Committee Chair:
Committee Members: Lewis Pozzebon
Function: To maintain Cypress Ridge’s infrastructure and roads
- Either a committee member sees a problem or a resident notifies the chairperson of a problem or an issue.
- Chairperson assesses the problem.
- Chairperson contacts the appropriate contractors, if appropriate, to obtain estimates.
- Chairperson presents the Board with the options with cost estimates for approval to proceed.
- Chairperson obtains a contract to perform the work.
- Chairperson oversees the project/construction to completion.
If you would like to report a problem with roads, sidewalks, storm drains or any other infrastructure problem or have a question, click HERE
Sidewalk & Street Damage done by Privately Owned Trees-Board Policy
December 21, 2012
To: All Cypress Ridge Owners Association Members
Re: Sidewalk & Street Damage done by Privately Owned Trees-Board Policy
Dear Member,
Most of the streets and sidewalks within Cypress Ridge are owned by our Cypress Ridge Owners Association (CROA), and the Association is responsible for safely managing and maintaining them. Some trees, such as those along Cypress Ridge Parkway, also are owned and maintained by the CROA. However, many trees are owned by individual property owners. These are the trees that are on homeowner property, including the narrow “parking strip” between the sidewalk and street curb.
As our sidewalks and streets age and our trees mature, several problems, such as cracking and uplifting, have occurred. These pose a safety concern for the community, its residents and its visitors. For some time, when such problems were rare, the CROA was able to provide appropriate remedies and maintenance. However, because these problems now have become widespread, it is time for the owners to become involved in resolving these issues on their own property.
Therefore, through this letter, the Board of Directors is advising all owners that it will be notifying owners if a problem on their property is identified. The Board will provide information about available options and associated costs. It will then become the owner’s responsibility to act in a timely manner to resolve the matter. One of the options available to the property owner will be to allow the CROA to handle the problem and bill costs to the owner. In any case, however, if the owner does not act to protect safety and the CROA infrastructure, the CROA will take the necessary steps and costs will be collected from each responsible property owner.
Your Board members sincerely hope that all owners will work with us to ensure that our sidewalks and streets are safe and that costly damage is avoided.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Sincerely,
CROA Board of Directors
CROA Board of Directors
Sidewalk Tripping Hazard Policy - Approved 4-20-21
Sidewalk Tripping Hazards
The CROA has two triggers for responding to sidewalk tripping hazards:
1. An Owner notifies the CROA a tripping hazard. When an Owner notifies the Association, the Board is then put on notice to act for a possible safety hazard.
2. Site Reviews conducted by the Roads and Infrastructure Committee. These reviews are conducted least annually to predetermine if sidewalks need to be repaired or replaced.
ADA Trip Hazard Guidelines
ADA trip hazard specifications apply to all federal, state, county, and municipal facilities. The most common ADA trip hazards are found on broken or lifted sidewalks and driveways, usually at joints or cracks. It becomes increasingly difficult to travel on cracked sidewalk and handicap ramps. Regular sidewalk maintenance reduces trip hazards by maintaining a smooth, clean walkway. Cracks and lifts need to be fixed to ensure safe travels.
According to the ADA, trip hazards must be removed from any public or commercial sidewalks. Complying with the act allows people with disabilities to travel safely and more easily.
It is important to remember that all ADA trip hazards are preventable, and that the ADA guidelines must be followed to eliminate trip hazards.
The ADA states that:
· Changes in surface level may be a maximum of 1/4-inch vertically without edge treatment.
· Changes in surface level 1/4-inch through 1/2-inch vertically must be beveled with a slope no greater than 1V:2H (1Vertical:2High)
· Changes in level greater than 1/2-inch must be accomplished by means of a ramp (in this case, the CROA has replaced the sidewalk rather than use a ramp.)
Policy Proposal:
The Roads and Infrastructure Committee recommends to the CROA Board of Directors implement a policy for compliance with the ADA Trip Hazard Guidelines.
1. Compliance Standards:
A. Changes in surface level 1/4-inch through 1/2-inch- the sidewalk can be grinded or replaced.
If Owners choose the option to grind, they should be aware that any tree roots causing sidewalks to lift or crack will remain under the sidewalk and will still grow, causing the problem to continue. The only way to eliminate the problem is to remove the tree roots, which will require sidewalk replacement.
Therefore, sidewalk grinding is a temporary solution and not the preferred method to correct the problem. Owners should be aware that the problem will continue to persist. The Owner or future owner will eventually have to replace the sidewalk.
B. Changes in level greater than 1/2-inch- the sidewalk must be replaced.
The CROA will notify the Owner via certified letter, return receipt requested, of the severity of the sidewalk trip hazard and will put the Owner on notice to repair or replace the sidewalk per ADA Trip Hazard Guidelines and within a designated time frame.
Based on the severity of the trip hazard, the Chairman of the Roads and Infrastructure Committee will recommend the effective date for compliance and will be available to the Owner to provide further direction or guidance to ensure that the repair or replacement of the sidewalk take place within the time required.
The CROA will offer the option to Owners to make the repair or replacement the sidewalk with a company that the CROA works with the help of the Chairman of the Roads and Infrastructure Committee. If the Owner accepts this offer, then the repair or replacement of the sidewalk will be arranged, the work will be done by a certain date.
To obtain the best price from a contractor, the contractor must look at each job and give the CROA separate estimates for each location. This process will ensure that the Owner will not have to pay for a "short load" of concrete. The Owner then can make an informed decision on whether to hire their own contractor, or to have the CROA hire the contactor on their behalf.
If the Owner chooses for the CROA to hire the contractor, then the contractor’s invoice will be directed to the Owner for payment.
2. Non-compliance
Non-compliance with the ADA Trip Hazard Guidelines will be deemed as a violation of this policy. The following process will be implemented for remediation:
· The CROA will notify the Owner via certified letter, return receipt requested, of the severity of the sidewalk trip hazard and will put the Owner on notice to repair or replace the sidewalk per ADA Trip Hazard Guidelines.
· Based on the severity of the trip hazard, the Chairman of the Roads and Infrastructure Committee will recommend the effective date for compliance and will be available to the Owner to provide further direction or guidance to ensure that the repair or replacement of the sidewalk take place within the time required.
· The CROA will offer the option to Owners to make the repair or replacement the sidewalk with a company that the CROA works with the help of the Chairman of the Roads and Infrastructure Committee. If the Owner accepts this offer, then the repair or replacement of the sidewalk will be arranged, and the invoice will be directed to the Owner for payment.
· If the Owner does not respond to the CROA’s request to repair or replace the sidewalk in a timely manner, then the CROA will contact the Owner by telephone call and/or will provide the Owner with a second letter.
· Since ADA trip hazards are preventable, and that the ADA guidelines must be followed to eliminate trip hazards, the CROA will move forward to repair or replace sidewalks when Owners are non-responsive to the request. The invoice will be directed to the Owner for payment.
· If the Owner does not pay the invoice by the due date, the CROA will record a lien against the Owners property for the amount owed.