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HomeMy Public PortalAboutMarch 2002COMMISSIONERS WILLIAM F. KOCH, JR. Mayor JOAN K. ORTHWEIN, Vice Mayor FRED B. DEVITT III ROBERT W. HOPKINS II WILLIAM A. LYNCH TOWN OF GULF STREAM PALM BEACH COUNTY, FLORIDA MARCH 2002 COMMUNITY UPDATES Dear Town Residents, Following are several updates on issues of importance in your community. Telephone (561) 276.5116 Fax (561)737-01 BB Town Manager WILLIAM H. THRASHER Town Clerk RITA L TAYLOR Town Commission Since the incumbent Town Commissioners were unopposed, it will not be necessary to hold an election in March. All incumbent Town Commissioners will serve another three- year term, until March 2005. The current Commission Members are: William Koch, Jr. Joan Orthwein William Lynch Robert Hopkins II Fred "Fritz" Devitt III Town Meeting with Mary McCarty, Palm Beach County Commissioner On March 6h, 2002, from 2:00pm until 3:30pm, Palm Beach County Commissioner Mary McCarty will be at our town hall for an open "give-and-take" discussion. If you have any questions or issues that you would like to bring to her attention, this would be an excellent opportunity to do so. If you have any questions concerning this meeting, please contact her staff at 276-1220. Crime Prevention Reminder This is the time of year to encourage our residents to observe the following: 1. When leaving your home, check that all the doors and windows are locked. 2. The Town ordinances prohibit door-to-door solicitation and require all commercial vendors working in town to be registered at Town Hall. If a solicitor approaches you, politely inform him/her that you are not interested. 3. Do not allow a stranger or uninvited person to engage you in conversation for any purpose. 4. Immediately notify our Police Department of any of these events by calling the Delray Beach Dispatcher at 243-7800. If possible, provide the dispatcher with the license plate number of the vehicle. Workers in Town All workers hired to conduct services for your property (employees and deliveries not 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, and enhances the safety of our community. Code on Landscape Lighting We have noticed that some landscape lighting contractors are unaware that the Town has various code regulations that they must follow. These regulations are for the benefit of our residents as well as their neighbors. When improper lighting techniques are utilized, the effect of the lighting scheme can be very intrusive to neighboring properties. Please have your landscape lighting contractor contact the Town for clarification of our regulations. Copies of the specific code will be provided to them. Hurricane Season The National Weather service has declared the hurricane season begins June 1, and ends November 1. During a storm event, it becomes classified as a hurricane when the wind reaches a constant speed of 74 mph or greater. If you are planning any improvements or changes to your present hurricane protections, you may want to start early in order to have them completed prior to hurricane season. . changes to your present hurricane protections, you may want to start early in order to have them completed prior to hurricane season. Flood Zone Information Available at Town Hall 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. Call 276-5116 or visit Town Hall during normal business hours (9 AM to 4 PM non - holiday weekdays) to obtain this information. On the subject of Flood Zones, it is important to note that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has conducted a flood insurance study and has released preliminary updated flood insurance rate maps. Some of the changes to the maps may increase the minimum flood elevation for homes in portions of Gulf Stream. Copies of the maps and the study are available for viewing at Town Hall. Pets It is very important for all dog owners to observe the leash law that is enforced in Gulf Stream. Allowing your dog to run free and without a leash can be dangerous to both human and pet life. This is particularly problematic for the pet owner who is observing the leash law and enters into an area where a dog is free from any leash restraints. Please be careful to protect your pet and our neighbors as well. Also, it is again necessary to remind dog owners that it is their responsibility to pick up their pet's waste while exercising and walking their dog. If you have someone else that is responsible for walking your dog, be sure to inform that person that this duty is part of the work. The waste that is not picked up can be a nasty sight as well as being a potential health concern. There is an Ordinance that requires dogs to be leashed and waste to be removed. We are hopeful it will not be necessary to issue citations for violations of this Ordinance. As always, please feel free to call Town Hall if you have any questions about these news items or any other Town business. On Behalf of the Town Commission and Staff, ice, � 1 Mayor William F. Koch, Jr. Good Neighbor Reminders Garage Doors- In the interests of crime prevention and neighborhood aesthetics, residents are asked to keep garage doors closed except when used for vehicle access. Paint Color and Exterior Improvements- If you are planning to change the color of your home, or make other external improvements such as a new mailbox, lighting, windows, front door, roofing, landscaping, et -cetera, please call Town Hall to learn which design and color regulations may apply. Curbside- Please do not place garbage and recyclables at curbside. In order to maintain our community's appearance, the Town has contracted for pickup at the back door or just outside the garage door. Vegetation Pick-up- Please call BFI direct at 561-278-1717 or your service could be delayed. Irrigation System- Please check your irrigation system to insure that you are not over irrigating. Excessive irrigation contributes to roadside sogginess and fails to meet our water conservation goals. As a rule of thumb, you should irrigate no more than every third day, and each zone should not run more than 15 minutes.