September2017

UPDATE ON PENDING BILLS By Mike Pesce, Associa - Community Management Corp.

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I have been asked to update CAI-NJ membership on several pending bills relating to the management

sale of property, with automatic rain sensors which turn off the system when not needed due to rain. The 2000 legislation, however, specifically exempted, at CAI-NJ initiation, property within community associations. This bill would eliminate that exemption, and require associations to equip their common area irrigation systems with rain sensors within 24 months of passage. No mention is made of irrigation systems on individual lots owned by individual owners, but maintained by the association. CAI-NJ presently opposes this bill, as it did many prior versions, but is looking to meet with the irrigation industry rep- resentatives, to discuss our concerns. Our historic objection has been that the technology for these systems (oftentimes, a cup which fills up and triggers the shutdown) is not sufficiently sophisticated to work well. Most managers have war stories of sensors not working, and sprinklers still operating during tor- rential rains. We are anxious to hear the views of the sprinkler industry to determine if anything substantial has changed in that regard. Until then, we oppose the bill as mandating an association expense that is not necessarily effective. A4747 – Electric Vehicle Charging The second bill, A4747, was introduced in March, 2017 in the Assembly, and would amend the Planned Real Estate Development Full Disclosure Act (PREDFDA,

of community associations, as follows: A1484 – Automatic Rain Sensors

The first bill, A1484 was introduced in the Assembly in 2016, and is sponsored by three (3) North Jersey legisla- tors (McKeon, Jasey, and Eustace). This bill would amend the legislation passed in 2000 which required the retrofit- ting of lawn sprinkler systems installed prior to 2000, upon

Michael Pesce is the President of Associa - Community Management Corporation, a real estate management and marketing company with a primary focus on community associations (condominium, cooperatives, planned unit developments and townhouses). Previously, he practiced law, specializing in real estate litigation. Mr. Pesce has been active in the leadership of the

Courtesy CAI-NJ.

industry through his company’s participation in Community Associations Institute (CAI). He serves on the Legislative Committee of both CAI and the New Jersey Apartment Association, is a past President of the New Jersey chapter of CAI, and is Board Liaison and a former Chair of its Legislative Action Committee. He received CAI’s Member of the Year Award in 1995 and its Distinguished Service Award in 2014. Mr. Pesce achieved Professional Community Association Manager (PCAM) designation and is a licensed New Jersey real estate salesperson.

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