Chairman’s Report to the Annual General Meeting of the Misty Cliffs Village Association for the period 1st March 2007/8 to be held on Sunday 27nd April 2008 in the Scarborough Community Hall at 10 am.
The year has been active during which your executive committee held 7 Executive Committee Meetings, a Special AGM and a Fire Debriefing meeting with Fire Management and Misty Cliffs owners. Formal minutes of all meetings are kept and are available for inspection by the authorities. Scrutiny of new building projects, environmental control and upgrade, and a considerable number of proposed legislative changes in the Unicity on which to provide input were conducted.
Membership
During the past year a record number 56 [92%] out of 61 owners paid the annual subscription of R300. The balance of 5 [8%] of owners failed to pay in spite of being personally contacted and sent emails, faxes and continual reminders in all our communications. This is an improvement of 20% over last year when 44 [72%] paid. Well done to Treasurer Lyn and in particular Greg Shaw who made personal contact with many property owners.
Every owner is an automatic member of the Village Association. The annual membership fee income of R300 per owner helps to protect Misty’s unique “sense of place”, make it a desirable area in which to live, and safeguard every owners property investment.
To those owners who have not as yet contributed come on don't be a “free rider” become a part of the community with your payment.
Treasury
Audited accounts will be distributed at the AGM. Our financial position is sound with the surplus of R7,143 being carried forward from last year making our total accumulated funds R71,720 all of which is held in a market link account.
We have opened 5 ledgers which are as follows;
General Fund
R71,720
Environmental Upgrade
R9,180
Baboons fund
R5,074
Owl Project
R16,300
Building Deposits
R26,000
DSTV
R12,244
Total R14,0578
For your information subs of R300 pa generate R17,400 pa and the balance of our income in generated from building scrutiny fees, interest and donations to special projects.
Last financial year your Village Association was formally registered as a Public Benefit Organisation. After completing numerous forms I am pleased to inform you that we have been afforded a tax free status.
Tim Anderson resigned as the Environmental Control Officer from December 2007 and this incurred a saving of his travel gratuity of R1,000 per month as the new Environmental Control Officer Greg Shaw lives in the Village.
I would like to record my thanks to Lyn Mossop for the way she has handled the accounts. Lyn has decided to retire from Committee work after being a founder member of the Executive Committee of the Misty Cliffs Village Association and has contributed substantially to the success of the organisation over 10 years. Lyn “thank your for your contribution”.
We are fortunate to have someone of Tony Turner’s stature to take over the accounts for next year who has been supporting Lyn over the past 2 years. We owe Tony a big “thank you” for his guidance over the past year and in particular guiding us to a tax free status.
Red Hill Fire Relief Donation
Your Association made a donation to our neighbours of R5,000 from Association funds when on the 8th February 79 homes were destroyed by fire in the informal settlement. In addition owners donated a further R10,600 making a total contribution of R15,600. Thank you to the owners who so generously responded to our appeal for financial donations and to those who donated a substantial amount of clothing.
All of this would not have been possible but for the work of Donna Da Silva owner of Erf 14 who organised the drive. “Well done and thanks Donna”.
Fire
The fire that swept around the Village on the 25th January 2008 was scary. Residents abandoned their homes in fear of their lives. Your Association has been deeply involved and still is to ensure that we create a Fire Management Plan in conjunction with our neighbours Red Hill and Scarborough.
We attended the formal Fire Debriefing meeting with the Fire Authorities at Roland Street Fire Station and arranged a special Misty Cliffs Fire Debriefing Meeting together with the Fire Management Authorities on the 27th February for owners, which regrettably, was poorly attended. Out of this meeting the following areas for action were developed;
We are pleased to report that we are making good progress with the authorities in all areas and will report back to owners through our news letter.
Environmental Monitoring
Tim Anderson was appointed our official Environmental Control Officer over 2 years ago. The creation of this position has been a success and the Village was cleared of most of the alien infestation. Dumping and abandoning of building rubble and garden refuse is constantly monitored and we ensure that it is removed and builders are constantly monitored to ensure they practice good house keeping. In addition waste paper and other debris are continually removed from storm water channels and drains are cleared monthly.
Due to pressure of work Tim has had to resign from this function and we have been most fortunate to be able to co-opt Greg Shaw onto the committee in this function. Since his appointment Greg has done exceptional work and as you can see for your selves the Village is neat, spick and span and I think Greg told me when we last met has one alien plant left. Owners are not always enamoured with Greg badgering them to remove the alien on their stands but that's his function and I am sure you are all pleased with the result.
Environmental Rehabilitation
The rehabilitation of the vegetation along the sides of the road is going well. Tim’s plantings of last year are showing through and Greg has continued this work at a pace. He has had thousands of rands in plants donated and organised the planting. In addition he has supported many owners with their gardens, to remove the aliens and replant with indigenous fynbos.
In addition Greg has initiated an Environmental Preservation Study of Misty Cliffs by a group of Btec students who will provide you with a presentation of the findings at this AGM. This is a major project which will in our view enhance the value of properties and make the area a real Conservation Village which has always been our aim. Any money invested will only enhance the property values improve the “sense of place” in which we live and own property.
Thank you Tim for initiating this function and for the excellent work you started and well done Greg on a fabulous job. We can really start calling ourselves a Conservation Village.
Owl Project
In keeping with our mandate as a Conservation Village this project has caught the imagination of many owners who contributed generously to the project. Greg Shaw who initiated the project has once again has done a great job almost single handed. The project is going well as outlined in Tim’s latest news letter and has the approval of Cape Nature.
We will manage the project over the next year and report back to you in the News Letter during the year with a major review at the next AGM.
Well done again Greg.
Building and plans approval
Six building plans were approved during the year, and advice and assistance on building regulations provided to owners and their architects and builders. Two of these developments are currently in progress and it is anticipated that the others will commence this year.
Our concerns about certain building work on Erf 29 is slowly moving towards a compromise with the owner fitting windows into the building in the front of the property and building a stone wall to cover the exposed stilts and substantially greening the area. We are also awaiting the final outcome of our objection to the Municipality in respect of the Garage and driveway at the rear of the property on the portions of the road reserve adjacent to the property, together with associated weakening of the support structure of the upgraded Old Camp Road to which a compromise has been reached with the neighbours.
Regular inspection by the Environmental Control Officer of all building developments is performed. Monitoring the possible effect on the road continues and has enabled us to take prompt action to ensure good housekeeping is practised by builders to prevent and/or repair damage to the road and the environment.
We have made contact with the developers of Erf 974/1 who are in the process of developing plans. This sensitive development which is adjacent to the West of Misty Cliffs will need careful monitoring.
My thanks to Kobus Loots and our consulting architect Gerrie van Tonder for the work done in this important area.
Registration as a Conservation Village and other legislative and related matters
We are no nearer to being registered as a “Conservation Village” than we were last year. The advent of the consolidation of building regulations throughout the Peninsula via the proposed Integrated Zoning Scheme [IZS] continues to keep our application on hold. The latest draft of the IZS does not at this point include the opportunity to register an “Overlay Zone” on the standard building conditions which would means that our local building regulations could be included for our area and be entrenched in law. We are lobbying through the GCTCA with the Unicity in an endeavour to allow Overlay Zones to be approved which seems our only hope to have our Conservation Village concept entrenched in law. This would ensure that the negative aspects of the IZS proposals [such as 4 storied buildings] would not affect Misty Cliffs. Our local councillor Nicki Holderness is part of the formal Uni-city working group so we have the opportunity to make our voice heard.
In the interim most owners are adhering to the Local Building Regulations which we agreed with the South Peninsula Administration.
To link in to Specialist advice and alleviate the pressure of work on committee members the Village Association has joined the Far South Community Forum [FSCF] which comprises of all of the Rate Payers Associations in the Far South and Greater Cape Town Civic Associations [GCTCA] which comprises all the civic associations in the Peninsula. This has been of great assistance as we are able to link in with Specialists on many subjects that need research and comment and provide us with greater clout with the authorities.
As a result we registered our objection and made comment through the FSCF and/or GCTCA to the Unicity on Property Valuations and Rates, Integrated Zoning System, Overlay Zones, Spatial Plan, Jet Ski’s. A great deal of work and time was involved in making these inputs, and although there is not yet anything to show for it, they are absolutely essential if we are to have any hope of avoiding the potentially devastating effect of unmodified IZS proposals.
Baboons
The baboons have become a major problem and are holding owners and residents captive in their own homes. They no longer have any fear of humans and are becoming more aggressive. The monitoring system has broken down and needs to be resuscitated.
Each afternoon the baboons test all the doors in the Village to establish if they can gain entry. They are legalised protected burglars and are able to open unlocked doors, windows, fridges and the like.
There are only two alternatives live with them behind locked doors and burglar proof your windows and make the appropriate life style changes or have them relocated or exterminated.
It is our intention to develop a survey together with Scarborough and Red Hill community to establish how the majority of owners and residents believe we should handle the situation.
Security
We have had more burglaries and petty theft this year than ever before and it is our intention to investigate employing a full time guard. We are investigating our options and will communicate the outcome of our investigations with you directly and through the News Letter.
Website
Our Website has been redesigned by Jeff Spencer owner of Erf 20 and currently lives in London. He presented the site to the committee recently when he was out on holiday and we were most impressed. Robin Frew will be taking over the development and future management of the site from which it is our intention to generate income through advertising for the Village Association.
Robin will be presenting the site and our strategy at the AGM.
Newsletter
We have had excellent feedback on the news letters we distribute after our bimonthly executive committee meetings to keep Misty members in touch with what's going on. Well done again to Tim Anderson our hard working scribe who does such a super job.
Community
Our third end-of-year party last December was another great success so it will continue to be an annual event. We will let you know the date early again this year in the hope of catching the out-of-town owners, most of whom arrive mid-December for their Christmas holidays. Thanks again to Lyn Mossop for providing her home and her team of ladies for another super function.
Executive committee
My thanks to my committee of Tim Anderson, Lyn Mossop, Leon Morris, Kobus Loots and Greg Shaw for their hard work and dedication for the owners of Misty Cliffs. I have enjoyed working with you.
Richard Court resigned during the year and Greg Shaw was co-opted onto the committee. Lyn Mossop and Kobus Loots have decided not to stand for re-election and we would thank them for their contribution.
I would also like to pay tribute to Gerrie van Tonder our Architectural Advisor for his attendance at most of our meetings and good council as well as Graham Noble for his support of the Misty community and sound advice particularly on Municipal affairs.
We are hoping to welcome new committee members so as to bring fresh ideas. We need to have at least three additional members to spread the workload.
Conclusion
Most owners are very co-operative and are a pleasure to serve. We are trying to develop a more personal relationship in the Village and are now well positioned to monitor and maintain Misty’s wonderful “sense of place” and to protect the value of our members’ investments.
Doug Tunbridge
Chairman