Community Safety Upgrades

I would like to get a few things done in my community such as curb painting which clearly defines no parking zones and guest parking, the posting of speed limit signs and (in the interest of safety) the installation of "traffic calming devices" at our community intersection. I requested that the BOD and management company get these upgrades installed, but now it has been over a year since I first addressed these issues and nothing visible has been done to date. I suspect that these jobs will be expensive and we just do not have the funds to cover the expenses…after all, our HOA dues are a mere 47 bucks a month. I have sent a few emails asking about these issues, and all I get back is a smoke screen. I do not think the BOD knows what to do, or how to proceed, and neither do I. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get the BOD to move on lining up contractors to get the job done this summer?

Glenn, did you attend the last annual meeting and suggest this before the budget was ratified? In other words, is it an approved budget item? If not, your next step is to go to a Board meeting and find out if this is a viable project for this year. If there are funds available and the Board feels this is a justified expense for this year, then you could volunteer to serve on a curb painting committee and get it done.

GlennM1

I concur with all the expert responses you've received from RogerB, SwanB, JoyceS on this topic.

Perhaps I can add something by my little story, unrelated to roadway and community safety but related to project spearheading. I'll tell the story, but first provide you 11 of my high-level recommendations as follows: 1) organize with other interested owners by attending an open meeting and announcing your intentions to start a project, 2) draw a site plan, 3) perform a visual site analysis with respect to roadway safety, parking, pedestrian rights of way, cars exiting and entering the community and driveways, and draw/detail these areas on the plan 4)overlay a piece of transparency on the plan and then identify on the overlay the key areas where your analysis indicates parking and speed bumps should be, and can be. 5) visit similar communities and see what kind of speed bumbs they've installed (there are many many kinds) You probably want the ones that can be removed in the winter to ease snow plowing, 6) Contact your borough code department and ask what speed limit your roadways were designed for. It's probably 30 mph which means the speed limit should be 25mph, 6) ask your borough code official, or town engineer, or your state DOT how much signage and speed bumps cost. 7) speak with your neighbors and ask for input even if they are not actively involved in the project, this will build support and or respect 8)refine your plans and information into a written and visual proposal for the community and board. 9) show your plans to the borough and re-refine the plans on their expertise 10) get unit owners to sign their approval to your plan. 11) contact your board to get on the agenda to present your plan to the board and community.

So here's my story. I bought in a gated community with townhouses and single-family homes, and moved in mid construction and occupancy. I noticed that there were trees being installed in the backs and sides of townhouse units but none in the large grass space in the fronts of townhouses, the area that needed the curb appeal the most. So began my year and a half quest for the developer to install shade trees for the townhouses. The result today is that the developer provided full contribution and installed 80 plus 10-15 foot tall shade trees to span 4 cross streets and 2 long boulevards to cover more than 60% of the townhouse community. Because the developer is not allowed to do anything that will increase the maintenance of the unit owners so long as it holds postions on the board, the project required a community vote. This was therefore part of the full contribution condition letter to myself and the boards. At this point, I had already joined the board. A Tree Vote and Meet and Greet was organized and 72 people by person or proxy attended and or voted and 70 said yes to trees.

All of the 11 recommendations I provided you, applied to my project except that instead of roadways I spearheaded trees.

Very best of luck!!
GeraldT1

Thanks for your words, Roger! Unfortunately, I failed to attend last years' meeting due to a last minute change in location and time, as I had other scheduled commitments that week before Xmas. I thought it rather rude of the BOD to make the changes in the annual meeting schedule on the day before the originally scheduled meeting...to me, there is no excuse for improper planning. Again, though, I do plan to attend this years meeting and will encourage my neighbors to attend too. We don't have any commitees in or community, except for the Archectural Control Commitee (ACC), which was me, in the beginning, but I quit. To my knowledge, the current ACC consists of the 3 board members. There is no community manager, other than the off-site property management company entity...but that's another subject. Thanks again for your encouraging words.

Glenn

Good points Gerald! Thank you. Great story too!

Thanks for your input Lisa! I have previously considered all of your noted points and am inclined to "back off" from the idea of the speed humps. The irresponsible drivers will continue to be just what they are, no matter what devices or signs are installed. I am just holding my breath until a pedetrian in our community gets injured by one of these careless drivers.

Glenn:

I think that going without speed humps is a great idea for the reasons stated above. If you are having a real concern with speed in the neighborhood talk with your local police department and see if they would be willing to spend a block of time in your neighborhood running radar, that might help slow them down.

If there are sufficient funds in the budget somewhere that you know will not be used, why not motion for an amendment to the budget to include a new line item for this project. And to move some of the money from the other items to this one? Then you won't have to wait until next year.

Bill

Roger: I understand that you are asking Glenn if the expense was included in the budget before it was approved by the assn, and if the expense was not included, you suggest that Glenn go to a Board meeting to find out if---a) it, curbing, is a viable project for this year, and b) are there funds available (from elsewhere?) to get the job done.

My Question: What happens when a budget has been ratified/approved for the coming year by the majority of assn. residents, and then further in that new year there is an additional expense which the board members, only, have approved without assn. vote. This 'board only vote' then puts the assn. budget 'in the red'. Can the Board then (legally & rightfully) require a special assessment from residents to make up the shortfall?

Obviously, budgeting takes good forecasting and money management skills, and unexpected expenses do happen, BUT, does a Board have authority to OK an expense that has NOT BEEN PRE-APPROVED BY THE RESIDENT GROUP? (I'm not referring to large expenses like Capital Reserves for hardscape, etc.) Is this a situation that warrants a clause to be added to the Bylaws to state....any unforeseen expense over ($whatever amount) must be by majority vote of the assn.

Please explain a little about budgeting and how to allow for 'unforeseen' expenses prior to their occuring.

Thanks for your always good advice.