April 2013 Bendemeer Property Management Report

Bendemeer Property Management Report
March 2013
Mac Property Services
Mac Property Services Limited (MPS) are appointed by Bendemeer Management Limited (BML) to provide property and facilities
management expertise and resources required to professionally managed Bendemeer. MPS employ a team of full time property
managers, including in house accounts and office administration resources.
MPS have been involved in re-establishing systems and actioning tasks to ensure that Bendemeer is being appropriately, and cost
effectively, looked after to ensure good governance of the property and its infrastructure.
Your contact is: Angela Davis 03 441 0790 or 0275 06 14 28 or [email protected]
Property and Infrastructure Update
General
MPS has spent considerable time over this past quarter coordinating the completion of the auditing of the
2011/2012 financial year accounts.
Audit Financials
2011/2012
BML Design
Committee
Application
The 2011/2012 financials were looked after by various parties over the course of that financial year and as
such the collecting and collating of information needed by WHK to complete the audit has been challenging
and time consuming.
WHK was given all information needed to complete the audit by 22nd February and a draft was presented by
this date to the BML director. Currently the BML directors are working with WHK to complete the final
aspects of the audit and we hope to have the completed document sent to all the lot owners in the near
future.
MPS have created an application form for BML Design Committee approval on new buildings at Bendemeer.
The form guides applicants in terms of information to be submitted and timelines governing the approval
process.
This application form will simplify and clarify the requirements of the BML Deign Committee for any lot
owners looking to plan and build a residence or make any alterations to existing buildings.
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It is a requirement for all new buildings or alterations to obtain BML Design Committee approval prior to
applying for council Resource and Building Consent.
We are currently trialing the application process with the proposed house for Lot 22.
We have continued to observe and manage the algae blooms and duck weed growth on the ponds over the
summer.
Ponds
We have observed that natural water plants such as Bull Rush appear to remove the nutrients out of the
water that feed the algae and thus limit growth. A good example of this is in the pond situated along Caldwell
Lane. This pond has Bull Rush growing along a section of its South Eastern bank. The pond was treated for
algae in the previous summer. Over last winter the Bull Rush were burned back and when regenerated
appeared to use the nutrients in the water to do so. The resulted of this is that we have had to use no
chemical algae or weed control all summer and the pond looks fantastic.
We have chemically treated the other ponds within Bendemeer except the main holding pond to keep them
looking good.
The management of holding pond water is complicated as it must remain non-contaminated/non-toxic so that
it can be used for irrigation and stock water. Accordingly the balance between good aesthetics and functional
utility requires some compromise.
We have commenced the planting of Bull Rush into the far bank of the holding pond. This will be a cost
effective, natural way to control the algae and anticipate a result as early as next summer.
Roads
Fulton Hogan has completed repairs to the road as contracted. Photos below
As a safety precaution a traffic mirror has been installed at the intersection between Bendemeer Lane and
Baird Lane.
Traffic Mirror
The visibility of traffic travelling down Baird Lane towards the intersection and along Bendemeer Lane
towards the gate was poor at this intersection. The installation of a traffic mirror will help with this issue and
hopefully prevent any accidents occurring.
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We have had rabbit shooters on Bendmeer twice a week over summer. They have reported shooting and
retrieving between 70 and 100 rabbits per shoot.
This has helped to keep the population down. We will start to use other rabbit control methods as the
weather cools and the rabbits food sources diminish.
Rabbits
Our long term plan is to work toward installing rabbit proof fencing along the perimeter fence line of
Bendemeer. As
Our long term plan is to add rabbit proof fencing to the existing perimeter fence. The types of rabbit control
that we can use at Bendemeer will start to become limited as more residence’ are built. A rabbit proof fence
will help keep rabbits out from neighboring properties, who may not have a regular rabbit control program,
and make the rabbit control we use more effective. This will be a project LQ will be involved in over a
number of years given the scale and cost involved.
Some of the lot owners have reported unauthorized people coming into Bendemeer to do rabbit shooting.
This is clearly something we would like to discourage from a safety aspect.
Signage
As a first response we have installed additional ‘Private Property’ signage along the Arrow Junction Road
fence line. Hopefully this will send a clear message that Bendemeer is not open slather for rabbit shooters.
FH have been asked to service the court on annual basis.
Pavilion and tennis
court
Caretaker
Some basic repairs to the Pavilion decking have taken place due to the poor condition of the timbers. We
have used a timber which will age quickly so that it blends in with the existing timbers. BML will need to
consider the replacement of all of the decking timbers in the medium term given the condition.
Our caretaker Charlie Fraser of Landcare Queenstown has been kept busy over the first 6 week of the year
with rapid grass growth following a higher than average rainfall over January. This has been followed by a
very dry period that has meant organizing irrigation for the common areas.
LQ have been managing the pond water levels especially the Pavilion pond where the water levels must be
kept below the pavilion deck. This involves placing a small pump into the pond to then pump the water back
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into the holding pond.
The current irrigation pump system is designed only to pump into the ponds and not out. A separate pump is
set up whenever the pond level threatens the pavilion building to lower the water level. A permanent drain
has been designed and will be given the go ahead in the future however is not a priority at this stage given
the existing system work sufficiently for now.
LQ have had good results regenerating the damaged verges along Baird Lane that were very poorly
presented. These areas were Hyroseeded in spring and have been irrigated throughout summer. With this
success and the availability of funds LQ have had all remaining damaged verges along all the lanes
Hydroseeded recently. We envisage seeing good results from this in the spring.
LQ have commenced planting of some Bull Rush into the holding pond as part of the non-toxic algae control
method we are using. This will continue over winter.
We will be working with LQ to prepare a plan and timeframe to start to complete the additional landscaping
requirement under the Resource Consent for Bendemeer. We hope to start this planting in the spring.
Other duties LQ are involved in are: weed spraying, cleaning of the pavilion deck, monitoring pond levels,
pond water treatment, liaising with lot owners whilst on site and assisting with information on plants needed
for the QLDC resource consent requirements for planting.
FYI - Charles Fraser will be away from the 18th April to 21st May
Re-grassing
LQ has had all the further bare verges Hydroseeded. This should see establishment now and good growth in
the spring.
The first baleage has been completed with a total of 418 bales cut. This has brought BML an income of
$4,180 or $10 per bale.
Common Areas
We were planning on having a second cut over the season but the lower than average rainfall has meant the
grass growth has been slow and a second cut will not be possible.
We have been in discussion with a farmer regarding running his sheep on the farm area of Bendemeer. He
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will be placing 100 merinos on the farm area over winter but has some concerns with providing feed to them.
This may be a short term option for him if he finds it difficult to keep the sheep feed.
December 2012 - QLDC are holding a bond (circa $8,000) for the use and completion of the landscaping as
part of the original Resource Consent. It has been agreed that they will release this bond in
increments once we have put a specific planting plan together showing all the outstanding
landscaping is completed over a number of years.
We have investigated how many plants we currently have planted and what is outstanding
in and around the pond areas.
We have obtained quotes for the 4,773 plants required ($16,000 + GST) and an option
including the planting ($42,000 + GST).
Landscape Plan
The quotes were for smaller plants then specified in the resource consent. We did this
assuming Lakes Environmental will agree to this provided we get the planting completed
over an agreed timeframe. The smaller plants cost less and we are therefore able to plant
more over a shorter period of time.
Irrigation Water
March 2013 -
We will move forward with using LQ and any lot owners (if interested) to plant the required
plants over a given period of time and will be working with Lakes Environmental on a
timeframe for this. Planning for this will start in the next quarter.
August 2012 -
Irrigation water is supplied via the Arrow Irrigation Scheme which is supplied to the
Hawthorne pond located on the neighboring Bendemeer Estate. Water is then conveyed
via easement and by pump up to the Matagouri pond also on neighboring land before
being gravity fed down to a holding pond within Bendemeer. This system has had issues
over recent years that relate to an instability problem with the Hawthorne pond, and the
expiry of 15 year old water pump that necessitated replacement at a time when the
majority of sites within Bendemeer were in receivership. A number of meetings have taken
place to determine how to address the problems with the Hawthorne pond that has had
cost estimates to rectify of up to $100,000. A recent meeting determined that a simpler
solution was at hand and it is now estimated the upgrade cost is likely to be far less than
projected, but to date not resolved. Bendemeer while not currently using a lot of water, has
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40 shares in the Arrow Irrigation Scheme and accordingly has rights to 80% of the water
pumped into the Hawthorne Pond, accordingly we are in the process of negotiating a fair
proportion of upgrade costs that protects this water resource into the future, but also
reflects the current water usage. As lot owners start creating gardens within Bendemeer
there will be an increased need for irrigation water, accordingly we wish to assure lot
owners that they will have a ready supply of irrigation water, and also that the irrigation
pumps will be supplying water on demand to all lot owners. Please be advised that there
will be a ready supply of irrigation water available to all lot owners this summer. FH have
been contracted to maintain the irrigation water pumps within the pump shed, and
manholes and control valves linking ponds, to ensure that this is maintained to a best
practice standard. LQ will be checking K line irrigation systems over coming months to
ensure the system is up and available for use this summer.
December 2012 – we have had no further contact from the neighboring property owner regarding this and
so no further action has taken place.
Ourselves, LQ and Fulton Hogan are working together to get the irrigation system repaired
and in good working order so that all lot owners will be able to use it. We have had some
delays in getting this project started due to lack of funding but can now move forward.
From the investigations so far it seems that the Kline irrigation system capacity is limited.
The pump system will not be able to support all lot owners irrigating at the same time or at
similar times.
We will need to put the pump for irrigation water on a timer with lot owners given specific
timings on when they will be able to irrigate. From the drawing we have it appears that not
all lots have irrigation points. This can be resolved by connecting to the nearest irrigation
point and running Kline piping to the effected Lot, burying the piping using a mole plough
or similar. Fulton Hogan will be checking that the as built plans we have of the irrigation
system are correct.
Given this, we form the conclusion that lot owners may need to consider including onsite
irrigation water storage tanks for all lots. This will allow each lot owners the freedom of
irrigation whenever they wish with no timing restrictions.
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Some repairs have been completed to ensure the new grass seeding has sufficient
irrigation water to grow.
March 2013 -
Long term asset
management plan
The convener of the neighboring land owners has endeavored to organize a meeting of all
stake holders to finally resolve this issue. To date no meeting has taken place. The general
consensus is a simple solution will be adopted and costs to BML will be reduced then first
proposed.
Now that we have funding to move forward on this and are in the process of engaging Hadley Consulting in
conjunction with Clarke Fortune McDonald to complete this.
The roots of some of the trees along Bendemeer Lane are starting to cause some major damage to the
roading.
This appears to be the Poplar trees only with the Birch Tree, which make up the majority, causing no issues
with the roading.
Removal of Trees
We will need to remove the Poplar trees that are causing the damage and replaced with some less invasive
options, possibly Birch.
If the trees are left then they will cause more and more damage to the road which will become a safety
concern and look unsightly. See photo of one of the trees.
Winter Road
Conditions
We are in the process of setting up an arrangement with Fulton Hogan on road clearance and gritting if we
need it over winter.
At this stage we may look at a set contract for gritting on the lower part of Bendemeer Lane and some part of
Baird Lane while construction is taking place over winter.
Clearing of snow on the roads will be on an ‘as needed’ basis.
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Other
Potable Water
Sewerage System
Fire Hydrants
Supplied by the Lake Hayes Scheme with Bendemeer having a privately owned pump shed and water
pump. Fulton Hogan (FH) regularly monitors and maintains the pump system for potable water into and
around Bendemeer to ensure that this facility is maintained to a best practice standard.
FH are contracted to regularly check and maintain the system including three pumps and associated
sewerage infrastructure to ensure that this is maintained to a best practice standard.
FH been appointed to maintain the fire hydrant system throughout Bendemeer to ensure that this is
maintained to a best practice standard.
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Accounts
We now have the majority of outstanding levies paid which gives us the ability to move forward with projects to make Bendemeer
work and look better for everyone involved.
Shortly we will commence the wash-up of the budget vs actual spend for the 2012/2013 financial year. We will do this once we have
paid for all of the March 2013 invoices from our suppliers on (or near) the 20th of April.
The levies will remain the same as last financial year as agreed in last years AGM however some deferred maintenance items that
were not completed because of lack of funding will be brought over to this next financial year.
We will go into more detail on this as we start to work though the figures.
The audited 2011/2012 financials are with the BML directors for final questioning and sign off and will be issued out to all lot owners
once finalized. This particular audit has been time consuming as there were a number of parties involved in the accounts over that
year and the collection of information require has been difficult and time consuming.
The audit for the 2012/2013 financial will be much quicker as we have been managing the accounts through the whole of that
financial year so are able to provide the auditors will all the information they need.
In Closing
With the majority of levies and outstanding monies now paid BML can move forward with resolving a number of issues which will
make the management of Bendemeer run smoother and improve some of the services supplied to the lots and lot owners.
The Long Term Maintenance Plan will give Bendemeer a clear picture of what to plan for long term to keep this beautiful part of
Queenstown looking and running it’s best for all lot owners and ensure that funding is appropriate in terms of the sinking fund.
We have an AGM coming up in the next month and I ask if you could please start to provide items you would like to see added to the
agenda.
I will send an email out once we have a confirmed date for this.
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Photos
Timber repair completed on Pavilion deck
Photo showing road repairs completed
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Pond along Caldwell Lane that has needed no chemical
algae and duck weed treatment this summer
One of the Poplar Tree which is causing damage to the
road and will need to be removed
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