Hidden Springs/Estates
Summer Newsletter 2021
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Warm 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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Dear Neighbors,
Happy almost summer! I hope you all are well. It's that time of year again – hurricane season. It’s time to shore up your fences, trim your trees and prepare yourselves. Hurricane season begins June 1 and ends November 30. Many of you have never been through a hurricane, and hopefully you never will, but living in Florida almost all my life, I can tell you they're not fun. Make a plan with your family in case you have to hole up in a safe room. It never hurts to be prepared. Get extra water and some canned food, just in case. Hopefully El Nino will be good to us this year.
Thank you to all who sent in your contribution fees to the HOA. As always, we could not maintain Hidden Springs/Estates without your financial help.
We are looking at our budget in hopes of giving the Pin Oak entrance a makeover. It needs it desperately. If any of you happen to have a good eye for landscaping and would like to give some ideas and help us plan out the Pin Oak entrance, let us know. We will be getting bids on the work as soon as we determine what we have available in the budget.
We have a new lawn/entrance maintenance company. You may see new trucks and faces taking care of our entrances, retention ponds and the bushes along our walls along Dr. Phillips. Lucas, of Natural Selections, has taken a different path. He's been great and we will miss him. His business was sold to Top Job. They've been on the job a few weeks, and so far, so good.
Some sidewalk repair is underway in the neighborhood. Concrete is currently being cut, then the next step is removing the old sidewalk and pouring new concrete. If you see a repair that is needed, please report through the 3-1-1 app.
We had a nice turnout at our Earth Day Neighborhood Clean-Up Event. Thank you to Karen Butler and Aga Rask for organizing. The group picked up 12 bags of garbage, if you can imagine. Thanks so much for those who came out to help. I already see more trash in the roads, our medians and swales. Please, please, if you're out and about and see garbage, please pick it up. It only takes a second. For the life of me, I can't believe people still throw trash out of their car windows as they're driving, but they do. We’ve seen a lot of beer cans and bottles on our medians at our entrances as well. And sadly, we are still seeing bags of dog waste left in lawns. It has been an ongoing issue, and it really makes the neighborhood look poor. As a reminder, there is a fine if you are caught doing it.
We did not send out the typical three contribution notices this year. We normally send the first one in September at the start of our fiscal year, then the second mailing around December, then the third and final in March. It's too costly and time consuming to send them out three times. This year, we mailed the first notice in September, sent a reminder email to those who hadn’t contributed, and mailed the second notice in March. If you have not yet contributed, we will gladly accept your contribution.
Till next time.
Sincerely,
Donna Fontaine
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By Treasurer Tina Dottino
Thank you to all who have paid their 2020-2021 dues so far – we have had a record year! To date, 217 families have paid their dues, and several new families to our neighborhood have contributed as well. This is the highest contribution rate we’ve had in at least 10 years! Thank you to each resident who made their contributions this year! As you are aware, the funds go toward providing for the safety and security of our residents with entrance lighting and Sheriff’s safety patrols. Dues also provide for the maintenance, irrigation and landscaping of our common areas. We have had recent repairs to our sprinkler and electrical system that needed to be made in order to keep the grass and trees in our entrance median healthy and attractive. We could not do these maintenance tasks without your support. We deeply appreciate all the residents who help maintain our neighborhood!
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Earth Day Neighborhood Clean-Up Event |
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In celebration of Earth Day, on Saturday, April 24, 2021, a group of Hidden Springs/Estates residents volunteered to help clean up our neighborhood. Thank you to those who pitched in to help our community, and special thanks to Aga Rask and Karen Butler for spearheading this event and to John Scolaro for providing a tent and table. Volunteers spread out at different locations throughout the neighborhood to pick up litter and debris, including along Dr. Phillips Blvd. and Conroy Windermere Rd. Some volunteers drove through the neighborhood with their children to collect bags of trash along the streets and retention ponds. Orange County Neighborhood Services provided gloves, nifty nabbers, trash bags, masks and hand sanitizer and the HOA provided light refreshments. Thanks again to all the volunteers who took the time to help keep Hidden Springs/Estates looking its best and taking pride in our neighborhood!
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Yard of the Quarter: 7701 White Ash -- Christine Ha |
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Congratulations to our Yard of the Quarter winner Christine Ha at 7701 White Ash! Originally from Vietnam, Christine moved to Seattle about 15 years ago. Her family eventually made their way to Orlando. The family moved into their current home about three-and-a-half years ago. Christine decided to add her own touches to the landscaping to make it more open and Zen-like. She wanted lots of color, so she added Impatiens, a trellis with purple Bougainvillea and lots of Hydrangea. She also added a water fountain to add to the serenity. Ty, her significant other, was also instrumental in the re-landscape and ideas. They cut down many of the bushes to open up the area.
Christine is also the owner of DP Nails, which is located at 7575 West Sand Lake Road, across from the Sand Lake CVS and next to Pinch-a-Penny. DP Nails, which is open Monday-Saturday, offers services such as acrylic, gel, mani-pedis, waxing and much more. Be sure to stop in and say "hi." We always like to support our neighbors who own businesses.
Christine's daughter, Vy, is in 5th grade at Palm Lake Elementary and will be attending Chain of Lakes in the fall.
Christine was awarded a $50 gift certificate to Lowe's by our generous sponsor, John Scolaro, with Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate. He's been steadfast in supporting this program. If you need a great Realtor, John knows all the ins and outs of Dr. Phillips.
We also would like to thank Yenny Rhodes and Santiago Cres with Party My Yard Dr. Phillips. They donated the WOW! letters to give the photo some pizazz. Party My Yard is a company that rents out temporary celebratory yard signs. The signs can be customized for any occasion: New Baby, Graduation, Birthdays, anything. Yenny and Santiago live here in Hidden Springs. Thank you for sprucing up the Yard of Quarter announcement.
Thank you to all of you who are beautifying your yards. The Yard of the Quarter program is the Board's way of noticing you and saying Thank You!
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Resident Recognized by Ronald McDonald House |
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Hidden Springs resident April Hammersand was recently recognized by Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Florida as an amazing volunteer. April is a retired Dr. Phillips Elementary school teacher, where she taught for 15 years. April and her husband Steve have lived in Hidden Springs since 1985. They have two daughters and five grandchildren.
In celebration of National Volunteer Month in April, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Florida recognized many of the dedicated volunteers they’ve had over the past 25 years.
April said, “Volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House has given back to me even more than my time and work has benefited the families there. Providing support to lighten the load of families with children with medical issues, working with the caring staff, and bonding with other volunteers has been a deeply gratifying experience.”
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Real Estate Market Update |
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Orlando's Market (April 2021) |
According to the Orlando Regional Realtor Association, the pandemic’s biggest impact on the Orlando housing market hit in April 2020, putting the brakes on sales. Since then, inventory has continued to decline -- despite high demand from buyers -- and hit an all-time-low last month (April 2021). There were major gains in sales year-over-year for April 2021, due to effects of the pandemic last year. |
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Hidden Springs/Estates Activity
The good news for Hidden Springs/Estates is that if you are thinking of selling your home, this may be a great time. As of this writing, there are NO HOMES AVAILABLE on the market in our neighborhood. This is a seller's market which means we have more buyers looking to purchase homes than we have homes available for sale! Recent Hidden Springs/Estates neighborhood sales range from $439,900 to $475,000!
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Real Estate Report for Hidden Springs/Estates
February 23 - May 23, 2021
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All content displayed above is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed. Website users are advised to verify all information with their real estate representative. Copyright® My Florida Regional MLS DBA Stellar MLS. Digital Millennium Copyright Act Take-Down Notice
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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In April, the County had all the hazardous tree limbs along Pitch Pine Drive trimmed by Advance Tree Pros. The County should continue to perform tree elevations throughout our neighborhood as needed for safety reasons if it meets the criteria of 10 feet over sidewalks and 14 feet over roadways. However, the HOA is responsible for maintaining trees and landscaping at our entrances, retention ponds and common areas. Hurricane season is upon us. If you see dense, low-hanging limbs from oak trees in the easements that may pose a danger of coming down in strong winds or rain, please call 311 or use the app and request for Roads and Drainage to come out and address the potential hazard. |
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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.
Safety Report February-April
The school year ends the week before Memorial Day, so there will be more kids out during the day and on the road for summer break. PLEASE BE CAREFUL.
Remember, this is a NO SOLICITING neighborhood. Signs are posted at all entrances. Please do not let solicitors in your house or buy anything from them. If you are interested in what they are selling, please call the company directly and make an appointment. Let's continue to stay vigilant and report any suspicious activity.
Tips on how to stay safe from IDENTITY THEFT & CYBERCRIME can be found HERE.
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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Did you know there are companies that will come out to your home and sanitize your trash bins? For example, Orlando Bin Sanitizer and Clean Cans both service our area and will come to your house and clean, sanitize and deodorize your bins using their high-pressure temperature water system that leaves your bins looking and smelling clean. Prices are reasonable. Check out their websites for more information and rates, and get rid of that steamy, summer stench!
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Dog Waste Bags Continue to Litter our Lawns |
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We still continue to see bags of dog waste littering our lawns. This is extremely disrespectful and must stop. We have posted signs, written several articles in the newsletter and posted on Nextdoor to no avail. We need your help -- if you see who is doing this, please ask them to take it home to dispose of properly. Click here to view a gallery of images that show this ongoing issue.
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Code Enforcement & Watering Days |
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Now is a great time for walking but please be careful. Some sidewalk repair is underway in the neighborhood. Concrete is currently being cut, then the next step is removing the old sidewalk and pouring new concrete. If you see a trip hazard or repair that is needed, please report through the 3-1-1 app. 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 app. Learn more at http://ocfl.net/Home/311HelpInfo.aspx#.YJdHES1h0g5. Try it, you'll like it.
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You may currently water your lawn TWO DAYS A WEEK. If your irrigation system is automatic, please update it to water just one day per week if you haven't already to avoid any citations and fees. Orange County Watering Restrictions and Irrigation Schedule can be viewed here.
As part of our effort to keep your neighborhood beautiful through code compliance, we have developed an "HOA Courtesy Notice." This will be used to notify homeowners of an Orange County code, traffic or HOA restriction violation they may not be aware of so it can be corrected.
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Opened in mid-May in the Marketplace at Dr. Phillips, Nick Filet is a casual dining option offering high-quality, center-cut filet mignon and high-quality Maine lobster dishes, including a New-England style lobster roll. Be sure to try the Old Bay fries. |
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Located in the former K-Town Cafe at the Marketplace at Dr. Phillips, Brother Jimmy's BBQ is scheduled to open at the end of May. |
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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. And thanks to Woof Gang Bakery next to Fresh Market for always donating items for our baskets. If you have anything you can contribute to our welcome baskets, please contact us.
Current list of sales and purchaser information:
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December 17, 2020
Aaron J. and Juliana M. Goff
5749 Tamarack Dr.
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December 18, 2020
Audrey Fletcher
5785 Tamarack Dr.
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February 1, 2021
Levan Zhizhilashvili
6114 Cedar Pine Dr.
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March 25, 2021
Richard W. Lemon and Nina C. Mathis
7626 Majestic Pine Ct
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Not pictured:
February 16, 2021
Khatuna Bezhitashuili
6114 Cedar Pine Dr.
February 19, 2021
Bobby Martin and Doris Martin
5761 Pitch Pine Dr.
April 23, 2021
Antonio Jose Gimenez and
Diana Carolina Gaviria
7808 Pine Haven CT
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Database Updates
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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Happy Memorial Day and 4th of July! |
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Thank you to our resident Realtor, John Scolaro, for always decorating our entrances with flags for Memorial Day and 4th of July. We wish everyone a safe and happy holiday!
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Board of Directors and Supporters |
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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 © 2021. All Rights Reserved.
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