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November 21, 2023
Dear VI Property Owner: This is a beautiful time of the year in St. Petersburg and I hope you are all enjoying all that Venetian Isles has to offer. Oktoberfest was a great success with over 300 people attending. Photos of the event can be found at http://www.ourvi.org/latest-news Thanks again to our generous sponsors - many of whom are VI residents - for making the event possible. Halloween night was a busy time in VI as kids enjoyed the trick-or-treating and adults enjoyed the opportunity to do some socializing!! With Thanksgiving approaching, holiday decorations are popping up all around VI. Our annual Seawall Luminary Lighting will take place at 6 pm on December 24th. Once again, the Candle Committee will be selling candles and bags. The Candle Seller for your block will be contacting you in the next week or so with information about purchasing candles and bags. If you’d like to volunteer to sell candles or to light candles along a section of Grand Canal Boulevard, please contact Janice Drinkwine at jkedrinkwine@gmail.com. The Nominations period for the 2024 VIHA Board closes on November 30. Nominations Forms may be downloaded from our website home page at http://www.ourvi.org/ . If you are considering joining the Board, please feel free to reach out to me or any other current Board member for more information. Some other upcoming dates to mark on your calendar include:
We have recently received several complaints about bags of dog waste discarded on the street, on residents’ lawns and on top of utility boxes. Please be considerate and dispose of your dog waste in trash bins. The VIHA Board would love to hear of any ideas to improve the quality of life in VI. Please let me know if you have any ideas via email at rscanlon@ourvi.org or 727-560-3655. Have a great Thanksgiving and be safe!!! Rich Scanlon VIHA President
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Dear VI Property Owner:
Thank you to all those who voted on the 6 proposed revisions to the Deed Restrictions (“DRs”) and to all the volunteers who helped collect ballots from property owners over the past few months. The following revisions to the Deed Restrictions (“DRs”) have been approved by more than 66.67% of VI property owners:
The following DRs did not receive sufficient votes and will NOT be changed:
The Deed Restriction Revision Committee (“DRRC”) will continue to advance additional DR’s to be updated or deleted to reflect the current needs and views of our community. Information on the DR’s can be found on our website: http://www.ourvi.org/deed-restrictions.html. There is a video titled Deed Restriction Basics, as well as other info, that is a helpful reference for all property owners. I’d like to address some comments that I have heard from Property Owners about certain properties in VI that are clearly in violation of one, or a number of, DR’s. There are numerous steps involved with remediating a DR violation, starting with a DR violation letter and follow-up phone call to determine a plan and timeline to resolve the issue, all the way up to legal action if there is still no compliance after multiple attempts at resolution. Therefore, if you see a property within VI that has clearly been in violation of a DR for a significant period of time, it is likely involved in the legal process and awaiting hearings within the judiciary system. This process can often take months or even years. Although we dislike having to go to this step, it is the only way to seek resolution of a situation that clearly impacts adjacent property owners and often the entire community. Please be aware that the VIHA is working hard to address the longstanding DR violations; however, VIHA does NOT have the ability fine or assess property owners for DR violations and, in essence, relies upon their good faith efforts to address the issue. If you see something within VI that needs attention from the City, please call Saint Petersburg’s Service Center at 727-893-7111, report it on the See / Click / Fix App (available from the Apple & Android app stores) or visit the City’s See / Click / Fix website at https://seeclickfix.com/web_portal/ToSSvrAG97kMGQQjvyonSxZY/issues/map?lat=27.773177615866242&lng=-82.63980388641079&max_lat=27.787226149833668&max_lng=-82.61903285979947&min_lat=27.759127267590852&min_lng=-82.66057491302209&zoom=14 Please “save the date” for the following VI events next month:
The Nominations Period for VIHA’s 2024 Board opens October 15 and runs through November 30. We encourage all residents to consider giving back to our community by running for a Board position. Nomination Forms will be posted on the website no later than October 15. If you have any questions about responsibilities, time commitment etc. please reach out to me or any other current Board Member. While we were extremely fortunate compared to our neighbors in Shore Acres, VI experienced unprecedented flooding from Idalia. Please continue to be vigilant in your preparations as we are not out of hurricane season yet. The VIHA Board would love to hear of any ideas to improve the quality of life in VI. Please let me know if you have any ideas via email at rscanlon@ourvi.org or727-560-3655. Rich Scanlon VIHA President April 24, 2023
Dear VI Residents: This is a quick update to the Presidents’ Letter which was sent via two weeks ago. I would like to address some comments that I have received about the proposed revision to Deed Restriction (“DR”) 50 to reduce the number of votes to change or add from the current 348 to 315 “yes” votes. Based upon 522 properties in VI that are subject to the DRs, this represents a reduction from 66.6% required for a change to 60.0%. If the revision passes, a large majority of homeowners will still need to approve any DR modifications. It is hardly an attempt to impose unwanted changes on property owners. The main driver behind this proposed reduction is the significant amount work required to obtain the necessary 348 “yes” votes. Many residents agree that current the DRs are outdated and have requested changes such as those being proposed on the current ballot for DRs 8,9,30 and 34. However, in the 58 days since the DR ballots were sent to VI property owners only 244 ballots have been returned. - fewer than half! Our next step will be the very “labor intensive” effort of “knocking on doors.” to obtain unreturned ballots. This requires a significant effort by the small number of volunteers willing to assist time we send out a ballot. The change to DR 50 was suggested by the VIHA Board to reduce the amount of manpower required to accomplish a DR change while still maintaining an appropriate margin of approval from property owners. Please note that the proposed change to DR 51 is necessary if DR 50 changes because it references the percentage of homeowners needed to make a DR change. Please feel free to contact me or any members of the DRRC if you have any questions or concerns or if you need a new ballot. I’d like to thank Brooke Palmer and Craig Kuhl for another fun-filled Food Truck Friday on April 14 which benefitted Feeding Tampa Bay / News Channel 10’s Cereal for Summer program. VI residents were extremely generous and donated 250 boxes of cereal plus $2,000 in cash donations. Unfortunately, school meals are sometimes the only meals that many children have each day. Feeding Tampa Bay, Pack-a-Sack and other organizations attempt to meet the need on weekends and holidays, but the need is even greater during the summer months when school is not in session. All social events in Venetian Isles are funded through sponsorships and generous donations so we greatly appreciate Brooke and Craig’s efforts to give back to Venetian Isles and the St. Petersburg community with the Cereal for Summer event. I am happy to share that based on the weekly reports I receive from our Community Police Officer, there have been few instances of criminal activity in Venetian Isles since the beginning of the year. Let’s continue to stay vigilant by removing any valuables from vehicles, especially firearms, and keeping vehicles locked if left in the driveway. Finally, please extend a warm welcome to Savat, the new mail carrier from Overlook Drive to Carolina Ave. Sincerely, Rich Scanlon, VIHA President rscanlon@ourvi.org Dear VI Residents:
We have been blessed with some superb spring weather and I hope everyone has been able to enjoy the great outdoors in VI. Some updates with respect to happening in VI are set forth below. DEED RESTRICTION REVISION UPDATE: A couple of months ago, all homeowners received packets by mail outlining proposed changes to the Deed Restrictions (“DRs”) along with a postage-paid post card ballot. The proposed changes are based on input from VI residents. We have received 212 completed ballots, under the threshold of 348 ‘yes” votes required to pass. Below are the number of “yes” votes for each proposed revision through the first 40 days of voting: DR-8: Clarifies that tile is not required on flat roofs, and defines the types of tiles that can be used on sloped roofs (204); DR-9: Makes the permitted height of structures consistent with the city’s building code, and permits flat roofs at the rear of dwellings (200); DR-30: Clarifies prohibiting advertising signage on the property except “For Sale” signs and contractor signs related to construction (193); DR-34: Defines the word “overnight” used in the existing DR (173); DR-50: Reduces the number of votes in favor of changing a DR or issuing a new DR from the present 348 to 315 (179); and, DR-51: Makes the number of “For” votes required for DR changes consistent with the requirement of DR-50 (175). The Board recommends a “yes” vote for all six of these proposed DR revisions.
The community on the whole has requested that the DRs be brought up to a more current status. We need your help in trying to accomplish this objective. If you have any questions pertaining to these proposed DR revisions or need another copy of the ballot please feel free to call me at 727-560-3655 or contact any other member of the DRRC. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! As I have written many times in the past, VI continues to be highly desirable community that it is largely due to the efforts of a small number of volunteers. Most of these volunteers have been serving in their roles for years and we need some new people to get involved so we can maintain the high quality standards that we all enjoy. Please consider volunteering for one of the committees that operate within VI and are listed on our website at http://www.ourvi.org/viha-committees.html. Particularly, if you are a recent resident of VI this is an excellent way to meet some of your new neighbors. DEED RESTRICTION COMMITTEE UPDATE: In 2022 the Board terminated the engagement of the property management company to assist with identification and notification of DR violations. Subsequent to that date, those roles have reverted fully back to the Deed Restriction Committee (“DRC”). A review of properties within VI was completed by members of the DRC in February/March. As a result of this review, a total of 47 “initial” DR violation letters were sent along with 11 letters to property owners who had not corrected the DR violation since the last property review in September. The violations were for the following DRs (some property owners were notified of multiple violations): DR-19: 19 (violations of house maintenance) DR-20: 24 (violations of the yard maintenance-flora) DR-25: 2 (trash can violations) DR-26: 15 (violations of equipment storage on the property) DR-34: 1 (violation of trailer storage on driveway) Most property owners who receive a letter from the DRC understand that there was a DR violation and resolve the situation quickly. The Board has reacted to comments regarding the manner of communicating DR violations and we are trying hard to strike a balance between being “neighborly” and “factual” in the DR violation letters. I would be happy to accept any suggestions on the approach that we have taken but, be advised, that any potential change must be approved by our attorney. UPCOMING EVENTS:
Finally, the 2023 Homeowner Directory has been printed and will be distributed to property owners who have paid their 2023 VIHA dues. If you haven’t paid yet, it is not too late! Your dues are vitally needed to support the community initiatives that maintain the high standards expected by property owners for VI. Go to www.ourvi.org and the instructions will be right at the top of the page. Thank you. Rich Scanlon, VIHA President rscanlon@ourvi.org Dear VI Residents:
The holiday season is upon us and I hope you and all your family are well and busily preparing for this special time of the year. The community takes on a whole new feel this time of the year as decorations light up our lawns and homes. If you have not purchased your seawall candles yet, please contact the candle seller for your block (a list can be found on the http://www.ourvi.org/ website. Candles should be set out on your seawall on December 24 at 6:00 p.m. with a “rain date” of December 25. The following information was shared at the VIHA General Meeting on December 1: - James Fuchs, our Community Service Officer from the SPPD, provided an overview of crime trends in VI. Happily, the review was very positive, but he emphasized that we continue to remove valuables from our vehicles and lock the doors. He also reminded those in attendance that golf carts being operated on City streets need to meet certain requirements which can be found at https://www.flhsmv.gov/safety-center/consumer-education/low-speed-vehicles/ . - The Deed Restrictions (“DRs”) revisions that were approved earlier this year by over 66.67% of the property owners in VI were reviewed. - Input was provided from those in attendance about the next set of DRs that the DR Revision Committee (“DRRC”) should consider deleting, modifying or adding. Suggestions included allowing: o artificial turf in rear yards; o boat houses to be constructed on docks; o a “set back” of 20 feet from the street, reduced from 25, for properties in a cul-de-sac; o a boat and trailer to be parked in a driveway for a limited number of days; o “online” voting; and, o Revising the threshold of 66.67% of property owner approval for subsequent changes in the DRs. The DRRC will be meeting in early 2023 to start to assess which DRs should be addressed. If you have suggestions, please forward your thoughts to me and I will pass along to the DRRC. Just a reminder that any change to the DRs currently requires the approval of 66.67% of property owners. The Annual Meeting and election of VIHA Board Members for 2023 will be held on January 26 at Lutheran Church of the Cross. The social starts at 6:30pm with the business portion of the meeting starting at 7:00pm. Finally, I receive occasional notices from residents about coyote sightings within the community. Below is information from Councilman Ed Montanari’s office: The City of St. Petersburg and Pinellas County Animal Control Services do not handle wildlife trapping. Florida Fish and Wildlife (FWC) would be the best point of contact. Although coyote encounters are increasing in frequency, and even more so with the dissemination of pictures/videos on social media, they do not usually pose a threat to people. The FWC advises keeping trash secure and not leaving food outside for pets. Additionally, they have some hazing practices that can help deter coyotes from urban areas. More information can be found on their website : https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://myfwc.com/conservation/you-conserve/wildlife/coyotes/__;!!KXanIhAVSRGrIOBFHcg!fphYxaILqXgB5NCBBx7dsbDtTjoO_yHugnLnaWM0ZscWmimqeDhIGvO_LB40jtuxEAysZ3u5ueomZp561V3sWvY$ If there is a coyote acting strange, FWC urges residents to contact their local office. We fall under the Southwest Regional Office (863-648-3200). Other events in our community that we hope you would participate in: o Holiday Food Truck and Food Drive – Brooke and Craig Kuhl will be hosting a Holiday Food Truck Friday at 2020 Carolina Ave on Friday, 12/16. Donations for the VI Food Drive will be accepted at the Food Truck Friday and on Saturday 12/17 at the corner of Overlook and Grand Canal from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Rumor has it, Santa may make an early appearance!!! All donated food and hygiene items will be given to the St. Pete Free Clinic Food Pantry. Last year we collected nearly 1,500 pounds of donated items. o Monthly Neighborhood Walks – Join us every fourth Saturday at 9 a.m. for a short walk in the neighborhood led by resident Janice Drinkwine in partnership with Healthy St. Pete. Meet on the corner of Overlook and Grand Canal. o Career Night – date TBD – We’d like to bring together the many talented professionals in VI and the many high school juniors and seniors and college students who could benefit from their guidance on career opportunities. If you’re involved in a field that you think might be of interest to graduating students, please let me know if you’d be willing to share insights about your position. In addition to our primary role of enforcing the DRs, the VIHA Board continuously looks for ways to bring our community together and improve the experience of living in VI. If there is an event or activity that you think would be appreciated by VI residents, please let me know and the VIHA Board will try and facilitate it. Please note that all events are funded by donations and sponsorships, not by membership dues. The entire VIHA Board hopes that you have a joyous, and safe, holiday season!!!! Thank you. Rich Scanlon, VIHA President rscanlon@ourvi.org Dear VI Residents:
We are well into hurricane season, and so far, so good! Although we have avoided any significant storms this year, please don’t let your guard down yet and continue with your hurricane preparations, particularly for the many new residents of VI. As we transition into fall, the VIHA Board wants you to know we have a jammed packed few months to close out 2022. Here is a glimpse of some of the “happenings” in VI that I hope you will be able to participate in:
In addition to our primary role of enforcing the DRs, the VIHA Board continuously looks for ways to bring our community together and improve the experience of living in VI. If there is an event or activity that you think would be appreciated by VI residents, please let me know and the VIHA Board will try and facilitate it. Please note that all events are funded by donations and sponsorships, not by membership dues. Speaking of the VIHA Board, we are always looking for new members who can commit some of their time and are passionate about improving the quality of life in VI. Nominations for the 2023 VIA Board will open up on October 15 and run through November 30. Board members will be elected by the VIHA members at the Annual Meeting in January 2023. Please don't hesitate to contact me or another Board Member if you'd like to learn more about joining our Board. Finally, I’ve stated this in the past, but it probably bears being restated. As a waterfront community, we live in close proximity to one another and that can be both a challenge and a benefit. Quite often I’ll get calls from VI residents complaining of “something” that a neighbor might be doing or not doing. Although myself, or another member of the VIHA Board, will often place a call to see if we can reduce any friction amongst neighbors, I’d like to suggest having a conversation and seeing if you can come up with a resolution before escalating the issue to the Board. Many times I’ve called a VI resident as a result of a complaint and the resident has said “I wish [my neighbor] had come to me directly without having to bother you!!!” James Fuchs, our VI Community Police Officer, has advised that vehicle break-ins have been increasing in the neighborhoods around VI. So far, he has not seen this trend in VI. However, please remember to remove any valuables from your car and lock the doors, even during daylight hours. VI is a great place to live. Please let me know how we can make it better. Thank you. Rich Scanlon VIHA President rscanlon@ourvi.org May 18, 2022
Dear VI Residents: We have had the occasion to enjoy a beautiful spring in VI, one of the best times of the year in our neighborhood. Nevertheless, we all know what is coming with the summer, higher temperatures, humidity, and the increasing probability of late afternoon thunderstorms, tropical storms and hurricanes. It does not have to be a hurricane to cause significant damage in our waterfront community. Take the time now to start your preparation for the inevitable summer storms and potential for a hurricane. I encourage new residents, in particular, to review the storm preparation guidelines and sign up for alerts at https://www.stpete.org/residents/public_safety/hurricane_center.php. A bizarre series of incidents occurred on Mass. Ave South early in the week of May 9 where a resident's Ring camera recorded a shirtless/shoeless man ringing their doorbell asking to be “let in because someone was trying to kill” him. SPPD surmised that the man was, potentially, a “meth addict.” I have no further reports at this time but will advise the community of what we hear. We can never be too vigilant – please remove all valuables from your cars and lock the doors and secure your homes. If you see something call the SPPD immediately. The footage from the Ring camera has been uploaded to http://www.ourvi.org/incident.html The VIHA Board Members, as well as members of the Deed Restriction Revision Committee (“DRRC”), have been working hard over the course of the past months on the first of several proposed revisions to the Deed Restrictions (“DR”). As previously communicated, certain DRs are out of date and one of the Board’s primary objectives is to systematically update the DRs. To be clear, the intent is not to create DRs that are more restrictive, but to clear up any ambiguities and make certain DRs consistent with City Code. Input from the community was sought prior to this first round of DR revisions and input will be solicited prior to any upcoming rounds. As of May 11, progress on the three DRs that are included in the first ballot that you received a couple of months ago include:
In the event that we do not receive the required 66.67% approval of the VI property owners the changes that have been requested by the community will not be implemented and the DRs as currently worded will stand. As an example, if DR 53 is not passed then chain link fences will remain the only fencing option that can be installed in VI rather than the more attractive fencing materials that would be allowed under the revised DR (and that were allowed after the initial passage of DR 53 in 2015 until the Revitalization in 2021). The full list of current DRs can be accessed on the VIHA website at http://www.ourvi.org/deed-restrictions.html. A couple of dates for you to put into your calendar. Emails will be sent prior to each event with more details:
Also, there is a Neighborhood Walk organized on the fourth Saturday of each month by Janice Drinkwine in partnership with Healthy St, Pete. Please contact her at jdrinkwine@gmail.com for more information. The VIHA Board will meet on May 25 and then will take our traditional summer recess until September. Please let me know if you would like to attend the May Board meeting or if there are any items you want the Board to be aware of. One other item of note. Don Herring, a member of the SPPD for 32 years and our Community Policing Officer in VI for the past 6 years, is retiring at the end of May. Don has been a great resource to VI during this period. We would like to present Don with a gift certificate recognizing his service to VI. If you would like to contribute please email me at rscanlon@ourvi.org. Don will be replaced by Officer James Fuchs who can be reached at james.fuchs@stpete.org. Finally, many thanks to the 346 (66%) property owners who have paid their 2022 VIHA dues so far. Instructions for paying your dues can be found at http://www.ourvi.org/pay-dues.html. The 2022 dues are $200.00 and are the primary source of funding for all the VIHA activities including DR enforcement, beautification, utilities, insurance and other operating expenses. Your support is very much appreciated and necessary to keep up the appearance of our community. All 2022 current VIHA members should have received a copy of the 2022 Membership Directory. If you are a dues payer and did not receive your copy, please email admin@ourvi.org. Any additional homeowners who pay their 2022 dues will also receive a copy of the Directory. Thank you to all the residents who advertised their business in the Directory. Thank you. Rich Scanlon VIHA President rscanlon@ourvi.org Dear VI Residents:
After a relatively “quiet” period in VI over the past several months, there was another auto theft this past weekend from the Carolina block. The vehicle was unlocked and still close enough to the key fob that the car could be started and driven away. If you have a key fob rather than keys I suggest you do what I did this afternoon: unlock your car, leave your key fobs where you usually do in your home and see if the car starts by just pushing the “Start” button. My fob was far enough away that the car did not start. On the same night at about the same time there was a burglary to another unlocked car on Carolina Ave. and a firearm was taken from the vehicle. Please remember to remove all valuables, including firearms, from your car and make sure your car doors are locked at all times. We had our first in-person VIHA General Meeting in January with the primary objectives of (i) providing attendees a review of 2021 and an overview of 2022; (ii) electing the VIHA Board for 2022 which includes 3 new members and, most importantly, (iii) describing the Deed Restriction (“DR”) revision process. One of the things that Board and committee members have heard from VI property owners is that the Deed Restrictions (DR)s are “out of date,” etc… The Deed Restriction Revision Committee (“DRRC”) has been working hard over the course of the past 2+ years to identify DRs that need to be amended, eliminated or added and we are now ready to put the recommended changes out to vote by the community. As I wrote in my January President’s Letter, the decision was made to present 3 DR revisions per ballot rather than including all the proposed revisions at once. The three DRs that are included in the first ballot that you received a couple of weeks ago include: Deed Restriction 03 – defines all setbacks and aligns with City Code. Deed Restriction 13 – defines ARC approval requirements for exterior improvements Deed Restriction 53 – fences, a new DR, defines materials and heights of fences Note that DR 53 was previously approved but because of the “Revitalization” of the DRs that was completed in 2021, it must be balloted and approved again. The only changes to what was approved previously for DR 53 is to make the measurements clearer. The full list of current DRs can be accessed on our website at http://www.ourvi.org/deed-restrictions.html. As a reminder, to amend, add or delete any DR requires the consent of 66.67% of the property owners in VI. Any ballot that is not returned is counted as a “no” vote. To date we have received completed ballots back from 44% of the VI property owners. If you have not returned your ballot, you will likely be contacted by a VIHA volunteer to make sure you received the ballot and, if you did, whether your failure to return the ballot was intended to be a “no” vote on these DR revisions. In the event that we do not receive the required 66.67% approval of the VI property owners that does not mean that these three DRs are eliminated or will not be enforced, it simply means that the changes that have been requested by the community will not be implemented and the DRs as currently worded will stand. As an example, if DR 53 is not passed then chain link fences will remain the only fencing option that can be installed in VI rather than the more attractive fencing materials that would be allowed under the revised DR (and that were previously allowed after the initial passage of DR 53 in 2015 until the Revitalization in 2021). As you drive into any of the three entrances to VI, I hope you will notice the “No Soliciting” signs that have been posted. These signs a result of an incident reported by a property owner involving a door-to-door solicitor she felt uncomfortable with. Now that the signs are posted, the St. Pete Police Department (SPPD) has the authority to investigate any similar incidents. Please report them to the SPPD non-emergency line 727-893-7780 and they will send an officer to investigate. I am still planning “VIHA Board Members in the House,” smaller meetings of Board members with residents of each street to hear of your concerns or ideas as to how to improve life in VI. Please contact me if you would be interested in hosting a meeting for your street in your home or on your lanai. A couple of dates for you to put into your calendar:
Finally, many thanks to the 306 (59%) property owners who have paid their 2022 VIHA dues so far. Instructions for paying your dues can be found at http://www.ourvi.org/pay-dues.html. The 2022 dues are $200.00 and are the primary source of funding for all the VIHA activities including DR enforcement, beautification, utilities, insurance and other operating expenses. Your support is very much appreciated and necessary to keep up the appearance of our community. Enjoy the spring, which is one of the most beautiful times of the year in VI. Thank you. Rich Scanlon VIHA President rscanlon@ourvi.org Dear VI Residents:
I hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday season and a great New Year!!! It was nice to see all the VI traditions continued over the holidays such as festive lighting on so many homes, the golf cart parade down Grand Canal (this year there had to be 300 of them), luminaries on the seawalls and the fireworks on New Years’ Eve. We “experimented” with having the seawall luminaries on New Years’ Eve rather than on Christmas Eve based upon the positive response we had to moving them to New Year's Eve in 2020. We will sample the neighborhood to get your reaction and preferences for future years. The funds generated by the sale of the candles/bags are used to provide the “welcome gifts” to new residents of VI. The VI Holiday Food Drive on December 12 was a great success! Thanks to the generosity of the VI community, 1,370 pounds of food were collected for the benefit of the St. Pete Free Clinic Food Pantry. We are still planning to have an “in person” Annual Meeting on January 20, 2022, at Lutheran Church of the Cross (“LCC”); however, this will be dependent upon the status of the Omicron variant. The meeting is scheduled to start at 6:30 pm with a “social time” on the outside patio and at 7:00 pm in the church sacristy for the business meeting. The primary objectives of the Annual Meeting will be: (i) the election of VIHA Officers and Board Members for 2022; (ii) review of VIHA operations; and, (iii) an update on the Deed Restriction (“DR”) revision process. The slate of candidates for the 2022 VIHA Board are: President: Rich Scanlon 1992 Carolina Circle Vice President: Tom Testa 2001 Kansas Treasurer: Mark Brenman 1930 Kansas Secretary: Linda Testa 1997 Kansas Board Seat (2 year): Eric Johnson 2075 Hawaii Bill Greenfield 1924 Massachusetts Patton Youngblood 1928 Carolina Jan Herzik (*) 1936 Massachusetts George Bridgmon (*) 2055 Massachusetts Board Seat (1 year): Brian Hill (*) 1910 Kansas (*) new Board members In addition, the following are members of the VIHA Board whose terms expire at the end of 2022: Charlie Baker 1972 Massachusetts Matt McNulty 1901 Iowa Chuck Miller 2038 Carolina I know it is often difficult for VI residents to attend the Annual meeting so, pending the direction of the Omicron variant, the plan would be to have a series of meetings with Board members and the residents of individual streets to hear directly from, what we hope would be a greater number of residents, of the issues that are of concern that the Board should focus on in 2022. I like to call this “VIHA Board Members in the House” so look for further info. Please contact me if you would be interested in hosting a meeting for your street in your home or on your lanai. The Deed Restriction Revision Committee has identified a number of Deed Restrictions ("DRs") to address based upon property owner input. As a reminder, to amend, add or delete any DR requires the consent of 66.67% of the property owners in VI. In January, the first “ballots” for updating the DRs will be delivered to property owners. The decision was made to present 3 DR revisions per ballot rather than including all the proposed revisions at once. The three DRs that will be included in the first ballot to be sent in January include: Deed Restriction 03 – defines all setbacks and aligns with City Code. Deed Restriction 13 – defines ARC approval requirements for exterior improvements Deed Restriction 53 – fences, a new DR, defines materials and heights of fences Note that DR 53 was previously approved but because of the “Revitalization” of the DRs that was completed in 2021 it must be balloted and approved again. The only changes to what was approved previously for DR 53 is to make the measurements clearer. The DRs can be found on our website at: Deed Restrictions - Venetian Isles Homeowners Association (VIHA) (ourvi.org). Thanks to the 181 property owners who have paid their 2022 VIHA dues so far. Instructions for paying your dues can be found at http://www.ourvi.org/pay-dues.html. Only 2022 VIHA members are eligible to vote in the Board elections so please pay your dues no later than January 19 and make an effort to attend the Annual Meeting on January 20 at LCC. We will confirm that the Annual Meeting will still be held on January 20 with an email blast on, or about January 18. I hope you all have a happy and prosperous 2022. Thank you. Rich Scanlon VIHA President rscanlon@ourvi.org Dear VI Residents:
I hope everyone had a safe and happy Thanksgiving. Over the next several weeks VI will be “lit up” for the holidays culminating in the lighting of luminaries along the seawalls on December 24. The Hospitality Committee will be selling candles again this year. Your block’s candle seller will be reaching out to you shortly and details will also be available on ourvi.org. Don’t wait till the last minute to get your seawall candles as they always go fast!!! Also, the VI Holiday Food Drive has been set for December 12 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at the intersection of Grand Canal and Overlook. Donations will benefit the St. Pete Free Clinic. COVID-19 has forced us to curtail many of the usual VI activities including Oktoberfest, the New Homeowner’s Reception and our Annual and General Meetings so we are excited to kick off 2022 with an “in person” Annual Meeting on January 20, 2022, at Lutheran Church of the Cross (“LCC”). The meeting will start at 6:30 pm with a “social time” and at 7:00 pm for the business meeting. Obviously, this will be pending no further outbreaks which would cause LCC to re-impose the prior level of restrictions against allowing outside groups to use their facilities. Topics to be discussed at the Annual Meeting include:
The Board has approved an increase in VIHA annual dues from $180 to $200 for 2022. This is necessary to offset increases in VIHA insurance, utilities and legal expenses. As a reminder, VIHA members may request a copy of the annual budget. I want to share a feel-good story. Several weeks ago, a “solicitor” convinced an elderly VI resident to write a large check to his “cause.” The solicitor showed the check to another neighbor trying to convince him to contribute. Fortunately, he recognized the name on the check, knew the person was suffering from dementia and contacted her family. The family was able to put a stop payment order on the check. Just a great example of one neighbor looking out for another. Let’s try to exhibit more of that in VI!!!! At recent VIHA Board meeting we discussed putting up “No Soliciting” signs at the entrances to VI. Subsequent to that Board meeting we learned from Don Herring, our Community Policing Officer, that if signs are installed and the SPPD is made aware of a solicitor then they will, depending upon available manpower, respond to the complaint. While this approach may be helpful, the most successful approach may be for a property owner to install a “No Soliciting” sign at your door to, hopefully, preclude people from knocking on your door. The best of these signs that I have seen in the neighborhood is: “No Soliciting – Unless You are Selling Girl Scout Cookies!!!” There are a couple of other things to make you aware of:
We have been contacted by Hotwire Communications about offering a “Fiber to the home option” for bulk cable and internet. We think this service might be of great benefit to VI residents by providing better service at a lower cost. We are looking for VI residents who can lend their expertise and help us get a better understanding of what this potential option entails. Please contact me if you have experience in this area and can assist us in investigating this further. Finally, a big “shout out” to Brooke and Craig on Carolina Ave. for continuing to organize Friday Food Truck Events. This has proven to be a great way to bring VI residents together and meet their neighbors. The December Food Truck Friday is scheduled for December 17 in front of 2020 Carolina. Details about the event can be found on ourvi.org. I look forward to seeing you around the Isles during this holiday season. Rich Scanlon VIHA President rscanlon@ourvi.org |
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