March 2017 Newletter

To the Owners and Tenants of Alicante,

March 2017– Board of Directors Meeting
The March 2017 Board of Directors Meeting will be held on Thursday, March 23, 2017 in the Community Room with Open Session beginning at 6:30pm.

Window Washing
The spring window washing is scheduled for the week of March 20th.Approximately two weeks prior to the start date, a full schedule of cleaning will be posted and emailed to the residents once the start date is closer.

Webpass
The bandwidth speed at Alicante has been upgraded. Alicante that was previously at 200mbps has been upgraded to a Gig (1000mbps) at no additional cost. This upgraded speed will only be seen when connecting directly into the jack. If a wireless router is used, you will notice a slightly slower speed. Currently Webpass is offered to owners at $60/month.

Opening Door with Key
As a reminder, when opening the doors do not use your key to open the door. This can break both the lock and the key.

Cardboard Boxes
Everyone loves to receive packages! However, there has been a huge increase of deliveries. As owners receive more packages there is more cardboard to recycle. Please make sure to remember to break down all boxes so all owners can fit their recyclables in the bin.

Hallway Carpet and Paint Project
As communicated in last month’s newsletter, the Board approved new paint, carpet, and other details for the carpeted hallways on floors 1 thru 14. Work is scheduled to begin in March. More details to follow!

LED Fixtures for Garage Elevator Lobbies and Stair 1, 2 & 3 Hallways
Installation of the new LED light fixtures approved by the Board in its January meeting is completed.

Sports on Streaming TV
Do you love watching sports? Is watching sports the main reason you keep Cable TV?  Have you already cancelled Cable TV, but would like to watch more sports programs?  The article at this link summarizes the numerous options for watching sports without cable TV: link.

Bankers Hill Community Group
Curious about the neighborhood, or want to get involved? You may find the Bankers Hill Community Group interesting! This neighborhood group meets monthly.  The group…
• Meets local leaders and discusses neighborhood priorities
• Volunteers and cleans the neighborhood
• Rewards people who contribute to Bankers Hill
• Helps preserve Bankers Hill natural resources

For more info, see the group’s website: www.bankershillcommunity.org

SDG&E Energy Savings Items
Interested residents may want to watch SDG&E sites (e.g.; here) for programs that include water and energy savings devices for customers.

Proposed Phosphate Treatment for Building Hot Water
A vendor will attend a future open session Board meeting to discuss a proposed treatment for Alicante’s hot water system to reduce the risk of pinhole leaks. Fixing pinhole leaks in common area pipes can become an appreciable Association expense.

Background: The risk of pipe pinhole leaks depends on a number of factors, including:
• Pipe material (copper, plastic, etc.)
• Pipe/building age
• Mineral content of the water carried by the pipe
• Erosion caused by water flowing thru the pipe

Over time, chemical reactions between minerals in the water and the pipe material (copper) can result in thin spots in the pipe, leading to pinhole leaks. Moreover, the flow of water through the pipe can erode the pipe’s walls, increasing the risk of pinhole leaks. Since Alicante’s hot water is continually re-circulated (to enable instant hot water at the taps), Alicante’s hot water pipes are at risk of pinhole leaks due to chemical reactions, as well as water flow erosion.

The proposed treatment involves the injection of food grade phosphates into the hot water flowing throughout the building to all condo units. The phosphates injected into the hot water would react with the copper pipe, depositing a layer along the inner surface of the pipes.  This layer lessens the risk of pipe corrosion (minerals in the water) or pipe erosion (constantly flowing hot water) that could lead to pinhole leaks.

Pet Reminders
While we are a dog friendly building, please keep your furry companions on a leash while walking through the common areas.  Per the Alicante Association Membership Handbook #9: “A leash held by an individual capable of controlling the animal must be used when walking your pet in the Common Areas including the lobby, hallways, garage and elevators.”

Additionally, please do not allow your pet to relieve themselves in the planters!  To reduce confusing your furry friend, please do not walk your pet through the patio/recreational area.

Lastly, as a reminder, residents are entitled to quiet enjoyment of their unit.  Please take the necessary measures to limit barking when in the unit and common areas.  If there is persistent barking, it may rile up other furry neighbors and could be considered a nuisance – which is a violation of the governing documents.  Let’s work with our furry companions to make Alicante an enjoyable living space for all!

Rental Leases
Per the Association’s Rules and Regulations, if you are renting your unit, please remember to send Management a copy of your lease. This information is necessary for many reasons, mainly for emergency purposes.  In the event of an evacuation, the authorities require us to have an updated list of who is in the building.  By not providing your lease and tenant’s information, we will not know who to look for if there was an evacuation situation.  This information is kept confidential. Please remember to submit this information every time you have a new tenant!  You can submit to kthomson@actionlife.com  or mplascencia@actionlife.com.

Architectural Applications
If you are thinking about making a change in your unit that would require architectural committee review and approval, please plan well in advance.  Per the Architectural Guidelines, the Committee is allotted 30-45 days for review.  It is also recommended to wait before setting a schedule with your contractor until an approval has been awarded.

Alicante Committees
There are four committees at Alicante:
• The Architectural Committee reviews Architectural Applications submitted by owners.
• The Common Area Enhancement Committee works on common area décor, such as the lobby.
• The Owner Maintenance Committee provides information on maintaining condo systems.
• The Social Committee plans and hosts gatherings, like the Annual holiday party.
If you are a member who is interested in serving the Community but cannot dedicate the time to serve as a Board Member, joining a committee may be perfect for you!  Please contact management at kthomson@actionlife.com for more details.  Alternately, Owners may view the various committee charters on Vivo Portal.

Contact Information
In the event you change your email address or phone number, please remember to advise management.  This allows us to continue to communicate important reminders to you!

Insurance Reminder
Owners, please be reminded you are required to have individual owners insurance.  Should you have any questions as to what your policy should cover, please review the CC&R’s for owners’ responsibility.  Should you have renters or are a renter, it is good practice to obtain renters’ insurance, in the event an emergency were to occur.

Moves/Deliveries
Just a reminder that all moves and deliveries must be scheduled with Management at least a week in advance.  A general rule of thumb is if it takes more than one person to move it, then a move must be scheduled.  The reason is simply to protect the building from sustaining damage during a move.  Please be advised that if you are found to have had an unscheduled move, you will be subject to hearing and fine.  If you are unsure of the scope of your move or would like to schedule a move, please contact the General Manager.

Maintenance Responsibilities
In case you are ever curious as to who is responsible for what, or find yourself in a situation where you don’t know if you should call Management or your own vendor, please see the Maintenance Matrix posted in the mailroom glass case.  We pulled this information from the Alicante CC&Rs.

Monthly HOA Meetings
Just a reminder that each month’s HOA Board meeting includes an Open Session where Owners may discuss concerns with the Board, as well as listen while the Board discusses HOA matters.  Owners are encouraged to attend!