Neighbors:

Daily Bread especially needs donations of non-perishable food items and has a special need for bug spray, tampons, mouthwash, and men's shorts and/or jeans size 32, 34 and 36 (used are fine!).

Please donate generously and often (think Publix buy one, get one) - there are donation boxes located in each lobby and we have several residents making regular weekly trips to Daily Bread and the Sharing Center.

Thank you!!

Neighbors:

This summer is Ocean Dunes Beautification season!

Over the next month, you will begin to see a number of improvements in the overall look of our property and we want to bring you up to date on several projects in the works, or soon to start.

The sea grapes on the west side of the parking lot have been trimmed by US Lawns as well as a thorough trimming of the bushes and hedges by our entrances and parking lots.

Alpine Trees will be on the property in late next week to perform the annual palm tree trimming.  The coconut palm in front of 130 will be removed to give the three buildings a more cohesive look. They will also remove two dead palms.  The trimming will be an immediate visual improvement with the removal of all those dead fronds.  If you have any questions or concerns about the palm trimming, please advise Sara so that those concerns may be discussed.  There are several palm trees along the 140/130 driveway that we are asking Alpine to check for disease and their recommendation as to keep or remove.

One day hopefully next week, US Lawns will be installing river rock into all the empty finger islands in our parking lot.  This will remove the need for continual mulch replacement and create a tailored look.  In order to add some color to those places, we will be considering ceramic pots with salt/drought tolerant plants which can easily and inexpensively be changed out seasonally. 

Once the river rock is installed, volunteers will be picking up mulch and putting it around the front beds so that our grounds look manicured.  Volunteers are welcome for mulching and for other chores from time to time – please contact Dale Helmer at [email protected] to get your name on the roster!

There have been numerous ideas about the outside pots at the lobby doors for all three buildings.  They can certainly be planted differently but should the pots be the same to make the buildings flow together?  We will be putting pictures of pot selections in our lobbies and asking all residents for their input by way of a long range planning survey so that everyone can voice an opinion.

We have started a review of pool furniture; unfortunately what was purchased a few years ago did not last as expected and as many of you know, has been repaired over and over.  We’d love a couple of volunteers to assist with this task – cost v. longevity, wood v. polywood, etc.  Please contact a Board member if you’re willing to assist. 

We have received a quote to put a section of white plastic fencing, solid not slatted, in front of the pool equipment and hope to have that installed later this month.

Lauren and Arturo have made good progress in scraping and repainting the garage ventilation archways on the east side of the buildings.  The project started with one on the 110 building as a test but has moved directly to 130 since they are the most visible to folks using the pool.

And speaking of the pool, we are inviting suggestions as to redoing the landscape, adding color and interest, etc. so that we may include in the budgeting process after the balcony restoration project.  We will be putting some pots with flowering plants around the area but a massive overhaul will most likely have to wait.  Again, please submit ideas to a Board member.

A comprehensive survey will be submitted to all residents shortly.

OCEAN DUNES LIVING

Welcome to Ocean Dunes in Aquarina.  If you’re lucky enough to be here, whether as an owner of guest, we’re so glad you’re here!  We want you to enjoy your stay and never want to leave us.

We also want you to be aware of some very basic, but most important, do’s and don’ts of  living or visiting here.  With these basic things to keep in mind, you can support our community and make a difference in ensuring that Ocean Dunes living is safe, secure, and responsible.

ONE:      Become involved.  Introduce yourself to your neighbors, look around, ask questions, participate, and provide constructive input.  Be a good neighbor!!

TWO:     If you are a guest or tenant, know that your owner is your point of contact.  Insist they tell you what you need to know to stay here and enjoy all our amenities with your neighbors.

THREE:  No-one wants to deal with trash. Bag it for the dumpsters, double bag the smelly stuff, observe the recycling rules, and clean up after yourself.  Our garages are a very important amenity so treat it as an extension of your unit as well as our beautiful lobbies.

FOUR:   Park in your unit’s designated space, don’t cross the lines or impede your neighbor’s access to their car, and put your bikes where they are supposed to be stored. Know the rules about trailers, motor homes, and follow the rules.

FIVE:      It won’t take long to figure out how loudly voices and noise travel on our balconies. Please be considerate of loud music, offensive language, or sliding heavy furniture.

SIX:        Our pool is beautiful and provides a lot of pleasure for everyone. Don’t hog it and please pick up after yourself as we don’t have pool boys!  Also, please make sure to lower the umbrellas when you leave so the oceanside wind doesn’t send them flying.

SEVEN: Unit maintenance is a hugely important item.  Units need to be monitored weekly if you’re not in residence.  Water damage is especially damaging in a condominium environment and water moves quickly.  Please see the maintenance pages of the residents guide for specifics do’s and don’ts when leaving your home unattended.

EIGHT:  Please keep your pets healthy and within the weight limits.  Make sure you clean up after them and use the poop stations for each building. Make sure your dogs are leashed at all times outside and please be considerate of neighbors that may not want to share the elevator with your pets.

NINE:    Make sure to be prepared for emergencies.  Do your research as if you were traveling anywhere new and prepare a storm preparedness folders with emergency contacts, phone numbers, and a plan. Always keep a lobby stairwell key as well as your backdoor key available to you in the rare event that you are unable to access your unit by elevator.

TEN:       Register your contact information to access Ocean Dunes information and receive important communications at oceandunesataquarina.com.  You will also find a wealth of other information here.

ALWAYS: Get involved, ask questions, be a good neighbor and help Ocean Dunes continue to be an awesome place to spend a day, a month, a year, a lifetime.

ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW TEAM REMARKS 3/17/22

As everyone is aware, with the wonderfully increasing values in our real estate market, and folks wanting to make the most of their space, we have seen an unprecedented increase in condo renovations.  While this also wonderfully increases our property values, it is a time consuming and sometimes difficult process for both the Board and residents to get through the application approval, and through construction to completion.

In order to streamline the process for the Board, and for those submitting applications for renovation work, we would like to put together an Architectural Review Team to act as liaison to the Board as well as be a resource for all residents.  This Team will be the first to review all completed applications, gather additional information as needed, and will advise the Board of their recommendation to approve.  While the Board will have ultimate final approval, this group, representing all three buildings, will also be able to work directly with residents on our documents, construction guidelines, the application process and the do’s/don’ts of construction.  They will be able to communicate via email, phone, and Zoom and will be available to residents’ questions and concerns.

We are very pleased to welcome John Artuso and Scott Messel, Tod Tanis and Ron Reiss, along with Mary Haggerty to this group.  They have their already work cut out for them but they are up to the task.  As a matter of fact, they are going to start like gangbusters with two applications.   Thanks to all of you, and welcome to the Architectural Review Team.  Going forward, we have also revised the application and construction guidelines so that everything is spelled out as to procedures for contractors to ensure efficiency for those undergoing renovations and to make the least impact on all our residents in terms of noise and impact on day to day life. These documents may be found on the website under the Maintenance tab.

ABANDONED BIKES - 2/14/22
Neighbors:

A recent review of the bike storage rooms (all buildings) and the common garage space (130/110) seems to indicate that we have a number of abandoned bikes, most likely left from owners selling their units.  We’d like to donate these bikes for refurbishment at no cost and use by local homeless shelters.  This of course will also allow room for current owners to store outside of their condos or stairwells. 

In order to remove any abandoned bikes, we need everyone with a bike to identify it by taking a yellow plastic zip tie marked “2022” and place it on your bike handlebars as soon as possible.  There is a bag of these zip ties on the top of each lobby mailbox.  All bikes that are not marked with a zip tie by March 12, 2022 will be picked up the following week and donated.  Any bike that is owned by a current resident but no longer used may be donated to the Aquarina Yard Sale beginning February 28^th.

If you are not in residence and have a bike/s stored in either a garage spot or building bike room, please ask a friend to identify it for you.

Thank you.

MAINTENANCE UPDATE - 1/2/22
Neighbors:

As most of you are aware, our contract with Beachside Handyman (Myles O’Neill) was terminated in late November.  The Board has spent a good deal of time for the last month in reviewing options for the continued care of our property, redefining the scope of work, and putting together our varied resources.  We have also worked to formulate a plan within the 2022 budget constraints. We have closely re-examined the current maintenance contracts for our big systems such as generators, pumps, lobby air conditioning units and the like, to ensure that we are getting the most of them with the best return for our dollars. 

We believe that we have come to an efficient and imminently workable solution and will be putting that into effect over the next several weeks.  We can, and will, continue to make changes as we fine tune the right solution for Ocean Dunes.

There will now be three pieces of the maintenance duties:  janitorial, custodial, and handyman work. 

The janitorial duties will continue exactly as they are now with A Cleaner Choice twice weekly.  Major custodial chores have been carved out of the general maintenance scope of work and will be handled by Trevor Funk (licensed, bonded and insured as an owner of A Cleaner Choice) who will be on property 5 days per week for 5 hours per day, over and above his now more limited duties on the janitorial side.  These two pieces will be handled under separate contracts and will be monitored by two board members and our association manager.

OCEAN DUNES FOOD DRIVE

WE ARE STILL COLLECTING NON-PERISHABLE FOOD ITEMS FOR THOSE LESS FORTUNATE THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR.  ALL FOOD STUFFS WILL BE DONATED TO THE SOUTH BREVARD SHARING CENTER IN MELBOURNE. PLEASE DONATE GENEROUSLY – THINK PUBLIX BOGO!!!

OTHER ITEMS NEEDED AS WELL – PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CALL KRIS SIEGEL WITH ANY QUESTIONS AT (908) 415-2257

Plumbing Update
October 25th, 2021

Residents:

The Board is pleased to report that the intensive plumbing project undertaken over the last few months is finally complete.  Meeks Plumbing did a stellar job in replacing all the pipe hangers.  These stainless steel hangers will have a longer life in our beach environment and we believe that we will not need to address this maintenance item again for many years. We certainly appreciate everyone’s cooperation, and patience, in working through this important process with us.  Sometimes the inconvenience is worth it in the long run!!

While Meeks was onsite, and as a part of our maintenance program, all the kitchen drain pipes were thoroughly snaked and cleaned.   We’d like to remind everyone that garbage disposals and flushable wipes are a plumber’s best friend – and their best source of income.  Some do’s and don’ts to keep our systems at their best:

• Do not use your garbage disposals as a garbage can.
• Scrape all food into the garbage.
• Use a sink strainer.
• Do not put oil down the drain. 
• Wipe oil out of pans with paper towels and put into the garbage.
• Do not put flushable wipes into toilets. They cause clogs and backups.

Thank you again for your patience.  And particular kudos to Kris Siegel for her tireless work and follow-up to make sure this got done efficiently, correctly, and in a timely manner.

Masks/Covid
August 1, 2021

Dear Neighbors:

With the rapidly rising number of Covid cases, especially here in Florida, the Board asks that all residents wear masks in the building lobbies, garages, and especially the elevators to protect all our community members from unnecessary risks. We also ask that you advise any visitors, contractors, and delivery persons to do the same.

Please be considerate of your neighbors and friends by wearing a mask in our common areas and exercising social distancing.

Thank you.

July Update / Maintenance

Neighbors:

A couple of items related to maintenance for this month’s update. Sorry for the length of this communication but it is some important stuff so please work your way to the end.

First, thanks to all for your patience. As everyone is aware, the supply chain is still severely limited and has affected our building needs as well as contractors’ ability to complete repairs. This has limited parts for our garage doors, pumps, and generators. We are looking at additional options on our most important items – like the garage door springs – to pre-purchase items to have on hand when a repair is needed. In the meantime, Myles is working diligently to keep things in working order until repairs are completed.

This summer we will be undertaking a large project in the building garages to maintain the integrity of our plumbing systems. The stationary pipelines are suspended by clevis hangers which, due to our salt rich environment and passage of time, have reached the point where they need to be replaced. This is obviously critical to keep our plumbing lines clear. The Board has spent considerable time in interviewing five different plumbing contractors to get the right contractor for the job, and the best pricing. As a result, we will begin the project in the 110 building (where some of the hangers have already been replaced for an emergency situation). We will also have the kitchen drains snaked from the roof down to their final drainage egress. So…we will need residents’ cooperation in moving vehicles and having short but necessary unit access by Myles and building captains so that we can monitor the entire project with as little disruption as possible. Lots of logistical details to follow and thanks in advance for your understanding on this important preventive maintenance project, and let us know if you can help with this summer project.

We will also be working on the west balcony doors in the mornings, hopefully beginning next week, to remove rust, repaint and apply a protective coating on the crash bars for the doors to the stairwells. It had been our intention to have actually had that project completed by now but other more urgent items have interrupted that work. We will be starting with the 140N stack and we will advise residents by stack when their work will be done. There will be little, if any, interruption to residents although there will be some brief associated noise with the vacuum attachment that “sucks” up the rusty dust.

In the meantime, please remember to TAKE CARE OF THE AIR CONDITIONER HANDLERS IN YOUR UNIT, especially during these summer months. Check the drip pan regularly to ensure that there is no leakage, use cleaning strength vinegar or bleach in your condensation drain line, and have the A/C unit serviced annually. If you have any questions on what to do, please reach out to a board member or building captain. Remember that the A/C handler is solely the responsibility of the unit owner, thus any damage resulting from any leak is their responsibility as well.

On another informational note, several months ago the Board hired Keystone Engineering to provide a structural report on our building balconies, in order to prepare for work scheduled for 2022 according to the reserve study. Two members of the Board, our management company, and a resident well versed in this field will be meeting in mid-July with the engineer who performed the study and we will be providing a summary of that report as soon as possible after that meeting.

Thank you.
Ocean Dunes Board

Landscape Update 4/5

Neighbors,

Our volunteer group led by Dale Helmer gave another 1/2 day to clearing the area north of the pool area and it is really looking wonderful. You can now actually see where we might make some walking paths and areas for plantings for our native/butterfly garden - it's truly coming together.

There is still a lot to do in removal, shaping and clearing out but the group is up to the task!! Once they are satisfied with their work, we will do an analysis of the irrigation coverage and review the sun/shade areas so we can map out where new native plant material will work.

A tremendous thanks to Dale, Scott Messel, Paul Dickenson, Tod Tanis and to our super helpful neighbor in Crane’s Point, Chris Grant!

Paul and Tod are also helping to remove and replant the palms from the pots at the front door of 130. The palms are going to be replanted at the north entrance to the pool and the 130 folks are replanting the pots for their front entrance.

Very soon we’ll be sending out photo images for ideas for the front beds. We want your input!!

Thanks

Susan Cumming
[email protected]

Landscape Update 3/29

Spring planting time is here!

We hope you’ve noticed the replanting of the finger islands in between our buildings. A small group came together and planted some color in these areas. The areas have not been given the attention they needed and were fraught with issues of wind damage and shrubbery at the end of its life span . We were able to find appropriate plantings and get them in the ground to improve the overall look.

Over the long term, our goal is to move to Florida native plantings in all of our areas. Native plants will require less water (our number 1 priority), survive and thrive in our coastal environment, and require less man hours in terms of maintenance. Native plants don’t need chemicals and can actually improve water quality. Choosing the right plants also reduces the impact on our watershed. Our habitat can be improved by adding native plants. A great website/group to get more information is the Conradina Native Plant Society which has a chapter right here in the South Beaches. A number of people have done lots of research to identify appropriate Florida plants that will attract birds and butterflies and provide lots of color and interest.

We have identified three areas we’d like to focus on in 2021. Obviously we have budget restrictions and have had to spend a lot of the landscape budget already on unexpected issues carried forward from last year, primarily irrigation repairs. We feel fairly confident we’ve identified and corrected these problems.The three areas identified to refurbish in the very short term is to continue the work between our buildings and the pathways to the pool. We’ve found that oyster plants are doing very well in one area and are awaiting results of soil samples to look for other options. Currently we’ve added liriope, mondo grass, and thinking of adding some blue daze or lantana ground cover.

The area north of, and behind, the pool has been sorely neglected leaving it with many dead trees and invasive species. Dale Helmer has volunteered to take the lead to clear out and start making preparations for a natural Florida landscape/butterfly garden. The area will be cleaned out from the north side of the pool to the end of the 140 building and long term the idea is to have walking paths, perhaps a herb garden, some fruit trees, and Florida native plantings that will attract butterflies and require very low maintenance. There will be a number of volunteer opportunities to work in that area once the initial clean out is done. After the area is thinned out and some “paths” created, we will want to see how much sun and/or shade we will create so we can work on plans for plants in specific areas.

The third goal is to redo the front entrance. We lowered the existing beach naupakas because of community feedback over concern for our safety with very poor visibility coming into and out of Ocean Dunes. Additionally, Brevard County has issued a “weed control“ alert asking that neighborhoods consider removing the beach naupaka from their landscapes because they are considered an invasive species near the ocean.

We have a couple of ideas for reworking the front entrance and will be forwarding those suggestions by separate email so the community can provide feedback for how our new entrance should look. Based on comments by volunteers and interested neighbors, our starting suggestions will center around moving away from the "hedge look" to more low growing perennials and ground covers that provide lots of color, again lower maintenance and a design that provides clear sight lines for entering and exiting our property.

In the interim, please reach out to Susan Cumming or any other Board member for ideas and suggestions for plants or design ideas.

3/15/21

Neighbors:

A couple of items in and around Ocean Dunes:

After a long battle, Spectrum has finally installed hotspots for all three buildings for wireless reception in our lobbies and garages.  This service is available to current Spectrum subscribers- you will just need to enter the password for your regular account to access. 

The cover for our wonderful fire pit arrived last week and its use should substantially extend the life of the parts which often need replacement thanks to our beachside salt air.  Please turn off the fire pit about 10 minutes before you leave and replace the cover to protect our investment.

Sara has worked with Thyssen Krupp, our elevator contractor, to conduct their monthly maintenance visits on a regular basis rather than on a “we’re in the neighborhood” schedule.  While they can’t give a definite time, maintenance will be on the first and second Wednesdays of the month depending on the building and a reminder will be sent out the day before.  The visit generally doesn’t last more than an hour per stack and obviously the inconvenience of preventive maintenance outweighs unexpected downtime. 

We are always looking for building captains.  If you’re interested, please contact Kris Siegel at [email protected].

Starting next month, we will be starting several comprehensive maintenance projects including repair of the crash bars on all stairwell doors.  This won’t be an intrusive project as entry will be via the stairwells, and we’ll advise of the schedule by stack.  To more efficiently use Myles’ and Steve’s time, we will also be scheduling a morning or afternoon every week to replace balcony lights, GFI’s, and outlet covers. Please email Sara if any of these items are broken and need to be replaced on your balcony so that you may get on the spring schedule.

Again, many thanks to the volunteers who turned out at the last minute to help with spreading mulch and planting gazinias.  The property is already looking better and we’re just starting!!  If you have short-term or long range suggestions and/or can volunteer from time to time, please contact Susan Cumming at [email protected]

Along those same lines, Dale Helmer has put together a small group of volunteers to begin working in the buffer area behind 130 and our pool area to remove dead trees and invasive species that have run wild back there. There are actually several lovely blooming hibiscus and oleanders which will shortly see the light of day!  This experienced group of gentlemen regularly work with the grounds crew on the golf course and will be working within county guidelines and according to a planned design.  After the heavy work is done, we’ll be asking for volunteers to tackle the smaller chores.  Again, with this volunteer effort, we will save a substantial amount of money and be able to use the beautification credit given to us by US Lawns toward our front entrance.  We’ll have more information about options for the entrance in the next few weeks and would like to hear your thoughts.  Work on the buffer zone should start the week of March 22^nd.

We have created a new tab on OceanDunesatAquarina.com for insurance documents including wind mitigation reports so that you may access them directly rather than having to go through Sara.  This project will be completed in the next day or so. 

Comments and suggestions to your Board members are always welcome.  Please just reply to this email and your note will get forwarded to the appropriate person(s).

Thanks.

OD Board of Directors

------------------------------------------------------------
2/17/21
RESIDENTS:

We’d like to welcome Susan Cumming and Kris Siegel to the Association Board of Directors. Both were elected for a two-year term and are well qualified for this extremely important volunteer position.  Along with other duties, Susan will be working with Long Term Planning and Kris will be spear-heading efforts in Building Oversight and Planning.  Lots of work ahead!!  On that note, please look for details on volunteer projects and an upcoming volunteer day. We’ve got so many strengths and skills in this community and hope to be able to tap into them with flexible time and commitment needs for individual contributions.

We’d also like to thank Ron Schornstein for his service filling out a term this year and a special thank you to Larry Hysell for his years of dedication to Ocean Dunes.  Both these gentlemen have graciously agreed to lend their experience and expertise to the community in the coming year. Ron has already volunteered to join the Infractions/Due Process Committee and Larry will continue his work with Financial Review and building captain training. 

A couple of notes and reminders:

Unit owners are responsible for foyer and balcony light bulbs.  Please let Sara know if you have any balcony repair items that include light fixtures, electrical outlets, and spigots. The Association is responsible for those items and we are happy to schedule replacement as needed.

Turtle Season is rapidly approaching – March 1^st begins nesting season, and May 1^st begins lighting restrictions.  Here is a good source of information to make sure your outdoor lighting meets Brevard County code - https://myfwc.com/conservation/you-conserve/lighting/ordinances/.  Other good information on how to protect these wonderful creatures can be found here  - https://seaturtlespacecoast.org/ (and a great organization to join if you haven’t already!)

An unhappy reminder – trash and recycle continue to be a problem, particularly when we’re in full season.  Please use common sense to not overfill the dumpsters and recycle bins, break down your boxes, and dispose of your trash responsibly.   FYI – the dumpsters are emptied early on Tuesday and Friday mornings while the recycle bins are emptied on Thursday mornings. 

Another reminder that our garages should not be considered “completely secure” so please use your parking area storage accordingly.

We are really excited to welcome US Lawns to the property as our new landscaping contractor.  We should start to see a number of improvements as they begin their work.  Shortly we will be inviting your comments and suggestions going forward.

Best, Board of Directors

--------------------------------


2/4/21
Dear Neighbors:

In part due to our new Covid environment, and in part due to numerous conversations with residents, this Board is going to make some adjustments in the way we structure the business of the Association.  A number of residents have expressed an interest in utilizing their strengths in making Ocean Dunes a strong community but are reluctant to join a structured committee and/or have limited flexibility for meeting times, especially with our large snowbird contingent.  Instead they would like to offer their time and efforts in individual contributions - perhaps a research project into water saving methods, maintain supply logs and procure cost efficiently, make website updates, offer suggestions on native plantings. There are so many talented folks in this community and we can certainly benefit from individual participation in addition to our long standing volunteers that have worked so hard to make this a special place to live.  We will be maintaining the Architectural Review Committee and the Infractions Committee as is while converting our other committees into Long Range Planning, Financial Review and Planning, and Community Development while making sure that all our many bases are covered.