Hurricane Ian Causes Damages in North Shore, Many Repairs Already Completed or Underway
By Laurie Bihailo, HOA Manager
With the uncertainty of where Hurricane Ian was going to make landfall and what the impact would be for Central Florida, the North Shore at Lake Hart HOA staff immediately jumped into action to secure as many of the amenities as possible and implement a plan of how to handle the aftermath, whatever that would be. Precautions were taken, including the removal of tennis court’s wind screens, relocation of pool furniture, as well as securing gates and the HOA clubhouse and office.
Additionally, we established communications with all necessary vendors to have the clean-up work begin as soon as it was safely possible. After the storm, I was in constant communication with the HOA Board officials and upon being safely able to return, the staff and I inspected the entire community. Thankfully, for the most part, NSLH fared well.
As we are all now aware, this storm produced unprecedented flooding throughout the entire Central Florida area. Lake Hart rose to historic levels. Except for areas of grass that were damaged by standing water, there was no additional damage to the dog park and dock areas. On October 21, the dog park was reopened to all NSLH residents and on Oct. 28 the walkout and observation deck was reopened. The flooding did however delay the installation of electric and water lines in this area because portions of it are still under water.
With Hurricane Ian being more of a water storm for Central Florida and less of a windstorm, there was less debris than expected. Because of that, our landscape vendor Servello included the cleanup as part of our regular maintenance contract. We did, however, lose two trees, one in the Lake Shore community and another one in Heron Point. The removal cost was $3,850, including stump grinding.
Within hours of the storm Orange County Public Works teams were on the ground assessing damage and began to remove debris from streets and roads. Crews will continue to work 12 hours a day, seven days a week to meet the needs of residents, county officials said in a statement. Because county third-party vendors are helping with this task, we will continue to leave the gates open from 6 a.m. – 6 p.m., Monday – Saturday to facilitate their access. We also will not change the gate code until pick up has been completed.
Overall, the damages caused by hurricane Ian are a good example of why it is best practice to have an emergency fund available for unforeseen events. That is why this Board continues to designate $200,000 of the accumulated surplus to always be available for situations like the following:
- A storm drain collapsed in the Osprey community. The total cost of repairs was $4,650. This repair was necessary as the unstable sidewalk was a hazard. This community also sustained some road damage due to a sinking sewer/manhole. Orange County has already made the necessary repairs at no cost to the HOA.
- Both irrigation pumps at NSLH were also compromised due to the storm. The main clock and the expansion module at the Moss Park/Boulevard pump needed to be replaced for a total cost of $1,747. Our irrigation company inspected the pump at Myrtle Creek/Boulevard and determined that it sustained some electrical damage. We are currently waiting on a quote for repair work.
- Although none of the communities experienced any gate or gate arm damages, we did have issues with the entrance/exit cameras at Myrtle Creek, Marsh Point, Autumn, Heron and Mallard. Myrtle Creek, Marsh Point and Autumn have already been repaired by Irving and Benny and additional cameras have been ordered at no additional cost to NSLH as this is part of our contract with Spot AI.
- The weir and levy in the Marsh Pine community had a significant breach. To make the necessary repairs to the levy, Sunshine Land Management has quoted us $15,900. The Board has approved my recommendation for this emergency repair. Hurricane Ian also caused the loss of one of our pool pumps. The cost for the new speed pump is $1,617. This quote has already been approved.
- We lost stop signs, street signs and dog stations throughout our communities. All have since been repaired or replaced, except for the Heron/Long Bay Street sign that is currently on order.
I am thankful that NSLH did not incur more significant damage and that we have not received any reports of any injuries to any of our NSLH residents. The safety and well being of all of our residents is our priority. Please do not hesitate to contact the HOA should you have any additional questions.
Lawsuit Against HOA Gets its Third Strike in Court
The lawsuit against Northshore at Lake Hart HOA filed by attorney and resident Bruce Burtoff and homeowner Lynn Sanford (and two anonymous homeowners in the original version) has again failed to advance in court. For the third time since the lawsuit was filed in 2020, a judge has dismissed it without prejudice. The plaintiffs now have 20 days from the dismissal date of October 18 to file an amended suit if they want to go on.
This lawsuit has alleged different things at different times, has had different plaintiffs with every iteration, including non-identified ones, and has sought financial compensation remedies that have inexplicably gone up and down as the suit continues to morph. The plaintiffs have not made it clear what is impacting the multiple changes and disparities, although it does seem like their strategy is adjusted as they go because they have met an unreceptive court at each turn.
The HOA and its attorney, Jennifer Englert, of the Orlando Law Group, believes the lawsuit to be meritless and hope the plaintiffs would desist after this, their third strike, for the sake of the community they and us call home. Their actions are sowing division and we wish we could solve this amicably. But as long as they persist, we have no choice but to vehemently defend the homeowners who would have to pay for the financial remedy the plaintiffs demand (at times this has been as high as $20 million). Unfortunately, this litigation has already cost our community over $100,000 in legal fees with no immediate end in sight.
Homeowners Play an Important Role in Compliance Enforcement, Fines can be Avoided
By Tanner Mews, Compliance Manager
It is important for homeowners to understand the process of compliance enforcement so that we can work together toward a resolution when issues arise. There are several frequently asked questions that we hope to clarify here about the fining process, meeting attendance, and fine dismissal and reversals.
Homeowners who are issued hearing notices will be informed of this via post mail with the date, time and location of the meeting, as well as instructions to register and the required actions to rectify the matter. At this time, fines have not been assessed, but it is possible for homeowners to be fined $100 up to $1,000 if the required actions are not taken prior to the indicated hearing date.
Before the hearing date, it is the homeowner’s responsibility to register for the Zoom meeting. This is a one-time thing and the registration is effective for the remainder of the year. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with information on how to join the meeting.
At the hearing, each violation is discussed with the compliance committee. Upon reviewing all the necessary documentation, the homeowner is given the opportunity to speak if they are present. Homeowners are not required to be present at a hearing, however, they are encouraged to join in to participate. Although joining the meeting does not guarantee any outcome, it often helps the homeowner better understand what is being asked to bring their property back into compliance.
There are three ways that a homeowner can have a violation dismissed without a fine.
- To complete the work requested prior to the hearing date and notify the management staff.
- To provide an invoice that the work has been completed or will be completed very soon.
- To have already submitted prior to the meeting an ARB application to have work done that would allow for the violation to be closed upon completion.
Once the fine has been confirmed by the compliance committee, it will be placed onto the homeowners account and they will be issued a Fining Notice. It is very important that homeowners understand that if they are assessed a fine, the work requested is still required to be done for the violation to be closed out. Simply paying the fine amount will not close out the violation. At the same time, if the homeowner completes the work requested without paying the fine, the fine still needs to be paid for the violation to be closed.
Fines can only be reversed if they were issued as a clerical error or if it violates the Florida law governing Homeowners Associations. If a fine has been assessed to your account and you believe it should not proceed for any of these reasons, please contact the Association Manager. If you have any questions on the process of the compliance meeting and the roles of the homeowners within the meeting, please do not hesitate to reach out to me for clarification via email at tmews@accessdifference.com.
North Shore residents have gone above and beyond to create a delightfully spooky atmosphere for the community’s enjoyment.
See if your house made it to this community album!
Welcome our New Porter
Meet Benny Angomas, our newest employee who brings a wide range of skills to his job as North Shore’s porter.
His real name is Bienvenido, which translates to welcome in Spanish. He prefers the nickname, Benny. The 23-year-old was born and raised in Kissimmee and still lives in his hometown.
He was hired by Access Management in August to provide a variety of services to the North Shore HOA. You may see him riding in a golf cart or work cart to ensure the boulevard and neighborhoods are clean where he picks up trash and debris on a regular basis. He empties trash cans and pet waste containers and restocks pet waste bags. He pressure washes the pool deck, the sidewalks around the clubhouse, the exterior of the clubhouse as well as the playground equipment and gazebo including the metal tables underneath. He will eventually take over the pressure washing of the pedestrian bridge, walkout and observation deck at Lake Hart as soon as we have water and electricity to the dock area. Benny also sprays for weeds around the clubhouse and ensures that the exterior of the clubhouse and surrounding areas are kept clean.
Previously, Benny was a supervisor at a pressure washing company. He said the best part of his new job is the opportunity to grow with the company.
“I’m enjoying my new role and love the staff,” he said.
When Benny isn’t working, you can find him playing basketball at one of several Kissimmee parks.
The Weather is Cooling and so is the Real Estate Market
By Bob Schoneman
October is here. Hurricane Ian is gone and the summer heat has been replaced with cooler nights and dryer days. I absolutely love the weather this time of year!
Although many of us in NSLH had some damage and lost power for a time, overall, we got very lucky that our impact from Ian was nothing like what some of our neighbors around the state experienced. If you would like to help by donating, here are a couple of options: the American Red Cross and Samaritan’s Purse.
If you are of German heritage or just like to party, there are many opportunities to enjoy Oktoberfest festivities in Central Florida. Check out: Orlando Date Night Guide’s Oktoberfest listings.
For something closer to home and a little less Bavarian, we have many new restaurants opening or getting ready to open on Narcoossee Road. The Great Greek has been open for a couple months now and has been getting rave reviews. LongHorn Steakhouse and Olive Garden Italian Restaurant are getting close, and Miller’s Ale House is coming soon, according to a sign on the property.
Real Estate Update:
The real estate market continues to be in a quickly changing environment as we exit the summer selling season. There are currently four properties for sale in North Shore out of the 1,049 homes in our community. That’s down from nine this time last month. The average days on market for these four homes is over 50 days, 2.5 times longer than homes that have sold recently emphasizing the importance of pricing your home correctly in this changing market. There are six homes pending (under contract) and they should close over the next 60 days. Nine homes sold in our community over the last 60 days with an average price of $597,667 or $253 per square foot and an average of 21 days on the market. Although the market has shifted dramatically since last spring, buyers are still out there. We are seeing homes that have been renovated selling for close to $300 a square foot and homes that have not been renovated selling in the $210-$230 range.
In our zip code, 32832, there are 87 homes for sale which equates to about nine weeks of inventory. During the spring of this year, we had an inventory of less than two weeks, so there has been a big change. However, most real estate experts agree that a balanced market has four to six months of inventory.
What does this mean for people in the market who are ready to buy or sell? For sellers, this is still a great market. Just don’t get caught up in thinking it’s still April 2022. Pricing correctly and having your home move-in ready is extremely important as buyers now have options and you want to outshine the competition. For buyers, competing against 20 other buyers (some of whom haven’t seen the house in bidding wars) has all but vanished. However, new listings that are priced correctly are still seeing multiple offers and many are still selling for over asking price. For listings that have been on the market for more than 10-14 days, some buyers are getting homes under contract for less than asking price.
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 lucky father of Samantha. Bob can be reached at 407-687-1490, www.facebook.com/bob.schoneman or www.expbob.com.
Yards of the Quarter
For two years now our ‘Yard of the Quarter’ program has recognized residents that go above and beyond to maintain their properties. It is wonderful that so many homeowners really get that a nice yard does more than to improve curb appeal. It contributes to the beautification of the community as a whole and builds community pride. And because you work hard to keep a nice yard, you deserve a cool $100 gift certificate as a token of appreciation for being such a good neighbor if your home is recognized. Congratulations to all our winners! Would your house be here next quarter?
9618 Renwick Court
9654 Myrtle Creek Lane
9730 Heron Pointe Drive
9918 Turtle Bay Court
10015 Hidden Dunes Lane
10142 Sandy Marsh Lane
10158 Hart Branch Circle
10174 Mallard Landings Way
10509 Sparrow Landing Way
Announcements
Traffic: We have received overwhelming positive feedback from the community on the significant decrease in speeding along the boulevard with the recent installation of stop signs and speed control devices. The Orange County Traffic Engineering Department has told us that after further review it has been determined that the three-way stop control at North Shore Golf Club Blvd. and Marsh Pine Rd intersection is warranted. This now needs to be approved by the Board of County Commissioners, which will meet on November 15.
Fitness Center: This is one of the most popular and frequently used amenities in our community. Many of the regular visitors offered suggestions on how to make it better and we listened. We are sprucing up the fitness center to make it more functional and welcoming. We replaced the ceiling fans and light bulbs, stainless steel switch covers and new storage totes for fitness equipment. We will also replace all signage, patch and repair holes, add new ceiling tiles and replace the worn-out blinds. These are relatively minor and inexpensive upgrades that will go a long way in making the gym more welcoming.
Softball: After losing the use of the softball field in a storm last fall, we recently installed a brand-new backstop next to the HOA office. In addition, we have also added netting along the first base line to the pool to prevent damage from foul balls to the office and pool areas. We will be cleaning up the clay area and adding bases in the very near future.
New Annuals planted: Recently, our landscape company planted annuals at the Boulevard entrances, HOA clubhouse and at the gates of every community. We also had all the Phoenix palm trees along the boulevard injected with nutrients to ensure the health and wellbeing of these beautiful trees.
Tree Trimming: The HOA invested $15,000 on tree trimming along the boulevard, at the Clubhouse complex, on the islands, greenspace and HOA common area sidewalks in Osprey Landing, Marsh Pine, Lake Shore, Myrtle Creek.
Pressure Washing: After advising homeowners that it was time to pressure wash their driveways and sidewalks, as well as to trim their trees, we also reached out to Orange County for maintenance work that fell under their purview and officials responded. In late August, they began repairs to trip hazards on the sidewalks along the boulevard. More recently, the county completed the pressure washing of these sidewalks as well. Conversely, we pressure-washed the sidewalks and Miami curbs in all of the communities as well as all of the HOA Common area sidewalks.