Thursday, February 20, 2014

Proposed new House Rule re High Risk Items

Good morning Kiahuna owners!

Several of us on the AOBO Board have been working on these proposed new House Rules regarding High Risk Items.  In principle, they are being proposed to ensure there is a formal procedure for the inspection and/or repair/replacement of any items which may constitute  a danger to owners, guests and the property.  Notice to owners regarding the inspections' findings is also included.

Please review them, think about them, talk about them and formulate your comments.  You may send them to Marianne (marianne.thesken@outrigger.com) or bring them to the meeting in Kauai in May.


PROPOSED
RULES AND REGULATIONS
RULE I (7)
UPKEEP OF CONDOMINIUM: HIGH RISK COMPONENTS
OF UNITS AND COMMON ELEMENTS

Except to the extent provided by the Declaration or Bylaws, the Association, “the Board”,  is responsible for the operation of the property, and each unit owner is responsible for maintenance, repair, and replacement of the owner’s unit.  The Board has determined that certain portions of the units, or certain objects or appliances within the units, may pose a particular risk of damage to other units or the common elements if they are not properly inspected, maintained, repaired, and/or replaced by owners.  These items are determined by the Board to pose a particular risk and are called “high risk components” for the purposes of this Rule.  Such designations and rules are consistent with the relevant sections of the Hawaii Code.

Such high-risk items include:

A.   Clothes washer and/or dryer machine installations, including but not limited to washing machine hoses, venting equipment, and water heater components.

B.    Water heaters and water heater closets

C.    Common Element crawl spaces and other spaces appurtenant to and between units

D.   Plumbing and sewer drains

E.    Electrical lines utilizing common elements and/or common meters.

F.  Improper use of circuit breakers within the beachhouse

Certain rules are required regarding these high risk components, as follows:

1. In order to identify the maintenance necessary for the safe operation and performance of the above-described high risk items, the  Board, through its general manager, shall perform an Inspection of such items at least annually, or more frequently as may be required, where reasonable to address specific concerns that have been identified by the General Manager or management staff.  

However, the venting equipment of high-risk components shall be inspected and/or cleaned on at least a semi-annual basis, or more frequently if considered prudent under the circumstances. The General Manager shall provide owners at least ten (10) days notification that an inspection will be performed.

2. Inspections and repairs may be required whether or not the component is deteriorated or defective. Such Replacements or Repairs may include additional components or installations specified by the  Board or its General Manager.

3. The owner and its  on-site agent shall be notified within fifteen (15) days of the results of the inspection and the items that need maintenance or repair, unless the condition requires immediate action for safety reasons and/or to protect the common elements or other beach houses.  Generally such maintenance or repairs must be  completed within one (1) month of notification unless more immediate attention is required for purposes of safety, as determined by the Association’s General Manager.

4.     The owner may arrange for the maintenance or repairs necessary for the proper operation and performance of the high-risk components as detailed in the inspection results . Owner shall notify the General Manager of owner’s undertaking the repairs within five (5) days of receiving the inspection report. Such Replacements or new addition of such components must be approved by the Board or its General Manager. Upon the completion of such maintenance or repairs, owner shall notify the General Manager within five (5) days of the work’s completion. 

5.     General Manager  shall inspect the owner’s replacement or repair to such high risk items.  Such replacement or repair must comply with all other rules regarding installation or upgrade of such equipment.

6.     If the owner does not arrange for such maintenance and repairs within one (1) month of receipt of the results of the inspection, the Board, through its General Manager or designated agent, shall perform the required maintenance or repairs at the owner’s expense.  Notice of such repairs shall be given to Owner within ten (10) days after completion.  All such costs and expenses incurred by the Board on the owner’s behalf shall be paid by owner and, if not, will become a lien on the unit. 

7.     All Replacements or Repairs must meet particular standards or specifications established by the Board.  Such standards must meet all safety requirements and County Code requirements, as well as established standards and limitations, including Capacity Limitations, considered prudent for utilization of common elements and for communal units adjacent to other such units.

8.     The  Board  or its General Manager  may include requirements regarding the licensing, training, or certification of contractors who are going to perform such Replacements or Repairs.

9.     When personalty in or on the common elements of a project has been abandoned, the Board may sell the personalty in a commercially reasonable manner, store the personalty at the expense of its owner, donate the personalty to a charitable organization, or otherwise dispose of the personalty in its sole discretion sixty (60) days after the following actions are taken:

(a) The  Board shall notify the owner in writing, by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the owner’s designated address or last known address , or  if  an address is unavailable, advertise the sale, donation, or disposition at least once in a daily paper of general circulation within the County of Kauai. Such notice shall include:

(1)  The identity and location of the personalty; and

(2)  The Board’s intent to sell, store, donate or dispose of the personalty.

(b)  The net proceeds of any sale or disposition of personalty shall be held for the owner for thirty (30) days.  Any proceeds not claimed within this period shall become the property of the Association.

11. These requirements shall not relieve the unit owners of obligations regarding high-risk components as set forth in these Rules established under the AOBOKP By-laws including, without limitation, the obligation to maintain, repair, and replace the components.  Nothing in this Rule shall be deemed to limit the remedies of the  Board for damages, or injunctive relief, or both.



Randy Danto Nordstrom
randy@kiahuna39.com



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