Can you add an item re plans for drainage installation on Megan’s and my sections.

Three weeks ago I found out — by accident — that the easement across the back of our sections is to be used. Previously I had been told it wouldn’t be needed, and the reference to possibly cancelling the easement on Megan’s section in the meeting notes of 8 August immediately gained my attention. I certainly would like a redundant easement cancelled.

So I was rather put out (to put it mildly) to discover that yes it IS going to be used, and that no one had thought to keep us posted on evolving plans. UCOL is of course legally entitled to do so, but there’s more to good neighbourly relations than legal entitlement…

We managed to get some info by talking to Bill the S & W foreman, and the staff member from Foley’s who was fortuitously on site. But this is not how things should be done — we should NOT be getting the information from workmen.

Both Megan and I want to be cooperative (I’ve shifted the caravan and my garden already) but it is very unsettling. It’s even worse for Megan, as UCOL apparently intends using a drain unknown to her (and not in an easement on her land). It’s very common apparently, especially in Dunedin, to have unmarked drains under land.

And yes, UCOL may be legally entitled to use it, but leaving Megan in the dark over the matter is not the way to foster good neighbourly relations.

As she has said to me, what if she had been working all this time with an architect on a plan that now had to be altered because of this drain?

How would you all feel, if, for example, you found out your neighbours have been plotting to use a drain under your land when the drain layer knocked at your door to say they’re coming on site? It seems like we’ve only precluded this by accident. (In fact Megan initially found out something was up because someone had been digging holes and spray painting marks on her land.)

Communication with us was raised in the UCOL meeting of 22 August — and thank you for the notice over the surveyor that resulted. But I know Megan has asked the directors for more information that has not yet been forthcoming. I don’t yet know how deep the drain will be and how that will impact on planting in that area.

I’m disappointed there’s been such a lack of courtesy.

On 10/09/2019, at 3:04 PM, Karen Or <karen.or@otago.ac.nz> wrote:

Kia ora koutou,
Here is the agenda for this Thursday’s meeting. Please send in any additional items/clarifications/apologies.
Cheers,   Karen

UCOL Meeting Agenda
Date: Thursday 12 September 2019
Location: Centre for Sustainability Seminar Room – 563 Castle Street
Chair: Alex King                                                                 Note taker: Karen Or
Present: Alex, Karen & Sander
Apologies: Susan
(Dennis, Catherine, Frances, Sandy, Rainer, Marianne, Jan, Warren, Min, Tim, Roz, Michael, Elizabeth, Pauline, Jess and James, Anne Thomson, Sara, Anne and Geoff King, Sue Taylor, Juan and Maria, Gay Buckingham, Rosemarie and Maurice, Donald and Miriam, Claire, Anthony & Anna)
Appreciations:

Minutes of record:
1. A Body Corp Meeting was held at the Centre for Sustainability Seminar Room at 3pm 24 August 2019. A good number of cohousing members turned up including Anthony and Anna. We were formed in different small groups to brain storm and discuss about different body corporate rules.  After the workshop, a few members joined Rainer, Anthony and Anna to the construction site, followed up a meal together in a Chinese restaurant.
2. A meeting with Lawyer Anthony Hamel was held on 5^th September 2019 evening at the Centre for Sustainability Seminar Room for interested cohousing members, discussing about the tips of preparing to sell a house. Jan sent an email on 6^th September 2019 to share the meeting notes.
Agenda Items:
1.      PCG Update
2.      BCG Update
3.      Legal Liaison Group Update
4.      Appliances update (Sara)
5.      Local Internet Network? (Alex)
6.      Shared meals – BYO (from Roz’s email)
7.      Middle flooring (Tim)
8.      Open Forum

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