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Home My WebLink AboutSLC PHOA Minutes December 8 2010 ST. LUCIE COUNTY PROPERTY AND HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION Minutes of Meeting December 8, 2010 Convened 10:04 a.m. ____________________Adjourned 11:07 a.m. The meeting of the Property and Homeowners Association meeting was held Wednesday, December 8, 2010 in Conference Room 3 of the St. Lucie County Administration Annex Building, 2300 Virginia Avenue, Fort Pierce, Florida 34982. Members Present : Toni Trabolsi, Coalition of Sandpiper Bay Associations Tony Roach, Lake Forest Pointe @ St. Lucie West Andrew Stark, Palm Grove Charlotte Wollenhaupt, Oleander Pines Charles Gilsinan, Oleander Pines Hank & Alice Schmitz, Portofino Shores Diane Andrews, Queens Cove POA Robert & Linda Bollman, Indian River Estates HOA Kathleen Ivins, River Park HOA Also Present : Commissioner Paula A. Lewis, Chairman Barbara Felton, Executive Aide to Commissioner Lewis Tangie Jenning, Office of Representative Steve Perman Deputy Leroy J. Davis, Mark Boston, FLARA Dennis Bunt, St. Lucie County Code Enforcement Supervisor Melissa Brubaker, St. Lucie County Code Enforcement Officer ITEM #1 CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 10:04 a.m. Commissioner Lewis led the Association in the Pledge of Allegiance followed by self-introductions from the Association representatives and public attendees. ITEM #2 APPROVAL OF MINUTES Mark Boston made the motion to approve the minutes of November 10, 2010. Andrew Stark seconded the motion and the minutes passed unanimously by voice vote. ITEM #3 Deputy Leroy Davis reported that deputies will be out during the holiday season (crime does not take a holiday). He encouraged everyone to be careful and know their surroundings. Thieves can take from your yard, car or home. They can also take your phone identity and destroy your life. He recommends that if you do not have a Neighborhood Watch program in your area, to take the necessary steps to do so. Deputies wi neighborhood, to better protect you and your loved ones. Deputy Davis passed out flyers with information on identity theft for members to read and share with their communities. He stated that identity theft is not the #1 crime in the area, but is the #1 crime in the world. He warned the members and told them to be careful when throwing away mail containing their name, address and/or preapproved credit information without shredding it first. Be careful about what you carry in your wallet (i.e. insurance card containing your social security number); what you mail in your home mailboxes (use a post office mailbox). Commissioner Lewis spoke in reference to online identity theft when using your credit card and other personal information. More discussion continued on Crime prevention. ITEM #4 ST. LUCIE COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT REPORT No report available at this time. ITEM #5 GUEST Dennis Bunt, St. Lucie County Code Enforcement Supervisor Mr. Bunt gave an update on the department. He stated that they worked a long time to move from three officers to eight to be more positive and productive. Because of the economy, staff is down to four officers. Mr. Bunt encouraged the members to call if they see any violations in their area. Currently, their department has had 3,000 cases; two and half years ago, it was 9,000. He mentioned that foreclosures are a big issue. The County has a registration program in place, but their department is very limited in what they can do in these cases. Several years ago a Code manual was put together that has lots of information on different code issues. Commissioner Lewis stated that Code Enforcement is complaint driven. Calls help the officers in knowing that a problem exists. There are not enough officers to ride around looking for violations, but will check other issues in the same area of the complaint. 2 Code Enforcement Officers : 1. Melissa Brubaker from Midway Road to Beau Rivage 2. Michelle Pestridge from Midway Road to Orange Avenue 3. Danielle Smith from Orange Avenue to St. Lucie Boulevard 4. Lynn Swartzel from St. Lucie Boulevard to Indian River County line 5. Monica Barrios (filling in for Danielle Smith) North and South H. Islands The Code Compliance office number is 462-1571 LaShahna Ingram, Secretary. Website: stlucieco.org, then click Code Enforcement for further information. Can also ion on website. Mr. Bunt passed out pamphlets on code violations and encouraged the members to always hire a licensed contractor to work for them. There was discussion on a problem one of the members had in their area and inquired as to what can be done in about it. One of the homeowners in their neighborhood put covenants, rules or regulations are the same as the County, they can help by enforcing through the County Codes. But if they are different or more stringent than the County then it up to the homeowners association to move forward on it. A question was asked about some of the common code violations the Code Officers have. Mr. Bunt stated that some of the common code violations are junk vehicles, trash and debris, property maintenance and overgrowth. Seventy percent of the letters written references these issues. Only 4% of the letters out end up before the Code Enforcement Board. Most citizens are willing to clean up their property and most letters are abated prior to going before the Board. ITEM #6 - OLD BUSINESS Commissioner Lewis expressed her feelings on being back with the group and asked if there was anything pending that the group had previously discussed and needed to be brought forward. There were none. ITEM #7 NEW BUSINESS One item discussed was home foreclosures and the difficulties associated with it. Mr. Bunt suggested that if the members wanted, and Commissioner Lewis agreed, that he along with Katherine Barbieri, Assistant County Attorney, can come in and go through some of the foreclosure process. Other concerns were reference to developers coming in and not finishing the projects leaving the property in deplorable conditions, which lowers the value of existing homes. One in particular was the property behind Winn Dixie Plaza off of Indrio and Turnpike 1 Feeder Road in Lakewood Park. Some believed this development did not have an expiration date for its permit. Mr. Bunt explained the since the house-booming crash, County Administration and staff have met and discussed different concerns in reference to this very issue. It is not as easy for Developers any longer to come in, build, put up models, then leave. There are new bonds in place that are required. Mr. Bunt stated that he would check into their concern about the project behind Winn Dixie Plaza in Lakewood Park. All permits have a 2-year maximum for an open building with a 6-month inspection. After two years you lose your right to build and will have to start the process over again. This project is probably trying to go through the planning board and making site plan changes which could linger for years. They may not like the changes requested and will let it sit for a while then make changes. When they actually start to apply for the first building permit, it is for two years. There was also concern in reference to enforcing banks with foreclosures to keep up the yard maintenance. Mr. Bunt explained that in this case, will send letters to the banks and they may or may not comply. He encouraged the members to call the Code Enforcement office on these type cases. In health or life-saving issues the Count y Attorne Board of County Commissioners. Under Health Bill of 1968, after getting and o.k. from the Judge, the County will come in and clean the property. The County may or may not be refunded. Once the banks have title to the property, the County can then cite them, and take them before the Code Enforcement Board. They will then get a court order from the Judge, go in and do whatever needs to be done. The only downside is budget. There is only a certain amount of funds budgeted for this type of situation. Commissioner Lewis asked if anyone had problems receiving their agenda packets. Several members stated they received one and not the other; some did not receive any at all. The information was sent in different formats. Will look into it to make sure everything is working properly to ensure everyone is receiving the information sent to them. She asked the members to call the office if they had any problems or concerns. ITEM #8 ADJOURNMENT Having no further business to discuss, Commissioner Lewis thanked the group for their attendance. The meeting was adjourned. Respectfully submitted, Barbara A. Felton Executive Aide 0