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Premier Fire Alarms & Integration Systems, Installation Division Inc. is dedicated to providing the most reliable systems and service in the alarm industry. Helping protect the lives and property of our customers is a responsibility we embrace and never take lightly. In every endeavor, we strive to satisfy our customers by meeting and exceeding their expectations.
Fire Alarm Repair and Maintenance * Fire Alarm Service Agreement & Contracts * Fire Alarm Service Monitoring
Tags: Building Maintenance, Condo and HOA Common Area Issues, Fire Protection & Life Safety, Members Articles
Lake and pond management is a complex field that presents never-ending puzzles and surprising challenges. Like a fingerprint, no two bodies of water are exactly the same—and they are always in a state of continuous change based on how the water is used, the surroundings, and even the weather. When diagnosing and designing a solution for a problem like bad odors or nuisance algae growth, professionals take all of this information into account, but it doesn’t provide a complete picture of what’s going on below the surface.
A professional assessment is the first step to achieve a comprehensive view of your waterbody’s health. Think of this as a physical for your waterbody. An array of scientific tests are conducted to check its vitals and establish an initial baseline of health. Over time, the comprehensive scientific data can be used to:
SOLitude offers a variety of waterbody assessment options. Each package includes creation of a customized, comprehensive report for you and your stakeholders. Your freshwater management professional can help you determine which package is most appropriate based on the history of the waterbody, as well as your unique goals and budget:
Gain invaluable insights into the health and longevity of your freshwater resource. Leverage new algae identification methods and advanced laboratory work to predict and circumvent water quality problems while cutting down on long-term costs.
Dive into the unique characteristics of your lake or pond. This essential data can be used to identify underlying problems and tap in to the specific needs of your waterbody with custom solutions.
Gain a baseline understanding of what’s happening below the surface of your waterbody. This key information will help put you on the right path towards the achievement of your lake or pond goals.
Additional water quality tests are available to further customize any of our three assessment packages. Ask your Aquatic Specialist is these tests should be considered for your waterbody.
Additional water quality tests include:
Apparent Color, Chloride, Chlorophyll-a, Conductivity, Particulate Organic Matter, Phosphate, Salinity, Sediment Organic Matter, Total Dissolved Solids, Total Hardness, Total Iron, Total Suspended Solids, True Color and Turbidity.
One of the nation’s premiere lake maintenance companies, SOLitude Lake Management helps our customers identify their needs and formulate comprehensive plans to achieve practical solutions to their water quality problems. Water features are a particularly important part of any property, adding value and aesthetic beauty. We offer the most technologically advanced lake or pond management products and services available to help all of our customers prevent problems and maintain a natural, healthy, balanced and beautiful ecosystem. For those prospective clients whose lake or pond is already experiencing problems, our pond management experts will restore it to its original beauty and help achieve aquatic sustainability.
SOLitude’s annual management services include:
SOLitude Lake Management
P: 888.480.5253 | F: 888.358.0088
Alyssa Serignese
3842 Ironbridge Blvd. Unit #2
Fort Myers, FL 33916
Tags: Condo and HOA Common Area Issues, Landscaping Articles, Management News, Members Articles
Many homeowners in South Florida have properties that are adjacent to mitigation areas but very few have an understanding as to what they are or why they are there. This article will answer some of these questions and give you a better understanding about the role mitigation sites play in your community.
Homeowners have all sorts of names for the planted areas by their homes. Some call them preserves, some call them swamps, some call them natural areas but they all share a common origin and purpose. Whether they are full of trees or stretches of plants along a lake shoreline, they are all what are known as mitigation. Mitigation is an attempt to lessen or alleviate the environmental impact of development and construction in our area. When a developer plans to build a community the location must first be surveyed to determine if important natural resources and sensitive areas will be disturbed due to the project. Before any construction can begin, the developer must submit a plan to create and maintain areas that will replace what is lost when the development is built. Once the plan is approved, a permit is issued for the mitigation and the project can begin. Without the mitigation, your neighborhood could not even exist. When the builder turns the property over to a homeowners association, the association then assumes the responsibility for the mitigation and its care.
There are three basic kinds of mitigation areas: wetland preserves, upland preserves and littoral zones. Wetland preserves are lower lying areas that are partly to completely flooded most of the year and are largely comprised of aquatic plants and grasses, and may have tree islands or deep water pools. Upland preserves are wooded areas that sit at higher elevations and tend to have drier soils and are usually comprised of more trees and shrubs. Littoral zones are submersed shelves that run around the perimeter of lakes and are planted with a variety of plants that can grow in flooded conditions.
Quarterly inspections and status reports are required by the agency that issued the mitigation permit for your community. These are to ensure that the site lives up to its required environmental obligation and that it complies with agency standards. Regular maintenance visits, by trained and licensed personnel, are necessary to keep mitigation areas in compliance. In order to be in compliance the areas must be covered by the proper percentage of beneficial, native plants and be within the acceptable limit of invasive, exotic plants.
Mitigation sites are designed to replace a natural ecosystem and are not meant to be perfectly manicured landscapes. Homeowners should never take it upon themselves to remove plants, trim or cut plants or add plants to mitigation areas. Remember, these areas are permitted and unapproved alterations could result in complications or fines, just like any other permit you have when you do work on your house. Homeowners should also be sure that their landscapers do not dump debris such as palm fronds, hedge trimmings and grass clippings into the mitigation by their homes. All mitigation is monitored for compliance. When the standards set by the oversight agency are not met, the entity responsible for the upkeep of the site may be financially liable to bring the site back into compliance.
Many homeowners don’t realize the benefits of these re-created natural areas. They see them as a burden with no redeeming qualities but there are several that are commonly overlooked. These areas provide habitat to several native species, some of which are threatened or even endangered. In addition to habitat for animals mitigation provides a pathway to replenish the aquifers that supply the drinking water here in South Florida. As more and more development occurs, we are essentially “capping” our water supply’s recharge mechanism with concrete and asphalt. Increased population creates increased demand for water. At the same time our system’s ability to provide the needed water is being reduced. Wetlands and preserves act like a sponge to capture water that would normally be lost to storm drains and funnels it into our depleted aquifers. This sponge affect also aids in flood prevention. Wetlands can hold a considerable amount of storm flow and alleviate your community’s storm water drainage system. Littoral plantings around your lake also help absorb nutrient runoff. Florida lawns don’t get green by themselves. We use a lot of fertilizer and when the rains come and the grounds get soaked, some of that fertilizer ends up in our lakes. This then feeds algae in the lakes and creates those unpleasant mats of floating, green algae around the water body. The bands of wetland plants around the shoreline act as a buffer and absorb some of the nutrient runoff as it enters the water.
Our staff at Allstate realizes that your mitigation maintenance is an important responsibility. We hope that this has shed some light on the questions you may have. One of our goals in our pledge to service to you is educating the homeowners and helping everyone understand the value of the aquatic resources within your community. If we can provide any further guidance or assistance please feel free to call our office.
By: Stephen Montgomery
Allstate Resource Management
6900 SW 21st Court, Building #9
Davie, Florida 33317
Phone: (954) 382-9766
Fax: (954) 382-9770
Tags: Common Area Issues, Lake Management Articles, Management News
We all have fond memories of time spent on the water, but bad odors, algae, aquatic weeds, and other imbalances can distract you from the fun and serenity your waterbody provides. Professional water quality assessments are a key tool to not only help resolve these issues, but prevent them from reoccurring.
Lake and pond management is a complex field that presents never-ending puzzles and surprising challenges. Like a fingerprint, no two bodies of water are exactly the same—and they are always in a state of continuous change based on how the water is used, the surroundings, and even the weather. When diagnosing and designing a solution for a problem like bad odors or nuisance algae growth, professionals take all of this information into account, but it doesn’t provide a complete picture of what’s going on below the surface.
A professional assessment is the first step to achieve a comprehensive view of your lake or pond’s health. Think of this like a physical for your waterbody. An array of scientific tests are conducted to check its vitals and establish an initial baseline of health. Over time, the comprehensive scientific data can be used to:
SOLitude offers a variety of waterbody assessment options. Each package includes the creation of a customized, comprehensive report for you and your stakeholders. Your freshwater management professional can help you determine which package is most appropriate based on the history of the waterbody, as well as your unique goals and budget.
The aquatic management industry is burgeoning with scientists, researchers, and other passionate experts. SOLitude is the proud home to many of these thought leaders who have steered the industry towards innovation, technological advancement, and holistic management strategies through the roles they hold in various environmental organizations and authority groups.
SOLitude Lake Management is the proud home of many industry experts who hold prestigious roles in a variety of environmental organizations, including the North American Lake Management Society (NALMS), the Aquatic Plant Management Society (APMS), and other authority groups. As industry thought leaders, these colleagues go above and beyond to demonstrate SOLitude’s commitment to science, technology, innovation, and holistic lake and pond management strategies. We believe that these tenets create the foundation for memorable experiences around the water and encourage the long lasting functionality of these precious aquatic resources.
Marc Bellaud, President – Aquatic Biologist & Director of Technical Services – MA
Glenn Sullivan, Environmental Scientist & Certified Lake Manager – NY
Glenn Sullivan entered the aquatics industry in 1993 and is currently the President of the New York State Aquatic Managers Association (NYSAMA). He is also a former member of the Board of Directors for the Northeast Aquatic Plant Management Society (NEAPMS). Over the course of 20 years, he held many roles including President, Director, Treasurer, and Editor, and continues to serve as a committee co-chair. In 2015, he was named Preferred Applicator of the Year by SePRO Corporation. He is also the recipient of multiple awards recognizing environmental stewardship, best management practices and sustainable leadership.
Will Stevenson, Director of Integration – MA
William Stevenson is the Treasurer and a member of the Board of Directors and past President of the Northeast Aquatic Plant Management Society (NEAPMS). Before joining SOLitude, He also serves on the Massachusetts Audubon Council and as a Vice President of Timber Owners of New England, an organization dedicated to preserving multi use forested land.
Bob Schindler – Aquatic Biologist & Project Manager – PA
Bob Schindler is a two-time president and current Regional Director of the Pennsylvania Lake Management Society (PALMS), through which he coordinates educational opportunities and annual conferences. He also helps PALMS administer a grant program through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Growing Greener program. Schindler has served on the PALMS.
Shannon Junior, Aquatic Ecologist – VA
Shannon Junior is the Editor for Women of Aquatics (WOA), an organization founded to promote and support women in the lake and pond management industry through professional advancement, continuing education opportunities and peer mentorship programs. She also serves on the Virginia Leadership Retreat Committee. Junior has worked in the lake and pond management industry since 2000. In 2013, she received the SePRO Applicator of the Year Award, which recognizes an individual who shows leadership in advancing the science of aquatic plant management.
Emily Mayer, Aquatic Biologist & Project Manager – NJ
Emily Mayer is a 10-year veteran in the lake management industry and serves on the board of directors for the Northeast Aquatic Plant Management Society (NEAPMS). She is the editor of the organization’s newsletter and assists with the organization of the NEAPMS annual conference. Previously, she served as a student director, a role through which she encouraged student involvement and helped increase awareness of the organization across social media. In addition to her longstanding involvement with NEAPMS, Emily is currently a member of the New Jersey Invasive Species Strike Team (NJISST), the North American Lake Management Society (NALMS), and Lower Hudson PRISM – a group which seeks to protect the rich biodiversity and ecosystems in the Mid-Atlantic.
Kim Niesel, Senior Business Development Consultant – VA
Kim Niesel holds her CMCA (certified manager of community associations) designation, as administered by the Community Association Managers International Certification Board and is involved in several industry-related organizations, including the Southeastern Virginia and Central Virginia chapters of Community Associations Institute (CAI). She has served as a board member and president for both of these associations. Kim is also one of the founders of the Virginia Leadership Retreat and has been recognized several times for her volunteer involvement. She currently serves on the Board for the Virginia Leadership Retreat and is the Chairperson for the Communications Committee of the Southeastern VA CAI.
Tags: Condo and HOA, Lake Management Articles, Management News, Members Articles
Clean Up Yards
Clean up those fall leaves and remove fallen branches or other organic debris. Letting all that rotting material linger on the ground, especially under a layer of snow, discourages grass growth in the spring.
Don’t prune your bushes, though. Many people do that to prepare for spring, but pruning bushes that are slowing down growth to prepare for winter can inhibit further growth when the weather warms.
Clean the Gutters
Clear gutters of leaves, branches, and other debris. Clogged gutters can’t handle runoff from melting snow, which can puddle and freeze on roofs, causing ice dams and leaks.
Even if you’re not in a snowy area, rain that can’t drain through the gutters will find another way off the roof, usually through gaps that lead into the walls.
Assess the Roof
While your team is up there, have them take a good look at the roof. Make sure there are no loose shingles or areas of decay. Check around vents to make sure they’re sealed properly. Gaps are a great place for water and melted snow to leak down into the home.
Line Up a Snow Removal Company
If you haven’t already, hire a snow removal company now to clear driveways and walkways. Don’t wait for the first major storm to start calling around. You probably won’t find anybody.
Pro tip: If you’re using a customizable property management system, use custom fields to track maintenance projects across your properties. Then you can create customized reports to monitor the status of your fall maintenance checklist.
Tend to Your Gardens
Fall is the time to get flower beds ready for spring and summer. Prep your beds by adding compost and turning the soil. You’ll want to plant your spring bulb, as well.
Winterize the Sprinkler Systems
When you’re done watering your lawns for the year, make sure you have them drained properly. Water left in sprinkler systems can freeze and crack your pipes.
Winterize Pools and Decks
If your properties have pools, get them ready for winter by cleaning, balancing and adding winterizing chemicals, lowering the water levels, and covering them.
For decks, store the furniture and inspect them for loose boards, railings, or screws. Have any weak spots repaired. Then, give the deck a good cleaning and a layer of water seal, if it needs it.
Pro tip: Have your snow-removal company take care of decks, too. Prolonged contact with snow can damage wood, and all that weight puts a lot of pressure on the deck’s structure.
Check Insulation
Take a look in attics to make there is sufficient insulation. If it’s an older home, consider having it assessed for heat efficiency and getting insulation blown into the walls, if necessary.
Pipes that run along external walls should be insulated, as well, to keep from freezing and bursting in extremely cold weather.
Pest Control
As the weather gets colder, animals are going to find your cozy home pretty attractive. To keep pests out, plug up gaps, cracks, and other access points. Taking care of it now is a lot cheaper than removing a family of raccoons or a mouse infestation in the middle of winter.
Check Furnace and HVAC Systems
Schedule a furnace cleaning to have filters replaced and buildup removed, particularly for oil-burning furnaces. Check HVAC systems and keep replacing the filters on a regular basis.
Inspect Windows and Doors
Check the seals on windows and doors to make sure they’re airtight. Caulk or add rubber seals to areas where cold air or water could seep in.
If the windows are older, switch out screens for storm windows.
Flood Prevention
In areas that experience heavy rains or melting snow, make sure your properties are ready for flooding. Seal up cracks in foundations and make sure water from roofs and gutters is channeled away from the home.
Make sure driveways and walkways have proper run-off and drainage. You may even want to consider planting rain gardens, which can absorb large amounts of water to prevent flooding.
Fire Prevention
Fire prevention measures can be performed on both the interior and exterior of a property. For the exterior, remove dead trees and branches from the yard, and take down tree limbs that hang over roofs.
Pro tip: Taking down large limbs hanging over roofs can prevent damage from branches that break in winter ice storms or under the weight of snow.
Inside the home, make sure tenants aren’t using space heaters and that drapes and other cloth materials are kept away from radiators.
Carbon Monoxide/Smoke Detector Maintenance
Check all carbon monoxide and smoke detectors on a regular basis. Replace batteries and make sure detectors are placed on every floor in the house.
If a tenant has removed them, educate them on the importance of the detectors and make sure they keep them up.
Fireplace and Chimney Maintenance
Have a chimney-cleaning company come in to inspect and clean chimneys and fireplaces. They will make sure the chimney is structurally sound and that there is no debris inside it. They’ll also clean both the fireplace and chimney to remove ash and creosote.
Fall maintenance is essential to keeping your tenants safe and happy, while keeping your owners from having to spend money on expensive repairs. Take this checklist and set up a plan to knock each one of these tasks out before the weather gets too cold. Your tenants and your owners will thank you.
Now we know many here in Florida probably will not need to hire a snow removal company? but this was published by our Staff and sent to a national management company who asked us for a list for winter. We are pleased to republish this list of things to do for all of your board members, property managers to use. We are also promoting our members; these companies we have listed on our members directory work hard every day tending to the requests we get, these companies are listed for all to find and use.
Tags: Maintenance & Service Articles, Management News
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It’s becoming impossible to keep up with technology. Just when you think you bought the latest, greatest computer or cell phone the world may ever see, a month later there’s new technology that makes you device already seem outdated. It’s a never ending cycle. Well, one new technological advance is the RING doorbell, which is a doorbell that let’s you see who is at your front door, by simply glancing at your cell phone. I have one for my home and another for my office. It even let’s you speak to and hear the person who is at your door, even when you are not home. In fact, you can be anywhere in the world. It really is fantastic technology that everyone is taking advantage of. BUT IF YOU LIVE IN A CONDOMINIUM…..YOU CAN’T.
Let’s again review Florida Statute 718.113(2)(a):
Except as otherwise provided in this section, there shall be no material alteration or substantial additions to the common elements or to real property which is association property, except in a manner provided in the declaration as originally recorded or as amended under the procedures provided therein. If the declaration as originally recorded or as amended under the procedures provided therein does not specify the procedure for approval of material alterations or substantial additions, 75 percent of the total voting interests of the association must approve the alterations or additions before the material alterations or substantial additions are commenced. This paragraph is intended to clarify existing law and applies to associations existing on July 1, 2018.
So the question is…..is the installation of a RING doorbell on your condominium front door, a material alteration to the common elements that requires a vote of the owners? In Persi v. Playa Del Mar Association, Case No. 19-02-7292, March 16, 2020, Arbitrator Keith Hope held that it was and upheld the association’s right to remove it. The arbitrator first again indicated the definition of a material alteration:
“[A]s applied to buildings, the term material alteration or addition ‘means to palpably or perceptively vary or change the form, shape, elements or specifications of a building from its original design or plan, or existing conditions, in such a manner as to appreciably affect or influence its function, use or appearance
Applying this test, the Arbitrator held that Petitioners’ installation of the ring video doorbell was a material change to the appearance of the common property door, and required installation of electrical wiring within the common property walls. Moreover, it is undisputed that Petitioners’ ring video doorbell contains a security camera that captures both audio and video of persons and activities within its field of view. Installation of a security camera on or in a condominium’s common property is deemed a material alteration. Dellagrotta v. West Coast Vista Association, Inc., Arb. Case No. 2013-02-7351, Summary Final Order (October 4, 2013).
While it’s hard to say the arbitrator’s reasoning was not correct, arbitration cases have long held that when the Board wants to use the benefits of new technology, it’s suddenly not a material alteration but a wise business judgment decision.
For example:
In the arbitration case of A. N. Inc. v. Seaplace Association, Inc., Arb. Case No. 98-4251, Summary Final Order (Oct. 29, 1998), replacement of all of the windows in the condominium with an upgraded version, with a tilt-out cleaning feature, tinting and heavier glass, was held not to require a unit owner vote. The arbitrator noted that the choice of the type of window used is a decision within the board’s business judgment and that “a board in the exercise of its well-reasoned and documented judgment could and should take advantage of changes in technology, building materials, and improved designs …” See also, Kreitman v. The Decoplage Condominium Association, Inc., Arb. Case No. 98-4711, Final Order (July 30, 1999) (board’s decision to replace worn hallway carpets with longer lasting solution-dyed, woven carpet was not subject to unit owner approval).
In light of these cases, why are upgraded windows and carpets not considered a material alteration, but upgraded doorbells that take advantage of the latest technology are? Just like the Board, I don’t see the harm in owners having the right to take advantage of “changes in technology” and having the ability to install a doorbell that provides better safety, security and ease of use.
Tags: Common Area Issues, Condo and HOA, Condo and HOA Laws, Management News
Most condominium unit owners may think that limited common elements are those areas outside the condominium unit that are part of the common elements, but which are used only by a specific unit owner. However, the Florida Condominium Act defines “limited common elements” as “those common elements which are reserved for the use of a certain unit to the exclusion of all other units, as specified in the declaration.” (FS 718.103(19), emphasis added). Thus, the determination of whether a common element (i.e., any area not included within the unit boundaries) is a “limited common element” depends solely upon the designation set forth in the property’s declaration. Brown v Rice, 716 So.2d 807 (5th DCA 1998).
This requirement that limited common elements (“LCE”) must be “specified in the declaration” can be crucial when it comes to assigning maintenance responsibility. While maintenance of common elements (of which LCE are a subset) is statutorily the responsibility of the association, the Condominium Act provides that “the declaration may provide that certain limited common elements shall be maintained by those entitled to use the limited common elements…” FS 718.113(1). However, the fact that unit owners are assigned the maintenance obligation in the declaration for areas outside of their unit under their exclusive control may not mean much if the area is not designated as a limited common element in the declaration of condominium; in such case the declaration may be assigning maintenance responsibility for something that does not technically exist. Without such specific designation the area would remain a part of the common elements, and the maintenance responsibility of the association.
When patios and balconies are associated with units, they are usually plainly marked as limited common elements in the unit diagrams and are thus “specified.” But there are less obvious things external to a unit, but used exclusively by the unit owner, that may escape specification in the declaration such as external air conditioning units, air conditioner connecting lines, air conditioner condensate drain lines, or plumbing lines that serve only one unit. If the intent is to assign the unit owner the maintenance responsibility for such things, they must be specified as limited common elements in the declaration. Conversely, the mere fact that the LCE are specified in the declaration does not automatically make the LCE the maintenance responsibility of the unit owner. LCE are, after all, a part of the common elements, and by default are an association maintenance obligation. To properly assign the maintenance obligation to the unit owner, the declaration must both specify the item or area in question as a limited common element and designate the maintenance obligation to the unit owner.
If your association has portions of the common elements that serve only one unit owner, or group of units, which are not specified in the declaration as limited common elements, the Condominium Act was amended a few years ago to allow the association to reclassify these portions of the common elements as limited common elements, by amending the declaration (and amending the maintenance obligations, if necessary). If these obligations are not clear in your condominium declaration, consult with your attorney to determine whether amendments to reclassify portions of the condominium property from common elements to limited common elements would be beneficial to your community.
Michael O. Dermody
Senior Attorney
tel:772.286.2990
MDERMODY@beckerlawyers.com
Michael Dermody concentrates his legal practice in commercial litigation, with a focus in appellate writing. He was admitted to the Florida Bar in May, 2007, and has been a member of the New Jersey Bar since 1996. Prior to coming to Florida, Michael was the principal of his own solo practice in Frenchtown, New Jersey. In 2005, he submitted an amicus curae brief in the landmark U.S. Supreme Court medical marijuana case, Ascroft v. Raich. Since 2007 he has focused on community association law with a concentration in community association litigation.
Tags: Condo and HOA Common Area Issues, Condo and HOA Laws, Management News
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