Hidden Springs/Estates
Spring Newsletter 2023
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Spring greetings, Hidden Springs/Estates residents. We hope you enjoy our quarterly newsletter, which highlights neighborhood news, area happenings and other useful community information. To contact the HOA, you can email us or visit our website.
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Message from the President |
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Hi, Neighbors,
It's that time of year again -- spring! We're finally finished with the sporadic cold and freezing weather, and it's time to get outside and enjoy the sunshine before it gets too hot. There was a lot of damage to landscaping this year with the hurricanes in September and October, then a few days here in December, January and February where temperatures were in the 30s. Now is a good time to plant and get ready for the growing season. I know personally our home had a lot of damaged Crotons, Lantana and other plants that aren't used to the freezing weather. Fortunately, cutting back works miracles with the Florida sun.
As everyone has noticed, AT&T has been digging all over our neighborhood in order to place fiber optics. I think they're trying to do no harm, but there have been some homeowners who have had damage to their sprinkler heads and pipes. Please be sure to check your sprinkler systems. It's the dry season now so we want to make sure the landscaping and yards are getting water. The company doing the work should have put flyers on doorknobs in case there are issues. Reach out to the board if you need a number for the company. We did send out an email previously with all the contact information. If AT&T and/or the underground workers caused your issue, it's a good idea to get it taken care of before they leave and move on to the next neighborhood.
We want everyone to know we did our best to try to eliminate the merchandise being sold in the days leading up to Valentine's Day at our Pine Springs entrance. This type of activity is NOT WELCOME and NOT SANCTIONED in our neighborhood. We want to thank those of you who called the police and did not purchase the baskets. The family doing this knows now they cannot step foot on our entrances that we maintain. That is HOA property, not County property, and definitely not theirs. With your contributions, we maintain all our entrances, so they have no right to them.
We want to thank those who sent in their $110 contributions in our second reminder mailing. We will not be doing a third mailing. Costs are too high. If you haven't contributed, please do. As we are all aware, prices have increased on everything, including the things we maintain. We particularly value our police patrol that we pay extra for. We all feel it is important to have that police presence, but we can't do it without all of you.
Other than all of the above, we wish you an upcoming Happy Easter and Happy Passover. Stay safe and always feel free to reach out to the board for any questions.
Sincerely,
Donna Fontaine
HOA President
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We had another big hit to our wall. This one happened around 2:00 a.m. on Christmas Eve along our Conroy wall. The car was traveling fast enough, that not only did it crash through our brick wall, it came into one of our resident's backyard, and hit the Laurel Oak. We are lucky the car didn't end up in this homeowner's home. Unfortunately, we don't really know what happened to the driver. The police would not say, but it couldn't have been good with that kind of force. Part of the car was in this homeowner's backyard. Fortunately we were able to make a claim, but it still did not cover all our expenses. The wall repair was $10,925. The person who hit our wall only had $10,000 in personal property coverage. We had to come up with the additional $925. Not bad, considering other times we don't even know who hit our wall and we have to pay for everything. Remember, we have NO INSURANCE TO PROTECT OUR WALLS. We can't afford insurance. We have almost a mile and a half of wall -- at least. Our walls run from Pin Oak to the next development towards Fresh Market. That wall is stucco.
Then we have the brick wall that runs from St. Jude's to the Pine Springs entrance and continues all the way down to where Orange Tree begins. We also have the brick wall along Conroy that runs from Pasatiempo, past our Conroy entrance to the Bay Springs development. So we have lots and lots of walls. We could not have made these repairs without our HOA dues. I dare think what this neighborhood would look like with half its walls crashed into. It's a shame that we have to deal with this so often. Too many speeders along Dr. Phillips Boulevard and Conroy.
Please see the above pictures. We tried our best to match the brick. The masons even tried to give the new brick a faux look by wiping it with mortar. Our brick walls are almost 40 years old. They don't even make this color brick any longer. Even if they did, because our walls are 40 years old, that's a lot of weather and sun baking it for four decades. Up close you can see the difference, but from the Conroy side, it's not as noticeable.
Anyway, please send in your dues. You can see why we need them.
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By Treasurer Tina Dottino
Thank you to all who have paid their 2022-2023 dues so far. To date, approximately 190 families have made their contributions. We truly appreciate your support! Yet we need all residents in our neighborhood to consider supporting our HOA. Your donations benefit you by providing for the safety and security of everyone with street lighting and extra Sheriff’s safety patrols. Dues also provide for the maintenance and landscaping of our common areas and entrances, as well as improvements to our neighborhood to keep it safe and attractive. Donations also pay for the several repairs needed to the brick walls that buffer our residences from the main roads. None of this could be done without your support. Our neighborhood is a better place because of those who contribute! There are many residents who have not yet made their contributions, though, and we encourage them to take advantage of our easy PayPal feature to pay their dues. If you have not yet paid your suggested $110 dues this fiscal year, please do so by mailing a check or using our PayPal feature. Please click here to contribute.
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Holiday Lights Contest Winners |
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Thanks to everyone who added some holiday cheer to our neighborhood. We awarded the following residents a $25 gift card to Ace Hardware.
5748 Tamarack Drive – The St. John Family
5327 Abeila Drive – The Almeida Family
5852 Pitch Pine Drive – The Perdomo Family
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Hop on over to 5543 Sago Palm Drive for an Easter egg hunt on Saturday, April 8. The hunt will start with the little kids at 11am and move up to the big kids. Thank you to resident Tara Savage who is once again hosting at her home with the HOA. It is always a fun event! Refreshments will be provided. Kids of all ages are welcome to attend with a parent!
Please R.S.V.P. to Tara.Cole@gmail.com with the age and number of children to help us prepare.
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Real Estate Market Update |
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Orlando's State of the Market |
“With significant year-over-year changes, January’s data is a strong indicator that Orlando’s housing market is continuing to balance out,” said Lisa Hill, Orlando Regional REALTOR® Association President. “Orlando’s housing market remains in correction mode as sales have been steadily slowing down over the past 12 months. The great news for buyers is that they have significantly more options compared to last year. For sellers, home values remain stable.” |
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Hidden Springs/Estates Activity
For the period December 1, 2022-March 3, 2023, our neighborhood had four home sales! Currently, we have four homes on the market and one home under contract. One home is temporarily off the market but expected to be active in the near future. Mortgage interest rates in January 2022 were 3.38% and to date the rates are hovering at 7.12%. Stats for 2022: 1st Quarter 7 Sales, 2nd Quarter 6 Sales, 3rd Quarter 5 Sales, 4th Quarter 3 Sales! Assume Hidden Springs/Hidden Estates future home sales will follow the trend of buyer’s negotiating aggressively and seller’s finding an increase of days on the market.
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Real Estate Report for Hidden Springs/Estates
December 1, 2022-March 3, 2023
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Contact John Scolaro with Coldwell Banker Realty at 407-230-5567 or email orlandorealtor.john@gmail.com if you're thinking about selling your home and would like a free market home evaluation.
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Your annual contributions help Hidden Springs/Estates pay for a deputy to watch out for suspicious activity, monitor motorists' speed and help protect our community overall. |
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Safety Report December 2022-February 2023
There was a residential burglary that occurred on White Ash St. The suspect(s) entered via an open garage and took items to include car keys. The suspect(s) later returned on another day and stole a vehicle from the residence. The vehicle was later recovered in the Tangelo Park area.
Please keep your garage door closed even if you are at home, lock your vehicle doors and don't leave anything valuable inside! Get to know your neighbors, keep an eye out for each other and call 911 immediately to report suspicious activity. If you have a camera that has captured video of an event, please share it with the Sheriff's Department.
In addition, there have been people going door to door offering roof inspections and tree removal/trimming. Remember, this is a NO SOLICITING neighborhood. Please do not let solicitors in your house or buy anything from them. If you are interested in what they are selling, call the company directly and make an appointment.
If you notice anything suspicious in the neighborhood, please call 407-836-HELP (4357) for a non-emergency or 911 for an emergency.
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Garbage and Recycling is picked up on Tuesdays for Hidden Springs/Estates residents. Yard waste and Large Items are picked up on Wednesdays. Items should be placed at the curb no later earlier than 6:00 p.m. the night before and no later than 6:00 a.m. on your scheduled collection day. Roll carts should be placed behind your home/fence or in your garage so they are no visible from the street when being stored. Frequently asked questions can be found here. For more information, please visit the Orange County website.
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Code Enforcement, AirBnB Update & Watering Days |
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In the last few newsletters we told you about three Airbnbs in the neighborhood. Short-term rentals (less than 6 months) are not allowed anywhere in Orange County zoned for single family residences (R1). Our neighborhood is in Orange County, not Orlando, and is zoned R1. Orange County Code Enforcement has issued violations to the owners of these three homes. Two appear to be in the process of being sold and the third is pursuing a long-term solution. If you suspect a home is being used for short-term rentals, report it to Orange County 311 (see below) or send an email to hoa@hiddenspringsestates.org. For more information about zoning for short-term rentals call (407) 836-3111.
The Orange County 311 system is a great way to connect with local government services. They can help you with animal concerns, neighborhood inquiries, traffic matters, road conditions and more. You can contact them via phone, website or an easy-to-use app. You can report issues anonymously. Learn more at ocfl.net/311.
Watering Restrictions:
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You may water your lawn TWO DAYS A WEEK starting March 12, 2023. Please reprogram your irrigation system accordingly. Orange County Watering Restrictions and Irrigation Schedule can be viewed here. Outdoor irrigation is limited to one day a week during Eastern Standard Time (from the first Sunday in November until the second Sunday in March) and two days a week during Daylight Saving Time (from the second Sunday in March until the first Sunday in November). Water only if necessary and not between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Water for no more than one hour per zone. Watering Violation Enforcement Process: First-time violators will receive a warning through a door hanger notice and by letter. Repeat violators will be subject to a fine of $25 per violation. A violator can appeal to a Hearing Officer after a written request is submitted and a $25 filing fee is made.
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Norman's finally opened at The Dellagio in the former Bravo location. Norman's offers a selection of culinary and mixology experiences, including a glass-enclosed wine cellar boasting an extensive list of varietals. The restaurant features a main dining room, two private dining rooms, and the ability to dine in the interior bar. The exterior covered patio called The Patio at Norman’s, was designed by RH Patio and offers a bar, lounge seating, signature cocktails, and small plates. |
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Coming Soon: Crumbl Cookies |
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Crumbl Cookies is scheduled to open later this month in the Dr. Phillips Marketplace. Their 170+ unique cookie flavors rotate weekly and are served in their famous pink box. |
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Please welcome the following new residents to Hidden Springs/Estates! Each is given a welcome basket from the HOA filled with goodies and neighborhood information. Special thanks to Karen Butler and John Scolaro for their work in putting together and delivering these wonderful welcome baskets to our new residents each quarter. If you have anything you can contribute to our welcome baskets, please contact us.
The HOA makes an effort to keep our directory of homeowners current. If you have a new neighbor and they are not receiving our newsletters, please have them reach out to the HOA to get added to our list.
Current list of sales and purchaser information:
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August 29, 2022
7805 Pine Marsh Ct.
John Eric Smith
Christine Marie Smith
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Please make sure that you keep the Hidden Springs/Estates Homeowners Association updated with your latest email address and any resident name changes. We continually update our records by adding proper names and email addresses into our database. If you know someone who has recently moved in or who does not receive our emails, please tell them to contact us so they can receive our quarterly newsletters, event updates and alerts form the HOA.
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November 23, 2022
5931 Pitch Pine Dr.
Robert Laurita
November 29, 2022
5014 Hidden Springs Blvd.
RC RE 1st LLC (Investor)
December 20, 2022
7617 Majestic Pine Ct.
Dane White
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December 23, 2022
5225 Abelia Dr.
Anass Chakir
February 8, 2023
5429 Split Pine Ct.
Daniel Mohr
Bonnie J. Mohr
March 1, 2023
5740 Pitch Pine Dr.
TBD
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President
Donna Fontaine
Vice President
Fred Hawkins
Treasurer
Tina Dottino
Secretary
Charles Simonel
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Contact Management & Welcoming Director
Karen Butler
Sr. Database Director
Denise Bradley
Communications Director
Kendle Arribas
Orange County Code Enforcement Liaison
Anonymous
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Click here to see our supporters. If you are interested in promoting your business to Hidden Springs/Estates residents with a business card ad on our Supporters page for $25, please contact the HOA for more information.
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Although it is the Hidden Springs/Estates Homeowners Association's (HSE HOA) intent to provide accurate and up-to-date information, no warranty, express or implied, is made regarding accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information contained on the pages of this newsletter. The HSE HOA assumes no liability for damages, incurred by the user of this information, which occur directly or indirectly as a result of errors, omissions or discrepancies in the information. The HSE HOA provides this information on an "as is" basis. The HSE HOA reserves the right to make changes and updates to the information at any time and without notice. Any person or entity who relies on information contained herein does so at his or her own risk.
Copyright © 2023. All Rights Reserved.
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