MISTY CLIFFS VILLAGE ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER - February 2004
Editor: Tim Anderson

DEVELOPERS TO HIT MISTY CLIFFS! Have you heard? An area of the in-shore reefs may soon be blasted out to make a small power boat marina, and a ski slope using snow machines is envisaged to run down the valley and terminate at a mini-casino complex on the beach.

Your committee is fully behind these innovative development proposals which have become necessary in view of the Association's funding situation having been seriously depleted, because so many owners are persistently slack with payment of their annual subscriptions.

For the moment the proposals are in abeyance in the hope that subscription collections will sharply and rapidly improve, especially from delinquent owners who might not feel supportive towards the development proposals. To this end the usual remittance form is attached to this newsletter.

OLD CAMP ROAD IS SQUEAKING
Excuses are excusable to explain the over-long period since the last newsletter. The principal cop-out is that we wanted to make a Triumphant Announcement about the proposal to upgrade Old Camp Road. Unfortunately every time we got near to being able to shout this out there was yet another hitch which held things up. Meanwhile time shuffled on.

So now we've killed the idea of a triumphant announcement and will make a loud squeak instead. We can squeak with the news that it is more than likely that the road project will happen and that construction work should begin by the end of March and, weather permitting, should be completed before the really heavy rains attack us in July. Should we get early rains which hold up work it will not prejudice the R450 000 Council contribution towards the project because the contract will have begun and the funds allocated before the Council's budgetary year ends.

There are innumerable time-consuming details to attend to of course, but the crucial issues are twofold: One is that the people who signed commitments to contribute will in fact put their money on the table, the other is that the bids for the contract tender will be within the professional engineering estimates made.

By the time you read this you should have received a circular advising the details of the trust account into which contributions are to be deposited. Note that for clarity we are keeping communications about the road separate from the newsletter.

Construction work inevitably causes some temporary chaos and inconvenience but the outcome for Misty Cliffs will be well worth the temporary hassles expected. Apart from the nice road surface, the water and power services will be secure (at present both are highly vulnerable to fire). The recent serious fire above Simon's Town was prevented from spreading largely because fire-fighting vehicles could access the area. This reminds us that in the devastating fire of 2000, fire-fighting vehicles were unable to negotiate Old Camp Road that night and it was simply miraculous that there wasn't much greater consequential damage. The upgrade will give us proper storm water drainage, sewerage reticulation will be in ready for connection to the planned new disposal works northwards towards Kommetjie, and there will be underground conduits for pulling-in telephone cables in due course. Obviously the value and marketability of affected properties will be massively jacked up.

A number of owners have declined to contribute, and understandably there have been some resentful cries of "free riders". Folks, it's not that bad. Your committee has carefully investigated the refuseniks. Some owners are genuinely cash-strapped or bond-bound at present. Some were cynical and didn't believe the upgrade proposal was much more than a dream, so they said they weren't interested. We think it probable that when they see the project actually started or, at the latest when they see it finished, most of the presently hesitant owners will chip in. If that happens, the late contributions will be held in the interest-bearing road account until the completed contract has been signed off. It will then be distributed among the earlier contributors to recover some of their outlay. Regrettably we might still end up with a couple of free riders, but in the meantime let's all be optimistic about human nature - we like to think that the kind of people who appreciate Misty Cliffs are not the kind who are natural-born parasites!

Nothing can be mentioned about the road project without acknowledgement of the incredible volume of work and time put in by Doug Tunbridge. Doug has had many times more meetings with SPA officials and consultants than the rest of the committee put together, and he's made more phone calls and sent more e-mails, faxes and letters than the number of monthly inquiries to the "Playboy" sex advisory service. Our chairman Jonathan Schrire comes second in effort put in, but then chairmen customarily never get kudos - that's the downside of glory and prestige.

NO SLEEPING ON SECURITY
The spate of burglaries last year was a desecration of our beautiful enclave but bumped us with the proverbial reality check. It forced us to install radio alarms which turned out to be much less costly than had first been feared. Your committee used some association funds to share the base station costs with Scarborough Security Services (SSS) - who continue to provide an excellent response and a useful general eye and emergency service for both Misty Cliffs and Scarborough.

We do recommend that radio alarms are regularly checked by 'phoning SSS from your Misty Cliffs number to warn them, and then simulating a break-in so that your alarm activates. It is possible for a dormant radio responder to suffer a flat battery or an attack to its circuits by wire-nibbling insects or other wild animals. We remind you that if you have or suspect a problem with your responder the people to call are the suppliers, Marcos Solis-Peralta (082-594-0109) or Dominique (082-794-8081).

A property on middle Old Camp Road recently suffered a comprehensive theft of its swimming pool system - everything but the pool itself. This is a costly loss and is the third of its kind in Misty Cliffs. It is difficult to guard against such thefts, especially if pools are under contract maintenance. The culprit(s) are probably backyard no-name pool "contractors", or "suppliers" thereto. In the latest incident some interesting clues were provided to the SAPS, but more evidence will be needed. We ask everyone to keep their eyes peeled and to note down the registration numbers of any bakkie-type vehicles which seem to be out of place or out of context. Owners who use contract pool maintenance should be alert for service or "inspection" visits at unscheduled times and should also be alert to unrecognized personnel purporting to represent the authorized contractor. A sensible idea is to install an additional alarm at the pool equipment area; it should be on a timer so that it operates only after dark.

INVITATIONS TO BABOON FEASTS
Baboons can and have caused considerable damage and a disgusting mess if they get into a house. They're an intimidating physical threat and potentially a danger to children. Therefore we pay towards the cost of employing people to chase them away. At the same time some Misty Cliffs owners invite the baboons back by persistently leaving plastic trash bags lying around.

This is really silly, and very unneighbourly. It frustrates our chasers and makes them much less effective, so we're wasting some of our money. The ubiquitous wind of course spreads whatever trash the baboons don't want and our area ends up looking scummy.

The usual excuse is that houses are let or lent to visitors who are uncontrollable. This doesn't wash; the owners remain responsible. There are other owners who are completely successful in ensuring that tenants and visitors properly secure their rubbish and arrange for its collection by the Tuesday morning service. It's simply a matter of firm instructions to the users of the house.

Trash bags must either be stored in the house or garage until just before the collectors arrive, or taken home by the visitors, or placed in a baboon-proof bin accessible to the collectors. There is also a trash dump at the picnic area near where the Ocean View road crosses the main coast road down to the crayfish factory. NOTE THAT THE MISTY CLIFFS COLLECTION SERVICE IS ONLY ON TUESDAY MORNINGS AND, THE SAME AS EVERYWHERE ELSE IN THE UNICITY AREA, DOES NOT COLLECT PLASTIC BAGS UNLESS THEY'RE IN A BIN.

Baboon proof bins are widely available but not all are very "proof". Baboons can easily undo clips holding lids. They've learnt that by pulling a big bin onto its side and standing on it they can distort it enough for a colleague to reach inside. If a bin is full they can also force a gap under the lid and grab at least the top layers of trash. The best answer is a standard municipal plastic bin fitted with a hasp and staple to secure the lid and a screw clip in place of a padlock. The bin should be chained or tied to something so that it can't be pulled over.

WET BANISHMENT FOR ALIEN GROWERS
You've probably noticed that swathes of alien vegetation are flourishing along the coast road and in various areas between Misty Cliffs and Simon's Town. There are several bureaucracies involved in the elimination and control of alien species, mainly municipal, forestry, nature conservation, Ukuvuka, and of course numerous private owners. There seems to be some buck-passing and not the best integration of planning between different authorities. We are persevering with this problem because apart from the overwhelming of indigenous species, aliens spell extreme fire risk. Recent publicity attended the charging of a private owner in Noordhoek with failing to clear his land of aliens. Unfortunately when relatively large areas are invaded the cost of clearing and subsequent control of re-growth can be more than the historical fines for failing to comply. In other words these criminals consider it cost-efficient to let the Law take its course. Your committee is considering vigilante action - kidnapping offenders and exporting them into the South Atlantic by kite-board during suitably strong south-easters.

SO YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE NICELY INSURED?
On the matter of fire, you will have noted that our neighbours, the Harris's, who own the land above Misty Cliffs, have recently created a substantial fire belt fully complying with relevant regulations. The work was done by Ukuvuka (Working for Water) but it is up to owners now to maintain the fire belt. At the time of writing the cut bush had not been removed from the site and we're hoping that Ukuvuka will attend to that quickly in case of another fire attack.

We are now in the peak season for fire risk with tinder-dry ground cover, little chance of rain but hot weather and plenty of south-easters. Owners should be well prepared for fires, which can advance with terrifying speed in a semi-gale. Cut back or thin-out all vegetation on the windward side of your house, keep windows and doors closed, pre-plan everything in case you need to escape, especially by night, and make sure your insurances are up to date.

Insurance: Please note that some insurers regard alien vegetation infestation in the same light as storage of inflammable substances and may repudiate fire damage claims. If a claim arises from and/or includes consequential fire damage to a neighbouring property the insured party may find himself without cover for a claim by the neighbour.

We recommend again the use of a "Tree Popper" for uprooting alien saplings up to 20 mm or so thick. It's much quicker and needs much less effort than the tedious process of sawing, chopping, poisoning and manual uprooting. Re-growth is minimized because the whole tap root comes out and therefore there's no need to contaminate our area with herbicide. Poppers are available from several outlets; phone 021-858-1154 to check.

Keep a careful eye on things if you have a braai because a small glowing ember can drift into some dry grass and by the time anyone notices fire starting it will be well on the way to being out of control. Never delay in calling the fire services - rather a trivial call than waiting for a huge conflagration.

HOOKING UP TO DSTV
Committee members Lyn Mossop and Leon Morris have negotiated with a contractor for a DSTV signal to be provided to Misty Cliffs residents. It will utilize the existing crayfish factory mast from which our current TV reception is re-transmitted. This has substantially reduced the initial cost to participants compared with the cost of the original proposal which involved distributing the signal by a cable network.

The total cost of supplying and installing the equipment needed to receive the Multichoice DSTV channels is R45 250, excluding VAT, and this cost will be divided equally between the initial participants. Indications are that nine or 10 owners would be immediately interested in the service.

Any subsequent participants would be required to pay the same amount but their contributions would be deposited into an interest-bearing account from which a dividend would be paid annually to all participants, thus gradually offsetting the initial installation cost as more people join the scheme.

Each participating household will require a special dish antenna, which can be supplied through the scheme at R250. Installation of the dish and the decoder will be for the subscribers' personal accounts and will cost something between R2 400 and R4 200, according to who does the job.

The relay equipment is guaranteed for one year. The contractor has suggested that an annual maintenance fee of R500 be paid in anticipation of the serious corrosion problems in this area. The contractor states that the maintenance is unlikely to exceed 10% of the contract price per annum. They will make regular inspections, do maintenance and deal with any signal-interference related problems.

We would like to begin installation during March so please let us know quickly if you would like to participate in the scheme or if you need more information. Phone Lyn at 021-780-1178 or 082-557-4477; also Leon at 021-780-1256 or 082-415-3343.

WALKING/HIKING PERMITS
Owners or their tenants wanting to enjoy walking up the mountain need a permit. Much of the mountain behind and around Misty Cliffs is part of the private Baskloof Reserve which belongs to the Harris's, who are only too pleased if their land bestows happiness upon botanists, exercise freaks, and others. Their insistence on permits is not primarily because they are destitute but is more because their land falls within the Cape Provincial National Park (CPNP) and therefore several responsibilities are imposed upon them. It can be very important to know who was on the property, and when, especially if there's a fire. Strictly speaking anyone accessing the CPNP is required to buy an annual "Go Green Card" from any CPNP office. This regulation is not yet being comprehensively enforced but it nevertheless legally applies. Permits to enter or cross the Baskloof area can be obtained from Mickey's Mousetrap (little shop in Scarborough) or directly from the Harris's - call Danielle at 780-1361 or 082-680-6188. Please make sure your guests and tenants understand this requirement.

DOGS
Several kinds of object, both animate and inanimate, may be referred to as dogs. We refer to the animate kind with (normally) four legs. Some owners, and/or their guests, keep dogs on their premises and/or take their dogs up the mountain and/or let their dogs onto the beach. Do please note that the beach is part of the CPNP and falls fully under their jurisdiction. There are now firm regulations in place regarding dogs. The regulations were essentially drawn up by the "Friends of Dog Walkers" (FDW) group which was mandated to negotiate with CPNP. The outcome is very fair and sensible so it is reasonable that we meet them half way and stick to the rules. FDW can be contacted as follows: allwealth@iafrica.com or library@elru.co.za or 021-671-7451/9689.

Up to two dogs may be taken up the mountain, but the person in charge must have a Go Green Card endorsed for the number of dogs, and must carry a leash for each dog. For dog-owners occupying the beachfront homes it's not clear if a card is required for dogs on the beach, but it is certainly required for dogs from other houses. A strong no-no is dogs being let out to run around on the beach unattended. Unleashed dogs must be demonstrably under voice control. Dogs must be leashed when in braai and picnic areas, or if they're inclined to fight or chase other animals. Excrement must be picked up and removed. The CPNP encourages dog walkers but will not tolerate dogs which interfere with ground-nesting birds, small mammals, or create noise which disturbs residents, beach-users or birds and other creatures. The CPNP warns that baboons, porcupines and snakes are very dangerous for dogs (FDW can advise on minimizing this risk). We owners are particularly concerned about our otter population which is extremely vulnerable to any kind of interference but particularly from dogs.