Cypress Isles
Waterford Lakes Tract N-25A Neighborhood Association, Inc.

Board of Directors Meeting
July 17, 2007
Office of Exit Real Estate
11555 Lake Underhill Road

MINUTES


Present
Board members present: Myron Davis, Harold Engold, Dennis Horazak, Cookie Symons, John Tenney, and Ron Wiley. Also present were property manager Judith Meldrum, Newsletter Editor Sandy Horazak, and homeowners Claudia Rilea, Gail Strachan, and another homeowner.

1. Call to Order: President Ron Wiley called the meeting to order at 6:33pm.

2. Certify Quorum: Six of the seven Board members were present, thus establishing a quorum.

3. Proof of Notice was given.

4. President's opening remarks: Ron summarized the meeting protocols, then briefly mentioned statutory changes affecting collection procedures and committee operations presented at the Orange County Community Conference on July 14th. Judith distributed summaries of the 2007 Amendments to Florida HOA Laws. (See Attachment A.)

5. Approval of Agenda: Three items were added to the agenda under New Business. Dennis moved to approve the agenda as modified, John seconded, and the modified agenda was approved unanimously.

6. Announcements: Cookie reported that at some unknown time, someone stole the No Trespassing signpost from Crystal River Drive. On July 11, 2007 at 12:30 p.m. an SUV was spotted dumping the pole and concrete footing without the sign into the area between Cypress Isles and Bradfordt Lakes. An alert neighbor photographed the SUV, but was not able to capture its license number.

7. Approval of minutes: After review of March 20, 2007 minutes, John corrected one of the items. Harold made a motion to approve the corrected minutes and Ron gave a second. Minutes unanimously approved by the Board.

8. Financial Report: Myron Davis gave the Financial Report.

9. Architectural Review Committee: Cookie Symons gave the ARC report.

10. Newsletter: Editor Sandy Horazak confirmed that the deadline for the August issue will be August 1st, but articles can be submitted anytime up to that date.

11. Neighborhood Watch: Cookie reported that a homeowner in the 600 block of Divine Circle discovered unidentified youths swimming naked at night in his pool. The homeowner began locking his screen enclosure after the incident, after which the screen by the lock was cut to enable entry.

12. Traffic Committee: John Tenney reported that the Traffic Committee met on July 11th, and will meet on July 18th at Cookie's house. He also reported on June 27th Orange County Land Use Amendment meeting to discuss plans to change the parcel at the end of Jade Forest (Tract N-19B) from a future elementary school to a development of 71 detached single-family houses. Local homeowners objected to the collateral problem of increased traffic volume by email and in person, and as a result the developer was denied permission at that time.
The Traffic Committee sent an email to the Orange County Traffic Engineering Division proposing five possible ways to reduce traffic volume through Cypress Isles: (1) implementing a statute prohibiting cut-through traffic at certain hours; (2) adding 3-way stop signs on Spring Island Way at Lakes Way and/or Crystal River Drive; (3) Adding a "No Left Turn" sign from Spring Island onto Lakes Way and a "No Right Turn" sign from Lakes Way onto Spring Island; (4) closing off the north (back) end of Spring Island Way; and (5) adding chicanes on Spring Island Way. (www.ite. org/traffic/chicane.htm defines "chicanes" as a series of narrowings or curb extensions that alternate from one side of the street to the other forming S-shaped curves). Ron noted the need for prompt action to reduce traffic volume, and John reiterated that persistent engagement with Orange County is the best approach, since Orange County owns the road, makes the laws, and engineers the traffic.

13. New Business: Four of the seven New Business agenda items were tabled until the next meeting, as indicated below.

14. The next meeting is scheduled for September 18, 2007. Subsequent board meetings will be on November 20, 2007; January 15, 2008; and March 18, 2008. The next Annual Meeting will be on May 20, 2008.

15. Motion to adjourn was made by Denny, seconded by Harold, and unanimously approved. Meeting adjourned at 9:22pm.

Submitted by: Approved by:

______________________________ ______________________________
Dennis Horazak, Secretary Board of Directors

 

 
 
Attachment A - 2007 Amendments to Florida HOA Laws

Florida Statute Sec. 720.3085 Collection Procedures
o Interest accrues on unpaid assessments at 18% if covenants are silent.
o Late fees capped at $25.00 or 5% of the past due payment
o Payments must be applied in the following order:
1. Interest
2. Late fees
3. Cost and attorney's fees
4. Delinquent assessment

Florida Statute Sec. 720.3085 Collection Procedures
o 45-day written notice of delinquency prior to filing a claim of lien
o 45-day written notice prior to filing a foreclosure action
o Owner may stay foreclosure case for up to 60 days upon service of a "qualifying Offer"
1. A "Qualified Offer" is written offer to pay all amounts secured by the lien plus interest accruing during the pendency of the offer

Florida Statute Sec. 720.303(2) (a) Committee Meetings
o All meetings of the association regarding the spending of association funds or to approve or disapprove architectural decisions must be open to all members.

Florida Statute Sec. 720.303(5) (d) Inspection of Records
o Authorizes an association to charge a reasonable fee, plus photocopying and attorney's fees, for providing good faith responses to requests for information.
o The fee cannot exceed $150.00 plus the reasonable cost of photocopying and attorney's fees.

Florida Statute Sec. 720.303(6) Reserve Accounts
o Provides for the maintenance of reserve accounts in the annual budget.
o Provides a method for calculating the reserves.
o Establishes the conditions for waiving the maintenance of reserve accounts.

Florida Statute Sec. 720.3035 ARB Procedures and Rights
o An association can only review and approve building and improvement plans that are specifically stated or reasonably inferred in the declaration.
o An owner's rights and privileges as provided in the declaration cannot be unreasonably impaired concerning the use of the property, and the construction of permitted structures and improvements.
o If the association or its ARB committee unreasonably, knowing, and willfully infringes or impairs upon an owner's rights and privileges set forth in the ARB section of the declaration the owner is entitled to:
1. Recover damages
2. Recover costs and attorney's fees

Florida Statute Sec. 720.305 Entitlement to Attorney's Fees and Costs
o Any member who prevails in an action against an association and is awarded attorney's fees may be awarded an amount sufficient to cover the member's share of assessments levied to fund the association's litigation expenses.

Florida Statute Sec. 720.311 Mediation Process
o Clarifies that you do not have to attend pre-suit mediation in collection matters.
o No pre-suit mediation if the association is seeking emergency relief.
o Establishes a procedure and form for demanding pre-suit mediation.
o Eliminates the need to file a request for pre-suit mediation with DBPR.
o Owner's failure to participate in pre-suit mediation or pre-pay their required ½ of the mediator's fees may result in the owner having to pay the association attorney's fees and costs incurred in attempting to obtain mediation.
o The parties must mediate within 90 days of written demand.
o Mediator can be any Florida Supreme Court mediator.