Holiday Season
Best wishes for a happy and healthy Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year and for all the other holidays of the Winter Season!
Proposed Redevelopment of 135 Darling Drive
Pond Place Association, Inc. and Northington Meadow, Inc. retained Attorney Richard Case of Case & Case in Avon to represent them in before the Inland Wetland Commission in the matter of the proposed redevelopment of 135 Darling Drive by A.R. Building Co., Inc. HRP Associates, a Farmington based engineering firm, has also been engaged to review the application and consult. The proposed redevelopment project has received tentative approval from the Avon Planning & Zoning Commission. It would demolish the one story office building, most recently housing the Webb School in the Valley and construct three four story brick apartment buildings containing 151 units at least a quarter of which would be subsidized low income units. The site includes 4 watercourses including Nod Brook itself, wetlands and uplands which either flow into or drain into Stub Pond. A.R. Building Co., Inc. asked that its application be continued to the December 5, 2023 meeting of the Inland Wetlands Commission. Further guidance will be provided to the community as we get closer to the date of the meeting as it is currently unclear whether it will be in person or virtual.
You may also contact the members of the Town Council and e-mail them your concerns. E-mail addresses for them are as follows:
Dan Polhumus dpolhamus@avonct.gov
Barbara Ausiello bausiello@avonct.gov
Erin Barthels ebarthel@avonct.gov
Anthony Weber aweber@avonct.gov
Heather Maguire hmaguire@avonct.gov
Fall Cleanup Underway
This week our landscapers will be picking up piles of leaves and fallen brush that has already been placed curbside. Residents placing further brush or leaves curbside may be charged for their removal.
Snow Season Commences
The Pond Place Tax District contracts with JH Property Services of Newington to plow our roads. When a snow storm drops 4 inches of snow or more driveways and parking areas will also be plowed within 8 hours of the conclusion of the storm. Complaints or call backs should be made to Mike Montgomery or Lauren Pizzoferrato at White & Katzman. Their contact information is set forth at the end of this message. Please remember the crews are working throughout the day or night to keep the roads open and then must return to plow driveways. Patience is a virtue.
Building Guide Revisions
In response to the invitation to further comment on proposed changes to the rules myself, the Board and our Manager received a couple of further comments, one of which was incorporated.. The revised Guide AS IT NOW IS has been tentatively approved by the Board of Governors and will be distributed to the community, posted on the web site and electronically transmitted. At its January meeting the Board will formally adopt it. Again thanks to those who have contributed their time, energy and suggestions to the updating and reformulation of the Building Guide.
Board Meetings
The next meetings of the Pond Place Tax District, Northington Meadow, Inc. and Pond Place Association, Inc. Boards will be held on January 25th, 2024 at 6:30 P.M via Zoom. All owners and residents may attend the meetings and are invited to make comments. Hyperlinks and instructions for participation will be posted on our website www.pondplace.org the day of the meeting. White & Katzman will also send hyperlinks to the Zoom meeting via electronic mail for those who have e-addresses on file.
The Board of Northington Meadow, Inc., which holds title to the Stub Pond parcel, and which is composed entirely now of the members of the Pond Place Association, Inc. Board of Governors, will be holding public meetings transacting Stub Pond business and reporting to the community during the regular Pond Place Association, Inc. meetings to provide more openness and inclusion.
Inspections & Enforcement
White & Katzman has been inspecting to verify compliance with outstanding maintenance orders and identifying new maintenance issues. Owners who have been previously cited and failed to complete mandatory maintenance items by their deadlines were heard at the November board meeting. Depending on circumstances, fines were imposed usually with abatements if repairs were completed within requested extension periods. New violations discovered in the October 2023 inspection were usually given mid Spring deadlines for completion. The general consensus on the Board is that Pond Pace is looking very well kempt and in repair.
Culvert Bridge Inspection
At the Board’s request our engineers, HRP Associates of Farmington, inspected the culvert bridge in connection with the possible acquisition of the Roadway Parcel along with the 3.44 acre undeveloped parcel known as 150 Darling Drive from the Connecticut Water Company. Once finalized the report will be posted on the website. The bridge was found to be “overall good condition” but with immediate repairs required on the 2 catch basins that service the road at the bridge
Capital Reserve Study
Reserve Advisors recently completed the capital reserve study on behalf of the Tax District. It has been circulated for comment and review by the Boards for completeness after which time it will be finalized and released to the community. It appears that the Association and Tax District are very well positioned to meet anticipated depreciable asset replacement dates without any significant increases in our annual contribution to reserves.
Land Maintenance Rule
Homeowners are reminded that the Pond Place Declaration provides in Article VI Section 1 C of the Declaration: “Dwellings and the Land shall be kept in a neat attractive manner and kept in good repair.” Land refers to Exclusive Use Areas including those which encroach on buffer areas. The Board with one abstention codified this passage as a rule on October 25, 2021 and it will be enforced. Homeowners are expected to keep their lawns mowed, weeds in check and their properties in good order. Owners who have tenants should understand that delegating these maintenance obligations to tenants will not excuse compliance or remission of fines in the event of non-compliance by tenants.
Service Line Maintenance Responsibility
In 2022 the Board requested guidance from then Association attorney, Jeffrey McChristian, on maintenance and repair responsibility for water, sewer and gas pipes outside of a dwelling unit or other structure. His written opinion of counsel is posted elsewhere on the Pond Place website. I will summarize it as follows: Homeowners are responsible for the maintenance and repair of water and sewer pipes that exclusively serve their dwelling unit. The Pond Place Association, Inc. and Tax District are responsible for those which serve multiple dwellings. CNG currently retains full responsibility for gas pipes that extend from the foundation of dwellings outward. Homeowners are urged to obtain an indorsement to their HO3 or HO5 homeowner’s insurance policy for “service line coverage”. Most insurance companies offer this endorsement for a small additional annual premium. Outside pipe breaks or ruptures can be very expensive to repair. Do yourself a favor and acquire such a rider or endorsement. The Board has been unable to obtain coverage for all exterior service line pipes in Pond Place but will continue to endeavor to do so.
Prohibition on Feeding of Roaming & Feral Animals
The Board enacted a new rule on September 27, 2021 prohibiting the leaving outside of food for feral and roaming animals as follows: “For purposes of health and safety, no member of the Association, members of his or her household, his or her tenants or residents of the Tax District shall leave any food outside the confines of a dwelling unit or in an open garage or shed which may attract or be consumed by bears, coyotes, coydogs, bobcats, skunks, possums, raccoons, roaming dogs or roaming cats. Violations shall be punishable by fine.”
Speed Limit
Kindly respect the 20 MPH speed limit on all Pond Place roads for everyone’s safety, including pets.
Trash Barrels
There has been improving compliance with our trash and recycling barrel rules. Residents are reminded that trash and recyclable barrels must be kept in the garages or sheds except on the night before (currently Tuesday nights) or the day of (currently Wednesdays) pickup. Those who do not have garages or sheds are expected to place their barrels out of public view. It is not acceptable for those with garages or sheds to store their barrels outside. Please comply and help to keep the community sightly. Except for a handful of residents, the community is in compliance with these rules. Habitual violators will be subject to fines for non compliance.
Those members who opted out in writing last year from community wide trash and recyclables service through Paine’s will be treated automatically as continuing their opt out without further action on their part. Members who purchased after 6/30/2021 or previously failed to opt out are NOT eligible to opt out in the future. Those who wish to receive service should contact Mike Montgomery or Lisa Sachen at White & Katzman, not Paine’s.
Design Review Committee
Owners and residents are cautioned that virtually any change to the exterior of a dwelling, garage or shed, including re-staining, requires written prior approval of the Design Review Committee. The Exterior Modification application form is available at www.pondplace.org .Those who have applications pending are advised that the committee has been reviewing and voting on applications electronically to expedite processing. Association members are urged to read the Pond Place Building Guide carefully to assure that they have submitted all necessary information and documentation required. It has been my experience many do not do so which will cause delays in approval. Insurance documentation is only needed if the Committee so requires after their review of the application. Color approvals now require submission of swatches. Most modifications of the exterior of your dwelling, garage or shed require prior approval of the Design Review Committee. You act at your peril if you execute an exterior modification without prior approval. Applications and correspondence should be sent to White & Katzman by uploading through the PILERA platform or by e-mail or snail mail to the attention of our manager, Michael Montgomery.
Residents or owners are welcome to contact me with issues, complaints, concerns or for guidance. Best wishes to all for a happy and healthy Fall and Holiday Season.
Christopher J. Rossetti
(860) 678-0889
Management Contact Information:
POND PLACE PROPERTY MANAGER
Mr. Michael Montgomery
Managing Agent
P: 860.291.8777 x107
E: Mikem@wkmanage.com
POND PLACE ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM
Ms. Lisa Sachen
Assistant Property Manager
P: 860.291.8777 x118
E: Lisas@wkmanage.com
POND PLACE ACCOUNTING TEAM
Ms. Cheyna Fortson
Accounts Receivable
P: 860.291.8777 x128
E: cheyna@wkmanage.com
Reminders
Trash & Recyclables pick-up: Paine’s picks up trash on Wednesdays weekly and recyclables on Wednesdays bi-weekly on their B-Week schedule with one day delays for certain specified holidays: Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day and Thanksgiving during 2023. The schedule is posted on www.pondplace.org Your barrels need to be on the curb by 6:00 AM on Wednesday mornings and should be returned to their sheds or garages before sunrise the day after. Should new residents or owners wish smaller or larger barrels than those inherited from the prior owner or tenant they should contact White & Katzman, not Paine’s. Likewise any requests for special pick-ups or complaints regarding non pick-ups should be routed through White & Katzman.
Persons who have fallen into arrears on their obligations to the Pond Place Association or the Pond Place Tax District are reminded their delinquent amounts will be carrying a high rate of interest. It is in their best interest to get these arrearages paid off.
Unpaid FY 21-22 dues and taxes are now DELINQUENT and are being turned over for collection.
Unpaid FY 22-23 Dues to the Association are now DELINQUENT and are being turned over for collection.
FY 23-24 Taxes to the Tax District are due in two installments, the first half (like town taxes) on July 1st, 2023 and the second half on January 1st, 2024. Taxes become delinquent if not paid by the 31st of the month in which they are due and will carry retroactive interest at 1 ½% per month (18% per annum) until paid; these unpaid taxes are now DELINQUENT and are being turned over for collection.
Your land lease payment (if you have not already paid your lease off) is due in the amount of $50 on the 1st of every month. Those who are not delinquent may prepay an entire year in the amount of $519.11 and take advantage of a significant savings.
Land Leases in arrears on July 1, 2022 will carry retroactive interest at 3% from the date of delinquency with respect to all delinquent payments from due date. Those more than 12 months delinquent will be referred to the Association’s attorneys for legal collection.
Taxes in arrears are currently carrying a rate of 1.5% per month retroactive to the date of delinquencies. Those 75 days or more delinquent will be referred to the Tax District’s attorneys for legal collection.
Delinquent Association obligations carry interest at the rate of 12% per annum from date of delinquency. Those more than 75 days delinquent will be referred to the Association’s attorneys for legal collection.
