HBTSNEWS 3 2013 YEAR IN REVIEW
January 2014
Muscovy ducks have no identifiable owner, federal regulations allow control by landowners, wildlife management agencies, tenants, agents or employees without federal or state permits. Captured ducks can be humanely euthanized.
Year in review Continued from page 1
August Bear hit, killed near Holley by the Sea west entrance A black bear was killed on Highway 98 in Navarre when a vehicle reportedly hit the bear near the Sunrise Drive entrance to Holley by the Sea, according to Stan Kirkland of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
September HBTS asks county for storm water mitigation Frustrated by the county’s response to drainagerelated flooding issues in Holley by the Sea (HBTS), residents of the massive subdivision drove to Milton to attend Santa Rosa County’s annual flood mitPhotos by Sandi Kemp igation meeting on Aug. 22 at which the county’s flood Santa Rosa Sheriff’s Office Deputy Lori Goodwin had her hands full on July 5 when she found herself directing both traffic plan was reviewed with and ducks at the intersection of Hwy 98 and Sunrise Drive. respect to flooding incidents. member and president Pete Usage variances nixed New Homes Causing Peterzen.“We had a lot of HBTS homeowner Dave Problems funds carried over last year Lawson was chosen by the County officials explained that made it that low.” board to head a working HBTS is an older subdivigroup to define“hardship” sion in which the streets HBTS GM Barrett removed as it pertains to usage variwere laid out and ditches Jennie Barrett’s license to ances. Previous boards had were dug by the original practice community asso- given variances to owners developers and that the ciation management was and renters based on indicounty inherited the probrevoked by the Florida vidual needs and what might lems associated with them. Department of Business and be considered a“hardship.” Professional Regulation For example, a renting fam(DBPR) on September 12 ily was given a“hardship” Dangerous intersections as a result of Barrett alter- variance if they had more where HBTS meets ing documents at HBTS. nuclear family members Highway 98 Barrett was also fined $5,000 than bedrooms, which is a Some intersections are and assessed court costs of stipulation in the covenants. more dangerous than oth$616.92. The DBPR later Another example would be ers, and Navarre has three restored Barrett’s license, an owner who had two of these along U.S. Highbut kept the fine and court names on the deed that were way 98 that have proven to costs in place. not a nuclear family – perbe accident prone — the haps two widowed sisters three entrances to Holley HBTS has a new GM living together. The way the by the Sea from Highway First Services brought in covenants are currently writ98. Alessandra“Alex”Fambri, ten, the sisters would have The intersections of SunLCAM, CMCA to serve as to choose who would have rise Drive and Hwy 98, Coral the General Manager of the“easement of enjoyment” Street and Hwy 98 and HBTS. and who wouldn’t – unless Edgewood Drive and 98 are wrecks include one fatality. agement. FirstServices was they received a variance.“I’ve seemingly always backed Those numbers — and a call eleven months into a twelve- More car burglaries prompt being reading this a lot, and from a concerned citizen — month contract at the time. up due to heavy traffic or warning from Sheriff’s Office I could not find in the caught the attention of the HBTS later reconsidered because of accidents, espeCar burglaries continue covenants where this is a cially at peak traffic times in Florida Department of Trans- with stipulations. See to rise as a trend in Holley ‘hardship’clause for usage,” the afternoon. According to portation (FDOT), which November. by the Sea. However, the said Lawson at the October the Florida Highway Patrol, has plans to install a traffic majority of these vehicle board meeting.“You can’t the Sunrise Drive-Hwy 98 light at the intersection in Board votes to raise burglaries are preventable give a usage variance for assessments intersection has seen 71 traf- early 2014. by taking part in a fairly simThe budget for 2014 was ple task- locking the doors. hardship – because it isn’t fic crashes and one fatality in here.”Lawson could not in the last five years, since Seemingly parting ways with approved by the Holley by find where“hardship”was Management Company the Sea Board of Directors May of 2008. The Coral a consideration under archiBoard members voted to special meeting fulfilling the Street-Hwy 98 intersection tectural variances.“Right was close behind, as there give the management com- October 1 deadline set in Board renegotiates now all the variances you pany FirstService Residenthe covenants. In its final have been 68 crashes in the management contract with have given are illegal, accordtial (formerly Continental form, residents will see a $27 same time frame, according FirstService Residential ing to our covenants. We Services) the required 30increase in their 2014 annuto FHP. After the board voted in are doing things that you Of the three intersections, day notice of intent to ter- al assessment. The 2013 September to send the legally can’t do,”Lawson minate the contract after assessment was $350 and the Edgewood Drive-Hwy required 30-day cancella- said. Lawson then recom98 intersection has the least discussion that included per- the new assessment for 2014 tion notice to FirstService mended that the covenants number of wrecks over the formance issues and con- is $377.“Last year’s assess- Residential, the negotiations be redone and recom5 year period, at 41. The 41 cerns from members about ment was artificially low,” for the next contract began. mended that no more varianother turnover in man- said Former HBTS board FirstService Residential Sen- ances be given for usage iorVice President Dan Buck- until the covenants have ner addressed the board dur- been re-written. ing the October meeting and opened with an apology by stating that First Serv- Ducks become center ices had failed the board and of attention Holley by the Sea by not folHBTS board members lowing through on prom- discussed possible ways to ises. eliminate the ducks from “I’m not here to make HBTS property because they excuses, I’m offering an apol- have become a nuisance to ogy,” Buckner said.“I’m sor- neighbors near the ponds ry for our past failures. We where the Muscovy ducks are motivated to get this right took up residency. and make sure that everyAccording to the U.S. Fish thing that was promised to and Wildlife Service, the you in the past is delivered Muscovy duck occurs natand executed on,”said Buck- urally only in southern Texas. ner. FirstService presented It has been introduced in the board with concessions other locations, where it is for consideration. The most considered an invasive significant is the offer to species that sometimes crePhoto by Sandi Kemp waive the management fee ates problems through comfor the first six months of petition with native species, Like many other HBTS residents, the backyard of Andrea and Lance Fairchok includes a vegetable garden. What makes the Fairchok’s yard stand out are10 domestic laying hens that provide compost the contract, a $22,000 damage to property and for the gardens and eggs for the kitchen. savings to the association. transmission of disease. If
October:
November
December
Covenant re-write still not done The Holley by the Sea Board of Directors approved spending $7,500 from legal funds in March of 2013 to engage the law firm of Becker & Poliakoff to provide a full legal draft of governing documents during a March 19 HBTS board special meeting. The board was in favor of scrapping the rewrite and rewriting two sections of the covenants: 1. Annual Maximum Assessment Increase Percentage — The current covenants, under Article V, Section 3 states that The annual assessment shall be established by the Board of Directors of the Association in accordance with the bylaws. It does not provide a limit on the increase permitted from year to year. The proposed language will recommend a maximum 5to-7 percent annual increase in the assessment set forth by the Board of Directors. 2. Voting Requirements for Amendments — The current covenants state that Under Article IX, Amendments section, a resolution for the adoption of a proposed amendment of these bylaws requires the following for approval: a) Not less than 66.67 percent of the entire membership of the Board of Directors and by not less than 51 percent of the votes of the entire membership of the Association; or b) Not less than 66.67 percent of the entire membership of the Association.
Remembering active members who left us in 2013 Peggy Elwood The year began on a somber note for Keith Elwood of Elwood HBTS, who lost his wife Peggy Elwood. Peggy was an avid volunteer in the community and had the most spectacular Christmas light display in HBTS and perhaps the Panhandle for many years. She lost her battle with cancer during one last trip over the holidays to her home state to visit her son and daughter. Dorothy “Dottie” Elaine Steinert Dorothy Elaine (Angione) Steinert, 76, Steinert of HBTS in Navarre, Florida, and formerly of Norwalk and Trumbull, Conn., died peacefully at her home after a long illness. She was the wife of the late Uri (Lee) Steinert of 30 years. Lee passed away in February of 2012, just a little over a year earlier.