May 2002
We would like to thank everyone who returned their proxies for the Annual Meeting and for all of you who attended. We would like to welcome Regina and Frank back onto the Board for a three year term. If you refer to the above contact information, you will see the change in positions of the Directors.
Several weeks ago, a homeowner reported an attempt to break into a vehicle he had parked on Antigua for the night. The thieves did not succeed but they did damage exterior trim. His experience suggests that we all should be aware of what can happen - especially to cars parked on a main thoroughfare. At the very least, be sure that all windows are tightly closed and all doors properly locked. Another possible deterrent is the addition of an alarm system. As well, your insurance carrier can very likely supply timely tips to protect your transportation.
Experts say the conditions are just right and there are a lot of snakes out there this year. The ones to be concerned with, of course, are Rattlesnakes. Rattlesnakes prefer wooded areas near lakes and streams and usually shy away from areas where humans go. However, they will settle for wood piles and dense foliage near homes, too. If you are walking or working outside, wear boots. Rattlesnakes rarely strike above the ankle. Educate your children...tell them never to touch a snake until it is identified. Most victims of snakes are nosy dogs who are sniffing around and get too close. If you come in contact with a Rattlesnake, leave it alone. If it is in your home or garage, or will not leave your property, call Animal Control for assistance at 619/236-4250.
Never store firewood, lumber or other wood debris against the foundation or within a crawl space. These materials attract termites and provide a source of food. When stacked against the foundation they offer a hidden path of entry into the structure and allow termites to bypass any termicide soil barrier which is present. Vines, trellises, and other dense plant material touching the house should be avoided for this reason as well.
The hand-split wood shake was an inseparable part of the "ranch" style prevalent on the steep sloped roofs of sprawling, suburban Southern California homes in the 1950's and 1960's. During the late 1970's, the more urbanized portions of the San Diego, region experienced a building boom, resulting in a proliferation of single family homes and townhouse-style condominiums in much closer proximity to one another than before. The roofs of these homes also featured wood shakes, which were desirable for their premium appearance and perceived high value. However, when fires occurred, these wood shakes caught fire, and while they had always had a tendency to separate and blow off, now they blew onto adjacent homes.
Fires weren't the only concern with increased wood shake usage. As with many other wood building products, the quality of wood shakes being supplied was reduced; previously commonplace "heavies" were now replaced routinely by "mediums," and the costs were rising. This resulted in a reduced life expectancy of 20 to 30 years. For an individual homeowner contemplating a reroofing, this was a significant budgetary issue. For a community association, this meant budgeting for substantial reserves virtually from the day the new roofs were installed.
With each major fire over the past 20 years, new legislation has been enacted, requiring roofing materials of the highest fire-resistance available. While wood shakes can be treated to develop high levels of fire resistance, these treated shakes are more costly, their life expectancy is significantly less than that of most newer high fore-resistance roofing products, and the stigma of poor performance in fires is still in the minds of individual homeowners, community associations, and governing agencies. Suddenly, few individual homeowners or associations needing to reroof were selecting wood shakes to replace existing wood shake roofing, even in localities that still allowed their use.
So, over the past 20 years, first a series of existing roofing products was refined, then a series of new products was developed, all aimed at replacing the ubiquitous wood shake. Initially, the wood shake replacement market was limited to asphalt shingles at the low end and concrete or clay tiles at the high end. The use of conventional tiles was limited, as their weight was often greater than the design weights used in initially sizing the roof structure to support wood shakes. This led to the development of "lightweight" concrete and clay tiles; now many residential complexes could be retrofitted for tile roofing with relatively minor modifications to the structure, if any. Many new tile designs were sized and patterned to resemble wood shakes to some extent.
To be sure, installation and repair issues arose. As one might expect with a product designed as a wood shake replacement, these materials were intended to be installed much as a wood shake is, with similar layering and nailing. However, when a wood shake breaks or is damaged, adjacent shakes are malleable enough to be walked upon and lifted somewhat so repair shakes can be installed. With the new shake replacement, more breakage occurred due to their brittleness.
Drainage has become an issue as well. Wood shakes, with their natural, porous serrations, were effective in slowing the rush of rainwater off the roof, masking poor drainage layouts. With some smooth-surfaced shake replacement products, water will collect and run off more rapidly than the previously adequate roof drainage features can control it, resulting in damage to adjacent materials. Despite such issues, your Board made the right decision in its choice of lightweight concrete tiles.
Adapted from and article in
Condo Magazine, March 2002,
authored by Fred M. Baron.
The next monthly Board Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 8, 2002 at 6:00 p.m. at 5275 Rimpark Lane. Please note: Homeowner Forum has changed to 6:30 p.m. during regular general session monthly meetings.
© Copyright 2002 Villa Monterey HOA
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