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Commission sent attorney notices over island-walk access; board discusses signage, cleaning and grandfathered properties
Summary
Staff reported the commission moved to issue attorney letters to condominium associations giving a 60-day notice to cure for closed 'island walks'; the board discussed easement status of older buildings such as Grandview Palace and next steps if associations do not comply.
Staff told the Community Enhancement Board that the commission recently moved to notify condominium associations whose island walks are supposed to be open, giving them a 60-day notice to cure and asking them to make the walk accessible as public space.
"The commission had a 4 to 1 consensus, to send out attorney letters to all the associations whose island walks are supposed to be open, in January and give them a 60 day notice to cure," staff reported, summarizing the commission action and the intended 60-day period to resolve the issues. Staff said the initial aim is to see which associations are willing to comply; where associations do not open walks the next steps remain TBD and enforcement will be revisited by the commission.
Board members discussed technical and legal considerations. Staff explained some properties built earlier do not have site plans that record the island walk as a public easement. "Grandview Palace is what is considered a grandfathered building, 19 eighties," staff said, noting that the north and south gates on that property remain closed even though a central path is open. That means some buildings may be exempt from an easement requirement and could choose to open access voluntarily.
Members also discussed nonlegal incentives to encourage access: signage, cleaning schedules (pressure washing), and public-art installations such as murals to make easements more attractive for property owners to open. The community engagement director offered to help with design direction and suggested public-works templates be used for consistent signage.
The board did not vote on enforcement measures at this meeting. Staff said the commission has initiated the notice process and that the board can discuss rules, regulations and outreach at a future meeting once legal counsel provides responses to the attorney letters.
