Master POA Report
It is officially Hurricane Season! So far it has been relatively calm, but you never know when one of those tropical lows will pop up. Before we get to the heart of the hurricane season (mid-August to mid-October), there will be another sales tax holiday for storm supplies. Yes, I believe that toilet paper will be on the list again! We had never been in Florida for a hurricane until Irma in 2017. With my late wife’s health problems there were concerns whether we should evacuate to the Lee County Special Needs evacuation center. This is an evacuation center for handicap residents and is a well-organized service offered by our county. But we decided to experience the storm by staying in our home so we could wear one of those “Ask me about Irma” tee shirts. While Irma had declined to a Cat 3 storm by the time it got to Grandezza, there was a lot of rain and wind but with
our storm shutters up and our TV station on the 24-hour local TV coverage we felt comfortable. Our experience with Ian in 2022 was similar except Darwin’s theory was proven that the weakest trees were knocked down with Irma and we did not have as many trees blown down with Ian.
The hurricane TV coverage for both storms was very unusual from the standpoint that two major local stations (NBC and ABC) combined their staffs and facilities, so they were broadcasting the same signal from the same studio. I believe they were on (24/7) for 5 days so it was a lot of stress for the on air and backup personnel. Those two stations were owned by the same company at that time, but the NBC station is now owned by Hearst. They still seem to share news operations staff. It must be difficult for the outside reporters to remember to turn
their microphones to the correct channel side and remember what to say at the end of their report.
As we mentioned last month, Susan Sherwin is the new editor of the Gazzette. She has been working with the Communication Committee and its chair, Jack Jones, on expanding the articles in number and subjects. If you have suggestions, please email them to our Property Manager (cmacfarland@vestapropertyservices.com) who will share them with the Communications Committee.
Based on the number of homes without recycle bins out on Tuesday, I would guess that many of both our permanent and snowbird residents are vacationing. We hope that you have a great and safe summer and that Grandezza has a quiet one!
Fred Thompson
Understanding Grandezza’s Stormwater Infrastructure Design
The following is a reprint of an article that was communicated in October 2022.
When Grandezza was developed more than 20 years ago sound civil engineering requirements were followed. Key design requirements implemented are illustrated in the graphic at right and are explained. (This applies to the larger portion of Grandezza, and the same principle applies to Savona except that Savona is at an elevation of about one foot higher above sea level)
Design Principles:
1. The main purpose of Grandezza’s 24 Lakes is to collect and store stormwater.
2. When lakes are full to capacity, the streets act as temporary storage of stormwater.
3. 22 Of Grandezza’s 24 lakes are interconnected by large underground stormwater pipes. These pipes are also connected to the street drains so the water level in street drains is the same throughout.
4. When water is observed in street drains, it is at the same level as the water in the lakes.
5. We have three (3) outfalls where water is expelled out of Grandezza, two are located along the Ben Hill Griffin berm and one at the Corkscrew berm near the maintenance exit. Water is expelled at a metered rate approved by the South Florida Water Management District.
Design Elevations:
1. The graphic at right illustrates the various design elevations of the Grandezza infrastructure.
2. Minimum perimeter berm elevation is 19.2’ above sea level, however our berms were constructed at a height significantly higher than specified.
3. Minimum road elevation is 19’ above sea level.
5. The control elevation of the lake is 17’ above sea level. What this means is that when the lakes reach a level of 17’, water starts flowing out of Grandezza at a controlled rate through the three (3) outfall control structures.
4. Minimum house finished floor elevation is 20.5’ above sea level.
Anger, Just Let it Go
By Yvette Bernosky, B.Ms., Director of Fitness & Wellness, The Club at Grandézza
Getting upset when caught in a traffic jam or an unexpected mishap is normal, but sustained anger can impact our health in many ways.
Your Heart
In an article in the Wall
Street Journal, Anger Does a Lot More Damage to Your Body Than You Realize, the Journal of the American Heart Association found that when we are angry, we are more prone to heart attacks because of their effect on our blood vessels. Additionally, Dr. Dailich Shimbo, a professor of medicine at Colombia University who was a lead author in a study about how anger, anxiety, and sadness affect our hearts, stated, “We speculate over time if you’re getting the chronic insults to arteries because you get angry a lot that will leave you at risk for having heart disease.”
Your Brain
As we become angry, we may experience abnormal blood flow to certain brain areas, affecting us emotionally and cognitively. In the article from The Society of Psychology, The
Understanding Grandezza’s Stormwater Infrastructure Design on page 3
Angry Brian, by Rachel Zacher, M.S., she shares that due to the dysfunction caused to the limbic system with disruption of blood flow, one is more prone to experience negative emotions like fear and anxiety. Additionally, lower levels of blood flow can affect our ability to move smoothly and even impact simple movements such as writing and walking.
Your Gut
Our gut comprises an intricate network of nerve endings and feelings of anger can precipitate unsettling symptoms in our stomach. In the New York Times, How Anger Affects the Body, they discuss the brain-gut connection. Our emotions have a direct impact on our stomach. Anger can cause gastrointestinal discomfort, diarrhea, loss of appetite, and impact food absorption.
As we get angry and hold onto resentments, it’s easy to make a mountain out of a molehill. Pausing and stepping
“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” ~Aesop
This graphic illustrates the various important elevations of the Grandezza stormwater design
in the Grande
Reader’s Corner
By Susan Sherwin
This reviewer cannot help but gush over Tom Lake, Ann Patchett’s exquisite new novel with themes of coming of age, young and married love, and family. While I normally process books by reading, I would recommend listening to the audio version of this novel because Patchett’s beautiful writing combined with the incomparable Meryl Streep’s mellifluous delivery is wonderful.
You likely remember how the pandemic of 2020 affected many people’s lives, often forcing them to alter their life styles as they hunkered down. In Tom Lake , the fictional Nelson family is huddled together on the family’s cherry farm to harvest their family’s fruit orchards because of a shortfall of their crew of workers. Told from the viewpoint of Lara, two timelines reveal both her past and present lives as she, her husband Joe, and their three twenty-something-year-old-grown daughters are together. Tom Lake refers to a summer stock theater in North Michigan in the late 1980s. Of special importance is the threaded weaving of Thornton Wilder’s play Our Town to Lara’s past and present. As a young actress Lara was first cast in the role of Emily in that play and it has helped define her life. (The reader does not necessarily have to be familiar with Our Town or the other theater references: Kander, Ebb and Masteroff’s musical Cabaret and Sam Shepard’s Fool for Love .)
Alternating seamlessly against her family’s personal hopes and future choices, we are privy to Lara’s innermost recollections in bits and pieces and her unwillingness to share with her girls private morsels that belong only to her. The Nelson girls want to know how their parents met, fell in love and about significant events of their lives. Lara judiciously tells them about her early acting as the small town character Emily Gibbs in Our Town , her relationship with the other actors, and her chaotic summer romance with a special cast member Peter Duke, who rose to stardom as a famous Hollywood movie star. This is a character drawn, slower paced novel, one to savor. Through the
Why is Water Expelled at a Controlled Rate?
The South Florida Water Management District requires that each community retain their own stormwater so that in the event of large storms or hurricanes the entire county does not become flooded. The requirement is that for what is known as a “100-year storm” the flood water in our streets will recede in 12 days. A “100-year storm” is defined as a 3-day storm event with 13.5” or more of rain.
Enhancement that was made following Hurricane Irma: Following hurricane Irma we were successful in having the South Florida Water Management District approve the construction of a spillway on the berm along Corkscrew road just west of the maintenance exit. The spillway is 12’ wide and is at an elevation of 19.2’ above sea level. The design of the spillway will allow large quantities of water to be expelled from Grandezza when the level of water in our lakes has equalized to a level in excess of 19.2’ above sea level. In effect, our streets will still flood but the spillway will reduce the time taken for the streets to drain.
integration of the Lara and Emily Gibbs characters, we become immersed in an-depth well drawn character analysis of Lara, Joe, people from their past and the daughters.
Lara’s oldest daughter Emily was filled with hormonal rage when she was younger and idolized Duke from watching him in movies. She also was delusionally convinced that he was her biological father. Might he be? Emily loves reading books about horticulture and expects to always be a fruit farmer after she marries her childhood friend and neighbor Benny.
The sensible middle daughter Maisie is training to be a veterinarian and is content about her ambitions. She doesn’t hesitate to help neighbors birthing their calves or dealing with other animal issues at any time of day or night.
Nell, the intuitive youngest daughter, aspires to be an actress and her favorite books are about actors, theater and movies. Of the three daughters she is conflicted the most about her mother’s giving up the glamor and glory of acting for a life of living on a farm. As each of the daughters listens to their mother’s recounting, we come to understand more about their own dreams and motivations of the future while we are given a deeper understanding of both Lara and Joe’s marriage and Lara’s self awareness.
Just as the daughters in the novel hang on to every word of their mother’s unfolding storytelling, this writer enjoyed every aspect of Meryl Streep’s delivery of the profoundly moving Tom Lake I hope that you will enjoy it as much as I have.
In Summary, and Important to Remember:
1. The lakes are designed to store storm water.
2. The lakes are interconnected and are at the same water level.
3. Streets act as temporary storage of stormwater when the lakes are full.
4. Water in the street is at the same level as water in the lakes. (The street drains are not blocked)
5. The permitted rate of water flowing out of Grandezza is restricted not to flood county roads. All communities similar to Grandezza have similar permitted restrictions.
6. The Spillway installed following hurricane Irma will allow the streets to drain faster, but will not eliminate the flooding of streets.
Conclusion:
The Grandezza stormwater infrastructure design appears to be sound as with two major hurricanes over the last five years, though street flooding and significant wind damage occurred, no flooding of homes due to the rise of stormwater was experienced.
Bicycle Safety – Rules of the Road
Bicycling is fun, healthy, and a great family activity. But a bicycle isn’t a toy, it’s a vehicle!
Florida leads the country in most bicycle accident fatalities. According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, there were more than 4,000 bicycle accidents and over 100 fatalities throughout the state in 2023. Approximately 90% of bicycle accident deaths are caused by motor vehicles, and even in these types of accidents that don’t result in death, the cyclist is often gravely injured.
There are many reasons why this is the case, but the most common are failure to yield the right of way by drivers of motor vehicles, poor visibility, disregarding traffic signs and improper turns. All the more reason for cyclists to be aware of the “Rules of the Road” and to maintain a defensive awareness while riding on the open road.
In all states bicycles on the roadway are considered vehicles. Bicyclists are the drivers with the same rights
and responsibilities as motorists to follow these “Rules of the Road”.
– Ride WITH the traffic flow NOT against
– Obey all traffic laws. Stop signs and signal lights apply to all vehicles.
– Yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk
– Yield to motor vehicle traffic if you are unsure of the drivers intent
– Look in all directions before turning
– Be predictable. Use verbal and non-verbal communication to signal your intent
– Be alert at all times. Don’t use personal electronics while you ride
– Watch for parked cars with unexpected doors opening
– Avoid riding at night
Before riding make sure that you, your family and the bicycles are ready to ride.
Be a “Role Model” for other adults and children while riding your bicycle. For more information on bicycle safety, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website at: www.nhtsa.gov/bicycles.
Grandezza Girlfriends
By Cindy Fitzpatrick
Summer season is upon us and that means reciprocals. In June, the Girlfriends didn’t let the rain deter them from gathering at The Forest and enjoying a delicious meal and each other’s company. As Alice Waters says, “This is the power of gathering: it inspires us, delightfully, to be more hopeful, more joyful, more thoughtful: in a word, more alive.” Together the GirlFriends celebrated the birthdays’ of Marcy Cook, Peggy Flanagan and Sheila Solyom. Michelle Wright was the lucky winner of the bracelet. A big thank you to Peggy Reckards for the photos.
back lets us evaluate the circumstance objectively, as our imaginations can often cloud our reality. One of the best tools we can gain is by mastering our minds, as our experiences are preceded by the thoughts that occupy them. As we spend time in meditation, we sharpen our ability to notice the onset of disruptive thought patterns that lead to emotions of anger and potential outbursts. Additionally, when we become angry, we tense up and our breath may become short or rapid. As we feel this physical shift, herein lies the opportunity to take a few deep breaths, as scientific research has proven the calming effect deep breathing can also diffuse anger at the onset. When anger arises in your life, I encourage you to take a breath, bring awareness to the thoughts running rapidly in your mind and consciously take control of the moment.
Understanding Grandezza’s Stormwater Infrastructure Design from page 1
Anger, Just Let it Go from page 1
Playing Tennis Provides Multiple Benefits!
By David Dekeersmaker, Director of Tennis The Club at Grandézza
Recent global studies have proven, in general, the multiple benefits of playing tennis!
Tennis leads to a longer life expectancy of up to nearly 10 years longer than a sedentary life style
There is evidence of lower risk of cardiovascular disease, while improving one’s aerobic fitness and lowering body fat percentage with a decreased risk of diabetes. Specific studies highlight the importance of activities that continue throughout the lifespan. Age related decline of physical activity is a major public health concern.
Tennis players 45 years and older who maintain a healthy level of training and exercise report an uplift in their well-being. This current and most relevant evidence shows that the most beneficial aspect of playing the game of tennis is maintaining and improving one’s mental health.
Tennis participation has been linked to psychological benefits, increased self-esteem and stress reduction. While stress is a common part of everyday life, tennis helps you deal with physical, mental, emotional and social challenges, which in turn increases your capacity to handle stress. Tennis is a dynamic sport that requires a lot of concentration and precision to coordinate mind and movement. When you finish your match or training session (with Dave) it helps you feel relaxed and happy, a “good exhaustion.”
Regular practice keeps you disciplined in your approach to improvement. Maintaining focus on all the positives you’ve learned and recording them helps the mind logically work through the process. While the game of tennis not only helps enhance brain function through critical thinking and problem solving, the exercise boosts serotonin levels.
Pet Corner Featuring Dolce
By Susan Sherwin
Dolce, as in Dolce Gabbana, is a nearly eleven year old 50 lb. female Vizsla who was rescued by Solemar homeowners Pamela and Dan Williams when she already was four and a half years old. With her golden rust short-haired coat, she is of a muscular breed of the Hungarian hunting dog, and is often referred to as a “velcro” dog because of her loyalty and affection. Between WWI and WWII due to its use as a messenger dog for its speed, endurance, and intelligence the breed almost became extinct.
The Williams suspect that their sweetheart of a dog may have had an unhappy history because she was adopted and returned at least three times prior to their rescuing her. It is possible that their Vizsla, the smallest of the pointer family, required more daily exercise than previous owners were able to give her. Perhaps the owners themselves were not vetted properly or their training was inappropriate, either too harsh or insufficient, for this highly energetic, enthusiastic, and high spirited canine. Or, perhaps Dolce was incompatible with the previous owners’ other pets, but in coming to the Williams she was “damaged goods.” Fortunately, Dolce bonded well with Pamela and Dan’s other dog, Versace, and her new family. Initially, she barked a lot and was extremely fearful; it took two years before she felt safe and comfortable enough to allow Pamela and Dan to rub her tummy. After spending four plus years with Versace as her canine partner Dolce was forlorn when her playmate passed away but she has now adapted to being the Williams’ only dog, the “princess” and Her Royal Highness (HRH). Dolce is very intelligent and affectionate, and she fits the pattern of being a “velcro” dog, as she is attached all night to Pamela even though she also adores Dan. With her prominent chest and big rib cage, she is not an overly big eater although she loves snacks, especially doggie cookies or other treats after a walk by Dan. She is smart enough to be manipulative. She fully expects her treats to be given in a certain order during the day and will turn her head in rejection if Pamela or Dan try to hand her a snack she does not want. Dolce has an understandable vocabulary of a couple of hundred words and her humans must resort to spelling words such as “cookie,” “treat,” or “outside” to outwit her. Dolce has come to associate her human grandmother with fresh baked doggie cookies since Pamela’s mother always brings them to her. Dolce has a distinctive eating style. She inserts her paws into her bowl and tosses the food from the bowl into the air before she pounces
Tennis definitely helps develop a work ethic, improving through lessons and practice it reinforces the value of hard work. So remember, whether you’re a novice or a seasoned pro there’s always something new to discover and enjoy on the tennis court.
to chow down the food. Why this quirky routine? Pamela surmises it is a form of Dolce either entertaining herself or a genetically historic practice of how the breed caught its food in the wild.
Dolce epitomizes her name (dolce means sweet in Italian), loves people in general, and is protective of her humans. She barks furiously at strangers and takes seriously the job of guarding her people and the house. The ringing of the doorbell sets off chaos, but after sniffing someone new and judging them to be OK she is friendly. She likes the UPS delivery person, unless he rings the doorbell, and also enjoys greeting Vanessa, the USPS delivery person. As a matter of fact, if someone approaches her and her owner on a walk, she expects to be given a friendly petting touch. If not, she will stand in front of the person while waiting expectantly. A favorite toy is Lambchop (reminiscent of Shari Lewis’ featured lamb puppet from an old TV series
that ran from 1922-1997 or a PBS series from 1992-1995).
Like Dolce’s loving owners, she also likes her Kansas City Chiefs gear.
If you happen to encounter Pamela and Dan Williams walking Dolce around Grandezza, do stop to introduce yourself, and once this gentle sociable canine deems you OK, she will enjoy your attention and petting her.
Do you have a travel story to share?
Travel Stories From Grandezza Residents....
Now that the Covid cases have diminished here at home and in many countries around the world, our Grandezza friends and neighbors are beginning to travel again. Hopefully you noticed we have started a “Travel Corner” in The Grandezza Gazette with the help of our traveling residents. We would like to invite you and your traveling friends to share your travel experiences and tell us about any interesting, or unusual destinations and experiences along the way.
We would love to hear about your best stories/logs from your past, or present travels. Have you visited an “off the beaten path” place, or discovered a new or special attraction nearby? What was the most interesting/ memorable, or the least interesting? Do you have any special/personal tips or advice that would help others
planning to visit the same places? Would you recommend your trip to others? If not, why not? You get the idea! We’re looking for our Grandezza residents to write a short recap of your highlights (200-600 words) in any direction you wish to pursue. There are no ground-rules except they must be personal resident experiences and not travel tips etc. from commercial travel agents. Virtually everyone loves to travel, so we expect the readership to be very high.
Hopefully, you have some travel experiences you would like to share. If so, please send them to Al Meyer at meyer815@aol.com and we’ll get them printed as soon as possible.
Thanks in advance for helping to make The Grandezza Gazzette more interesting for our readers.
Oakwood Sports New Entrance Pavers
By Oakwood Neighborhood Board
It has been 25 years of heavy traffic at the entrance to Oakwood, so we decided to give it a much-needed fresh look. We also had our share of broken and damaged pavers and concrete that was caused mainly by our “infamous Live Oak trees.”
Our new paver size has been increased to 6x6 and 6x8 with a charcoal border at the perimeters.
From hundreds of combinations at TriCircle Pavers in Ft. Myers we were able to envision our best look. After receiving bids from several paver companies we chose “Pavers as Art” in Cape Coral to do our work.
The new pavers will be sealed in December allowing them six months to settle and cure. Sealing will give them a fresh look and protective shield to prevent stains and fading. December was chosen when many residents are away for the holidays, and we can be more assured of no rain for at least 48 hours.
Needless to say we are very pleased with our choices, and we hope when you drive by or into Oakwood you will also like our improved and updated look.
Anyone wishing to learn more about our latest project, feel free to contact any one of our board members.
Grandezza Visitor Access Control
(dwellingLIVE):
Grandezza is a limited access community and access is powered by dwellingLIVE Guest Passes for entrance are valid only at the Main Gate.
A dwellingLIVE tutorial can be found on the home page of grandezzamaster.com. The tutorial provides instructions to access dwellingLIVE and manage your visitor information on your computer or smart phone. dwellingLIVE provides many useful features, including:
• Managing your visitor information from your computer or smartphone
• Sending an e-pass directly to your visitor.
• Visitors can scan the e-pass barcode at the main gate right hand resident lane to gain entry and not wait in line for the gate attendant to print a pass
• Receiving a Text or Email when your visitors arrive, if you enable that feature
• Providing a faster, easier to use facility for Residents, Visitors, Trade, and Security
We encourage you to use the dwellingLIVE app, or by accessing your account on your computer, but if you are unable to do so, you can use the Voice Message system: Instructions to use the Access Control Voice Message system:
Call 239-986-8627 or 888-994-4117 and if asked to do so, enter your PIN number. You will be prompted to confirm your home address and announce the following information for your visitor:
• Name: (Say the name of your visitor – example “Perfect AC Systems”)
• Date: (Say the date – example, “September 21”)
• Time: (You do not need to state the time)
• Number of days: (say the number of days –example “one day”, or “2 days, etc”
• Press pound when you are finished: (press # on your phone and wait for the call to be automatically disconnected before hanging up).
The dwellingLIVE voice system should recognize your phone number and will place the voice recording in your online account file. When your visitor arrives, the gate attendant will access your online account and will listen to your voice message and will issue a pass to your visitor. You should add all of your phone numbers to your dwellingLIVE account. By doing this the system will recognize any of your phone numbers when you call to schedule visitor access.
We ask for your cooperation to either use the dwellingLIVE app on your smart phone or by accessing your account on your computer, or by using the voice system feature.
Please do not call the gate attendant to request visitor access as it is no longer necessary and will free up the attendant to more efficiently grant visitors access to Grandezza. For assistance or if you experience problems, send a note to Cheryl McFarland at cmcfarland@vestapropertyservices.com.
Community Boards and Officers
Details of the New Proton Therapy Center In Estero
At the Engage Estero Community and Member Meeting on May 26, over 50 residents were captivated by the unique features of the new Proton Therapy Center in Estero. Dr.
Todd Pezzi, a board-certified radiation oncologist, unveiled the center’s plan, emphasizing its strategic location near Regional Southwest Airport and its potential to serve a comprehensive range of patients in Southwest Florida. The center’s unique features and advanced treatment approach are set to revolutionize cancer care in the region.
does not impact the surrounding tissues. This significantly reduces the risk of side effects and damage to healthy tissues.
Dr. Dosoretz said, “As the beam enters the body, it does not pass through you, so there is no exit dose. This means the treatment is more precise, leading to better outcomes and a higher quality of life for patients.”
D
Grande Estates Peter Dersley P Cameron Snyder VP Fred Thompson T Laura Reddin S Lanell Shields D
Oakwood Neighborhood Sandra Renner P Ted Lewman VP Patricia Collie S Al Meyer D Steve Anderson T
Oakwood I Rich Green P Joe Trefaller VP Tom Rajtik S/T
Oakwood
Sabal
S/T Celia Platt VP
Saraceno Neil Greene P Skip DeLong VP Bob Hoel S Matt Baumlin T Dean Stefanac D
Savona Brian Schultz P Steve Katz T Paul Copper VP/S Jay Montgomery D Nancy Banyard D Ann Cary D Wes Wilkins D
Solemar Bob Lindgren P Brian Vance VP/S Dan Williams T
Villa Grande Joseph Drummond P Mickey Wheeler VP Beth Feldman T Sarah Hartman S Steve Bajinski D Jeff Almo D
The proton equipment, which will cost over $26 million, is expected to be the most up-to-date and state-of-the-art equipment available in the United States. This advanced technology will significantly improve the precision and effectiveness of cancer treatments. It is from Belgium, and the therapy center is expected to be completed by the end of 2024. However, due to the need for extensive equipment calibration and testing, treatment will likely commence in mid-2025. Dr. Pezzi emphasized that the equipment is very complicated and will require a sophisticated group of people to prepare it.
• It provides an important alternative treatment option for patients and will attract oncologists to the area because of the latest state-of-the-art facilities.
• It will enhance Estero’s reputation as a leading area for healthcare.
Arie Dosoretz, M.D., MBA, explained why proton therapy was an important alternative to traditional radiation treatment. While radiation treatment directed at cancer cells causes them to die, traditional radiation (see picture A) penetrates and exits the body while impacting other areas and organs besides those being targeted. Proton therapy (see picture B) does not exit the body and, because of a very targeted effect,
The types of cancer where the treatment can be considered include, but are not restricted to, pediatric cancers, CNS and head and neck cancers, those that are recurrent, GI, prostate and left breast (near the heart), with more indications occurring regularly.
Ben Spence, chief financial officer of Lee Health, highlighted the community’s crucial role in the success of the Proton Therapy Center. He stated, “We are partnering in the Proton Center with leading radiation oncologic physicians who have had community involvement for over three generations. This is an advanced treatment. You just heard how amazing it is in the technology and the advancement it provides, the superior outcomes it can produce, limiting exposure to radiation that is so important in treating children and adults.” This underscores the importance of community support in making the center a reality.
The full report and video recording can be seen at https:// www.esterotoday.com/proton-therapy-for-cancer-in-esteromay-community-membership-meeting/.
Engage Estero is an all-volunteer, nonpolitical, nonprofit community engagement association. We exist to inform citizens of significant community issues and encourage citizen engagement to impact the quality of life in greater Estero favorably.
Be Informed, Get Engaged, and Make an Impact!
Understanding Grandezza Preserves
Grandezza has five preserves as shown in the illustration below. They are located as follows:
• Behind the Studio. (Sales Center)
• South of Santa Lucia and Left of #2 golf hole.
• Between Villa Grande & Grande Estates.
• North of Sabal Palm. (next to #8 Tee Box)
• East of Savona.
South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) specifies preserve maintenance requirements and performs periodic enforcement inspections, the most recent on May 21, 2024 when full compliance was reported. Enforcement inspections focus on two specific areas; the presence of non-native invasive plants, and violations of “Protected Area” requirements.
Our five preserves are owned by the Master Property Owner’s Association (MPOA) that is responsible for maintenance and enforcement. A licensed preserve maintenance company is contracted to perform quarterly maintenance that involves the eradication of non-native invasive plants. Grandezza residents are responsible for not violating “Protected Area” requirements. These requirements are posted on signs that have been staked along the preserve boundary between homes bordering on preserves. The requirements specified by SFWMD are:
• No Planting
• No Filling
• No Dumping
• No Cutting
• No Vegetation Removal
• No Mowing
Preserves provide a safe haven for various plant and animal species. This biodiversity is not only vital for ecological balance but also enhances the aesthetics and value of our community. They also play a critical role in water filtration and management, helping to purify rainwater and maintain groundwater levels. Additionally, these areas act as natural buffers against flooding by absorbing excess rainwater, thereby protecting our homes and infrastructure.
As residents of Grandezza, it is our collective responsibility to protect and maintain our preserve areas, especially adhering to the “Protected Area” requirements.
Grandezza Classified Ads
To place a classified ad e-mail sjsherwin18@gmail. com. An ad will run for THREE (3) MONTHS after first submission (except for Service Offerings). Please notify us when the item has been sold or if you wish to have it deleted from the column so that you do not continue to receive phone calls. You must notify us to continue an ad for an additional cycle after the initial 3-month period has expired or it will be deleted.
Items for Sale
Suntrex adult tricycle: With over size tires with very little usage. Asking $350.00 Call 239-401-0939.
Service Offerings
Airport Rides: Airport rides any time or day at affordable rates and a resident of Grandezza. Call or text Sue at 708-846-1985.
Concierge Service: Assists by Comer. Grandezza resident offering 5-star concierge and home watch services. For assistance call 407-928-4646.
Home Automation Services: Tyler’s Technology & Automation Services includingiPad/iPhone/Laptop Assistance & Tutorials. Call or Text 239-887-5049 for free estimates. Home Health Care: Fox Private Home Healthcare is a family owned and operated service for in-home healthcare. Custom care options. Experienced, caring,
and flexible with overnights and light housekeeping as options. Contact Donna Fox at 424-8968 or (mobile) 607-483-4428.
Nanny & Pet Sitter: Nanny/ light housekeeper/ house manager/ pet sitter with 20+ years of experience. Available evenings and weekends. Newborn through school aged children. CPR First Aid certified. Contact Jessica Ward at 203-556-6130.
Pet Sitting: Planning to travel and cannot take your 4-legged family member with you? Call Kathie Karp at 561-715-7868 or kthka8@gmail.com to stay at your home and watch over the welfare of your dog.
Travel Concierge: Retired fulltime resident, over 35 years travel experience offering the best prices & service for cruises, tours, packages, all-inclusive safaris...The advice is free, the planning priceless. Contact Larry @ Ljackman1@ aol.com.
Wanted
Condo Rental Wanted: Retired married couple, former condo owners in Sabal Palm would like to rent the month of February, 2025. If an agreement could be reached, we would be interested in the month of October, 2025 and February and possibly March, 2026. Call or text Frank at 330-575-1643 or email at frank.ranalli@gmail.com or wjgreenwald45@gmail.com
A top team
I am proud to announce, our team, Touchstone Wealth Partners has been named one of Barron’s 2024 Top 250 Private Wealth Management Teams. The Barron’s rating is awarded annually in May based on information from the prior year Q4. Eligibility is based on quantitative factors and is not necessarily related to the quality of the investment advice. In excess of $2.5 Billion* assets under management. Contact us for a Second Opinion.
Resident NoticeEntry Gate Access
Important Numbers
