5/12/2021
Antigua Newsletter – May 2021
Well, it’s a different world from last May, and I love it. So happy to see things opening up and everyone looking forward to this summer and getting out. For this newsletter, I wanted to give you the updates on things and projects within Antigua, but then also inform you on the many subjects the Board and Management are working on throughout the Cays.
1. DRAINPIPE LINING PROJECT. We have completed all units in Antigua. Congratulations to us all, and a big thanks to every owner for your cooperation and putting up with the inconvenience. I’m under no illusions this will correct all of our plumbing issues, but it is a major step. Just based on the videos we made of every unit’s plumbing, we got this completed just in time.
2. FRONT DOOR LANDINGS & STAIRS. I intend to complete the final units this spring. We are watching the budget numbers before starting.
3. GARAGE POWER. Our plans have been submitted to the City of Coronado for review as well as SDG&E. Both agencies are backed up for months because of COVID. They are saying 3 to 6 months for review. We are moving ahead with getting cost numbers based on the submitted plans, so were ready to go.
4. DOCKS. We continue to make needed repairs and adjustments. This is a tricky problem to address. As wood has a “memory” I’m told, it sometime takes more time to correct than you might think. We will be replacing the existing breakers on the docks with new GFI type units. In the past, we have had several electrical shorts and the existing breakers have failed to trip. This has caused problems on boats, and is dangerous. This work should be done in May, or as soon as we can get the replacement breakers. As usual, they have to be special ordered to get 30 amp. units.
5. CHIMNEY CAPS. Still waiting for our shipment so that we can complete the east side of Antigua.
6. BUDGET. We have completed this year’s budgets for all Villages. Antigua dues will remain the same as last year. I am very proud of our new
Reserve studies, not only ours in Antigua, but all the Villages. I believe they are the most accurate and inclusive studies ever done here in the Cays. We are using an innovative software to continuously update and input info into these documents, so they will be a wealth of knowledge for future directors, managers, and staff.
Reserve studies, not only ours in Antigua, but all the Villages. I believe they are the most accurate and inclusive studies ever done here in the Cays. We are using an innovative software to continuously update and input info into these documents, so they will be a wealth of knowledge for future directors, managers, and staff.
7. SEAWALLS. The Board approved a company to conduct a seawall survey at our April meeting. Previously, we have only inspected the four condo Villages. My hope and encouragement to the Board is that we conduct a survey of the entire Cays. We have already seen failures, voids behind the seawall’s, loss of the dirt berm, and concrete spalling. Any comprehensive repair to these structures will have to be done universally throughout the Cays. To that end, we really need to get a good handle on the current condition of these components. A quick note on the loss of dirt berms. About 6 years ago, the City of Coronado came in and added sand to the areas of seawall that did not have boats in front of the wall. They refused to add sand to areas where boats were because many of the boats were backed in, and that was determined to be the reason for the sand loss. The last survey (7 years ago) mapped the areas of sand loss next to the seawalls as well as numerous areas of concern. It will be very telling if this survey shows additional sand loss and what that means for owners of those boats.
8. LANDSCAPE. We have thinned almost all of the shrubs and hedges. By doing this they recover with new, far more healthy growth. It also lets air go through and prevents much of the black mold, scale, and other diseases. By opening up the hedges, we get the same results as well as reducing places rodents can hide. The benefit this spring and summer will be a lot more flowers. I’ve also requested the landscape crew blow the leaves, flowers, etc. into the road and not back in the gardens on Fridays. They can then clean the street and remove all the old leaves. Just keep trying to make things better.
As for the other issues we (I), am dealing with in the Cays.
1. GRAND CARIBE TASK FORCE. This is a very dedicated group of owners who watch over the park on South Grand Caribe. They also spend a lot of time monitoring and responding to the Port and City as to development of North Grand Caribe Isle. Lastly, they also are involved with the Silver Strand Beautification group. These issues are extremely complicated and involve multiple governmental agencies and cities. We meet once a month, usually involving our Port Commissioner and several City Council members. I can tell you this is an impressive group of owners. Their collective and historical knowledge serves the interest of Coronado Cays quite well.
2. ENTRANCE COMMITTEE. This is a group of owners working to design and install a new look for the rear wall around the traffic circle at our entrance. What seems simple, gets very complicated quickly with postal concerns, ADA issues and others. My hope is to get this job moving very soon.
3. FINANCE COMMITTEE. The Cays is blessed with a very long standing and highly involved finance committee. This group of approximately 10 owners, highly credential people in accounting and business, provide oversight to investments and accounting accuracy. They meet approximately once a quarter and take a very active interest in budgets, reserves studies, etc.
4. CC WARFAGE. This is an old, not-for-profit company, that was formed to work and negotiate with the Port for all of the docks in Port waters. With Port lease renewals due in 2034, we needed to begin getting prepared. We were able to re-start this corporation and are currently setting up a Board of Directors. They will initially be the Directors of villages (Green Turtle, Kingston, Antigua, Blue Anchor, Montego) affected by the Port lease. I have been involved in this process and it gets very complicated with master leases, port waters, city waters, Army Corps of Engineers, Coastal Commission, etc. This group, along with others from the HOA, Loews, Yacht Club and others, will be a part of our overall negotiations to renew the lease with the Port for 2034.
5. PORT OF SAN DIEGO. Interactions with the Port are nonstop. Dredging, navigation aids, hotel proposals, park maintenance, docks, permits, etc. They are extremely challenging to work with or against. Our current Port Commissioner will be retiring this year. Not sure who the City will be proposing to appoint to represent Coronado residents.
6. MONTEGO GARAGE. In conducting our 2018/19 reserve study it was noted that no one had reserved for the replacement of this concrete garage structure. It was further noted that structural issues with the building were occurring. Upon investigating these concerns, we found a substantial number of cracks, rust and other problems. Not the least of which was that the post-tension cables (critical to its strength) in the concrete were broken. We have had two structural engineers look at the garage and are now highly involved in looking at solutions for this Village.
7. RESERVE STUDIES. We are now using a company called SmartProperty. They provide an amazing program for common interest developments. We have imputed vast amounts of information over the last two years. We have concluded the 2020/21 studies but will continue to populate this document with new info. This year’s budget meetings, with every director, were far more informative and accurate because of these efforts and the ability of this program.
8. TRAFFIC ISSUES. As you can imagine we get request for stop signs, red curd, parking issues, you name it. The management works with the City to address these issues. The pandemic has accelerated many of these concerns but we endeavor to work through them. Like most things, it’s still taking a lot longer to get answers due to the pandemic.
9. PARK RENOVATION. The Board and a number of community members are highly involved with the City of Coronado in their efforts to renovate the Cays park. This project was started by the City as an effort to improve the irrigation system and now has evolved into a remodel. The pandemic has stalled the City’s efforts, but a meeting is scheduled for May 17, 2021 at 5:30pm at City Hall to restart the design process. I encourage you to attend and provide input.
10. RULE’S UPDATE. We are currently working to include all of the existing rules and resolutions in our handbook. We are also looking to update existing rules. This effort is an attempt to produce simple, easy to understand, and very reasonable rules and policies to preserve the Cays communities. We further want only those rules we can and will enforce. HOA’s can only do so much when it comes to conduct.
11. AECC. The Architectural Environmental Control Committee is a very active group within our community. They meet once a month to consider some very complex issues. With the heightened number of homes sales, we are looking at numerous requests to rebuild and remodel every month. This meeting packet is usually a hundred pages plus and takes hours to read and understand before the meeting starts. These guys do a great job at trying to accommodate owners’ requests and still maintain the character of the Cays and the specific village character.
12. POOLS AND PANDEMIC. We have kept one or two pools open through this pandemic. We are absolutely constrained by the rules of the state of California. The main one is we provide a monitor to check people and regulate their time at the facility. This has been a very expensive (unbudgeted) cost. In the case of Antigua, we have spent 8216.00 to date just this year to be able to keep pool(s) open.
Although things are getting much better now, I can tell you navigating our way through 2020 was extremely difficult. No in-person meetings, zoom calls, zoom meetings, closed office, sick staff, quarantines, additional cleaning protocols, difficulty getting in units. I am so tired of having meetings with a mask on, standing 10 feet apart, and needing a jar of hand sanitizer just to look at a simple problem. I must say Henry, Sergio, Kathie and the rest of the staff have done an amazing job. All of these employees, plus our vendors, showed up every day and continued to get the work done through very difficult times. Not only getting things done, but improving things. I was very impressed.
I know we’re all looking forward to a much, much, much better 2021.
Dennis