NOTICES

ARLINGTON PLACE NEWSLETTER – May 2024

Board Information

Rob Kirwan President 2022-2025

Jason Hickman Grounds 2022-2025

Lois Lake General Manager 2021-2024

Judy Harper Vice President 2023-2025 (acclaimed)

Micheal Leber Director at Large 2023-2026

Errol Foster Director at Large 2021-2024

Property Manager Tammy Zollinger tzollinger@condogroup.ca

The annual Spring Inspection seemed to come as a surprise this year, judging by many of the comments on the Arlington Place Facebook page. A notice of the inspection was sent to you by email (by letter to those not wanting email notices), dated March 26 2024, advising that the inspection would occur on Monday April 1 2024, for the purpose of ensuring that our community remains clean, safe and in compliance with the established rules and regulations. The notice stated specifically that we (property manager and Board members) would be entering all back yards.

The purpose of the visits to your back yards together with looking at the front and sides of your units was to spot maintenance issues, some of which would be corporation and some owner responsibility to repair. Along with maintenance issues, the state of your backyards was of interest, especially after several were found to not yet be paying attention to the state of weeds, plants, bushes and trees in the yard. Admittedly, April 1 is early to expect residents to be on top of weed clearance, but health and safety has to start somewhere. The real worry is that a neglected back yard gives critters like mice, rats, squirrels and raccoons with a place to hide out, nest and that, along with maintenance issues, is the Board’s interest in the state of upkeep of your backyards.

On Facebook, questions were asked with regard to exclusive use common elements. The term comes from our Declaration. Article II states that there are two Exclusive Use parts of Common Elements: each unit has an assigned exclusive use parking space and the exclusive use of the fenced rear yard immediately adjacent to the unit, subject to the provisions of the Declaration, the By-laws of the Corporation and the rules passed on the subject.

Questions were asked about whether or not locks could be used with the fence gates. Please think about this from the point of view of health and safety – would you want a lock to block access to your back yard for first responders in time of need? Police, paramedics, firefighters? The same thinking should go into your decision in winter – should you clear the sidewalks at both the front and back of your homes? How quickly do you want responders to reach you?

As for the directions to some of residents to Trim Trees or Trim Bushes – a standard has not been described in By-laws or Rules. The Board knows that you wouldn’t want to have a tree next to your house that is taller than the roof, if another weather event involving high winds occurs. Trees can topple or break, and land on homes causing major damage. Trees that are growing close to the backyard fence can damage the fence, as well as denying your neighbour(s) their right to sunshine and the full enjoyment of their backyard. The recommendation set out in the “Handbook” is to seek approval of the Board to plant a tree about 5 feet from the fence and trim it to keep branches away from the eaves, siding and roof.

And finally, questions were asked about how residents could communicate with the Board. You can send an email to Tammy, our Property Manager, and in your message you can ask that the message be forwarded to the Board. That will be done.

Spring is a good time for you to look at your own home. Inspect window wells, the outside wall of your basement, vents, stucco walls, brick chimneys, eaves-troughing and downspouts. If you feel that repairs are needed, send an email to Tammy. For some repairs, it is more cost effective to have a contract to repair similar problems in several homes at the same time, rather than to make contracts home by home.

NOTICE: November 2023

Subject: Arlington Place Neighbors 2024 Budget

The Board would like to welcome the new members to our community and thank those that continue to show support as we endeavor to maintain our Community from the rooftops of your homes to the underground infrastructure, we all rely on.

This has been a fiscally challenging and trying year for our Arlington Place community. Several unforeseen and unexpected impediments hindered the Board and the Community’s efforts to stay within our 2023 adopted budget.

The significant roadblocks included:

● Record snowfalls resulting in an excessive expenditure of $20,586 during the 2022/23 winter season.

● The improper and ineffective pool closing procedures, performed by the then contractor in the Fall of 2022, causing considerable damage to the pool’s drainage and cycling system which caused another costly budget over-run which we only became aware of when opening the pool this past Summer.

● A substantial legal encumbrance on the Corporation and the Board, brought before the Condominium Authority Tribunal (CAT) by a Unit Owner (the Applicant) determined to question and challenge the governance processes, the Corporation’s Handbook status among other claims, the decision-making protocols followed by past Boards and the present Board. In the end, the CAT Adjudicator, in a public posting of her decision, dismissed the Applicants case and declined to direct costs in excess of $12,000.00 which we sought to recover as part of the Award from the Applicant.

Suffice to say, these three issues were absolutely not expected, nor were they budgeted for, resulting in a significant deficit in the 2023 budget. Consequently, each of us as Owners will incur a special assessment in 2024 apart from the condominium fee adjustment. Our Property Manager will provide further details in the 2024 Budget information package.

When presented with a DRAFT 2024 budget, the Board scaled it back in some areas we considered appropriate in an effort to keep our fees as manageable as we could without compromising the level of care given to our Community. The 2024 budget will see an increase of 5% which represents a $25 increase, bringing our monthly fees to $543/month. Additional parking spot fees remain at $25/month for this year.

With costs continuing to rise in all areas of our lives, we ask all members of our Community to do their part to help cut costs in small ways, such as being mindful of

water consumption, repairing dripping taps or running toilets, spraying for bees yourself before requesting the services of an exterminator, keeping garbage contained to prevent rodent infestation amongst other things. Performing small fixes, yourself where possible or asking a neighbor for help. Every little bit helps.

We, like you, are homeowners too. We are all equally impacted by the rise in costs and the increase in our fees.

Notwithstanding, we take this opportunity to wish the Community the best for this holiday season and the new year.

Your Board of Directors,

Victoria Tait

Rob Kirwan

Lois Lake

Judy Harper

Errol Foster

Jason Hickman

Michael Leber

NOTICE: AUGUST 2023

Subject: Rodent Control and Community Guidelines Update

Dear Condo Owners,
We hope this notice finds you well. The Board of Directors would like to address the recent rodent situation within our condominium community. In response to this concern, we have taken proactive steps to resolve the issue effectively.
We are pleased to announce that we have engaged the services of Regionex, a professional. pest control company, to address and manage the rodent situation in our community. However, it is crucial for all residents to participate and adhere to specific guidelines to ensure the success of this resolution. We kindly request your cooperation with the following measures:

1) Leash Policy: To maintain a safe environment for all residents and their pets, we remind everyone that animals must always be kept on a leash when outside. This practice not only prevents potential encounters with rodents but also promotes a harmonious coexistence among our community members.

2) Garbage Disposal: All garbage must be placed inside designated trash cans equipped with lids. Securing the trash will help deter rodents from accessing food sources and reduce the chances of infestations. Additionally, we encourage everyone to dispose of waste responsibly and promptly.

3) Yard Maintenance: Keeping our yards tidy is not only aesthetically pleasing but also crucial in preventing potential rodent habitats. We kindly ask all homeowners to regularly trim and weed their yards to eliminate hiding spots for pests.

4) Closing Off Openings: Rodents often find shelter under sheds or decks. Please take a moment to inspect your property and ensure that any openings or gaps are adequately sealed off. By doing so, we can limit potential entry points for rodents.

We understand that taking these precautions may require some effort; but the collective action of the community is essential in successfully resolving the rodent issue. Maintaining a clean and well-kept environment not only benefits everyone’s health and well-being but also preserves the overall value
and appeal of our condominium community.

Regionex will be implementing a comprehensive pest control program, but its effectiveness heavily relies on our mutual commitment to these guidelines. We trust that each resident will play their part in contributing to a pest-free living space.

If you have any concerns or questions about this matter or the services provided by Regionex, please don’t hesitate to contact myself. We are here to support and assist you throughout this process.

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding. Let us work together to create a rodent-free environment that we can all enjoy.

Tammy Zollinger
Ontario Licensed Condominium Manager (OLCM)
CMG Condominium Management Group

NOTICE: FEBRUARY 28,2023

Subject: Apollo Property Management Termination

Residents,

Following several months of strained relations experienced by several owners,
tenants and the Board of Directors with Apollo Property Management, the Board
reached out to a number of Property Management firms requesting they submit
proposals for our review.

The Board engaged in a lengthy detailed process of review, discussion, and
interviews with 3 prospective candidates. After much discussion, your Board of
Directors voted to engage Condominium Management Group (CMG). Upon
receiving legal advice on some finer contract points, the contract for services with
CMG was signed.

The Board of Directors has given notice to Apollo Property Management that
CCC#37 will be terminating services effective March 31, 2023.

Business with CMG will commence April 1, 2023. Wè feel CMG will provide the
professional guidance and the level of support our homeowners deserve.

We are hoping Apollo will cooperate in the timely transfer of information so this
transition will be as seamless as possible for our homeowners. We expect CMG
will be reaching out to residents towards the end of March when the transfer of
homeowner information will take place.

In conjunction with this post, the Board will hand deliver notices to each home as
we did not know of any other means available to us to share this information.

In closing, we would like to thank everyone for their patience over the last
number of months as the Board’s repeated requests for information from Apollo
were, being ignored.

Respectfully,

Victoria Tait
President CCC#37