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Dear Neighbor:
In the President’s Letter in the September issue of “Life on the Isles,” I shared that the Board’s focus for the balance of the year is to revise and update the Deed Restrictions (“DRs”). In that letter I referenced a “Town Hall Meeting” planned for September 24, the focus of which was to encourage an open and honest discussion of changes to the DRs that VI residents want to prioritize. Unfortunately, continuing concerns surrounding COVID on the part of both LCC and VI residents will require us to cancel that event. We want to make every effort for the DR revision process to be as “open book” as possible and we need community input to make this effort successful. Until we can convene a meeting where VI residents can gather safely, the VIHA Board is undertaking efforts to solicit your opinions through the following:
In addition, if you have an issue to discuss, I would encourage you to contact me or another Board member directly. The next VIHA Board Meeting is October 12 and I will provide an update on the efforts listed above afterwards. Oktoberfest is tentatively scheduled for October 17, 2020. I hope that we can come together safely for this popular VI tradition to celebrate with our neighbors and friends; however, it is subject to receipt of a permit from the City which currently still has limitations on the number of people who can gather in any event. Stay safe and hope to see you out in VI. Rich Scanlon VIHA President rscanlon@ourvi.org
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This letter was written in mid July and was published in the September issue of Life on the Isles Magazine
Dear Neighbor: I hope that you have had an enjoyable summer despite the uncertain times we are living in. Venetian Isles continues to be a community where residents can take advantage of the beauty of our neighborhood while practicing safety guidelines. We all look forward to mid-October when temperatures begin to moderate but let’s stay conscious and prepared for the last weeks of hurricane season. Over the next few months the focus of the Board will be on Deed Restriction (“DR”) updates. The DRs were initially recorded in 1978 and the last revision took place in January 2015. The DRs must be updated, there is no question of that. So much has changed since 1978 when they were first implemented. Despite many residents wanting certain DRs revised, it is a long and arduous process and each revision requires approval of 66.67% of the homeowners. As homeowners in VI, we invite you to become part of the process by: - Joining the Deed Restriction Revision Committee or expressing your opinions to a Committee member; - Bringing your suggestions to our September 24 Town Hall Meeting(1) to discuss ways to improve life in VI; - Nominating yourself or another resident to join the 2021 Board; - Attending the October 29(1) General Meeting where the agenda will include DR revisions, 2021 budget and other items. Realtors are required to advise new homeowners that VI is a Deed Restricted Community. Membership in the VIHA is voluntary but adherence to the DRs is mandatory. As of mid-July 357 (68%) homeowners in VI have paid dues for 2020. These VIHA members pay their dues with the expectation that the VIHA Board will enforce the DRs uniformly and fairly. Lately, we have heard some concerns about the notification process for DR violations and we are working to improve our communications. We make every effort for the VIHA and Board to be as “open book” as possible. If you have an issue to discuss, please contact me or another Board member or raise it at the upcoming Town Hall Meeting. Oktoberfest is tentatively scheduled for October 17, 2020. I hope that we can come together safely for this popular VI tradition to celebrate with our neighbors and friends. Stay safe and hope to see you out and about in VI. Rich Scanlon VIHA President rscanlon@ourvi.org (1)Held at Lutheran Church of the Cross assuming risks associated with COVID-19 are under control. Dear Neighbor:
There is still much uncertainty, but the VIHA Board is continuing to make plans for the balance of 2020 and into 2021. One “certainty” is that we are in hurricane season and VI residents need to be prepared, especially those residents who moved here recently and may be unfamiliar with the hurricane season routines. I encourage everyone to sign up for emergency notifications from the City at https://www.stpete.org/news/alert_stpete.php and review the hurricane preparedness information on http://www.stpete.org/emergency/hurricane_center/. It would be a good time to check in with neighbors who are not able to get to the store and see what needs they may have. An email was sent to VIHA email subscribers on June 14 concerning unlawful activities that had occurred at two vacant homes on Carolina Avenue in late May/early June. If you did not see that email, please go to http://www.ourvi.org/latest-news to learn of these incidents and what we can do to prevent these activities from occurring within VI. Please remember to lock your car doors and remove valuables. Operating under the presumption that the risks associated with COVID-19 are under control, the VIHA Board is planning the following at Lutheran Church of the Cross:
We also are planning our annual Oktoberfest for Saturday, October 17. Details will be communicated shortly so please keep checking www.ourvi.org for information about this and other events. Stay safe and have a great August. Rich Scanlon VIHA President rscanlon@ourvi.org A version of this letter was printed in the August issue of Life on the Isles. June 14, 2020
Dear Neighbor: I want to make you aware of some incidents that occurred over the past few weeks in our neighborhood so all in VI can be informed and on the lookout for similar patterns going forward. First, in late May the St. Pete Police Department (“SPPD”) were called to investigate persons who were “squatting” at 2030 Carolina, a home that was for sale and had been unoccupied but was under contract and set to close. Evidently, they gained entry by breaking a window. A neighbor noticed this activity, confronted those persons and called police. The weekend of June 5 - 7, the following occurred at 1956 Carolina Ave (“1956”), a residence that is for sale and has been unoccupied for some time:
Rich Scanlon VIHA President rscanlon@ourvi.org 727-560-3655 Dear Venetian Isles Neighbor:
The world, the nation and Venetian Isles have all had to deal with effects of COVID-19 and it has impacted our lives in ways that we could never have imagined a few short months ago. I hope that you and your families have remained safe during this period. Although we all hope to return to “normal” ASAP, please continue to stay safe going forward. As many of us have been “staying home to stay safe” it has been great to see so many people walking, jogging and biking through VI enjoying the great weather of the past several months. VI residents have found ways to remain connected while physically distanced, including cul-de-sac parties and the fabulously successful weekly “VI Food Truck Friday” event. This event is shifting to monthly with the next two events scheduled for June 19 and July 17. Many thanks to Brooke Palmer Kuhl and Craig Kuhl for coordinating this great event. As always, please check www.ourvi.org for details. Congratulations to all the “VI 2020 Grads!!!” Whether it was grade school, high school or college your accomplishment was significant and although your graduation day was not what you had hoped, we all want to celebrate your achievements. Thanks to Lindsey Germann for honoring VI grads in the June issue of “Life on the Isles.” We’ve had to cancel a number of VI events that we hope to reschedule later this year including: Neighborhood Garage Sale; New Resident Orientation; Neighborhood BBQ Cook Off; Golf Tournament; VI Night at the Trop; and Octoberfest. Volunteers are always welcome and appreciated. If you’d like to volunteer with planning these events or you have ideas for other events, please email us at admin@ourvi.org. We will also look to hold “VIHA Board in the House” meetings in each block within the community to hear about the things that you think the Board should pursue. We have had 17 families move into VI since January 1. I’d like to welcome all our new residents and I hope you have been able to meet able to meet some of your new neighbors. Remember, Hurricane Season has officially started – be PREPARED!!!! Stay safe and keep checking www.ourvi.org for details upcoming events. Rich Scanlon VIHA President rscanlon@ourvi.org Dear Neighbor:
I hope that you and your families are staying safe and healthy during this unprecedented national health emergency. Many VI residents have volunteered to help with shopping and other errands for neighbors who are unable or do not want to leave their homes. If you, or anyone you know, needs assistance, please email admin@ourvi.org. I am happy to report that the Deed Restriction Revitalization effort is complete… and a SUCCESS! After months of hard work by the Organizing Committee, consisting of Randy Havey, Mark Brenman, Linda Testa and Tom Testa, and the support of the over 320 VI Property Owners who signed a Consent Form (far more than the required 263), the appropriate approvals have been received from the Department of Economic Opportunity allowing the Deed Restrictions to be recorded with Clerk of the Court for Pinellas County. All homeowners will be receiving copies of the final documents as soon as they are printed and distributed. The VIHA Annual Meeting was in January and, while well attended, we tend to have the same people attend this and the General Meeting in October. While I value the input of this committed group of residents, we want to find different ways of getting out into the community and understanding residents’ goals for the VIHA. We have a number of important items on the VIHA Board Agenda for the balance of 2020. These include:
Take care, stay safe and keep practicing social distancing! Rich Scanlon VIHA President rscanlon@ourvi.org An earlier version of this letter appeared in the April issue of Life on the Isles Dear Neighbor: At the VIHA Annual Meeting on January 23, 2020 we reviewed our accomplishments of the past year and set forth our plans for the upcoming year. Without a doubt, our greatest accomplishment for 2019 was the Revitalization process. First of all, we very much appreciate the efforts of the Organizing Committee, comprised of Randy Havey, Tom Testa, Mark Brenman and Linda Testa, and a host of volunteers who were successful in collecting Consent Forms from well over 50.1% of the property owners subject to the Deed Restrictions. Secondly, I would like to thank those property owners who took the time to review the materials that we were required to provide and supported this initiative. The Consent Forms were provided to the VIHA counsel who, upon completion of her review and verification, sent the Consent Forms and the other required materials to the Department of Economic Opportunity which then has 60 days to perform their own independent review. There are certain other procedural requirements that have to be undertaken subsequent to their review, but we hope to be able to announce the successful completion of this initiative by late April/early May. The Revitalization initiative was very labor intensive and required a lot of Board Members’ time “knocking on doors” and talking to residents of VI to explain the rationale and process. I found the conversations that I had to be very worthwhile. Given the hectic lives that we all lead, the VIHA needs to come up with better methods to communicate on a more personal level with VI residents. As the VIHA President, I’ve taken responsibility for finding ways to improve communications between the Board and residents. Of course, I’m always happy to take any suggestions so please don’t hesitate to email me at rscanlon@ourvi.org. Please include “VIHA” in the subject line to ensure it makes it through my corporate “spam filter.” Keep checking www.ourvi.org for upcoming events and, once again, thank you for your support and patience during this Revitalization process. Rich Scanlon VIHA President rscanlon@ourvi.org This letter also appeared in the March issue of Life on the Isles
Dear Neighbors,
This month I’d like to highlight the accomplishments of the VIHA Beautification Committee. Led by Lisa Schwartz, the Beautification Committee works hard to keep the entrances, bridges and causeways in our community looking well-maintained and beautiful. This includes planting, watering, weeding, and mulching on a regular basis This ongoing maintenance is possible thanks to VIHA membership dues. In addition, the Committee works with the City to ensure mangroves and palms are trimmed regularly, the bricks on the causeways are repaired and grass is mowed properly. Using the funds raised by advertising sales in the VIHA Directory, as well as matching grants from the City of St. Petersburg, the team undertakes several major projects each year. Recent projects included: securing the upscale black street signs and posts, replacing and lighting the entrance monuments and installing lighting along Overlook Bridge highlighting the majestic royal palms. All of these initiatives give Venetian Isles the more distinctive and manicured appearance that sets us apart from other neighborhoods. Among the team’s 2019 projects: replacing seven dead Foxtail Palms along Grand Canal Boulevard and repairing sprinkler heads and timers to make them more efficient. In addition, at the request of a resident, the Committee installed plants at Grand Canal and Iowa South next to the bridge. This parcel is owned by the City and did not have any plantings previously. The team also added plants to vacant City property on Mermaid Point. Please contact Lisa Schwartz at lschwartz@ourvi.org if you have suggestions for other beautification projects or if you’d like to volunteer to be on the Committee. Please join me in thanking Lisa, Steve Cropper, Jan Di Biasio and Mark Brenman for everything you do to maintain the superior aesthetics of our neighborhood! Rich Scanlon VIHA President rscanlon@ourvi.org This letter also appeared in the February issue of Life on the Isle magazine. Dear Neighbor:
I hope you all had a terrific holiday season and New Year’s, and that you were successful in your holiday football pools!!! Happy 2020!!! During the General Meeting held on October 17, 2019, the Board reported on the need for VI to “revitalize” our Deed Restrictions (“DR”). The Revitalization process is now nearly complete. Thank you to all the homeowners who have already sent in their signed Consent Forms. For those of you who have not already done so, please return your Consent Form by January 20. If you have any questions, please visit http://www.ourvi.org/revitalization.html or contact a Board Member. We will confirm whether the existing DR's have been extended for another 30 years at the V.I.H.A. Annual Meeting on January 23rd. The DRs have been in place since properties in VI were constructed starting in the late 1970s. Although many VI residents specifically moved here because they wanted to live in a deed restricted community and appreciate the benefits that the DRs provide; there are some residents who moved here knowing VI is deed restricted but didn’t necessarily understand that compliance is mandatory. Due to improved technologies, building materials and changes in lifestyles, I think we can all agree that the DRs need to be updated. We have updated some over the years (fencing, for example) but it is a big task and takes the efforts of many. The Deed Restriction Revision Committee (“DRRC”) had begun work on proposed amendments to the DRs prior to the VIHA kicking off the Revitalization effort. Assuming the Revitalization effort is successful, the DRRC will continue these efforts and will look for input from owners of DR Properties through a series of emails and Town Hall meetings. This will be your chance to voice your ideas on an existing DR or propose new ones. Remember that any changes to the DRs have to be approved by 66.67% of the owners of DR Properties. The 2020 VIHA Annual Meeting and Board Elections have been scheduled for January 23, 2020 at 7pm at Lutheran Church of the Cross. Hope to see you there!!! Rich Scanlon VIHA President rscanlon@ourvi.org Note a version of this letter also appeared in the January issue of Life on the Isles Dear Neighbors,
I want to share a quick summary of the past week’s events: Town Hall Meeting on 11/21 to discuss “Revitalization:” A good crowd was on hand to learn more about revitalization of the Deed Restrictions (“DR”) in VI. Anne Hathorn, legal counsel to the VIHA and a specialist in community association law, clarified the process and answered residents’ questions. The discussion highlighted the following points:
By signing the Consent Form, you are agreeing to keep the existing Deed Restrictions in place. We encourage you to return your signed Consent Form A.S.A.P. Let’s keep our neighborhood looking beautiful and keep increasing our property values by extending the DR’s. Once Revitalization is approved, the Deed Restriction Revision Committee will begin evaluating which DRs need to be eliminated, updated or added. The Organizing Committee is available to answer any questions or concerns you may have prior to returning the Consent Forms. The contact info for the Organizing Committee members is included in the Revitalization packet that you should have received, and can also be found at http://www.ourvi.org/revitalization.html First Annual Venetian Isles Fishing Tourney: A committee lead by Terry Heddon and including Alex Becham, Eric Johnson and Scott Gault successfully organized the first neighborhood fishing tournament on 11/23. A total of 14 teams participated and competed for a number of trophies, but more importantly “bragging rights.” Results of the event are posted to www.ourvi.org. Thanks to the Committee for putting this together and a special thanks to the Tournament’s sponsors who are VI residents:
St. Pete Neighborhood Shuffleboard Tournament Congratulations to the Venetian Isles team, led by Janice Drinkwine, for finishing 4th out of 15 Neighborhoods at the St. Pete Neighborhood Shuffle Showdown on November 10. The Annual Meeting, including election of the 2020 VIHA Board, has been scheduled for January 23, 2020 at LCC. Hope to see you there!!! Nominations for the 2020 Board are due November 30. Nomination forms can be found at http://www.ourvi.org/board-members.html Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families! Rich Scanlon VIHA President rscanlon@ourvi.org |
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