It’s time for another edition of The Terrace Tribune. In this article, we’ll provide an update on a topic we touched on in the January 2019 edition along with things to consider down the road including a potential community-wide re-piping project.

Fire Lane Access Update Still Evolving

Last month we provided some background on the fire lane - that strip of grass in the 500 circle between The Terrace at Canyon Hills and The Artisan Apartments next door. The previous board of directors voted to replace the grass with concrete in order to bring it up to code based on a review by the Orange County Fire Authority.

However with all the rain we’ve had recently, the project start date has been pushed back – which actually provided a little extra time to consider additional options.

One of the additional options being considered is something called Grasscrete – or a combination of grass and concrete. Below is an example of what a Grasscrete solution might look like.

Stay tuned as this additional option – and related cost - is explored further.

Clearing the Hill for Fire Safety

Soon you’ll notice crews working on clearing brush from the hill just above the San Nicholas Court pool. The goal behind this project is to create a fire break and added security in the event that a fire makes its way toward us from the direction of the Laguna Canyon/wilderness area behind the pool.

Update on Architectural Guidelines

In last month’s update, we discussed the new architectural guidelines that have been developed and distributed by mail to all homeowners. Several homeowners showed up to the January board meeting to express their concern and opinion about a handful of the new rules. As such and in consideration of the input, the guidelines were revised, redistributed by mail, and will likely be approved at the next board meeting on February 28.

Is it Time to Re-Pipe the Community?

Many homeowners in our community have experienced the misfortune, inconvenience, and cost of a slab leak in their unit. In fact, it seems to happen at least a couple of times every month with each incident ranging from $2,500 to $5,000 in repair costs depending on the location of the leak and complexity of the repair.

There are a few things at play here at The Terrace at Canyon Hills. As the name suggests, our community is situated on a hill which is constantly shifting. In addition, construction on many of the units was completed over 30 years ago.

Put it all together and it likely means that it’s time to consider re-piping the entire community.

As you can imagine, it’s going to be a costly project which would likely require either an assessment, a significant increase in monthly dues, a loan, and/or combination of everything.

Keep in mind that the association – funded by our monthly dues - picks up much of the tab on the repairs. While nobody wants dues to increase or to have to pay an assessment, the reality is that over time it costs more to repair the monthly slab leaks than to fix the problem once and for all. It’s also worth noting that just because a unit leaks once doesn’t mean it won’t leak again – multiple leaks in a single unit have already occurred. So the potential ongoing cost of repair does not have an upper ceiling.

The idea is still being kicked around so there’s no action to be taken yet. Something this significant would necessitate homeowner feedback - likely in a town hall-style meeting followed by voting to determine preference about how to fund the project (if that’s what is decided). So stay tuned.

Leaking in Detached Garages

All of the recent rain has uncovered leaks in some of the detached garages. With the roof of those buildings being flat, some start to accumulate standing water that isn’t draining and then eventually seeping through to the interior. To date, crews have taken preventative actions to prevent flooding and damage. But longer term, the issue may need to be addressed with a more thorough and permanent solution.

Join Us at the Next Board Meeting

February 28, 2019

Open Forum – 6:30

Board Meeting – 6:45

Location

Platinum Management Group

65 Enterprise - 3rd Floor

Conf. Room – Huntington 1

Aliso Viejo, CA 92656

Now Let’s Hear from YOU!

What would you like to hear about or get an update on in the next Terrace Tribune?

Please leave your comments in our Suggestion Box and let us know.