F A L L 2 0 0 9 www.buckinghamestates.net Buckingham Estates Community Newsletter Contact Information BOARD OF DIRECTORS Walter Magiera Maryanne Ciroli Peter Clay Armando Guzman President Vice President Director Director School is Back in Session The new school year has started. Therefore, we are asking our residents to use extra caution in the early mornings as you depart our neighborhood. We want to ensure that our little ones make it to school safely. PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COLDWELL BANKER COMMERCIAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT ISSUES Kimberly Tutor 407-571-5195 Jessica Yingst 407-571-5192 ACCOUNTING & COLLECTIONS Suellen Beals 407-571-5294 Save the Date! Open House October 3rd Annual Meeting October 28th Yard Sale Day November 7th AFTER HOURS EMERGENCY 407-539-1000 EXT #1 Come to the clubhouse to drop off your proxy ballot for the Annual Meeting. Ask questions of board members and chat. [Pg. 2] Your vote counts! Please vote for our recommended amendments and board members. 6:30 @ Lake Sylvan Sports Complex [Pg. 2] Need to sell a few items that are taking up valuable space? Now is your chance to unload it. See article inside newsletter for details. [Pg. 9]
The Scoop Annual Meeting The Board will conduct our Annual Meeting on Wednesday, October 28 th at 6:30 pm @ the Lake Sylvan Sports Training Complex. We must have thirty percent of our homeowners attend in person or by proxy to have this count as an official meeting. Open House We have been receiving a number of complaints that dog owners are not keeping their dogs on a leash when walking them and not picking up the dog s waste. This is especially true in the common areas. No matter where your dog decides to relieve him or herself, you must pick up their waste and properly dispose of it. Many homeowners have questions about the proposed document changes that the board is looking to implement. To help answer these questions, two of the board members will be at the clubhouse Saturday October 3 from 10:00 am until 1:00 pm to review the proposed changes with homeowners. During that time we will collect proxy ballots from members that will not be able to attend the annual meeting. Even if you cannot make it to the whole meeting, come for part of it. We will have coffee, danish and some fresh fruit. This is a chance to meet neighbors and get involved! Tennis Anyone? Monday and Wednesday @ Sylvan Lake Park 6:45PM 9:00PM Cost $4.00 for court and balls Contact Bill Breen mjbb444@hotmail.com 407-323-1667 2 of 10
VANDALISM Our residents need to be aware that we will not tolerate vandalism within our community. We have a zero tolerance policy and anyone found to be the cause of vandalism would be prosecuted. Furthermore, we will seek total restitution from this person for damages. This is another direct cost to the homeowners by way of increased assessments and reflects poorly on our community. Reduce Clean-Up Costs Yes, you can help. We have had instances of some children who take the morning bus leaving empty beverage containers at the bus stops. Parents - Please encourage children not to litter and keep our property clean. Also, graffiti was discovered on the pavers and a bench near guardhouse school bus waiting zone. Anyone that has information about who did this, please notify the guard on staff with information. Please let the children know this will not be tolerated. Don t Go Into The Light! All metal poles are owned by the HOA, and they are very expensive to replace. The damage to them from garden tools and lawnmowers is significant. Therefore, we are reminding residents again to clear an 8-10 inch mow line around the poles exposing the concrete pad and/or base of the pole. That will protect them from weed trimmers and mower damage. If you have not done this already, please spend the time to do so in the next two weeks. The HOA would like to avoid the time and cost of replacing poles and sending out letters to our residents. Thank you. 3 of 10
News You Can Use Buckingham, We Have a Website! Do you want to know about important community information? Want to get your newsletter electronically? Well then register yourself at http://www.buckinghamestates.net. All community forms and documents can be accessed from the website along with past meeting minutes and the agenda for the next Board meeting. If you want to send an email there is a contact us section on the site that you should use if you want a response from either the board or Coldwell Banker. West Gate Lighting Is On The Board recently contracted with Smithson Electric to install a 25 foot light pole with twin 450 Watt shoebox style light fixtures on top. This will bring the much-needed lighting at the rear entrance. Trees Trees planted in the parkway area are a potential liability for homeowners. If the tree s root system breaks the sidewalk, curb or street the homeowner is responsible for the repair. Avoid this expense by not planting trees in the parkway. For those that have trees, please trim trees located near the sidewalk and parkway. This helps our pedestrians when they pass by. The recommended height to trim clear is six feet. Welcome New Neighbors! A sincere welcome to our new neighbors: Peter Rintelmann & Christina Giambrone Amit & Shivon Patel Iain & Kathlyn Apostolos Scott Lewis James & Haweda Mable 4 of 10
Black Bears in Buckingham Estates? Yes, it is true. The photo on the left was taken two weeks ago of a bear walking down Northumbria Drive. Florida Black Bears have been very active as of late and they are out foraging for food in Buckingham Estates. Here is what you can do to coexist with bears and avoid creating a food conditioned and habituated bear. First, remove or eliminate food sources that attract bears. Put garbage out on morning of pick-up rather than the night before Encourage your neighbors, community or local government to utilize bear-resistant trash containers or dumpsters. Feed pets indoors or bring in dishes after feeding Clean grills and store them securely Remove bird and wildlife feeders Bears are listed as a threatened species in Florida, so it is illegal to intentionally feed them. If you have seen or suspect people in your area may be feeding or trying to attract bears, they are in violation of the law. Please report these activities to your regional Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Office or, contact the Wildlife Alert hotline at 1-888-404-3922. Florida Black bears pose little threat to human safety- less than 7% of all bear complaints received for the last 40 years involved aggression towards humans or pets. However, they are large and powerful, so it is best to be smart, not sorry! If you see a black bear: Stay calm and do not run away. Often the bear is simply passing through the area. Walk calmly towards a building or vehicle and get inside. If you have children and pets, bring them inside too. Encourage the bear to leave. Bang pots and pans, or blow an air horn or whistle. (The more stressful a bear's encounter with you, the less likely it is to come back.) If the bear was able to get food (like garbage or bird food), or if the bear tried to get food, you will need to remove or control the item that attracted the bear. If a bear is in a tree, leave it alone. Remove people and dogs from the area. The bear will usually come down and leave after dark when it feels safe. 5 of 10
On The Home Front Painting Your Home Please remember if you are painting your home a different color other than what was originally painted by the builder, you must submit an ARB application. The form is on our website. Colors should be selected from our color sample books that can be borrowed from the gatehouse. As a Buckingham resident, you will receive a discount if you select Color Wheel Paint. Portable Basketball Hoops The Association documents state that basketball hoops should be stored out of sight when not in use. If hoops cannot be stored in the garage then they need to be stored on the side or rear of the property. If you live on a corner lot, then it should always be at the rear side of the property. Boats, Trailers & Commercial Vehicles Boats, trailers, and commercial vehicles should not be stored on your property overnight. They must be kept in a garage or stored off-site. Keeping these items out in your driveway overnight is a direct violation of our community s Covenants and By-Laws. Trash Barrels & Recycle Bins Trash barrels are to be put out the night before trash day, no sooner, and brought in at the end of collection days. Barrels should have a secure lid and be stored out of sight except for these times. Leaving garbage out the night before can have unintended consequences. 6 of 10
Community Concerns Speeding We continue to get complaints about speeders. We have had several meetings with the Sheriff, which resulted in an increase of patrols within our community. If you see repeat offenders, please call SCSD at 407-665-6650 with an address or a license plate number. They will speak to the offender and, they will be on the lookout for those individuals. Lawns The heat and turf pests have really taken their toll on yards this year. Please place extra effort into caring for your lawn. If you need some professional advice you can contact the Seminole County Extension Office at (407) 665-5551. Their offices are located at 250 West County Home Road Sanford, FL 32773. Start now and share your tips with your neighbors. Past Due Assessments Please note that there are a large number of past due assessment on our books. The total past due has ballooned to over $80,000. This money is used to pay our community operating expenses. If you have a dispute, please call Suellen Beals at 407-571-5294. Assessments are due on the first day of each quarter (Jan 1 st, April 1 st, July 1 st and October 1 st ). and Grass Clippings Grass clippings must be raked up and bagged or swept/blown back on your yard per our St. Johns River Water Management District Permit. Please do not leave them in the streets to be washed down the sewer system into our ponds. Doing such dumping is illegal and carries hefty fines to violators. If you see residents doing this, please report it to the Management Company. Trash Pickup for Yard waste is on Wednesday. 7 of 10
Safety Committee News Our neighbors got together and met with Seminole County Sheriff Officers George Bruefield and Vic Confessore to kick off Buckingham Estates neighborhood crime watch. Officer Confessore reported that we had two incidents in Buckingham in the first quarter. One was graffiti and the other was a stolen bicycle. While in the second quarter we had one home break-in and criminal mischief. We are not happy about these statistics and are asking for your help to mitigate any future events. We are actively recruiting block watchers to assist the Seminole County Sheriff s Department in keeping our community secure. If you walk, run, bike, are a stay at home mom, a retiree, you could be a block watcher. We re looking for extra eyes and ears you can wear glasses or a hearing aid, we don t care! Recently, there have been more burglaries on cars left unlocked. Please remember to lock your cars and secure your valuables. Don t make yourself a target for a crime of opportunity. Once a car is broken into, they may have access to your home if you leave your clicker in the car. You don t need to put yourself in harms way if you believe you see something you think is suspicious just call 911. If you are interested in signing up as a block watcher, email the Buckingham Safety Committee at SAFETYCOMMITTEE@YAHOO.COM The Sheriff s department provides a RESIDENTIAL HOME SECURITY SURVEY FREE OF CHARGE. The process will take about an hour of time to complete. The Sheriff s office will give you tips on how to target harden your home and yourself. There are a couple of things you can do right away close your garage doors when you aren t in the front of your home. Lock cars in your driveway and put your clicker out of sight. All a person has to do is open the car door, hit the clicker and they are inside of your home in seconds. When you go on vacation, ask a neighbor to watch your home during your absence. Furthermore, you can also call the sheriff s department 407-444-0567 and they will patrol (drive by) your home one time during each shift (three times a day) while you are away. Home Security Systems Remember, your assessment includes home security monitoring by Devcon. The fee is $20.00 per month for every home in the community whether you subscribe to their service or not. The developer entered into a service contract in 2003 and we are locked in to it for ten years. About three years ago Devcon acquired Guardian Security. Therefore, if you have a red sign from Guardian, you can call Devcon to request a blue replacement. If you have never contacted Devcon to set up your alarm system, it will not generate a call to them or the police. You must contact them at 866-231-8007 to activate your security system. 8 of 10
Vehicle Security Tips VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) etching will be offered free of charge on cars registered with addresses in Buckingham Estates. should determine which anti-theft device is best for you. Layer #1 - Common Sense An unlocked vehicle with a key in the ignition is an open invitation to any thief, regardless of which anti-theft device you use. Secure your vehicle even if parking for brief periods. You should always: The representatives for the Seminole County Sheriff s Department will be at our Clubhouse from 10:00 am until 1:00 pm Saturday October 3 rd. If you are interested in this service please contact Maryanne Ciroli at mciroli@bellsouth.net to sign up for an appointment. VIN Etching places your VIN on the windows of your vehicle. Professional thieves often steal vehicles for parts. With identifying numbers on the glass, thieves often steer away from the theft of your vehicle due to the glass being identifiable. Professional thieves can steal any car, but make them work for yours. To prevent thefts, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) recommends "Layered Protection." The more layers of protection on your vehicle, the more difficult it is to steal. The number of layers your vehicle needs varies depending on your vehicle and geographic location. Your budget and personal preferences Remove your keys from the ignition Lock your doors /close your windows Park in a well-lit area Layer #2 - Warning Device The second layer of protection is a visible or audible device, which alerts thieves that your vehicle is protected. Popular second layer devices include: Audible alarms Steering wheel/brake pedal lock Wheel locks/tire locks/tire deflators Identification markers in or on vehicle Window etching Layer #3 - Immobilizing Device The third layer of protection is a device that prevents thieves from bypassing your ignition and hot-wiring the vehicle. Some systems have computer chips in ignition keys while others inhibit the flow of electricity or fuel to the engine. Layer # 4 - Tracking Device The final layer of protection is a tracking device that emits a signal to police or a monitoring station when the vehicle is stolen. Some systems employ GPS and wireless technologies to allow remote monitoring of a vehicle. If the vehicle is moved the system will alert the owner and the vehicle can be tracked via computer. 9 of 10
BUCKINGHAM ESTATES NEWSLETTER FALL 2009 Yard Sale Time! Our first annual fall yard sale will take place on November 7, 2009 from 9am until 1pm. We will be advertising in the Lake Mary paper and on Craigslist. This is a good time to go through your holiday items, as they are big sellers this time of year. Please contact Maryanne Ciroli to sign up so she can put you on the map that will be given to shoppers as they enter the community Ramco Protective Services will be patrolling the area after the sale to ensure that all shoppers have left the community. Happy Halloween! Buckingham Estates 1800 Merlot Drive Sanford, FL 32771 Resident 1234 Transylvania Lane Sanford, FL 32771