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HomeMy Public PortalAboutSpring 2011Town of Gulf Stream Spring 2011 Newsletter Dear Resident, First we would like to welcome all our new residents to the Town of Gulf Stream family. Of those who voted, 100% in the proposed annexation area voted in favor of annexation and 90% of the Town residents voted in favor of the annexation. The Town sends out a newsletter several times a year with general information and updates on what is happening in Town, but, don't hesitate to call with any questions or concerns you have. The Town is very proud of its history and sense of community and every attempt will be made to maintain the beautiful spirit that is truly the Town of Gulf Stream. The Town had a straw ballot on February 7, 2011 to find out if the Town residents are in favor of undergrounding utilities. Town residents voted in favor of the undergrounding by a margin of 12.5%. The Town has begun the next step in the process of making this a reality. We will try to keep you abreast of time frames and work. We anticipate the work will begin in fall of 2011 and take approximately eighteen months. Enclosed you will find the Disclosure required to be provided to you annually. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call the Town Hall at 276-5116 NOTICE OF PUBLIC DISCLOSURE Pursuant to Section 403.7049, Florida State Statutes and Rule 17-1708, Florida Administrative Code, the Town of Gulf Stream, Palm Beach County, Florida discloses the following full costs of Solid Waste Management for residential and non-residential users during the 2010-2011 fiscal year: Residential Collection Service 2010-2011 Residential Backdoor Collection $17.61 Residential Backdoor Recycling 8.62 Residential Disposal 13.83 AVERAGE TOTAL COST PER RESIDENTIAL UNIT PER MONTH 140,06 Non -Residential Collection Service Non -Residential Collection per Cubic Yard $5.71 Non -Residential Disposal per Cubic Yard 2.81 AVERAGE TOTAL COST PER CUBIC YARD 1&52 As of the issuance of this newsletter, the rate for large vegetative pick-up is $9.00 per yard. Should you have any questions regarding Solid Waste Management or other municipal operations of the Town of Gulf Stream, please contact Administration at 100 Sea Road, Town of Gulf Stream, Florida during the hours of 9:00am to 4:00pm, Monday through Friday. Spring 2011 Newsletter Page 2 AUSTRALIAN PINES Please contact the Town Hall before doing any landscaping work at the base of the Australian pine trees. The Town Arborist has instructed the Town as to how the Australian Pines should be maintained and there are strict guidelines to which we adhere regarding fertilizing and any pruning. Turf should be removed or a herbicide applied to kill the grass directly around the trunks. A clear area of at least 18" should be maintained around all trees. A thin layer of mulch (about 2" thick) should be used to help reduce turf incursion into this area directly around the trunks. Mulch should not be piled up on the trunks. The Arborist noted several trees with damage caused by lawn services weed eating around the tree trunks. We are told that this type of damage cannot be repaired and shortens the life of any tree, not just Australian Pines. FLOOD ZONE INFORMATION As a public service, the Town of Gulf Stream provides the following information upon request: • Whether a property is in or out of the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) as shown on the current Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) of the Town. • Additional flood insurance data, such as the FIRM Zone and the base flood elevation or depth, if shown on the FIRM of the Town. • The Town also has elevation certificates for many of the properties in Town. • The Town participates in the Community Rating system, a part of the National Flood Insurance Program, and some residents qualify for a 15% discount on their flood insurance rates. Please talk to your insurance agent. • Please refer to the enclosed "Flood Hazard Preparation Information'' sheet. Call 276-5116 or visit Town Hall during regular business hours, 9:00am to 4:00pm, to obtain further information. BACKFLOW PREVENTION Due to guidelines from the Department of Environmental Protection and the Palm Beach County Health Department, the Town will be identifying residences with backflow prevention devices on the water supply to their home. These devices prevent non -potable water from backing up into the potable water supply. These guidelines also state that these devices must be inspected and certified annually. The Town will be developing a program to assist homeowners in meeting these requirements. POLICE CONTACT NUMBERS To contact the Gulf Stream Police Department for non -emergency issues, please call 278- 8611, regular business days between 8:00am and 4:00pm OR Dispatch at 243-7800 any time. CALL 911 FOR AN EMERGENCY. Spring 2011 Newsletter Page 3 On Behalf of the Town Commission and Staff, VMayor William F. Koch, Jr. COMMUNITY REMINDERS • In order to preserve our unique community character, the Town adopted Design Guidelines in 1995 that address exterior aspects of your home. If you are planning exterior improvements or painting of any kind, or major landscaping work, please contact Town Hall to determine what requirements may apply. • All workers hired to conduct services for your property (employees and deliveries not s included) must be registered to do work in the Town. If you are hiring a contractor (for example, to do lawn work or make improvements to your home) please ask them to register at Town Hall if they are not currently on file. Occupational registration is designed to ensure workers are properly licensed and insured, which enhances the safety of our community. Effective March 15, 2010, the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) has enacted Year -Round Landscape Irrigation Conservation Measures. Even numbered addresses may irrigate existing landscape on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday during non - daylight hours. Odd numbered addresses may irrigate existing landscape on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday during non -daylight hours. New landscape installation may be irrigated during non -daylight hours Saturday through Thursday for the first 30 days after installation. "Conservation has become a proactive strategy to protect water resources for the long-term benefit of our environment and our communities." • When walking your dog, please be courteous to other residents and pedestrians by taking responsibility for your dog's waste. n • Please note that lawn maintenance firms and tree trimmers must take their cuttings with them. The Town's contract with Waste Management does not include cuttings and lawn maintenance debris. You may be billed for the pickups outside the scope of our contract. S, Town of Gulf Stream Flood Hazard Preparation Information The Town of Gulf Stream has been verified as a Class 7 community in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Community Rating System (CRS) under the direction of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). As a result of our NFIP participation, certain policies purchased through NFIP may receive discounts of up to 15%. Since typical homeowners policies DO NOT cover losses due to flooding, the Town suggests that residents may wish to purchase a flood insurance policy. )d Hazard: Every property is at risk of flooding. In fact, there is a , chance of experiencing a flood during the life of a 30 -year Igage. Many factors contribute to flooding in areas not designated (FHA's. The greatest flood threats come from excessive rainfall accompanies coastal storms, tropical storms and hurricanes. In the past several decades, damaging floods have hit Palm :h County on these dates: ober 15, 1999 - Hurricane Irene ember 5, 2004 - Hurricane Frances ember 25, 2004 - Hurricane Jeanne ober 24, 2005 - Hurricane Wilma lcod Insurance: Damage caused by flooding is not covered by ost homeowner's Insurance. However, a separate NFIP flood surance policy is available from your Insurance agent. There is a 7 -day waiting period. Please note that new flood insurance Alcies will not be written once a storm is approaching. To purchase flood insurance policy, contact your Insurance agent or visit =MA's website at www.tema.gov/business/nfio/. ctantial Improvement Requirements: The NFIP requires if the cost of the reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition or other avements to a building equals or exceeds 50% of the building's at value, then the entire building must meet the same construction rements as a new building. opment Permit Requirements: The entire Town of Gulf n is in a floodplain and any development requires a building I according to Section 48-38 of the Code of Ordinances of the of Gulf Stream. If you suspect that illegal building or )pment Is occurring, please call the Town Hall at 561-276.5116. cd Warning System: The Town has an automated telephone tem which will play a recorded message. Additionally, Palm Beach inty has a flood warning system with warnings broadcasted on channels 5, 12, 25, 29 and all local radio stations. If you have a rther band radio, tune to NOAA weather radio frequency 162.475 z to receive local weather updates. Stay tuned during storm latural and Beneficial Functions: Certain areas of the Town rovide a natural and beneficial function to the floodplain. Protecting iese areas provides many benefits, including: Provides natural flood and erosion control by flood storage and conveyance, and reducing flood velocity. Improves water quality by filtering nutrients and impurities from runoff. Recharges the ground water while simultaneously reducing the frequency and duration of surface flow. Environmental benefits include providing additional open space, aesthetic pleasures for the community, and opportunities for scientific studies. Floodplains Increase biological resources by providing habitats for plant and wildlife growth and breeding. MA Flood Elevation Certificates and Maps: The Town Hall on file, and available for public Inspection, many Flood Elevation tiffcates and FEMA flood maps. The Town Hall also provides xi map determinations to let you know the flood zone designation properties located within the Town limits. Please contact the vn Hall at 561-276-5116. )od Safety: There is no substitute for advance planning and :paration. Prepare and annually update an inventory of all personal )party with descriptions and photos, store drinking water in clean ntalners, keep a portable radio and flashlights on hand with fresh tteries, and have adequate first-aid supplies on hand. If you are vised to evacuate, make sun; you tum off electric and gas utilities the main switches and valves, and leave quickly, rt walk through flowing water. Drowning Is the number one a of flood deaths. Currents can be deceptive. As little as six S of moving water can knock you off your feet. If you walk In Ing water, use a pole or slick to test the water depth before step. Dt drive through a flooded area. More people drown in their cars anywhere else. Do not drive around road banter; the roads or as further down the road may be washed out. V away from power lines and electrical wires. The number two :r atter drowning is electrocution. Water is a good conductor of :tricity. Electricity from downed power lines will travel through water to you. create a personalized disaster preparedness plan for your family f/or business, please visit the State of Florida Disaster rparedness website at www.floridadisaster.org/. Protection: Here are some simple steps to protecting Relocate vehicles to higher ground, raise furniture off the floor or move it to upper floors. Store materials like tarps, sandbags, plastic sheeting, plywood, and lumber to protect structures, and to make quick repairs after a severe storm. Board up or shutter windows and doors. Retrofitting is a way to reduce losses before floods occur. Retrofitting techniques include flood panels, berms, flood wails, and elevated structures. For information on retrofitting, call the Town Hall at 561-276-5116 or go to FEMA's websfte at www.fema.Qov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=3894 star Drainage Management System: The Town s the storm water drainage system. To reduce the risk, or duration of flooding, it is vital to maintain the rrying capacity of the drainage system. re is how you can help: Please keep storm drain grates and openings clear of all debds. Anytime you see debris partially or completely blocking a stone drain opening, please remove and dispose of the debris or call the Town Hall at 561-276-5116. It is illegal to alter, dump or throw anything into swales, ditches and canals. If you see anyone disposing of anything including liquids, trash, vegetation or any other debris into any component of the drainage system, please report it Immediately to 561-276-5116. Nays check with the Town Hall before you alter, re -grade or bring to your property. A permit may be needed to ensure that projects not cause drainage problems. For permit information, or to report ilding or filling work without a permit posted, please contact the wn Hall at 561-276-5116.