intentional disobedience of an order or directive, whether written or oral.
4.12 Insubordination or disrespect toward any supervisor, department head, or staff member of an out of character nature which disrupts the efficient operations of the team or department, at the discretion of the Community Managers.
4.13 Disrespect to or maltreatment of any person of an out of character nature which disrupts the efficient operations of the team or department, at the discretion of the Community Managers
4.14 Making a false report, written or oral.
4.15 Failure to report to the team any violation of Rules and Regulations or any other improper conduct which is contrary to the policy, orders or directives of the team.
4.16 Publicly making comments with the intent to disrupt the efficient operations of the team and/or unrest in the community, when the result of such criticism can reasonably be foreseen to undermine the effectiveness of the team or the goals of Pine Hill.
4.17 Soliciting or accepting any gratuity, or soliciting or accepting a gift, present, reward, or other things of value for any service rendered as a member, or as a condition for the rendering of such service, or as a condition for not performing assigned duties.
4.18 All members, department heads, and staff of the Roleplay Departments are encouraged and expected to give testimony or evidence regarding any administrative or disciplinary investigations by the Team to ensure the continued success of the community.
4.19 Performing any action or making any statement, written or verbal, that would be unbecoming of a member of this team or its departments, agencies, and organizations which is to be determined at the sole discretion of the Community Managers.
4.20 All department applications will occur within the main Community Discord, as such anyone wishing to join a government agency or emergency service will be required to join and maintain membership in the Discord.

5.0 Acceptable Races/Species
As a whole, Pine Hill strives to be inclusive and diverse while still striving for a realistic roleplay environment. Management recognizes the diverse nature of the SL RP community demographic and in an effort to create a community where everyone can come together and enjoy a shared love of roleplay we have adopted the following rules:
5.1 No fantasy or magical creatures are allowed at any point in time. If your avatar appears to be on we will RP as if you are in a costume however acting as if you have any abilities beyond that of a human will be considered a violation of the rules.
5.2 Humans and furries are allowed to roleplay as humans and furries are allowed to act as “their species” and will not be forced to RP as being in a costume; however, furries will have no abilities such as super-strength or claws.
5.3 You may roleplay as an animal however should you decide to do so you may not “talk” and may only act as that animal would realistically act.
5.4 All body parts should be realistic and proportional regardless of species.
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6.0 Child Avatars
Pine Hill attempts to ensure that our environment is welcoming to roleplayers and renters of all backgrounds and interests. Commonly, character backgrounds include families and as such children are commonplace and have a place within a roleplay community. If you plan on roleplaying a character under the age of 18, please ensure you are intimately familiar with the below Rules:
6.1 Child Avatars are allowed of any age within Pine Hill. In accordance with SL TOS and Community Standards, all child avatars are prohibited from engaging it or being in proximity to any sexual content or activity and this is to include both public spaces and private rentals. Violation of this in any way will result in an immediate and permanent ban without chance of appeal. Further, all individuals regardless of roleplay age must be at least 18 years of real life age to participate in the Community in any way. (See LL Official Policy Here)
6.1(a) - It should be noted that some individuals are uncomfortable roleplay with child avatars and this should be respected whenever possible; however, as with any RL community children are a part of a story and have a place within a roleplay environment. By being in public places within Pine Hill you are expected to roleplay any realistic interaction as per Rule 1.6 regardless of the age of the avatar.
6.2 If your in-character age is under 13 then you are required to have a guardian/parent (NPC is allowed if there is a visible representation of the NPC) with you at any time you are in public or outside of a private rental.
6.3 - Violence to Child Avatars - Violence to avatars that appear underage is not prohibited by LL and as such will be allowed within Pine Hill in an effort to promote a realistic roleplay environment. That said, child avatars should not be the direct focus on violent encounters directly with the exception of consensual domestic encounters (a mother calls 911 on her husband who just beat up their underage son or something similar on a private parcel). For example, if you are robbing a mother walking her kid to the park and it takes a violent turn it is realistic and permissible for that child avatar to also be a victim of the violence; however, an individual should not target child avatars directly.
6.3 Youth Registration - All individuals wishing to roleplay as a minor under the age of 18 within Pine Hill are required to obtain a youth tag from Management. This will include a registration form in which you will have to outline your character's background, plans within the community, and who will be your parent/guardian.
6.3(a) Orphans, homeless kids, etc. or other minors without a parent or guardian are allowed; however, they will have to outline their plans to comply with Rule 6.2 as far as having an NPC guardian of some sort.
6.3(b) The application will occur within the main Community Discord through a Google Forms, as such anyone wishing to roleplay as a minor is required to be able to join and maintain membership in the Discord. There are no exceptions to this policy.
6.4 Failure to display the required tag or obtain one can result in removal from the Community and other administrative action as deemed appropriate by Management.