Property owner Soraya Young (lot 578) has asked me to share with you her concerns regarding the new Eco-guidelines. They follow here:

There have been requests for copies of Exhibit” A” or “B” from lot owners and have not been delivered. That concerns me. I have yet to see any areas designated as “Common Areas” on file.

I have requested a statement for assessments and have yet to receive a statement. However, I am aware that PIL is or has talked to other owners to about filing liens on their properties for past due assessments, as well as owners that have paid and continue to receive past due statements. I am very concerned that PIL is now reserving the right to not act on promises made in the past, present, or future and not be held accountable yet they are implementing guidelines that would allow for them to collect more funds from owners under different “headers.”

Please note that I am comparing the guidelines I signed a year ago with Eco- Holdings to the new guidelines on this website being implemented by Pleasure Island Limited.

On page 3, please refer to DEFINITIONS

Is PIL stating that within Exhibit “B” they are reserving the right to claim rights over what previously was not allotted, however, we cannot determine that because the Exhibit “B” has not been reviewed. When I request a copy of the new guidelines I did not receive an Exhibit “A” or “B.”

On page 5, please refer to the PROPERTY RIGHTS

PIL is reserving the right to charge you for the use of the Common Area based on the wear and tear, as well as, paying for the maintenance as a part of the General Assessment.  Wouldn’t the general maintenance cover the wear and tear to “maintain?” Sounds like a loophole to be able to charge for access in the future.  Please also see Page 6, RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE ASSOCIATION states they are responsible for the general maintenance of the common area. Again on page 8, under Maintenance, this time in reserving the right to charge a special assessment only to add the right to hire contract work for landscaping.

On page 6, please refer to the MEMBERSHIP AND VOTING RIGHTS

Class B states whichever comes first in 6 months after Declarant has sold 90% of the properties on the Exhibit “A” or “B,” or by December 31, 2014, or when Declarant withdraws. It doesn’t appear to me that PIL or Eco-Holdings are actively selling property. Is anyone aware of this differently?

On page 7, please refer to the RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF ASSOCIATION

Security

PIL is stating the owners are responsible for their own safety and security, however, on page 26 under USE RESTRICTIONS, Firearms are prohibited on the island.  As the current residences, of Long Caye are very well aware of refuges occasionally coming onto the island. PIL does not want us to have arms? Belize law allows for people to own guns under certain criteria. I will not live in a home without firearms to protect my children.

On page9, please refer to COST SHARING

 Is this the land that has been granted to a university? If the Declarant has given this property for the right of research, then why would we pay for this out of the Common Expense?  So when the funding from the general assessments are depleted from paying for such costs out of the fund, then guess whose assessments are going up the next year? 

On page 12, please refer to the Architect and General Contractor Approval

I would like to see that the criteria for approval to be made available to the lot owners so that may take the guessing game out of trying to find acceptable candidates, as well as, having a list of previously approved architects, builders, and contractors for the future benefit of lot owners wanting to build without having to submit approval.

Page 20, please refer to Special Assessments

As an example: Let’s say the Declarant “may” decided to declare the need to build a boardwalk in front of my lot so they claim a “special assessment” my property and charge me $15,000.00 if so “deemed necessary” without my knowledge or approval.  

Mandatory Benefited Assessments

Without prior notice or consent my lot without a dwelling could possibly be charged $1,000.00 for clearing and no way for me to be able to determine if whether the work has really been done?  The reason I state $1000.00 is because I was given a verbal quote for that amount less than a year ago.

Page 21, please refer to Exempt Property

 (d) Mandates that employees,  directors,  and officers, at the designation of Declarant are exempt from paying assessments.  I would like to know what that equates to.  This being said, when the Class B members become Class A members and are exempt from assessments, are they entitled to vote. From what I understand in reading the guidelines, the answer is Yes.  Please correct me if I am wrong.

Page 23, please refer to Annual Financial Reports and Budgets

According to this, each individual owner must request a copy of the reports. I will request one today. It seems that PIL has sent newsletters to certain individuals and not all the owners. Why is that? I urge that all owners request a copy of Exhibit “A,”  “B,” and the most recent financial statement.

Page 23, Please refer to Leasing

If an owner is past due with assessments, Declarant is reserving the right to receive the rents directly from the tenants and reserving the right to promulgate lease contracts that owners will be required to use.

On page 29, please refer to Declarant’s Rights

In the Community Systems sections the Declarant is reserving the right to establish “community systems and require that all owners use this system. So basically each owner who has built or will build and establish a home with solar power may potentially be mandated to no longer provide its own energy but “hook up” to the communal system and then be charged for this system.  This includes cable, and many more items stating as “not now known.”   I had a conversation with a director that there are attempts in progress of establishing a “community solar system within the last 8 months.”

In closing, my right to express my opinion is simply that and would appreciate not having retaliatory remarks being made to me.  However, if you would like to discuss the issues at hand please email me: soraya4870@yahoo.com.

If you have not yet done so, I strongly urge you to read the new “eco-guidelines.”