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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
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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 Dear VI Residents:
As we near the end of summer and what we hope will be the return of cooler temperatures, there are several items that I want to make sure we bring to the attention of VI residents. The situation with the damage to the lights along Overlook has been resolved. The children involved all came forward with their parents and have agreed to cover the entire cost of the repairs. The VIHA Board has decided to allocate additional funds from our budget to move the lighting fixtures so they are less intrusive, instead of just repairing them. It has come to my attention many of our high-school aged children need “community service hours” to meet their graduation requirements. While the VIHA is not a 501(c)(3) “not for profit” (“NFP”) corporation, which is generally a requirement to earn the community service hours, we know that VI residents are involved with a wide range of charitable and community organizations that do qualify for service hours. If you are involved with a NFP and in need of volunteers, please let us know so we can communicate these community service opportunities to VI residents. Nominations for the 2022 VIHA Board can be submitted through November 30th, 2021. The application form is available on http://www.ourvi.org/board-members . There are six seats up for election this year with a mix of one and two-year terms. We have very committed group of Board Members; however, like every organization, the VIHA can benefit from “new blood” to generate fresh ideas. Please consider bringing your talents to help keep VI a beautiful place to live and help find new ways to enhance our unique community. If you’d like to learn more about what the position entails or have any questions about the nomination process, please reach out to me or any other Board Member. The next scheduled Board meeting is October 28. If you’d like to attend to learn more of how the Board functions, please contact me for details. Thank you to all the residents who requested one of the vertical oyster gardens offered by Tampa Bay Watch. We are sorry we were unable to give one to everyone who was interested but we are planning to partner with Tampa Bay Watch to give away more oyster gardens in the future. Please note that we have learned that they are not appropriate for docks located on open water. We have several great community events planned over the next couple of months:
More details to follow in separate emails on each of these events. Hope you have had a great summer and look forward to seeing you “around the Isles!!!” Rich Scanlon VIHA President rscanlon@ourvi.org Dear VI Residents:
On Friday evening, September 10, sometime between 9:30 – 10:30 pm, a group of juveniles, believed to be residents of VI, vandalized 9 of the 13 lights which are used to illuminate the Royal Palms at this entrance to our community. Unfortunately, this group did not stop there. As they proceeded further into VI and east along Grand Canal they removed stakes from several of the Silver Buttonwood trees that had recently been installed by the Beautification Committee to replace the dead Foxtail Palms. These incidents were reported to the St. Petersburg Police Department (SPPD) and an investigation has been opened. Based on review of video footage provided by several VI residents, along with eyewitness accounts, the group evidently went into the backyard of a home located on the north end of Iowa Avenue when they were finished. The actions of the juveniles were reckless and showed no respect for our community or regard for the hard work of many within VI. However, we’ve all been kids and likely have done things that were foolish or destructive at some point. Therefore, we would like to offer the people responsible for the vandalism the opportunity to come forward and make restitution for the damage incurred in addition to performing some mutually agreed upon community service within VI. If this happens, the Board will withdraw our complaint with the SPPD. If we are unable to resolve this matter confidentially “among neighbors” by Friday, September 17th, the Board will have no choice than to let the SPPD complete their investigation. We sincerely hope that the individuals involved will take responsibility for their actions by contacting me at 727-525-0477 or at rscanlon@ourvi.org . If you have any questions or additional information about the vandalism, please contact me. Thanks for your attention to this matter. Rich Scanlon VIHA President rscanlon@ourvi.org Dear VI Residents:
This letter is being posted shortly after Labor Day which, if you are from “up north” like I am, you remember as the last day of summer vacation and when the temperatures begin to fall. In Venetian Isles we know it signals the last few weeks of hurricane season where the potential exists for the most extreme storms. If you are new to this community, please take the time to follow the hurricane preparedness measures that you can find on the City or County websites. My July 30 letter to the community provided notice that the revitalization of the VIHA Declaration of Restrictive & Protective Covenants was approved by the Department of Economic Opportunity which means that the Deed Restrictions (“DR”) are back in force. Qualified Property Management and the members of the DR Committee (“DRC”) have resumed addressing DR violations. One of the more significant violations that has been noted is the number of boat trailers/recreational vehicles that have been parked on driveways or adjacent to homes. Just a reminder that:
If you have a boat trailer, or other such item, please be considerate of your neighbors and make arrangements for the storage of that item outside of Venetian Isles. Also, if you are planning on completing any renovations to the exterior of your property, please review the Architectural Review Committee material on the website at http://www.ourvi.org/architectural-review.html which outlines the approval process including documentation requirements and timing. Several other things to bring to your attention:
Hope you have had a great summer and look forward to seeing you “around the Isles!!!” Rich Scanlon VIHA President rscanlon@ourvi.org July 29, 2021
Dear VI Property Owners: With much gratitude to the nearly 300 VI property owners who signed the Consent Form for the 2021 Deed Restriction Revitalization effort, as well as to the many volunteers without whom this would not have been possible, I am thrilled to announce that we were notified on July 14, 2021 that the Department of Economic Opportunity (“DEO”) completed its review of the submitted Revitalization documents and have determined “that the documents comply with the requirements of Chapter 720, Part III, Florida Statutes. Therefore, the proposed revitalization of the VIHA’s Declaration of Covenants is approved.”!!! As a reminder NO modifications to the DRs were made as a result of the Revitalization process and the VIHA is NOT a Chapter 720 association. The Deed Restrictions (“DRs”) were filed with Pinellas County and recorded on July 28, 2021 (the “Record Date”). Therefore, as of the Record Date the DRs are once again enforceable within Venetian Isles. That means the following:
As I have mentioned in previous President’s Letters, the DRs need to be revised which could include deletions of certain DRs, modifications to others and the creation of new DRs based upon changes in technologies, property owner preferences, etc. The more input we get on these proposed enhancements the more effective they will be. The first step will be a resident survey that will help identify and prioritize DR revisions. We will also provide an opportunity to discuss the survey results and proposed DR changes in what I imagine will be a series of Town Hall meetings. I will be communicating more information on this soon. The Board thanks you for your support and your patience during this protracted process and I look forward to having further conversations about how we can improve life in Venetian Isles. Rich Scanlon VIHA President rscanlon@ourvi.org June 11, 2021
Dear VI Residents: After a beautiful and mostly dry spring, the “dog days” of summer are now upon us. Please remember to stock up on critical supplies as we enter hurricane season. No one can accurately predict the number or intensity of storms that we may face this season, but we can all do our best to be fully prepared. I encourage you to sign up for emergency alerts from the City of St. Petersburg at http://www.stpete.org/news/alert_stpete.php and/or follow the City on Facebook or Twitter to stay up to date on storms that affect our community. The real estate market has been especially vibrant in VI the first 5 months of the year with a total of 20 sales recorded through the end of May with three additional transactions pending. We welcome our new neighbors to VI and we hope to schedule our New Homeowner Event in the fall as we emerge fully from the pandemic. The VIHA Board will not be meeting in July or August given the difficulties in obtaining a quorum during the summer months; however, the DR Revitalization process that I summarized in the May President’s Letter will continue with a response from the Florida Dept. of Economic Opportunity expected by mid-July. The steps that I outlined for revisions to the Deed Restrictions are also moving forward starting with a resident survey that we will target for release in early August. Please stay tuned as we will need the entire community’s participation in this process if we are to implement the changes that have been proposed by the Deed Restriction Revision Committee and property owners. Several residents have expressed concern about barges parked in our canals obstructing docks and potentially causing harm to seawalls. While the canals are public waterways and not under the purview of the VIHA, Officer Brandon Bill of the St. Petersburg Police Marine Unit confirmed that parking barges in the canals is permitted as long as the barges are not creating a “navigational hazard.” If a barge is blocking your dock, the Police can issue a citation and ask the owner of barge to move. Officer Bill suggests that residents also call the owner of the barge directly if the barge is creating a nuisance. Finally, it looks like Oktoberfest is “go”. Stay tuned for details. Have a great summer and see you “around the Isles!!!” Rich Scanlon VIHA President rscanlon@ourvi.org |
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