FAQ

Section 1: The Board and the Property

How is Parkside organized?

Parkside Gardens is governed by an all-volunteer Board of Trustees operating as “Parkside Gardens Condominium Association”. The Board exercises all powers and performs all duties needed to administer and operate the complex, including creating rules and regulations, making contracts, and assessing fees. The Trustees are elected to staggered terms at the annual Owners Meeting; we welcome interested owners to consider running, and also encourage residents to volunteer for projects and ad-hoc committees.

Our management company for many years is Patrician Associates Management, a well-known North Jersey property management company. Patrician performs a variety of financial and administrative services for the Board, including collecting maintenance fees, preparing budgets, and coordinating vendors and contractors.

Parkside’s superintendent resides on-site and is responsible for coordinating landscaping, maintenance, and projects.

Learn about Patrician Associates Management.
When is the annual meeting?

The annual Owners Meeting is typically held in January. Topics include the budget, our financial position, capital improvements, and operations. Board welcomes and encourages attendance and participation by all owners.

Click the tab "Members", then "Owners Meetings" to learn more about the Owners Meetings at Parkside.
What are the specifics of the property?

Parkside consists of 108 garden-apartment-style units distributed among six buildings on 4.22 acres. The buildings were constructed in 1961 by Garden Homes, and are wood-frame with a brick veneer. There are 96 one-bedroom units of about ~866 square feet each, and 12 two-bedroom units of about ~1,000 square feet each.
Does FEMA consider Parkside Gardens to be in a flood zone?

FEMA does not show that Parkside is in a Special Flood Hazard Area. (See the map)
Does Parkside allow pets?

Out of consideration for all of our residents, Parkside does not allow pets. We do consider requests for service animals and emotional support animals, in accordance with the Federal Fair Housing Act; owners of such animals must advise Patrician Associates Management.

Section 2: Parkside's governing documents

What are Parkside's governing documents?
There are three major documents:
- The Association's By-Laws and Master Deed, which provide guidance for the Board's policy decisions.
- The annual budget, which sets the constraints for our financial decisions. The budget is set to a July-to-June fiscal year; and
- Parkside Gardens Rules and Regulations, which addresses everyday matters encountered in a residential setting like ours, and sets forth guidelines for common areas and facilities.
More broadly, Parkside operates under the New Jersey Condominium Act, N.J.S.A. 46:8B-1 et. seq., and New Jersey Planned Real Estate Development Full Disclosure Act (PREDFDA), N.J.S.A. 45:22A-21, et seq..
Is Parkside complying with New Jersey's "Radburn" rules regarding elections?

Yes, Parkside Gardens follows the published regulations by New Jersey Department of Community Affairs pertaining to P.L. 2017, Ch. 106, commonly known as the “Radburn Law” (May 2020).

Click "Members", then "Elections" to see Parkside's compliance protocol.

Section 3: Finances

Who manages the property expenses?

The Board manages expenses to a specified budget that has expense categories expected in a multi-family development, including landscaping, insurance, capital improvements, superintendent’s salary, and more. Expenses are monitored throughout the year, and a new budget is implemented at the start of each fiscal year on July 1st. Prior-year expenses are audited each Fall, and an annual report is submitted by our management company.

Parkside also sets aside reserves in anticipation of foreseeable major expenses.
What does the monthly maintenance fee cover?

The all-inclusive monthly fee includes heat, water, hot water, and collection of trash and recyclables. The fee also pays for the superintendent’s salary, landscaping, snow removal, building maintenance, insurance, capital improvements, and other expenses. All owners are required to pay the monthly maintenance for each unit owned.

The maintenance fee does not cover gas, electric, or cable, phone, and internet.
When is the maintenance fee due?
The fee is due on the first of each month. The current fees are based on number of bedrooms and on whether or not the unit has newer, more energy-efficient windows; fees for the period July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024 are:
- One-bedroom with energy-efficient windows: $428
- One-bedroom with original-construction windows: $448
- Two-bedroom with energy-efficient windows: $492
- Two-bedroom with original-construction windows: $517
Late charges are applied after the 10th of the month. Serious delinquencies can jeopardize our ability to keep to budget, and so may be subject to liens or a lawsuit.

The fee is adjusted for July 1st each year to reflect ongoing costs and the need to build reserves for anticipated expenses. Additionally, Board reserves the right to make one-time or special assessments to meet unanticipated financial needs.
What is covered by the condominium insurance policy?

The Association maintains hazard insurance coverage for all their buildings. It covers liability for injury and property damage.

The property coverage is based on replacement cost with depreciation; therefore any damage is fully covered, less the deductible.

The Association property coverage includes, common areas – not including personal property.

For a certificate of insurance – Please call the management company for a copy.

All members are required to purchase condominium coverage for their own personal property, interior damage and personal liability exposures not otherwise covered by the Association policy. Members should review their policy limits of coverage based on their personal property needs.

Renters are required to have interior and personal property insurance.
Who collects the maintenance fee?

Patrician Associates Management, Inc., our property manager, coordinates the collection of fees via check or through a third party automated payment provider.
Are there any entrance fees?

New owners pay a one-time Association entrance fee of $2000 due at time of closing.
Have all Parkside Gardens units been sold by the developer and conveyed to purchasers?

Yes. The last such unit was purchased in 2021 by the Association for occupancy by the Superintendent.
Does any person or entity own more than ten percent of the total units?

No -- there is no such person or entity.

Section 4: Owner responsibilities

What are my voting rights?

Each owner is automatically a voting member of the Association and is entitled to one vote per unit owned. Only owners in good standing – i.e., no outstanding assessments or charges – can vote. Membership terminates when the unit is sold.
Do I have to inform the association before making any changes to my unit?
Yes, the Association requires owners to give us visibility to certain work that the owner wishes to perform in the unit.

Our objective is to ensure that inside-the-building systems and elements are not affected, impaired, or jeopardized by the actions of one owner – in short, protecting our buildings from any changes that could harm them.

Owners are required to provide the following to the Association before the work begins:

1) A complete description of the work to be done; and

2) Supporting documents as needed; the Association will review and either approve or request more information.

Examples of what we want to know about include:
- Anything that touches or pertains to the pipes or conduits that deliver electricity, plumbing, or gas to the building, including heating pipes;
- "Wet” alterations that change the plumbing, such as installing a dishwasher or refrigerator with an ice maker;
- Anything that requires an opening through the wall, roof, or floor, such as a vent fan;
- Anything that pertains to a load-bearing wall;
- Anything that attaches to an exterior wall, such as a through-the-wall air conditioner; and
- Any permanent partitions, such as a floor-to-ceiling wall.
Am I allowed to install a clothes washer and/or dryer?

No, you are not allowed to do so.

Clothes washers and dryers are prohibited by the By-Laws, as the building infrastructure was not designed to accommodate these machines. Parkside has an on-site laundry room that has seven (7) commercial-grade clothes washers and seven commercial-grade dryers.

Section 5: Everyday Living at Parkside Gardens (see also members / Rules and Regulations)

Can I decorate my windows or common elements/areas?

No. Advertising, notices, signs, or illumination may not be displayed or hung from windows, attached to buildings, or posted on the lawns.

We make exceptions for “Open House” signs (must be removed when the event has concluded).
Can I hold an outside party in the common areas?

Liability concerns preclude barbequing or other outdoor fires on Parkside’s grounds.

If the event will feature foods such as salads and ice cream, please contact the management company to discuss. We will consider individual requests based on the location, whether or not there will be music, and the host’s provision for cleaning up after the event.

Approved parties cannot be during quiet hours and items associated with the event cannot be left outside over night.
Who is responsible for changing the batteries and for maintaining the detectors for smoke and CO2?

The Association maintains those units that are located in the entrance lobbies; the owners maintain the units that are inside the residences.
Where do I dispose of trash and recyclables?
Parkside has three designated locations for trash and recyclables, all marked and located in the center parking lot between Buildings #2 and #5:
- The dumpster – emptied thrice-weekly
- The paper shed, behind the dumpster, for paper and cardboard – emptied once weekly. Please bundle and tie newspapers and magazines, or use the plastic crates in the shed, and break down cardboard boxes
- The blue recyclables bins, within the green fenced area next to the shed, for aluminum and glass – emptied once weekly
Dumping of furniture, appliances, mattresses, TVs, shopping carts, etc. is NOT permitted in any of these areas. The Borough picks up such bulk items – tables, chairs, sofas, rugs, mattresses, household debris etc. – at the Roseland Avenue curb for no charge on the fourth Wednesday each month; TVs require a sticker and a fee – contact the Borough offices at 973-403-4365.

If you are remodeling, the contractor is responsible for removing old tubs, sinks, counter tops, etc., either immediately or by placing a dumpster in the parking lot – contact the management office at 973-284-0900 if you as an owner want to place a small dumpster for construction debris.
When does the heat get turned on?

Parkside adheres to state housing codes, which stipulates that from October 1 to May 1, the landlord must provide enough heat so that the temperature in the apartment is at least 68 degrees from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., the temperature in the apartment must be at least 65 degrees. (N.J.A.C. 5:10-14 et seq. and N.J.A.C. 5:28-1.12(m)).
Where can I do my laundry?

Parkside maintains a complete onsite laundry room for the use of residents and their guests; the room is open from 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM, and contains regular-size and larger-size washers and dryers and a TV. Additionally, there is a public laundromat on Bloomfield Avenue within walking distance.

Clothing must not be left in the washer or dryer for more than 2 hours after the completion of the cycle. Items will be removed and placed in a laundry basket.

Also, clothing left over 48 hours in the laundry room will be discarded.

Washers and dryers are “not” permitted in Parkside residential units. Not only are these a violation of the Master Deed and ByLaws, they also can pose a fire or water hazard as our 1960s plumbing and electrical systems were not built to accommodate such appliances within units.
Is noise a concern at Parkside Gardens?

Roseland Avenue has light-to-moderate traffic for most of the day – a bit more during commuting hours – and very light traffic in the overnight hours. We are far enough from Bloomfield Avenue, a major East-West thoroughfare that runs through Caldwell, that noise from there is generally not an issue.

Within units, our 1960s buildings, while sturdy, reflect the construction techniques and materials used in that era. Noise from treadmills or oversize sound equipment may be heard in neighboring units. We ask residents to use courtesy and common sense, and to refrain from noise, music, or anything else that inconveniences other residents between 10PM and 8AM Sunday through Thursday, and 11PM and 8AM Friday and Saturday.
I am having visitors in for the weekend – where can they park their cars?

Street parking is available during daylight hours. The municipal parking lot (next to the fire station) is open with three-hour parking and also day and night permits; the charge for one or two nights is minimal. Contact the Caldwell Police Department at 973-226-2600 for details.

Parking a car tandem in our lot (behind one that is already parked) is not permitted and that car may be towed.
Where can I put items that I want to store?

Our twelve basement utility rooms provide areas for your items; see the Superintendent for assignment and access.

For example, bicycles, scooters, baby carriages, and similar items may be placed here and cannot be kept on stoops.
I have a question about property or unit maintenance – whom can I call?

For all general and routine non-maintenance questions, contact at Patrician Associates Management, at 973-284-0900.
For emergencies and non-emergencies – whom can I call?

If an interior issue to your unit effects the outside common elements or functioning of common elements immediately contact our on-site superintendent and the management company.

To submit a non-emergency maintenance request for buildings and grounds, click on Contact Us, then "Board and Maintenance", then use the "Request Maintenance" form.
How can I communicate with a member of the Board?

We welcome correspondence with our owners. Please use the website by clicking on Contact Us, then "Board and Maintenance", then use the "Contact the Board President" form.

The Board also hosts the annual Owners Meeting, where we convene all owners to update them about the association’s financial condition, capital improvements, infrastructure, and other important matters. The meeting is held in January and all owners are advised in advance.
I would like to volunteer – whom can I call?

The board welcomes the participation of all owners and tenants. Interested parties can volunteer for a project committee assigned by the board President.

Owners can be on a committee or can run for an elected office for a term of two years.

Contact the Board President by clicking on Contact Us, then "Board and Maintenance", and then use the "Contact the Board President" form.

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