Rizzetta & Company Angel Montagna, Manager

Transcription

1 September 2018 Edition B A S S E T C R E E K E S T A T E S A T K - B A R R A N C H H O M E O W N E R S A S S O C I A T I O N N E W S L E T T E R The President s Corner... Happy September Fellow Neighbors! Well, with the end of the summer here, I m actually feeling morning breezes and if you take a moment, you can smell fall in the air. I can hardly believe that we will soon head into the holiday season! We have two remaining HOA Events coming up. First our Halloween Party. We hope to see everyone come out for the party, and don t forget to dress up the kids for the Halloween Contest! Then we have our December Celebration of Light event. We have already been planning this, and making some new and fun changes to it. Then there is lots of news to share. We are keeping you informed on what the HOA is doing. Please make sure you take a moment to look at any s or letters sent out by our management company so we are all working to keep our community looking its best. We have news on the CDD to keep you informed, and for parents with kids going to Pride Elementary School, we have the latest news and some safety recommendations. On a personal note, I want to thank those of you who express your thanks for the efforts of the volunteers who serve as your Board of Directors. It is greatly appreciated! Now happy reading... My best to all of you, Melinda Morales, President, Board of Directors Basset Creek Homeowners Association Key Contacts... Basset Creek Newsletter Melinda Morales, Editor bchoa.melindamorales@gmail.com Basset Creek HOA Management Home River Group Julian Cross, HOA Manager bassetcreek@homeriver.com , Ext K-Bar Ranch CDD Management Rizzetta & Company Angel Montagna, Manager amontagna@rizzetta.com TECO street light outages tampaelectricsecure/forms/ residential/streetlightout/ Hillsborough County Solid Waste Management In this Edition President s Message 1 Key Contacts Events & Meetings 2 Value Added 2 HOA News 3 HOA Management Co. 3 Yard of the Month 4 HOA vs. CDD 4 Random Acts of Kindness 4 Around the Community 5 Great Ideas 5 Critter Corner 6 We have Standards 6 Welcome to the Community 6 Humor Time... 6 Upcoming Events 7 Helping Hands... 8 Join In 8 In the Community 9 Safety First Please! 9 Street Trees 10 Businesses and Services 10 property-owners-and-renters/trash-and-recycling. Phone: City of Tampa Customer Service center// Phone: Acronyms: HOA = Home Owners Association CDD = Community Development District ARC = Architectural Review Committee CCRs = Covenants, Conditions, Restrictions Basset Creek Voice Page 1

2 2018 Events (Mark your Calendars! Fliers will be distributed as planned events are finalized.) Saturday, 3/24/18 -Complete Saturday, 4/21/18 -Complete Saturday, 6/2/18 -Complete Saturday, 7/21/18 -Complete Saturday, 10/27/18 Saturday, 11/3/18 Friday, 12/21/18 K-Bar Ranch Spring Egg Hunt K-Bar Ranch Community Garage Sale Basset Creek Slice of Summer Celebration K-Bar Ranch Community Garage Sale Basset Creek Halloween Party and Costume Contest K-Bar Ranch Community Garage Sale Basset Creek Community of Light Celebration Events will be hosted at the Community Center unless otherwise indicated on Event Fliers HOA Meetings Complete HOA Board Meeting Complete HOA Board Meeting Complete HOA Board Meeting Complete HOA Board Meeting Complete HOA Board Meeting Revised HOA Annual & Budget Board Meeting Note: If needed, additional meetings may be added with 48 hours notice to homeowners. We plan to hold all meetings at the New Tampa Library. However, make sure you check each meeting notice in case a change has been made. Basset Creek Voice ( the Editor at: bchoa.melindamorales@gmail.com) The Basset Creek Voice Melinda Morales Melinda Morales Naomi Unnasch Kathy Michel.... Newsletter Editor Basset Creek HOA Board of Directors.... HOA President.... HOA Vice President and Secretary.... HOA Treasurer 2018 ARC Committee Meetings ARC Committee Meetings are held the first Monday of each month at 5:00pm. Meeting Notices will be posted no later than 48 hours before each meeting on the Community Bulletin Board and the Homeowner Portal Calendar Complete ARC Committee Meeting Complete ARC Committee Meeting Cancelled ARC Committee Meeting ARC Committee Meeting ARC Committee Meeting ARC Committee Meeting Make sure you check each meeting notice in case a change has been made to the above schedule. Meetings will be cancelled if no ARC s are pending. From enjoying the cooler morning temps to watching the leaves drop from the trees to welcoming football season into our schedules, the feel of fall is in the air. And, yes, Labor Day is here. Just as Memorial Day introduces summertime and the beach-season, Labor Day bids them farewell each year. As August gives way to September, we adjust our activities to accommodate the fall stuff. Yes, September is here and autumn leaves will soon be preparing to display colors throughout the land, from our landscapes to the wooded areas! Where can you find places to witness magnificent fall colors? Some awesome places for leaf viewing include the northeast (New England area) which is famous for its diverse display of several bright colors. Also, the Rocky Mountains are known for the contrasting color of Aspen trees (yellows) next to dark green conifers. And, the Smokey Mountains definitely exhibit a colorful viewing. Many scenic highways and byways are waiting to show you fall colors at their very best. So enjoy the view if you become one of the millions of leaflookers this fall! Basset Creek Voice Page 2

3 Here is the latest news from your HOA Board of Directors... Our next HOA Board of Directors meeting will be held on October 15th, Note that this is a recent change in date. This will be our Annual & Budget Board Meeting. ARC Applications: Please make sure your ARC applications are as thorough as possible. Include a plot plan, clear design sketch or layout, dimensions, and materials to be used. We recommend you review the guidelines which are included in the Community Standards Document. This will assist you in understanding what is, and is not, the standards of our community. Fining Committee: Every month a compliance check takes place and homeowners may receive violation letters for any non-compliance issues. Homeowners then have a designated amount of time to correct any issues. Unfortunately, not all homeowners comply. Therefore, the Board of Directors is contemplating the creation of a Fining Committee (something many HOA s have in place). You may see information mailed out on this process and we would be looking for volunteers to join this committee. Again, no decision has been made yet. If you have comments on this please contact us. Violations Options of Enforcement. The Board of Directors is currently reviewing the option of establishing a Fining Committee. In many HOA communities today, fining is considered a tool for generating compliance not punish, and it is proving to be an effective tool in other communities. With a proper procedure in place we will be able to better perform our duties and foster a healthier community through consistent and fair enforcement. While we don t want to think we need to have a procedure in place for continued non-compliances, we do find that some homeowners simply don t respond to notices. On the other hand, there are other homeowners who can become quite frustrated with continued noncompliance of the Standards by their neighbors. No decision has been made by the Board, but a letter will be ed out to homeowners soon. This letter outlines the process, and asks if there are homeowners who are willing to volunteer some time to be on this committee. The Board of Directors has undertaken an annual update period each year, where clarifications, additions, and/or deletions are made to keep the Community Standards document current and accurate. That update is currently going on and changes will be presented and ratified at the October Board Meeting. In light of the recent Spectrum announcement about their plan to go to all-digital service for all TV s in the home, the Board of Directors is reviewing the existing Spectrum Contract (for bulk services) which was put in place by the builder. We are putting together a plan of action which will be sent out to homeowners as soon as possible. Please make sure you take some time to review it, as those of you who have Spectrum accounts will be effected by this. Fall has always been my favorite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale. Our Basset Creek HOA Management Company For homeowners who reach out to our HOA Management Company for various questions and needs, please be aware that as of September 1st, our long time HOA Manager, Mr. Van Womack, has taken a different position within Home River Group, and will no longer be our HOA Manager for Basset Creek. Mr. Julian Cross has taken over as our new Community Association Manager and can be reached at jcross@homeriver.com. We are sorry to loose Van as our HOA Manager, Van was always available to help homeowners with clarifications and to advise on HOA requirements, but we wish him all the best in his future endeavors. Please join the Board of Directors in welcoming Julian Cross to the community. Should you need to contact him, the contact information for him at Home River Group has been updated on page one of this newsletter. Best of luck, Van. And welcome Julian. Basset Creek Voice Page 3

4 September Yard of the Month Congratulations to Craig and Josephine Browne, of Pepper Grass Drive, on being named the September Yard of the Month recipients. Each month s Yard of the Month winner receives a $50 gift card and has a Yard of the Month sign on their yard throughout their month. This yard was chosen because it represents the best of our community standards. Is your yard a candidate for Yard of the Month? If you think your yard qualifies, also check to make sure the sides of your house are fully compliant with our Standards. Homes must fully comply with our Standards to be considered. Our September Yard of the Month Winner! When issues arise, many homeowners are unsure who to contact. So here is a list of responsibilities and the responsible parties. If you need to contact one of these organizations, check out the key contact column on Page 1 of this Newsletter: Pool Key New & Replacements Violations/Compliance ARC Requests HOA Fees Ponds Maintenance Landscaping in common areas Amenity Center and Pool Pool Key Gate Issues Trees in Common Areas Common Area Sidewalks HOA HOA HOA HOA CDD CDD CDD CDD CDD City of Tampa Sidewalks in front of homes (and sides for corner lots) Trees in front of homes (and sides for corner lots) Street Lights Trash/Recyclable pickup Real Estate Signs Mailboxes Homeowners Homeowners TECO Hillsborough County Solid Waste Company Sign Solutions Creative Mailboxes August Random Acts of Kindness Our August Random Act of Kindness gift bags were delivered with a positive thinking theme. The August message was: Always believe something wonderful is about to happen. By the end of 2018 every homeowner will have received a kindness gift. But which month will yours be left waiting for you? And what will be its theme? What will be inside? Only time will tell! Basset Creek Voice Page 4 We live on Climbing Aster. Melinda, thank you for the Random Act of Kindness goody bag. I had a really bad Friday, but your bag full of little pies really made me feel better, along with the kids! - Libby Townsend Sanders

5 Around the Community (Here at the Basset Creek Voice we are keeping our ears open about various happenings in our community so that we can pass information along to our homeowners. However, please be aware that some information is not managed by your HOA, so we will identify contacts, if you are interested in obtaining additional information on any subject.) The K-Bar Ranch CDD held their last monthly meeting on August 15th. Topics discussed were: (Contact: K-Bar Ranch CDD) New pond signs are in work and will be posted soon. New Pool Rules will be posted soon. Rules for use of the tennis court will be posted. No skate boards or pets! The CDD is re-visiting a monument agreement with Heron Preserve. The CDD currently maintains the Laurel Vista monument, even though both of these monuments are owned by their HOA s. Pool closure is currently at 8pm. Recently some homeowners were surprised to hear an announcement that the pool was closing at 5pm. The recording has been reset for the correct time. The CDD is currently talking with the builders regarding the builder signage that is located along Basset Creek Road and Wild Tamarind. The CDD is considering removing this signage. The current effort to replace the ground cover at the playground has been delayed due to inclement weather conditions. It should be done this month. Some concerns about the landscaper were voiced. A notice will be sent to them. The board reviewed multiple quotes for pool furniture that were obtained by Supervisor Frank Morales. The board authorized placement of an order and the new pool furniture should be in place mid September. This will include new lounge chairs, table chairs, tables, side tables, umbrellas and bar stools. The CDD will pressure wash the pool area prior to delivery of the pool equipment. The next CDD meeting is September 19th. Autumn is a second spring. When every leaf is a flower. Great Ideas You live in an HOA. You have a great idea. You re not on the board, and elections are months away. What next? Present it. Presenting a good idea, whether to a board or to a boss or to anyone else in the position to approve it, isn t about them. Or you. It s about the idea. A good idea needs a spokesperson. And if you ve come up with the idea, that spokesperson is you. If you can imagine the concept and how it will benefit your community, paint that picture in your presentation. Or, if you can count the ways it will profit your community, tally it up and explain how the numbers will help. I bring this up because I recently had a homeowner present a wonderful idea which I had never thought of. I was recently reaching out to some of the homeowners which I consider to be part of my community spirit committee. These are the people who are always willing to reach out and help with upcoming HOA events. In this case I was asking for help with the October Halloween event, when homeowner Dina Martinez asked if it would be possible to have a selection of peanut/tree nut free candy, and also non-candy treats, for those kids in the community with allergies. Since I don t have kids with these allergies, I never thought of it but, of course, it is a wonderful idea and one we will definitely do. So if you have kids with peanut/tree nut allergies, don t worry about bringing them out to the Halloween Event in October. And thanks again to Dina Martinez for sharing her great idea with a board member. - Your Editor. Basset Creek Voice Page 5

6 Critter Corner One of the homeowners in the Heron Preserve community caught this picture of a bobcat at the entrance to that community. We have heard from several homeowners who have spotted bobcats in the area. Sightings have been on Sweet Clover and Pepper Grass and Mistflower. With this reminder of the type of wildlife in the area, please make sure your family members (especially the young ones) know what a bobcat is, and how important it is to stay away from them if they are sighted in your neighborhood. We also caution everyone to be careful when walking pets. If you see bobcats or other wildlife, and can capture a picture, please send them to me for an upcoming newsletter! - Your Editor We Have Standards We believe everyone wants to be a good community neighbor, so we think it is helpful for us to share community rules that you might not be familiar with, or need to be reminded of. Since we are now in the hurricane season, this month we address Storm/Hurricane Shutters. Permanently installed shutters may be accordion or roll-up style and must be approved by the ARC. Temporary shutters include Lexan panels or similar, aluminum panels, and fabric panels. While not advised, if using plywood panels, they should be marine grade and thick. Shutters may be closed or installed 72 hours prior to the expected arrival of a tropical storm or hurricane in the area and must be removed no later than three days after the warning is lifted. In the event of an actual storm event causing substantial damage to the house, homeowner may request, in writing, an extension to this time period if the repairs and restoration of the house require that the panels remain attached for a longer period of time. Shutters may not be closed or installed at any time other than a storm event as described above. Under no circumstances may storm shutters or protective panels be used as a routine security measure. And now you know! Welcome to our Basset Creek Community! Join us in welcoming our newest Basset Creek homeowners to our community: July 2018: Bradley & Jennifer Bowers Verdant Pasture Christopher Alexander Verdant Pasture Reenu Varghese Mistflower Lane August 2018: Giselle Lago Mistflower Lane Shaji Matthews Water Maple Drive Welcome to our community... We hope you bloom in your new home! Humor Time... This last Labor Day I asked my Grandpa what kind of labor he performed before he retired. Well, he said, My first job was working in an orange juice factory, but I got canned...couldn't concentrate. Then I tried to be a tailor, but I just wasn't suited for it. Next I tried working in a muffler factory but that was too exhausting. Then I tried to be a chef -- figured it would add a little spice to my life, but I just didn't have the thyme. I attempted to be a deli worker, but any way I sliced it, I couldn't cut the mustard. My best job was being a musician, but eventually I found I wasn't noteworthy. I managed to get a good job working for a pool maintenance company, but the work was just too draining. My last job was working at Starbucks, but I had to quit because it was always the same old grind. So after many years I realize that the best job to have is being a Grandpa. So now I know who we celebrate for Labor Day! Basset Creek Voice Page 6

7 October 27th, On October 27th, 2018 we will once again host our Basset Creek Halloween Party and Costume Contest. This event is one of our favorites, and very popular amongst our community kids. This event is scheduled for the Saturday before Halloween so mark you calendars and come out and enjoy some community fun! Basset Creek Voice Page 7

8 Now that school is back in session, many parents in the Basset Creek community are experiencing the strains and stresses associated with morning and afternoon drop off s. As many of you know, the current drop off and pick up situation at Pride Elementary is problematic. Therefore one of our homeowners, Nicole Shiber Morris, is interested in finding other Pride Elementary parents in the community who would be interested in starting a Walking Carpool as proposed by the school board. Even if you don t have kids going to Pride Elementary, any adult in the community is encouraged to help with this effort. Walking School Buses Get Kids Moving, Alert, and Ready to Learn Thirty years ago, 60 percent of elementary school students in America walked to school. Now, less than 15 percent of elementary kids walk to school. Research shows that children who walk to school are more alert and ready to learn. Until walkable communities again become the norm, a Walking School Bus program helps to recreate some of the positive side effects of walking to and from school. The Blue Zones Project has implemented Walking School Buses in its various communities around the country. What is a Walking School Bus? A walking school bus is a group of children walking to school together. For elementary students, the group is accompanied by one or more adults. It can be as informal as a few families doing a carpool without a car or as formal as a mapped out walking route with regular meeting points, times, and volunteers. What are the Benefits of Walking School Buses? Increase in daily physical activity for students, helping to form healthy habits Pedestrian experience and education for students Students who are alert, awake, and ready to learn Reduction in traffic congestion around schools Increase in family and community engagement and positive social opportunities for students, families, teachers, community volunteers Solution for families concerned about unsafe neighborhoods or safe walking routes. More information can be found at the following website: Can you Help? If you are interested in participating in the implementation of a Walking Carpool please contact Nicole Shiber Morris at kirbaciousd@hotmail.com. Join In Our community has lots going on, and that includes a couple of upcoming social events. You can be instrumental in helping out with games at the Halloween Party, or hiding eggs for our Spring Egg Hunt, or helping in the preparations for our Celebration of Light in December. Or maybe you have some technical expertise that could help the association with a current project. All it takes is a few hours of your time periodically and a commitment to your neighbors. There s a lot to be gained from volunteering your time: new friends, new skills, recognition by your neighbors and perhaps best of all an improved community. Contact the association manager or a member of the board today. Welcome to the party! Basset Creek Voice Page 8

9 Pride Elementary News Several of our homeowners coordinate with the Pride Elementary School Principal to address safety concerns within the community. They attend meetings with the Principal and reach out to homeowners through our HOA, as necessary. Thanks to Nicole Shiber Morris and Dina Martinez for coordinating with Pride so diligently. This month they are reporting some of the efforts that have been requested. Everyone knows there are still long lines during drop off and pick up times so they would like you to know the steps taken thus far to improve the traffic flow in and out of the school. So far the school has met with HCPS supervisors for safety and transportation, as well as Hillsborough County officials and requested the following: A traffic light at Kinnan and Basset Creek - not approved A deputy to direct traffic at Kinnan and Basset Creek- not approved A change to the traffic patterns on Kinnan, Basset Creek, and Lion's Den Drive- not approved A second entrance/exit from the school- not approved A second entrance into Cross Creek Park (Pride park)- not approved A lottery system to include more students onto bus 5236 from the neighborhoods of Heron Preserve, Winsome Manor, and Briarbrook- not approved A crosswalk at Wild Tamarind and Basset Creek- approved A crossing guard for the crosswalk at Wild Tamarind and Basset Creek- in process They have also made some adjustments to the arrival and dismissal procedures based on feedback from parents and staff. They will continue to make small changes that they hope will shorten arrival and dismissal lines. They have also implemented two changes: 1. For the morning drop-off: Cars will occasionally be routed to the front of the school to allow for 2 locations to drop off students. While this will not reduce the number of cars in the line, it should help to have all students on campus prior to the bell at 7:40 am. If you are dropping off kids, please remember to follow the directions from the staff as to which cars will route to the front of the school and which will continue in the line. With cars exiting from the front and back of the school please be aware of other drivers at the intersection and be courteous. 2. For afternoon dismissal: All car riders with a hang tag in the 600s (indicating they are part of a multifamily carpool) will be picked up at the front of the school. When the car line begins carpool vehicles should proceed in the line as usual, and then turn left to the front of the school to pick up carpool students. If you are parking in the park lot in the morning, please be mindful of other vehicles as well as children and adults exiting their vehicles. When cars are dismissed at 7:10 am please drive carefully and be courteous to one another to avoid accidents and injuries. As a reminder, beginning Monday all entrances to the school will be "student only". Any parents wishing to enter the campus at 7:10 am must sign in at the front office, and must sign out by 7:30 am. Safety First Please! Speaking of safety, homeowners have observed many instances of people speeding through the community without regard to the safety of others. People have also been observed speeding around school buses who are picking up and dropping off kids. We have all heard stories of people that have had their lives changed forever, because of a moment of thoughtlessness. So we are asking you to take a moment and give thought to what would happen if someone was hurt (or worse) because you felt the need to rush through the community. Nothing would be worth that. No, nothing. So please be mindful of others in the community, especially our community kids who are making their way to school each day. Please observe speed limits! Basset Creek Voice Page 9

10 All homeowners recently received the below from the Board of Directors. It is calling your attention to the condition of poorly maintained Street Trees that abut your property and are your responsibility to maintain. This letter was sent out because many street trees have become a safety hazard for sidewalk pedestrians and vehicle traffic, and we have received many complaints as a result. The requirement is for the canopy of street trees to be maintained at a height of 8 feet and we are asking each homeowner to ensure their street trees are properly maintained. Thirty days after this was sent, an inspection will be conducted and any homeowner with un-maintained street trees will receive a violation letter. Please help us keep our community safe by taking care of this, and thank you! (Pictures Above) Properly maintained street trees. (Pictures Below) In-properly maintained street trees. Homeowner Businesses and Services If you have a business or service you would like to share with your community, contact the Basset Creek Voice Editor with your information and we will publish it here. Disclaimer: Information on homeowner businesses and services is listed as a community service. However, the Basset Creek HOA makes no representations or endorsements regarding these listings. Basset Creek Voice Page 10