Swann Estates Neighborhood Association

Swann Estates Neighborhood Association

Officers and Board Members for 2008

Tom Kester - President
Karen Miller - Vice President
Mary Ramm-Davison - Secretary
Janice Caldwell - Treasurer
Bob Heath - Board Member
Mike Mondor - Board Member
Dan G. Weldon - Board Member
Dan Davison - Board Member
Victor Levesque - Board Member

Neighborhood Guidelines Update

Message from Shannon Edge:

Good-morning Neighborhood Leaders!

It is our sincere hope that all of you have received our annual neighborhood registry update and new neighborhood guidelines in the mail. We appreciate all the feed-back, both positive and negative. It is how our department continues to grow and best serve the entire community. It is also important for your to review the benefits of being an association as some items have been modified or removed including the postcard mailings.

First, I want to reiterate that the neighborhood
registry is the most important document our office manages and by you signing that form every
year and returning to our office, your association is protected. We have had both the media and citizens come to our office, including this week, to review this documentation to validate an association. Please know that we appreciate you taking the registry update seriously and for filling out the form. If you no longer are the neighborhood president, please pass along this important packet to our predecessor.

Secondly, I want to address the new neighborhood
guidelines which were created to help, not take control as our 100+ association are volunteer
groups. New Tampa is our only non-voluntary area
but New Tampa still received our packet. Creating the neighborhood guidelines was a
four-year process that was extensively researched, reviewed (including our legal department) and ultimately approved by the mayor and Tampa City Council as an Administrative Policy.

That brings up why the guidelines were created which is due to how empowered the associations have become under the Iorio Administration
which has made Investing in Neighborhoods a top
priority. As noted in my letter, these "new guidelines were created to aid our office but more importantly to help you with your leadership role as a neighborhood president. These approved guidelines will provide you with a framework as well as help protect you and your association."

Our five year experience demonstrated our office needed to provide our recognized associations protection from hostile take-overs, validation of the actual neighborhood leaders and assistance to those volunteers who suddenly find themselves in a leadership position because no one else wants to take on the role as president.

Another very important item is that we submitted
these as guidelines to help our 100+ neighborhood associations, not as rules and regulations. Some of the verbiage states "It is recommended." However, at bare minimum, an association, just like Neighborhood Watch should meet at least twice per year even if this gathering is a picnic, beautification or dinner. Parkland Estates for example meets twice
per year at a dinner and then at a neighborhood picnic which is great and unifying. We are concerned when an association only meets once per year that they cannot accurately gage what the neighbors issues and goals are for their
area. As for the 25%, we stated "the desired
minimum of people in attendance participating should be 25%" therefore it is not mandatory.
We had a situation where 55 people in an area voted on a major decision for a neighborhood that had 3,500 households. It is a democratic process but if our office can provide advice on how to get more involvement, we are happy to assist.

As for meeting locations, inclusion, and membership, this is included because in some situations, we have helped associations find meeting locations due to problems with neighbors who are uncomfortable with the meeting location. We are happy to help get assistance with our recreation centers. We do not agree with associations that do not invite all stakeholders to membership meetings but we have no way of attending and monitoring all meetings.

It is my sincere hope that this help clarifies any concerns you might have. In addition, I will be addressing the guidelines at THAN on Wednesday, March 12th at 7:00 PM at Union Station. Although this is not my meeting, THAN has always encouraged all of your neighborhood
associations to attend. And as mentioned a hundred times before, thank you for making a positive difference in your neighborhood. You are very appreciated!

Warmest regards,
Shannon

Shannon Edge, Director
Office of Neighborhood & Community Relations
City of Tampa
306 East Jackson Street
Tampa, FL 33602
813-274-7835 Direct Line
813-274-5696 Fax
shannon.edge@tampagov.net

Water Restrictions 2008

Important Telephone Numbers:

(813) 274-8032 to hear a recorded partial summary of the restrictions
(813) 274-8121 to call Customer Service (except billing). Billing questions should be directed to the Utility Accounting Division at 274-8811.
(813) 274-8036 to report suspected violations (24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week), please leave a detailed message including location, day, time and type of violation. Suspected violations can also be reported online through our Customer Service Center.



One Day Per Week Irrigation Restrictions:

Addresses ending in an even number, or the letters A-M, may water on Tuesdays only.

Addresses ending in an odd number, or the letters N-Z, may water on Sundays only.

Watering on the designated day is allowed between midnight and 8 a.m. or 6 p.m. and midnight. Any one zone of a property may only be watered once during the allowable day, NOT both in the morning and again in the evening.

For information about ordinance provisions concerning other water uses including: new lawns and landscapes, low volume irrigation, hand watering, irrigation system maintenance, chemical treatment, reclaimed water, car washing, pressure washing, recreational use, and fountains, as well as information on variances, please consult the complete Emergency Water Use Restriction Ordinance 2006-104.

Important Phone Numbers

TampaGov.net
MyFloridaLegal.com
Swann Estates Web Site
Water Restrictions

About our association

Community Officer - Maryanne Hunsberger

Officer Maryanne Hunsberger is our Community Service Officer. She can address Neighborhood Safety Watch issues.

Maryanne Hunsberger
Crime Prevention Practitioner
Tampa Police Department
Uniform District One
3818 Tampa Bay Blvd
Tampa, Fl.

813 354-6692 Office
813 310-8392 Cell
813 354-6676 Fax

General Meeting of 5/13/08 - Minutes

Swann Estates held their 2nd Quarter General Meeting on Tuesday at the American Legion Post No. 5. Tom Kester opened the meeting at 7:15pm.

Agenda Topics

Greeting by Tom Kester (President)
Open Buffet (Courtesy of Brian Taub)

Guest Speaker: Patricia Dempsey, Tampa Fire Department
Guest Speaker: Brian Taub, New Development Engineer
(S. Dale Mabry/Azeele)

Question and Anwser Period

Patricia Dempsey –
Ms. Dempsey provided a fun-filled presentation regarding the Tampa Fire Department’s safety efforts and interactions with the community. She shared many informative hand-outs and safety give aways. She advised that the city provides smoke alarms to residents who request them at no charge.

Please contact the Fire Department directly to obtain your smoke alarm.

Brian Taub -
Brian Taub presented the site design plans for the structure that will be built at the corner of S. Dale Mabry and Azeele. Several views were shown for the building. Brian discussed that the project should take approximately one year to be completed. There is a pending meeting with the City Council on May 22nd asking for rezoning from PD to PD.

Details of the project included:

Multi-Story
Procured LifeStyle Fitness - - currently one tenant obligation

Displayed architectural reviews
Corner of Azeele
Front off Dale Mabry
Arial view
View from the North
South view from Platt
Egress Platt and Azeele
Platt to channel to Dale Mabry

Possible Juice/Protein shake bar

Will have park benches as well as a Hartline stop

Approx 375 parking spaces - - over city std. requirement
Aprox 150 for Corporate office employees
Aprox 100 HealthCare employees
120 spaces for patrons
Will have bike racks
Outside tables for eating

No exact construction schedule completion date – to take a year

Q – Azeele traffic is already problematic
A – Stacked traffic on Azeele; people can exit via Platt to S. Dale M.

Approx 3500 people live within a mile - - close by/walking distance

Zoning meeting May 22nd - - CG zoning
Was initially rezoned for PD when the office building was proposed subsequent to Malios demolishment
A- - never built

Q – Would like to see entrance off S. Dale Mabry
A – City won’t allow a curb cut
State won’t allow a left turn light at Azeele

Comments - - Aesthetics don’t seem to be pleasing - - Bldg. looks ‘big’ (i.e.; like a big city bldg).

** Additional comments from John Simmons – LifeStyle

Hours of Operation:
M 530-730
T 530-730
Busiest hours:
830-900am
530-600pm

JJ Smoothies or Planet Smoothies could become alternate tenants

LifeStyles owns 56 clubs in 4 states - - private owned company

New Business:

Hand-outs were distributed to recruit volunteers to assist with the newsletter, website and neighborhood watch efforts (i.e.; block captains; telephone tree).

Since the meeting ran a little long with our speakers, there unfortunately was no time to cover other issues. Please note the following:


Many thanks to:

Janice Caldwell for another very informative newsletter !! She was also responsible for obtaining our domain name ‘swannestates.com’ which she has linked to our i-link neighborhood web site.

Again thanks to Janice for obtaining ‘hurricane preparedness’ pamphlets that were available for distribution at the meeting!!

Also many thanks to the volunteers who delivered the newsletters door to door!!

Kristen Keller and Karen Miller did a great job in obtaining our new meeting signs in short order!!

Don’t Forget to Mark Your Calendars
Remaining meeting schedules for the year:

General Meetings (second Tuesday of each quarter)
August 12th(being replaced w/open house 8/9/08)
November 11th
February 10, 2009

August Neighborhood Get-Together – This event will be an open house/provide our ‘general meeting’. The Tampa Fire and Police department representatives will be on available. We will be hosting this meeting geared toward our entire neighborhood with a special attraction for our younger members. Tom, Karen and other board members are putting a special effort into making this a great success! If you can assist in any way, please contact Tom ASAP!!

Lastly - -
Message from Mary - Secretary of Swann Estates Neighborhood Association

Pursuant to this message, Mary will officially resign as Secretary of the SE Neighborhood Association.

Thank you to everyone for the opportunity afforded me (Mary) since the inception of the re-organized Swann Estates Neighborhood Association. If you would like to take over this position, please contact Tom Kester ASAP or send an email to swann_estates@yahoo.com

Kind Regards,
Mary Ramm-Davison

The meeting was adjourned at 9:15pm.

http://swann_estates@yahoo.com

Links

Swann Estates Email Address
Officer Maryanne Hunsberger