De Zalze March 11 newsletter no 54...In the event of forecasted rain, Crown Land-scaping are...

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MONTHLY NEWSLETTER MARCH 2011 ISSUE 54 Page 1 WEB: WWW.DEZALZEESTATE.COM OFFICE TEL: (021) 880 2708 OFFICE FAX: (021) 880 2709 DE ZALZE SCHOOL HOLIDAY ECO CLEAN-UP DAY ON FRIDAY 8 APRIL The De Zalze HOA has set aside Friday the 8th of April as an Eco Clean up day, and we need your help. We are looking for 10 teenagers to help us clean up our dams of plastic bottles , plastic bags and other refuse. We propose two supervised teams of five persons each, who will spend a few hours working with us in the clean up. Weather dependant, we will meet at 9am at the HOA offices, where we will equip you with refuse bags, a cool eco T-shirt and some refreshments. Please wear hats, sunscreen, stable shoes, wear a swimming costume un- derneath your clothing, bring a towel and a smile! If you have access to life jackets, please bring one too. Register before Wednesday 6 th April by calling 021 880 2708 or send an email to [email protected] Our southern border of the Estate, is comprised of four neighbours, Louwsbos Forest—municipal land, The Vau- cluse Trust who lease that portion of property from the Municipality between the forest and the airfield, the air- field who lease the land from the Municipality, and then Spier Properties whose land extends further westwards. Having determined that the Louwsbos Forest was a Municipal plantation, the reasons for removing part of the forest, became known, not only for the commercial income that was to be derived out of the process, but also the inherent fire risk that was evident. Accordingly the HOA discussed the matter with the Municipality and asked that a line of trees be kept in order to assist the Estate with its wind sound break /aesthetics, and to an extent the Mu- nicipality have assisted. The burning question that was on everyone’s lips was, what was to be done to the forest in the medium term…...low cost housing? We have had discussions with the Municipality where we are of the understanding that nothing has been planned for so far. From informal discussions with some of the neighbours, we have discussed the formation of a focus group, whose key role would be to take up this initiative, and collectively participate with the Municipality in determining the future of this area. LOUWSBOS FOREST

Transcript of De Zalze March 11 newsletter no 54...In the event of forecasted rain, Crown Land-scaping are...

Page 1: De Zalze March 11 newsletter no 54...In the event of forecasted rain, Crown Land-scaping are required to go to each controller and turn off the water supply. When it does rain and

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

MARCH 2011 ISSUE 54

Page 1

WEB: WWW.DEZALZEESTATE.COM OFFICE TEL: (021) 880 2708 OFFICE FAX: (021) 880 2709

DE ZALZE SCHOOL HOLIDAY ECO CLEAN-UP DAY ON FRIDAY 8 APRIL

The De Zalze HOA has set aside Friday the 8th of April as an Eco Clean up day, and we need your help.

We are looking for 10 teenagers to help us clean up our

dams of plastic bottles , plastic bags and other refuse. We

propose two supervised teams of five persons each, who

will spend a few hours working with us in the clean up.

Weather dependant, we will meet at 9am at the HOA

offices, where we will equip you with refuse bags, a cool

eco T-shirt and some refreshments. Please wear hats,

sunscreen, stable shoes, wear a swimming costume un-

derneath your clothing, bring a towel and a smile! If you

have access to life jackets, please bring one too.

Register before Wednesday 6th

April by calling 021 880 2708 or send an email to [email protected]

Our southern border of the Estate, is comprised of four neighbours, Louwsbos Forest—municipal land, The Vau-

cluse Trust who lease that portion of property from the Municipality between the forest and the airfield, the air-

field who lease the land from the Municipality, and then Spier Properties whose land extends further westwards.

Having determined that the Louwsbos Forest was a Municipal plantation, the reasons for removing part of the

forest, became known, not only for the commercial income that was to be derived out of the process, but also the

inherent fire risk that was evident. Accordingly the HOA discussed the matter with the Municipality and asked that

a line of trees be kept in order to assist the Estate with its wind sound break /aesthetics, and to an extent the Mu-

nicipality have assisted.

The burning question that was on everyone’s lips was, what was to be done to the forest in the medium

term…...low cost housing? We have had discussions with the Municipality where we are of the understanding that

nothing has been planned for so far. From informal discussions with some of the neighbours, we have discussed

the formation of a focus group, whose key role would be to take up this initiative, and collectively participate with

the Municipality in determining the future of this area.

LOUWSBOS FOREST

Page 2: De Zalze March 11 newsletter no 54...In the event of forecasted rain, Crown Land-scaping are required to go to each controller and turn off the water supply. When it does rain and

WEB: WWW.DEZALZEESTATE.COM OFFICE TEL: (021) 880 2708 OFFICE FAX: (021) 880 2709

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MARCH 2011 ISSUE 54

De Zalze Development and Spier Properties, as developer of the Estate and owner of Erf 4 respectively, advised the HOA in

March 2010, that it wished to sell Erf 4. The HOA immediately entered into negotiations with them in respect of the out-

standing issues surrounding this erf, and finally concluded a settlement agreement with the two parties, which was signed on

the 9th

December2010, a copy of which is available in the offices of the HOA for perusal by Owners.

The agreement addressed all the outstanding issues between the HOA and De Zalze Development, for example access to Erf 4,

water storage in the Groote Zalze dam, servitude arrangements etc.

Originally, there was a preferred purchaser for Erf 4 , but at the end of December this sale fell through.

Spier Properties have now sold Erf 4 to Kobus Basson on behalf of one of his companies , and at the same time Kobus has in-

formed us of his intentions as to the proposed development opposite Boschenzicht, on Erf 1.

We have engaged in negotiations with Kobus which are still ongoing, and we are at this stage unable to provide any more de-

tails in that regard, but we can advise that the negotiations have been very positive, and we have every reason to believe that

the final outcome will provide huge benefits for the HOA and all its members.

Finally we wish to emphasize that any agreement concluded with Kobus Basson will not affect the rights of the individual own-

ers and any development which may take place on the land, will have to go through a formal participation process, where com-

ment can be made by individual owners. We shall inform owners of the details of the negotiations as soon as they have been

concluded.

The HOA has, after a being let down by an external contractor, started again with discussions on the cleanup of the dams on

the Estate. We are hoping that we will be in a position to finally start on this project shortly after Easter.

DAMS PROJECT

DEVELOPMENT OF ERF 1 & 4

BUDGET

The 2011/2012 Budget was submitted to the Board for their approval in March, including the levy increase. It was felt that De

Zalze has reached a critical point in its history, where a longer term strategy needs to be embarked on, and that a more de-

tailed planning session would be required, which would include relooking at the Estate’s capital reserves, and the associated

capital infrastructure maintenance schedule. The meeting has been scheduled for early in April, the results of which will be

communicated to you.

SPEED DIPS

Please note that work on the speed dips in Boschenzicht, Caledon Street and Maria Lievens on the approach down the hill to

Wijndal will start on Monday the 4th of April.

With the Estate now into its post development phase, the opportunity to relook at some of the rules has ended up with ad-

dress being made on commercial activities on the estate, new rules related to animals and pets, dealing with parties and func-

tions at your properties and so on. Once the Board have approved these new rules, we will notify you, and insert the new rules

into our website.

AMENDMENTS TO ESTATE RULES

AGM

A large number of our members live in Europe during its summer months, and as a consequence cannot attend our yearly An-

nual General Meeting, normally held in August each year.

In light of this, the HOA is making application to change its year end from end of February to the 30th of June, and subse-

quently change our AGM to approximately November of each year, so accommodating more of our members.

Page 3: De Zalze March 11 newsletter no 54...In the event of forecasted rain, Crown Land-scaping are required to go to each controller and turn off the water supply. When it does rain and

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WEB: WWW.DEZALZEESTATE.COM OFFICE TEL: (021) 880 2708 OFFICE FAX: (021) 880 2709

MARCH 2011 ISSUE 54

KLEINE ZALZE & HOA HARVEST PICNIC FESTIVAL, SUNDAY 17 APRIL

Kleine Zalze Wines are hosting an exclusive harvest picnic for the residents of De Zalze on Sunday 17th April. We would like to

accommodate as many residents with their family and friends as possible. Full details of the event are outlined on the invite

and you are requested to make your reservations and picnic hamper bookings with Alexa of Kleine Zalze Wines at

[email protected] or by calling 021 880 0717.

Due to the changing seasons the event on the 17th of April 2011 is completely dependent on the weather. All the guests who

have booked the event will be informed on 14 April 2011 regarding the weather for the Sunday and if it will be okay to host the

event or not.

Don’t forget to make your bookings as we hope to see you all on Sunday 17 April 2011.

Page 4: De Zalze March 11 newsletter no 54...In the event of forecasted rain, Crown Land-scaping are required to go to each controller and turn off the water supply. When it does rain and

WEB: WWW.DEZALZEESTATE.COM OFFICE TEL: (021) 880 2708 OFFICE FAX: (021) 880 2709

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MARCH 2011 ISSUE 54

QUICK POINTS

For interest’s sake the airfield have a ‘live’ weather station. You can find

updated actual weather conditions on : www.stelfly.co.za/weather.php

The De Zalze grape harvest has been completed and overall feedback from Kleine Zalze has been very positive. Total Chardon-

nay harvested amounts to 5.79 tons (last year 1.97 tons), with the Shiraz harvest producing 36.67 tons (last year 25.73 tons).

On this basis we have had an increase in terms of tonnage of 55 % and 42 % respectively for the Chardonnay and Shiraz, and a

combined tonnage increase of 53 %. In terms of the revenue derived, total revenue has increased from R68 k last year to R109k

this year, an increase of 60%, with costs being marginally up on last year. As a consequence, the cost per owner per month has

gone from R36 to R29, a decrease of 20%.

OLIVE HARVEST

The olives have shown encouraging signs with heavy branches full of olives, waiting to be harvested. We are told that it is a

little too premature to pick, and to wait approximately another three weeks. Once all told after the harvest, we will again pro-

duce our own olive oil, and have stocks available for sale at a later stage.

IRRIGATION

With the change of seasons, our irrigation timing will be reduced to 15 minutes. In the event of forecasted rain, Crown Land-

scaping are required to go to each controller and turn off the water supply. When it does rain and you still see irrigation taking

place, please note that there is a manual process required to turn off each controller, before the irrigation stops.

Thank you for the continuing support in terms of reporting irrigation issues with the control room. For those of you who need

to use their number, it is 021 880 2166.

SO YOU THINK YOU’RE A LOCAL...

RUBBISH DAY & BINS

The HOA wishes to remind all residents that according to the Estate Rules, “all refuse shall be kept in suitable containers which

shall not be visible from any road or from the golf course, except when placed in containers for purposes of collection by the

local authority, the manager or waste collection contractors,...”

Bins should be placed out early Tuesday mornings being the rubbish collection day. It is also your responsibility to again re-

move those bins by no later than the following morning and again place them where it shall not be visible from any road, or

from the golf course. Thank you.

SECURITY

Please let our Security Manager, share in any of your concerns as it relates to Security on the Estate. With a lot more eyes and

ears to assist us, it goes a long way to ensure pro-active policing. Sidney can be contacted on 084 575 3979.

VINEYARDS— GRAPE HARVEST