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June 19, 2005
The Joys of Condo Associations (III)
The response:
Some board members looked at my shelves and worried about a lot of things relevant to someone else's garage shelves but not mine. I still have to submit an architecture review. This won't happen until the end of the summer when I'm back and probably the new chair of the architecture committee!
The letter that came today:
[blah blah blah about satellite dishes and garages, then...]If you continue to have a rodent problem in your unit contact the office and terminex will inspect your unit and treat the problem.
I.e., if rats enter again and chew through your walls and carry away your new baby, let us know and we'll spend lots of money to exterminate and settle your lawsuit. We're not interested in spending a few bucks and putting screen over the attic vents to forestall this eventuality.
Posted by John at 09:59 PM | Comments (1)
June 17, 2005
The Joys of Condo Associations (II)
June 14, 2005
. . . Homeowners Association Board
Dear Board Members:
This week I noticed that the television dish antenna that had been on our roof was gone. Our understanding is that Debby, the former owner of Unit #[XX], had installed the dish without proper permission from the Association and that the former owner of our unit had shared her hookup. Despite the unapproved installation, the dish had apparently been allowed to remain for some years. We had planned to start service using the dish in the near future. When I asked yesterday about the missing dish, Karen informed me that John [the handyman] had recently removed the dish. I asked her if the the problem had been simply that it had been installed without permission or if it had been installed incorrectly. She said the cables had been allowed to lie on the roof and that this was the problem. I pointed out that although the dish had been removed, the cables continue to lie across the roof. The dish was also removed without advising anyone in the building that this would happen. The removal of the correctly installed dish exposed wood beneath it that had not been painted at the last repainting, attesting both to the age of the installation and to the negative aesthetic effect of removing the dish at this time.
We fully understand the dish antenna policy that has been approved by the Board and the reasons that rigorous Association control is necessary. We would simply like to object to the capricious and illogical manner in which enforcement was carried out in this case. Why not, for example, simply ask someone in the building to rectify the cabling issue if they wish to continue to use the dish?
We would also like to propose that the Board consider an amendment to the dish antenna policy. Since the Association has apparently already received advice on how, where, and how many dish antennas should be installed on each of the buildings of the Project, a detailed description of these installation requirements should be composed and circulated. Residents who contract their own vendors to install dish antennas should be bound to consult with and coordinate with building neighbors, notify the Association in advance of the installation date, and to comply fully with the published guidelines. Those who fail to do so should be immediately fined and charged with the costs of removal. Residents can then show the requirements to such private vendors as they wish to contract to hold them responsible, in turn, for following the guidelines. We strenuously object to having to pay a high, non-competitive price to a single individual with a monopoly on dish installations.
Your truly,
Posted by John at 03:21 PM | Comments (3)
The Joys of Condo Associations (I)
June 13, 2005
. . . Homeowners Association Board
Dear Board Members,
We would like to bring to your attention four issues of concern:
A. Garage Shelves
We have recently built some new shelves in our garage. Last week Karen Ecoff told us she had seen the shelves and that such work may require architectural approval from the board. We are perfectly willing to submit a request for architectural review and/or open the garage for inspection at a mutually convenient time.
We would like it to be noted that 1) we built three shelves, one workbench of the same construction technique, and two overhead supports for flattened boxes, skis, etc.; 2) the shelves do not extend into the other half of the garage or obstruct the other occupants' use of their half; 3) the shelves leave ample room for our car to be parked in the garage; 4) the shelves replace existing shelving which was already attached to the walls and ceiling joists of the garage but which was poorly built and inadequate for our needs; 5) the shelves are constructed in a modular fashion and are attached to studs and joists in a minimal way using screws and nails; 6) they can very easily be removed in the future with no damage to the garage; 7) there was some urgency to the construction of these shelves since in the last few months we have twice suffered water damage to belongings stored in the garage when water entered through the rear; and 8) the shelves are modeled on shelving we have seen in dozens of garages in this complex.
If the board would like some further action on our part, please let us know. If an architectural review application is requested of us, we would like to see copies of the approved requests for all the other garage shelving constructions in the complex.
B. Water
As noted in the paragraph above and as has been communicated verbally to the board in past meetings, our garage accumulates a considerable amount of water when it rains. In this past rainy season, the water damaged several items that were in the garage because we are remodeling our unit. We request that the board take the necessary steps to resolve this problem before next winter.
C. Rats
The plumber who replaced the bathtubs in our bathrooms discovered that rats were nesting under them. He killed four of them, but we are concerned that others might take their place. The evidence showed that the rats came from the outside through attic vents, entered and chewed through the bathroom vent ducts and got access to the inside of our walls. To prevent further problems that might be more costly, we request that screens be immediately installed on the mouths of the vents to prevent rats or other animals from entering. Since the new owners of Unit #79, below us, talked with Karen about this issue in April, it is possible that this problem has already been rectified, but we would like to know what steps have been taken or are being planned.
D. Laundry
Finally, we would like to inform the board that in the south laundry room one of the new front loader washing machines (the one on the left) has been malfunctioning since it was installed. The machine does not accept fabric softener, which simply accumulates in the receptacle.
Thanks for your attention and please let us know if you need any further information.
Sincerely yours,
Posted by John at 03:19 PM | Comments (0)
First Quake
We felt our first California earthquake yesterday afternoon, the 4.9 centered east of us in San Bernadino County. We were in Lowes looking at bathroom tile when the building shook and rolled a little. We scurried out of the tile aisle, not wanting to be buried under tons of broken ceramic tile! Nothing happened, of course, but people were talking about it everywhere we went.
Posted by John at 11:21 AM | Comments (0)
June 16, 2005
New team, new ballpark (for me), great game
Saw the rubber match of the Angels-Nationals series at Angels Stadium tonight (June 15th) with Dan and Stu. It was a great game, Colon v. Drese. The box score is here. Ryan Drese pitched a 2-run, 8-inning shutout, saved by Cordero, who fell off the mound, loaded the bases with two out, and then struck out Dallas McPherson for the win. The rally monkeys were out in full force, but to no avail. Colon gave up one run and eight hits in nine strong innings, for the loss. I sat up in 241 with Dan and Stu for the first seven and then moved down to F112, near my purchased seat (season ticket exchange via Angels website). Great seats both. I liked the stadium, loved the the game. The cameramen on the rocks in front of the waterfalls in center field look like bears in a zoo exhibit!
Posted by John at 03:43 AM | Comments (0)
June 10, 2005
Icehouse Canyon
Hiked up to Icehouse Saddle (Angeles N.F., Cucamonga Wilderness) with Leda today. Two hours up, one and a quarter down. Saw snowflower, spectacular yucca, wallflower, lots of birds in the saddle, lizards, chipmunks, squirrels, and a black diamond rattlesnake. Still patches of snow at the saddle and a lot on the north slopes. Cool sunny day. Back by 12:30.
Posted by John at 04:57 PM | Comments (0)