2011 Issue 8

Much Ado About Generators

Editor’s Note:  In the aftermath of our recent pre-winter storm, we asked our CAI-CT members to provide us with information about their policies regarding generators.  We were especially impressed by the process involved with the association in this instance.  You can find information about their policy here -->> .  We greatly appreciate their willingness to share this information with us.

The recently drafted Generator Rules and Guidelines which the Board of XYZ Association* voted on and approved at our Annual Meeting in October 2011. This vote took place after the drafted rule was sent out to all residents for Notice and Comment. 

The Board received a number of requests from our residents after Hurricane Irene to install generators.  The Board quickly realized that we had no rules which governed the installation or operation of such equipment. Our community is only about 7 years old. The Board's draft of the Rules and Guidelines was sent to our attorney for review and approval after receiving, through the Notice and Comment period, a question concerning the liability clause the Board had included in the document. 

In drafting our Rules and Guidelines, safety was our number one concern.  During Irene there were a few residents who used portable generators (the type where extension cords were attached) mostly to keep the food in their fridge cold.  We had an instance where one resident actually had the generator operating inside the garage, with the garage doors only opened a few inches from the floor.  Luckily a member of our Developer's maintenance crew heard the generator but did not see it.  As he approached the unit, he also could hear the CO alarm sounding.  We were lucky.  No one was injured. 

Another safety concern of the Board was the amount of gasoline or propane that would want to be stored by residents, so we restricted in the Rules this amount. 

XYZ Association is located in two different towns.  In checking with both Towns, the Board realized that each town had different requirements which governed generator installations. Therefore we were sure to state that it was the responsibility of the resident to obtain all town permits before proceeding with installation.
  
The process all starts with a resident submitting an Architectural Modification Request (AMR) to our Property Manager which must clearly state all of the specifics including a sketch of where their contractor is recommending that the generator be placed.  There are regulations as to how far an operating generator must be from windows and any air intake vents. Residents cannot proceed until an approved AMR by the Board is returned to the resident. 

Most, if not all, permanently installed generators require a weekly "test" run of 10-15 minutes to keep them ready for emergency operation.  The Board was concerned about these test runs happening in the middle of the night, waking other residents, so we restricted the time that these "test" runs could be scheduled.  

The Board is forwarding our Rules and Guidelines to you with the understanding that it will not be printed in its entirely but only be used as a "reference" to establish , in your article, some of the considerations every Board should be sure to address. 

*The majority of the units at XYZ Association are single standing; however, there are about 20% of the total of 173 units attached.  The attached units are basically two single standing units attached.  All attached units do not exceed two dwellings.