Barclay Park Newsletter Fall/Winter 2012
A Publication of Barclay Park Condominium Association and Meadow Management
Board of Directors Meadow Management
William Quinn President 27780 Novi Road, Suite 110
Ellen Meiselman Vice-President Novi, MI 48377
Hasdi Hashim Secretary Dave Friedrichs, Senior Property Manager
Pete Kozma Treasurer
Patrick Sharon At-Large
Request of All Co-Owners
If you have not done so, please provide Meadow Management with your e-mail address. You may phone Ryan at 1-248-348-5400 or e-mail Meadow Management at:
service@meadowmgmt.com.
Clubhouse Porch Nears Completion
Ramp and wrap-around porch reconstruction for the Clubhouse has been the MAJOR project of 2012. A total rebuild of the porch was required due to structural failure of what the developer had provided. To improve use and access for all, a ramp to the porch was added on the tennis court side. This ramp will provide not only easy access to the deck but also a nice vantage point for watching friends on the tennis court.
We expect next spring and summer to witness increased use, and we know that all have been made safer by the improvements of 2012. A big THANK YOU for the patience and goodwill you have demonstrated.
Front Retention Pond Restoration
When Barclay Park condos were first built, the beauty of flowing water, exposed rocks and attractive front ponds by the Clubhouse were visible to passers-by and greeted new residents when they arrived home each day. With the Clubhouse porch completed, attention is turning to the retention pond – with a goal of restoring these features for full display in Spring-Summer 2013.
A 200’ deep well has been repaired by Barclay’s maintenance coordination company ATD Building. This well provides water to the ponds (as a supplement to retention of natural run off from parking areas). There are two lines that provide water to the basins that surround the northwest end of the tennis court wall. As these basins fill, water will cascade over rocks into the main ponds. This water will re-circulate. The ponds will continue to serve many birds and small fish, as well as plants, frogs and even a few turtles.
In the future, ways will be sought to take advantage of the SOLAR potential of the community for the local generation of the energy we depend on, and for locations such as the front landscaping and building roofs. Management is watching for incentive programs that would make this financially worthwhile.
Insects Need Treating? You Make the Call
The Association pays a monthly stipend to pest control company Ehrlich Pest Control. If you find that your condo needs to be treated for insects, mice or any other pests, and wish to use a contractor, please call Ehrlich Pest Control at (248) 477-4800, and give them BP’s contract number: #14422331 which is only good for Barclay Way addresses. Let management know your experience, as it will help to evaluate the service.
Radon Testing
Tests for radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas (tasteless and odorless) have found levels above EPA’s 4.0 pCi/L action level in 40% of all homes in Washtenaw County.
At Barclay Park in 2011, two tests were made privately that came in at or above 4.0 pCi/L Both tests were taken in two of the 54 condos at Barclay that have open crocks n the basement (for optional sump pumps). In the first case, a second test was taken by management and came back less than 1.0 pCi/L – although the owner chose to invest in venting. In the other case, caulking cracks around the floor and covering the sump pump reduced the re-test from 4.0 to 1.7 pCi/L
Kits to test for radon can be obtained for $10 from Washtenaw County’s office on Zeeb Road – or from nearby Carpenter Brothers Hardware for $13. Instructions are provided for what is typically a 3 to 4 day test and mail-in to get your results. More information is available from 1-800-Radon Gas or www.ewashtenaw.org/radon.
Satellite TV & High Speed Internet
Your opinion will be requested — and your e-mail is needed!
The Board is looking into the possibility of wiring each building for satellite TV service (including building-specific dish installations) — and also into expanding high-speed Internet access to all areas of Barclay Park (e.g., Comcast Business Class service).
Because there are potential costs as well as significant benefits involved, once the details are finalized, co-owners’ thoughts on the matter will be solicited using an online survey.
If you would like to participate in the survey, please make sure Meadow Management has your current email address prior to Thanksgiving 2011. Send any update of your e-mail to servicei@meadowmgmt.com, if the office does not currently have it.
Co-owners without email can participate by requesting the survey in writing from BPCA Management, ℅ MeadowMgmt, 27780 Novi Rd #110, Novi, MI 48377.
In designing a plan for this project, care will be taken to maintain a clean uncluttered appearance, and to improve safety. The Board learned in initial discussions (with Freedom Network and its installers) that building-mounted satellite dishes would be three times less likely to be blown off than those secured to patios (per current policy). A primary goal is to keep shared costs to a minimum and initial hook-up charges reasonable for those who choose to use one or more of the services offered.
About half of Barclay Park condos are not oriented to receive a clear satellite signal. For those that can receive it, the current policy governing dish placement can still make it difficult to achieve the best reception. Though restrictive, this policy was put in place to reduce dish “clutter” and preserve common areas and views; but there is enough demand for these services that we are looking into ways of making satellite access available while retaining a clean appearance.
As for high-speed Internet, technology developments have made Mesh Routers more economical than ever. If a Mesh Router is installed on a building-by-building basis (as needed for coverage), the Association can then enroll for community-wide Comcast Business Class service and deliver high-speed Internet access to all residents. This can eliminate the need for individual residents to subscribe to high-speed Internet on their own.
Please watch for the Association’s plan, recommendations and the survey that will be coming — and remember to provide your current e-mail address to
service@meadowmgmt.com. Thanks!
Restricted Parking after November 15
Advance warning! NO parking is permitted along Barclay Way between Nov 15th and March 15th. The local towing company (Brewer’s) will tow cars illegally parked at the owner’s expense. (Note: this includes all of Barclay Way, as well as any misuse of handicapped spots or parking behind unit garages for more than brief periods of active unloading and loading. Thank you!
Advisory on Driving and Parking
Please observe the speed limit on Barclay Way and in the parking lots. Too many drivers are speeding in the complex – and special assessments against units for speed violations are possible. Children play in the lots, and board and exit school buses during mornings and afternoons. Stop signs appear to be needed in some locations, such as at entrances and exits to specific lots.
Extra parking spaces are rare at Barclay Park – and a THIRD space for any condo (counting those INSIDE each unit’s garage) can only be provided by prepayment of the required fee. Here are the fee details and other specific parking rules:
• A single outdoor space for a Hartford-style condo (2-car garage) is $300 for 6-months or $480 annually (12-months, first-year only). Second and subsequent years prepaid by the same co-owner are just $360 per year.
• A second outdoor parking space for any other condo (1-car garage) is the same fee, $300 for 6-months or $480 for 12 months – with the same provision for successive years by the same co-owner.
• Register for extra spaces by contacting management and mailing in timely prepayment. Extra spaces are limited and assigned first-come, first-serve: service@meadowmgmt.com
• Garages must be used for vehicles, not exclusively for storage.
• First time violators are assessed an additional $50, with repeat and successive violations at $100.
New Roof Shingles
Solaris® Weathered Wood
Is it any surprise that the developer’s shingles might be starting to need replacement – especially in the earliest of the community’s 3-phases? Surely not! As November dawns, residents can take note of the first batch of a new, heavier and lifetime “reflective” shingle installed on the back decks of two buildings that front on Barclay Way (#10 and #11).
After study of available options, management and the board unanimously selected the new Solaris® product, engineered to be long-lasting AND to reduce radiation gain into the buildings. Although replacements will begin now in 2011, we may be close to 2020 before all original shingles on all Barclay buildings are worn enough to merit replacement. Management will be checking roofs each year and moving to the new, or improved, “weathered wood” variety at each building as the need arises.
Also approved by the Board was the CONCEPT of allowing co-owners the option of making a personal investment in an approved SOLAR SHINGLE, if they wish to generate some of their own power. Written Barclay Park guidelines are being drafted for review and approval of such “solar alteration requests”. Stay tuned – and keep an eye out for tax and utility incentives!.
Rental Units
With the economic downturn, rental of condos has seemed to become more common. Please remember that ALL co-owners are required to register any rental with management – and that lease language must comply with Bylaw and rule requirements. As condo owner, you remain responsible for any failure to abide by BPCA rules. You may review these rules at http://www.barclaypark.org or alternatively, http://www.athomenet.com/barclaypark/home.asp. After login, go to Resources/Documents and The Bylaws for Barclay Park Condominium Association (Legal Documents) (270536bpca_bylaws.doc in Microsoft Word) (See Article VI, Section 2, Leasing and Rental).
Maintain Heat (all winter long!!)
If you are planning a trip this winter, take care to avoid plumbing or water damage by keeping the heat on – and temperature up. Indoor heat should stay no lower than 55 degrees Fahrenheit (about 12 Celsius). Good for self AND neighbors!!!
Go to Website for General Info
You can access general info about Barclay Park, its covenants, forms and compliance requirements at http://www.barclaypark.org. Useful website information includes:
• Electronic copy of Association Bylaws
• Reservation forms for the Clubhouse
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Third Vehicle Application-Permit forms
• Unit Alteration & Improvement Form
Personal – Condo Insurance Required
With stacked and side-by-side condos, instances of damage BETWEEN condos occur each year. The key to the resolving unit-to-unit damage claims and questions is homeowner insurance. Case studies tell the story. In one case, water damage from an overflow upstairs was quickly taken care of thanks to the rapid coordination between the two homeowner insurance companies. In another case, without insurance, it took adjacent co-owners several months just to get the case into District Court for a decision on responsibility.
Please remember that the Association does NOT provide UNIT (or condo specific) insurance. BPCA’s coverage is limited to association and structural items – whereas homeowner items and personal property (as well as liability for property damage to others) are covered by homeowners policies, i.e., HO-6 policies. All co-owners are required to have such insurance, per the Bylaws. Be certain to maintain the HO-6 coverage that you are required to have – and that both you and your neighbors need!
Remember: HO-6 coverage (and renters insurance if you lease) is fairly inexpensive, yet offers critically important protection (& peace of mind) against unforeseen events, always possible in multi-unit buildings.
Contract for Winter Services
After a competitive bidding process and interview for this winter’s snow removal and salting services, the contract has been awarded to N-n-H Trucking, LLC. This company is managed by Jerome Franklin and Bud Youngs, the latter serving as maintenance coordinator. Good accountability and timely service are expected. Please advise management of any problems you experience. Co-owners are reminded to keep an eye on their front porch and stairs – and to assist with cleaning or deicing (or by calling for special services) when winter weather and freeze-thaw conditions prove troublesome. Thank you.