HCSO Holiday Safety Tips

At Home

– Double check that all doors and windows are in good working order and are securely locked when you leave your home.

– If possible, leave a light or an appliance such as a TV or radio on when you are away from home. This helps give the impression that someone is there and can help deter a burglar

– Package theft is a big problem at this time of the year. Consider setting up a delivery option with your carrier that requires a signature upon delivery as opposed to packages being left outside your home.

– If you are going out of town for an extended period of time, communicate with your neighbors. Ask them to gather your mail or newspapers or park their vehicle in your driveway (again giving the impression that someone is home). Request that they keep an eye out for any suspicious activity while you are away.

Shopping

– Be aware of your surroundings (parking lot, garage, etc.) and report any suspicious activity you may see while out shopping.

– Park your vehicle in a well-lit area, preferably one with video cameras nearby.

– Lock your vehicle at all times and remove all valuables. If you have expensive gifts you just bought, secure them in the trunk and out of plain view.

– Do not leave purses, wallets, cell phones, etc. unattended in shopping carts. It only takes two seconds for a thief to get their hands on them if you are not looking.

On The Road

– As busy and hectic as this time of the year is, do not text and drive.

– Roadways will be especially crowded with holiday travelers. Allow extra time to reach your destination. Plan your route out ahead of time to avoid congestion.

ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS BUCKLE YOUR SEAT BELT AND DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE !!!

The Traffic Committee wanted to pass on to all of you some positive news about Van Dyke Road. They had a very good meeting with candidate Tim Schock, who is running for the open position for county commissioner. He said during the meeting that he supported the efforts on having Van Dyke Road fixed and believed in the safety concerns. They then attended the Commissioners board meeting October 19th. One of the agenda items was G-3: “Receive a report from Public Works regarding Van Dyke Road traffic and accident issues” related to Item B-15.

At the public comments which is at beginning of meeting, the committee spoke again about the safety concerns, sharing new data in regards to accidents this year on Van Dyke, 01/01/2016-10/18/2016 total 236, with 50 of them being with injury. Which is almost one a day and over 20%, having injuries. The bonus was the last speaker for public comments was Tim Schock, who finished his comments by stating his safety concerns for Van Dyke Road.

Then during the meeting agenda item B-15 was discussed. B-15, basically is over the next ten years a total  600 million dollars will be spent on roads in Hillsborough county. Van Dyke is now included in this funding. 

Most important the committee really needs your help, attending meetings.  Also, continue to email all commissioners with factual events that happen to you on Van Dyke at:

 http://webappsnet.hillsboroughcounty.org/Forms/BOCC/ContactCommissioners. 

Bottom line Van Dyke Road is one of many roads, in the approved money, we need to be high on the list, to have it completed sooner.  

Thank you, it is up to all of us. 

October 22, 2016

Hello Neighbors!!

Our Board of Directors needs your help. Please consider volunteering.  Your major responsibility is to continue to keep our neighborhood one of the best neighborhoods in the area. There are about 6-8 meetings a year that you need to attend, among other commitments.

Parking and Our Roads 

We know that our streets are not as wide as we would like. So here is how you can help and be neighborly. Do not park directly across the street from another vehicle. The main reason for this is, if an emergency vehicle (fire truck, ambulance, etc.) had to get to your house, it may not be able to get through or be delayed. Plus, it difficult for all of us to get through.  At times, school buses have had to back up to get out of the neighborhood because it was unable to pass.
When parking your vehicle, be sure to park a minimum of 30 feet from a stop sign, 15 feet from a fire hydrant. Please do not park close to an intersection, as it then becomes hard when making turns.
Please also be mindful that the posted speed limit is 25 mph throughout the entire neighborhood up to Van Dyke Road.

Sidewalks

Please try not to block the sidewalks with your vehicle.  This makes it difficult for those using them to pass.
Pet Waste

We have installed three stations for you to use: one in Bellefaire, one across from the pool, and one at the park. Please pick up your pet’s waste.   Failure to do so is discourteous to the rest of the community.
Littering

Keep our neighborhood looking good.  Please be sure to place any trash in the waste baskets.

Swimming Pool And Park 

It is up to all of us, to keep these areas looking good.  Please leave all umbrellas, chairs, and tables as you found them.  If they are not clean or in disarray because another resident or guest was inconsiderate, please pitch in.  If the gate is left open, please close it. If something needs major attention call the management company (contact information listed below).

Our Investment 

We all purchased our homes as an investment as well as a place to live. We choose to live in a deed restricted community to keep our investments strong.  Keeping all of our homes looking good is important to all of us. Making sure our   homes are painted when needed, keeping our lawns looking good, our driveway and sidewalks clean are all necessary. All of this helps our community and our personal investment in our homes. If you have any questions regarding the deed restrictions in our community, please do not hesitate to contact a board member or the property management company.

Van Dyke Road and Traffic

We need your help.  Several members of our community and our neighboring communities have expressed displeasure with the amount of traffic on Van Dyke Rd. There is a committee of representatives from Reflections, Calusa Trace, Van Dyke Farms, Van Dyke Estates, St Timothy’s Church, Grace Family Church, All Saints Lutheran, and Van Dyke Church, who have met together, gone to zoning meetings, commissioner’s meetings, and met with two of our county commissioners, to express our concern for safety issues about the traffic on Van Dyke Rd. We need your input please. Any time you personally encounter a safety issue on Van Dyke Rd., please email all the commissioners at:

http://webappsnet.hillsboroughcounty.org/Forms/BOCC/ContactCommissioners

Or post to the Facebook site:

https://www.facebook.com/VanDykeRoadTraffic/?fref=nf&hc_location=ufi

Thank you for reading this letter, we would love to see you at our board meetings for your input. Remember we are all in this together as this is our neighborhood.

If you have any issues in the community, please contact the management company so they can address or bring to the board’s attention.

Sincerely,
The Board of Directors

Greenacre Properties, Inc.

Janet MacNealy, CAM, CMCA

813-600-1100 ext. 147

jmacnealy@greenacre.com

M-F 9:00 am-5:00 pm