Traffic Measures Being Implemented to
Alleviate Congestion and Cut-Through Traffic
As a direct result of our community demands, traffic improvements are in the works along North Shore Golf Club Boulevard to slow speeders and discourage cut-through traffic along our main thoroughfare.
Orange County Commissioners approved several measures June 7th to improve traffic flow and safety for drivers, bikers and pedestrians. This was in response to concerns by residents and board members about the speed and high volume of vehicles that use our neighborhood as a shortcut to major arteries.
The improvements include installation of four-way stop signs at these two intersections:
- North Shore Golf Club Boulevard and Autumn Creek Lane/Mallard Landings Way
- North Shore Golf Club Boulevard and Myrtle Creek Lane/Marsh Point Drive
They also include the installation of three-way stop signs at these two intersections:
- North Shore Golf Club Boulevard and Hart Branch Circle
- North Shore Golf Club Boulevard and Osprey Landing Drive
Orange County’s Traffic Engineering Division conducted a traffic study, which found that 8,000 to 10,000 vehicles a day travel along North Shore Golf Club Boulevard, a two-lane residential road. Humberto Castillero, manager of the Traffic Engineering Division, blamed the high traffic count on increased development in the Lake Nona area, along with construction on Narcoossee Road.
“North Shore Golf Club Boulevard has become a major collector for cut through traffic and our analysis found that improvements are needed,” said Castillero. “Traffic is like water. If you block traffic, it will find other ways to flow.”
Castillero said the stop signs will slow speeders and ensure residents have an acceptable gap to exit their neighborhoods. The future installation of crosswalks and curb ramps will allow pedestrians and bikers to safely connect to both sides of the neighborhood. The ramps will follow ADA compliance standards so people in wheelchairs have easier access and mobility.
A speed cushion to slow traffic will also be installed on the boulevard between the roundabout and Moss Park Elementary School. A speed cushion has several humps rather than one long bump.
The traffic improvements were discussed at a May 25th Town Hall meeting at Moss Park Elementary. Orange County Commissioner Maribel Gomez Cordero, who represents our area, led the meeting which was attended by nearly 100 residents.
Commissioner Cordero said she held the meeting so community members could participate in finding a solution to their traffic problem.
“Since being elected to the Orange County Board of County Commissioners in 2018, safety has been one of my utmost priorities,” Cordero said. “It was very important to me that the residents of North Shore be directly involved in the decision-making process when it came to the traffic safety improvements.”
Residents rejected a proposal to turn North Shore Golf Club Boulevard into a cul-de-sac at the intersection of Kirby Smith Road to eliminate cut through traffic. They expressed concerns that the proposal would create a longer route out of North Shore for people living near that exit. Delineators, or long white plastic sticks, will be placed at the intersection to prevent illegal U-turns. As a long-term solution, Castillero said the county could reconstruct the intersection at Kirby Smith Road and North Shore Golf Club Boulevard to add a traffic signal.
Message boards were placed on the boulevard a week before the installation of the stop signs to prepare drivers for the new traffic pattern. All traffic improvements are expected to be completed in two to three months.
To our North Shore at Lake Hart’s graduates!
You did it!
You put in the hours, juggled hectic schedules and sacrificed a lot for your diplomas. You make our community proud and your families prouder! But there’s more ahead. This is just the beginning. As you embark on new adventures, we want to share with you the wise words of some great minds about the power of education.
“An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.” —Benjamin Franklin
“Your education is a dress rehearsal for a life that is yours to lead.” —Nora Ephron
“You don’t go to university so you can punch a clock. You go to university so you can be in a position to make a difference.” —Janet Napolitano
“The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.” —B.B. King
“What sculpture is to a block of marble, education is to the human soul.” —Joseph Addison
“Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.” —Martin Luther King Jr.
“We may live in an age of instant messaging, instant gratification and Instagram, but there is no way to short circuit the path to success.” —Tory Burch
LEGAL UPDATE – SANDFORD vs THE HOA
If you, your kids or grandkids grew up in the 1980’s you’re probably familiar
with the classic children’s movie The NeverEnding Story.
The title of that movie seems to fit the lawsuit that a miniscule group of homeowners brought forth almost 2 years ago. Its most recent iteration was filed on June 15, by homeowner Bruce Burtoff acting as the attorney for plaintiff Lynn Sanford, also a homeowner. This time around it names eleven defendants (the suit has had as many as 14 and as fews as four, just because). All the current defendants have been included at one time or another in the various versions of the suit. This time there are 13 claims of alleged damages and the sought remedy is $7,000,000 to be paid by homeowners by means of a special assessment should the suit prevail. But this is unlikely if the suit’s own court history is any indication of the legitimacy of its claims. Let’s review some key facts in this suit’s evolution.
- September of 2020: The original suit is filed by attorney Bruce Burtoff, representing Plaintiffs Lynn Sandford, Jane Doe and Joe Doe (allegedly homeowners who have never been identified). It names the HOA as well as nine current and former Board and Committee members for a long list of claims with alleged damages totalling approximately $20,000,000.
- May of 2021: The suit is amended to add even more defendants including two brand new Board members, who had never served before, as well as HOA attorney Jennifer Englert and her company. Some of the original claims were modified which resulted in the alleged damages to the HOA being dropped to approximately $11,000,000.
- July 2021: HOA attorney Englert and the other defendants file a Motion to Dismiss the original suit, then file another Motion to Dismiss the amended suit in May of 2021 and again in July of 2021.
- September 2021: The original suit and the amended suit are dismissed by Judge Reginald Whitehead for failure to state causes of action. He gives the Plaintiffs 30 days to file an amended complaint.
- October 2021: An amended suit is filed by Bruce Burtoff, but this time the only Plaintiff was Lynn Sandford who is no longer suing on behalf of the HOA but now on her own behalf. Only four of the original fourteen defendants are named in this version, which has only five claims and only one of them has a dollar amount attached to it. Attorney Englert files for dismissal of that suit days later.
- June 2022: The most recently amended suit is dismissed once again by Judge Whitehead. He gives the plaintiff 15 days to correct the suits’ many issues if they still wish to proceed, to which the Plaintiffs respond with the June 15 filing referenced at the top of this story.
Attorney Englert prepared another Motion for Dismissal which was filed June 27 with the court.
The latest version of the suit continues to allege some, but not all, of the same things that the original suit filed in September 2020 alleges, but now, Sandford alleges that these things have damaged her directly (to the tune of $7,000,000) instead of damaging the HOA which is what she alleged in the original suit.
Among several other things, this version of the suit alleges that Sandford has been damaged (again, to the tune of $7,000,000) by the Board not conducting proper (according to her definition) Annual Meetings and Elections, by the Board voting her off the Board (one month before her term ended in 2019), by preventing her from running for a board seat (after she filed suit against the HOA), by the HOA paying for personal (in her opinion) legal work performed for one of the board members, by several board members mismanaging (again in her opinion) funds of the HOA, by failing to budget properly (according to her guidelines), by preventing her from coming to the office (after she demanded that all HOA bank accounts be put under her signatory control), and by mismanaging the “dues” paid by her to the HOA (which even if correct totaled less than $10,000 for the entire period covered by the suit).
No one knows for sure when this saga will end but unlike The NeverEnding Story it will in fact one day end. If the judge continues to dismiss the complaints, sooner or later he is likely to dismiss it with prejudice, meaning it can’t be refiled again, or it may eventually go to trial. Either way, as long as the suit continues to be refiled, the current Board members of the HOA will ensure that the HOA defends itself and all its volunteers, as it should, which is proper and in accordance with the HOA Bylaws. Just imagine the financial consequences that homeowners might be liable for if the board all stepped down and allowed Lynn Sandford to run for a board seat in a new five seat election as some residents have suggested. That’s why the current Board continues to fight the Sandford led lawsuit for a new five seat election. Meanwhile, the legal fees continue to mount fighting the lawsuits filed by Sandford.
North Shore Welcomes New Management Team
North Shore welcomes this summer a new, highly seasoned management team that will continue executing projects and bringing new ones to the forefront. Laurie Bihailo, who has been onboard since March, has been promoted to Association Manager while two new employees will support her in various areas as well as the maintenance staff led by Irving Alvarado.
Laurie has 12 years of property management experience and formerly served as North Shore’s Financial and Administrative Manager. She replaces John DeCrotie, who left in May for personal reasons.
As Association Manager, Laurie’s main role is to work with the Board and residents to ensure North Shore is run economically and efficiently. Her duties include supervising the staff, supervising the completion of projects, managing vendors, working with committees and other volunteers, approving invoices for payment and a whole host of other duties on a daily basis.
Tabitha Hoheb was hired April 11th as Administrative Manager. She has worked in the HOA management field for nine years. Tabitha’s role is to assist homeowners’ with the completion of ARB applications, the purchase of gate remotes and access cards, and answering general questions about the gates, architectural requirements, payments, etc. She also reviews gate damages and prepares invoices to the person causing the damage and works closely with The Orlando Law Group as necessary to collect for gate damages..
Our newest employee, Tanner Mews joined the staff May 3rd as the Compliance and ARB Manager. In this role, he conducts property inspections to ensure compliance with the HOA’s rules and regulations, sends violation notices to property owners who need encouragement to comply and follows up to make sure any and all issues are satisfactorily resolved.
June Community Project Update,
Community Pool Reopens Ahead of Schedule
By Laurie Bihailo
Water/Electricity to Observation Deck
We are a step closer to bringing electrical power to the observation deck, which will enable us to do our own pressure washing and install security cameras. We have received the electrical permit needed for this and have also applied for a water permit. We are already working on the next phase of the project with the contractor, Sunshine Management, and everything is moving along nicely.
Community Pool
After an extensive rehab, the community pool was reopened ahead of schedule at the end of May. It’s been refreshing -no pun intended- to see so many of our residents enjoying the pool again in the midst of Florida summer heat. We have obtained quotes for new patio furniture that will include chaise lounges, tables, chairs and umbrellas. Unfortunately, with the current shortage in raw materials and many of the suppliers being short-staffed, the lead time is slightly longer than we anticipated. We are working closely with our vendors to have the patio furniture delivered and set up as quickly as possible. The pool is open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. Come out and enjoy it.
Storage Building
The permitting process for the new storage building that was approved by the Board at the October 2021 meeting is still in progress. The process involves many Orange County departments and it is moving through each one at a different pace. Most departments have already approved the construction of the building but we are still waiting ona couple. We hope to have this permitting process completed very soon.
Softball Field Backstop
As many of you are aware the softball field backstop was severely damaged in the October 2021 storm along with the playground structure and canvas awning, the tennis court fence, the Clubhouse roof and soffits, exterior cameras, some of the pool furniture, the pool fence and a few other items. Most of the items have been repaired or replaced but we are still in the process of getting some new pool furniture and replacing the backstop for the softball field. There is a shortage of fencing materials and at least a three to four month backlog so we’ll keep you informed as things progress toward completion.
Tree Trimming
We recently completed a project of trimming several trees along North Shore Golf Course Boulevard, especially around the new stop signs and other signs to make them more visible for motorists. The new stop signs have been a huge addition to our community and they are significantly slowing down traffic coming through the neighborhood making it safer for everyone. There were two dead pine trees that were removed. We also had trees around the pool trimmed as well as around the Clubhouse property.
Meet our New Compliance Manager, Tanner Mews
By Laurie Bihailo
Please help me welcome the newest addition to the North Shore at Lake Hart HOA team, Compliance Manager Tanner Mews. Tanner comes with a wealth of knowledge about compliance and Architectural Review Board matters. He has spent the past few weeks inspecting and familiarizing himself with the community. If you have not had the chance to meet him yet, please say hello or introduce yourself when he is driving through your neighborhood. He’ll love to hear from you.
Our goal is to maintain a beautiful community while following and enforcing specific guidelines listed in our APCs, CC&Rs and FL Statute 720. This helps keep property values up and fosters community pride.
Tanner has hit the ground running with compliance inspections on driveway, sidewalk and home pressure washing. In May, over 500 courtesy notices were sent out, and more than 130 have already been closed and rectified! WAY TO GO!
As a friendly reminder, Florida weather pretty much requires power washing at least once a year. Please don’t wait until you receive a violation notice to decide to power wash as it’s very difficult to get all the mold and leaf stains removed if they have been accumulating for two or three years.
As we enter July, this is a great time to get outside and begin trimming back your trees, shrubs and bushes. Hurricane season, as we know, brings lots of heavy rainfall and strong winds so it is best to be prepared. Be sure to look out for damaged or dead tree palms and branches as they can become a hazard. This will be the next focus area to be inspected by Tanner.
If you have any questions about the compliance inspection process, we are here to help. Do not hesitate to contact us.
The Dog Park is Open! Bring Fido Out to Play
We are excited to announce the opening of our latest amenity. A recreational area for dogs in Mallard Landings, near the dock, is welcoming furry residents for off leash play.
The fenced park has plenty of space for dogs to roam. Signs with user rules have been ordered and the Board will discuss seating options at the next BOD meeting. The park is open from dawn to dusk. Current hours are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
The dog park is being paid in full with funds from the Eminent Domain lawsuit which netted proceeds directly to the HOA in the amount of $230,000. The lawsuit was the result of the HOA Board led by President Dave Gordon pursuing the suit to secure fair compensation for the land being seized for public use, after the prior board (before he was elected) had offered to settle with Orange County for less than $5,000. The County also paid for all of the legal fees. The dog park, which represents an investment of less than $50,000 including the fence, signs and lots of seating, does not affect the operational budget at all for the reason explained above.
The park is already being used by a large number of residents. Come out and use it for your pets or just come by and take a look at it. As soon as all of the signs are installed and the seating is in, we’ll have a Dog Park Grand Opening with some treats for pets and people.
RULES:
- The Dog Park is for NSLH residents only
- Dogs must always be accompanied by their handlers
- Dogs are allowed to be off leash in the fenced area only
- Dogs must be leashed prior to entering and while leaving
- Large dogs are not permitted in the small dog area.
- Owners must clean up after their dogs. Disposable bags are available at several dispensers within the park.
What’s New in Lake Nona, Real Estate Update
By Bob Schoneman
Lake Nona Skylar Towers has been approved for construction starting in early 2023 with an estimated build time of two years. The project consists of three buildings including an 18-story structure, which at 201 feet will be the tallest building in Lake Nona. The Wave Hotel, which opened in December, tops out at 17 stories. Skylar Towers will contain eight, two-story townhomes, 627 apartment homes and some mixed-use space.
Bacio Ice Cream is now open next to Venessa’s Coffee Shop at 9450 Narcoossee Road and who doesn’t love hand dipped ice cream on a hot summer day? Sounds like a perfect July 4th treat. How will you celebrate America’s 246th birthday this year?
Real Estate Update:
Wow, so much has changed since our last April newsletter. The biggest changes are the amount of inventory hitting the real estate market and the mortgage interest rate increases. As of June 21st, there are four homes for sale in North Shore out of the 1,049 homes in our community. There are seven homes pending (under contract) that should close over the next month or two. Three homes sold in our community during the month of May with an average price of $593,367 or $223 a square foot and an average of four days on the market.
In our zip code (32832), there are currently 59 active listings, a huge increase from the 27 active listings in April. There are also 70 more homes that are in pending status and will close shortly. In May, 68 homes sold with an average price of $584,886.
Interest rates continue to be a big story, climbing over 6% for the first time this decade. Some good news during the past week is that the rates have started to drop a little (about .1%). Please keep in mind that interest rates vary by the individual banks and buyer’s credit history. Also remember that as interest rates increase, the buyer’s purchasing power decreases. We are entering the homestretch for buyers who want to move before school starts on August 10th.
Bob Schoneman is an United States Air Force Veteran, a real estate broker, Author of SOLD! 8 Simple Steps for Successfully Selling Your Home, co-host of The RIOT Podcast and North Shore homeowner since 2005. He is married to his beautiful wife, Crystal, and is the blessed father of Samantha. Bob can be reached at 407-687-1490, www.facebook.com/bob.schoneman or www.expbob.com for any real estate questions.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Water Aerobics
Did you know that we are hosting water aerobic classes for residents? Grab your bathing suit, hat and sunblock and join Susan Kirby and other NSLH residents each Friday at 9 a.m. at our community pool. Bring the kids and turn it into a family affair. This is a free event.
4th of July Safety and Courtesy Tips:
- Keep your distance from fireworks and light one at a time
- Have a source of water close by
- Never try relighting a dud
- Be aware that most pets are scared by fireworks
- Please be done by 11 p.m. at the latest