December Newsletter
dingy . . . dingy . . .
ding dong, ding dong
The jingling of holiday bells can embolden us to feel and express our warmth, affection and well wishes for our neighbors in our condo community.
So . . . we’ll start!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS TOLUCA TOWNHOUSE #3
The same joyful holiday jingling resonates with your Board’s dedication to maintain, develop and insure the beauty, value and security of your condo property and experience. To this end, you probably have seen your Board’s president, Michele Phillips, managing and working with our gardeners to beautify our landscape every week on both Monday and Friday. To this end, we were able to enlist the support of our association to renovate our decrepit pool area.
We are now embarking on a program in January 2020 to inspect our balconies. Senate Bill 326 (“SB 326”) was recently enacted by the California Legislature and will take effect January 1, 2020. The bill accomplishes 3 main objectives: 1) it requires associations to conduct mandatory inspections for exterior elevated elements, such as decks, balconies, and walkways; 2) it invalidates and prohibits provisions in an association’s governing documents that restrict the board’s authority to initiate a legal proceeding against a developer for substandard construction; and 3) it requires an association to discuss with the membership the potential impacts of a construction defect action against the developer prior to the initiation of such an action.
Exterior Elevation Inspections
SB 326 introduces Civil Code Section 5551, which sets forth brand new requirements for associations with three or more multifamily dwelling units. For these associations, all exterior elevated elements that are supported in substantial part by wood or wood-based products, such as decks, balconies, stairways, and walkways, must be visually inspected every nine (9) years by a licensed structural engineer or architect (“Inspector”). The inspections are intended to determine whether the exterior elevated elements are in a generally safe condition and performing in accordance with applicable standards. These new requirements follow in the wake of a catastrophic balcony failure that resulted in a number of tragic deaths.
There will also be mandatory inspections of garage beams by a structural engineer to ensure the safety of the Unit. We are already reinforcing a garage beam in one of the units, that was significantly cracked.
Finally, we are delighted to report that our pool renovation project is moving forward. The newly formed pool committee, headed by Dave Phillips, now has two volunteers, Teresa Wayne and Eric Hormell. This committee is empowered to decide on aesthetic and structural elements for our new pool; and to report their decisions and recommendations to the Board.
Driveway Damage:
On Monday, November 11, 2019, a Rowlett flatbed truck was in the driveway between Bldg. 5 and Bldg. 6, providing battery service to one of the Units. As the driver backed-up the driveway, he damaged a large section at the top of the driveway. The Association is in contact with AAA to have them pay for the repair ($435). Rowlett will not assume responsibility for the damage. This is the second time the driveway has been damaged by a flatbed truck.
Please be aware if you call AAA for service you do not let a flatbed truck onto the driveway, unless your car needs to be towed.
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Tip of the Month:
Burbank Recycle Center Debuts Online Answer Guide
What should I do with leftover paint? Why can’t I put plastic bags in the recycle container? These are just a few of the common questions Burbank residents ask when they want to discard household items in a responsible manner.
Plastic film, such as bags, shrink wrap and package over-wraps, are a nuisance and the #1 contaminant at the Burbank Recycle Center. They get tangled in the equipment, so they have to be manually sorted out and then landfilled. Please do NOT bag your recycling in plastic bags. Clean recyclables should be loose in the recycle container.
The City of Burbank Recycle Center is making it easier to find the answers to your recycling questions with a new comprehensive, easy to use online guide. The “Where It Goes” guide will help local residents learn how to properly recycle or dispose of hundreds of different items and packaging materials.
Go to Whereitgoes.Burbankca.gov on your phone, table or computer. (This link will also give you access to the Burbank Recycle Center home page).