It is with sadness that we announce the passing of our member and friend, Nicole St Clair.
Although Nicole was no longer living here at Garden Patio Villas, she passed away this past month in May 2022.
Nicole and her late husband, Marcel, moved here in 2002. She and her husband were both involved in their church and loved God and reading the bible.
Nicole leaves behind her son and daughter and grandchildren.
The former Executive Golf Course recently had bushes added to the boundaries of this uniquely shaped property. Owner, Mike Fimiani, who is President of Fimiani Development Corporation, has been trying to get this land rezoned for townhomes for quite a few years. After closing the 9 hole golf course in August 2021, he has been unable to pursue his wishes to sell his Margate property to developers to make millions of dollars.
Thousands of Margate residents have signed a petition that they do not want redevelopment on this land. It is feet from seniors who live around this golf course since the 70’s. In addition, it was originally intended to remain green space when the communities were built with a higher density. Since 1982, the City of Margate has this spelled out and written in Margate’s Comprehensive Plan.
The owner has rights with his property that was known as “Margate Executive Golf Course.” He can plant anything he wants on his land. This doesn’t mean he can start to build anything! Garden Patio Villas appreciates the green bushes and continues to support keeping Margate green! At this time in 2022, the owner has an application in for townhomes, but it was rejected by the city’s Development Review Committee. This application must be returned and corrected before proceeding to try and rezone his land. Even if Mr. Fimiani wants to build within his current zoning of “Commercial Recreation,” procedures are still required to build anything in Margate, Florida.
Let’s enjoy these hedges recently planted feet from Garden Patio Villas and Oriole Gardens II. They are green plants! Our small community loves green space, bushes and trees, in addition to all the birds and wildlife that we get to see, hear, and enjoy every day! Let’s stop and “smell the roses,” hedges and trees in our senior community, Garden Patio Villas!
Garden Patio Villas Association, Inc.
7708 Margate Blvd, Margate, FL 33063
Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
May 2nd, 2022 Time: 6:30PM Location: Clubhouse
Agenda: Reserve Study
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Melodie Savoca, President; Lou Grunes, Vice President; Mary Schultze, Secretary; Gelly Dossman, Treasurer; Jeff Mandell, Member at Large
OWNERS PRESENT: C9U4, C11C2
Melodie called the meeting to order.
OLD BUSINESS
BACKFLOW METERS & ELECTRICAL BOXES – Backflow meters and electrical boxes must be free of plants, shrubs, pots or any article within a 2 foot clearance above and around the meters.
NEW BUSINESS
RESERVE STUDY – The board voted to use a “Do-It-Yourself” Reserve Study Kit by Association Reserves. This will be done “in house” by Lou, our Board Vice-President.
Does the Board wish to conduct a “DIY” Reserve Study?
Lou (Vice President) made the motion and Melodie (President) seconded the motion. All board members present voted in favor. (Melodie Savoca, President – “Yes”; Lou Grunes,Vice President- “Yes”;Mary Schultze,Secretary-Yes”; Gelly Dossman,Treasurer-”Yes”; Jeff Mandell,Member at Large-“Yes”).
MEETING ADJOURNED AT 7:30 PM
NEXT BOARD MEETING IS 6:30PM – MONDAY, JUNE 6th, 2022
Garden Patio Villas Association, Inc.
7708 Margate Blvd, Margate, FL 33063
Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
April 4th, 2022 Time: 6:30PM Location: Clubhouse
Agenda: HOA Forms and Reserve Study
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Melodie Savoca, President; Lou Grunes, Vice President; Mary Schultze, Secretary; Gelly Dossman, Treasurer; Jeff Mandell, Member at Large
OWNERS PRESENT: C9U4
Melodie called the meeting to order.
OLD BUSINESS
TREES & LAWN MAINTENANCE – Our Arborist , Farina Trees came recently to identify specific trees to receive a “pre-hurricane” season tree trim.
EXECUTIVE GOLF COURSE – The current owner of the golf course property has sent letters to homeowners in surrounding communities to solicit support for development opportunities. The application for residential townhomes has continued to be at a “stand-still” with the city of Margate. Keep Margate Green!
NEW BUSINESS
CLUBHOUSE RENTAL AGREEMENT FORM – A 2nd Board Member signature was added to match the Common Elements Form. Updated Clubhouse Rental Agreement Form
Does the Board approve adding a 2nd Board member signature line and also designating our Member-at-Large, Jeff Mandell to manage future clubhouse rentals?
Melodie (President) made the motion and Loue (Vice President) seconded the motion. All board members present voted in favor. (Melodie Savoca, President – “Yes”; Lou Grunes,Vice President- “Yes”;Mary Schultze,Secretary-Yes”; Gelly Dossman,Treasurer-”Yes”; Jeff Mandell,Member at Large-“Yes”).
COMMON ELEMENTS FORM – Color schemes and designated brands were added for Driveway and Roof colors.
Does the Board approve adding color schemes and designated brands to the Common Elements Form? Melodie (President) made the motion and Mary (Secretary) seconded the motion.
All board members present voted in favor. (Melodie Savoca, President – “Yes”; Lou Grunes,Vice President- “Yes”;Mary Schultze,Secretary-Yes”; Gelly Dossman,Treasurer-”Yes”; Jeff Mandell,Member at Large-“Yes”)
PAINT FOR DRIVEWAYS – Members are asked to now have driveways painted. Sherwin Williams has the paint colors and will provide members with a discount. (Please inform at “check out” that you are a member of Garden Patio Villas). Hollis Dillon C2U3 paints driveways. (954-822-5934) Please submit a Common Elements Form for approval before starting the job.
RESERVE STUDY: Three estimates were received. Reserve studies are not required, but recommended. Further options will be reviewed again at the May Board meeting.
MEETING ADJOURNED AT 8:00 PM
NEXT BOARD MEETING IS 6:30PM – MONDAY, MAY 2nd, 2022
Garden Patio Villas completed its road sealcoat project in March 2022. This was a project that took six months to complete! The bids for this road maintenance project went out at the end of September 2021. By the time the HOA Board of Directors received the bids back and analyzed them, it was the end of November 2021.
The contract was awarded to Extreme Property Maintenance. The Board, in conjunction with the contractor, had to obtain the proper permits from the City of Margate. There were discussions whether the current speed bumps would be allowed to remain in place or whether they had to be replaced. Our Homeowners Association owns our roadways which is different in comparison to city owned roads.
The City of Margate issued the permit at the beginning of February. The project was scheduled for the beginning of March. At the February board meeting, it was discussed how the project would be broken up so as to have the least inconvenience to our Members, as possible.
Flyers were then made up that showed the plan and hand delivered to all Members and residents. It was also explained what the plan was as the flyers were being passed out. The project got under way in March 2022. It took two weeks to complete! This is because a section would be done, then could not be driven on for the next day. The striping and painting had to get done afterwards. It was through the cooperation of all Members and residents that the roadway resurfacing turned out very successful!
Everybody living in Garden Patio Villas should be very proud for the way the resealing helps to show off the beauty of the community! Thank you for everyone’s work and effort on this road sealcoat project!
Give a big thanks to our Maintenance team, Jeff, Mary Jane and Ralph! Job well done!
Garden Patio Villas Association, Inc.
7708 Margate Blvd, Margate, FL 33063
Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
March 14, 2022 Time: 6:30PM Location: Clubhouse
Agenda: Progress Report on Road Work and Sealcoat, Updates on Executive Golf Course, Broken Garden Patio Villas Sign
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Melodie Savoca, President; Lou Grunes, Vice President; Mary Schultze, Secretary; Jeff Mandell, Member at Large
OWNERS PRESENT: None
Melodie, our President, called the meeting to order.
OLD BUSINESS
ROADWAYS – Thanks to everyone for your cooperation during our roadway project! Extreme Maintenance completed our sealcoating and striping this week.
EXECUTIVE GOLF COURSE – Lou (Vice President) and Jeff (Member at Large) were invited to meet with the current owner of the golf course property. He has reportedly torn down old trees and replaced them with new trees with permitting approval. The application for residential townhomes is at a “stand-still” with the city of Margate. He was interested in opening a dialogue with Garden Patio Villas board members. HOA board members agreed that there was no interest for said meeting to take place.
NEW BUSINESS
DAMAGED ENTRANCE SIGNS AT GARDEN PATIO VILLAS – The sign located at 76th and Strawberry Lane was damaged due to high winds. The other two entrance signs have rotted wood and are also being evaluated.
Does the Board approve using accumulated Bank Rewards to help pay for new signage?
Melodie (President) made the motion and Mary (Secretary) seconded the motion. All board members present voted in favor. (Melodie Savoca, President – “Yes”; Lou Grunes,Vice President- “Yes”;Mary Schultze,Secretary-Yes”;Jeff Mandell,Member at Large-“Yes”).
POOL MAINTENANCE – The pool water was found cold last week. Jeff will get estimates, if needed.
TREES & LAWN MAINTENANCE – Damaged grass due to Backflow installation will receive sod in April. Our Arborist will soon assist with identifying specific trees to receive a “pre-hurricane” season tree trim.
MEETING ADJOURNED AT 8:00 PM
NEXT BOARD MEETING IS 6:30PM – MONDAY, APRIL 4th, 2022
The key to a healthy financial HOA is having a solid reserve fund. Having a fully funded reserve allows our association to be able to cover extraordinary events without having to go to the association for special assessments. It allows the Board of Directors of our HOA to quickly make decisions for repair and replacement of an asset without having to send out letters and meetings for special assessments. It allows the members of the association to be able to budget their own finances without the worry of a looming special assessment which, depending on the size of the assessment, could cause financial harm to an individual member. In the case of the tragic event of the Surfside condominium collapse, members were looking at special assessments of up to $85,000 dollars.
Florida Statute 703.303 (6) addresses HOA and Condominium reserves. It discusses the uses of reserve funds, and the formula that should be used to arrive at how much should be maintained in the fund. Garden Patio Villa’s Governing Documents closely follows Florida Statues. It should be noted that if the original developer established a reserve fund for the HOA, then reserve funds must be maintained once turned over to the association. If a reserve fund was not established, then the members of the association can vote each year on whether to establish or contribute to it. Reserve funds are to be used for capital asset replacement or deferred maintenance to the capital asset. It is an important distinction because sometimes members think that because they see money in reserves, they think those monies could be used instead of levying a special assessment.
In the event of an unforeseen capital expense, for example, a hurricane does major damage to the clubhouse roof, or knowing that the life of the clubhouse roof is coming to an end, the cost to replace could be supported by reserve funding. Our HOA board could quickly act in the case of hurricane damage to make the needed repairs. Having a solid reserve fund is key to a healthy financial HOA. In the case of planned replacement, knowing that solid reserve funds are available goes to keeping our Garden Patio Villas community a place that we can all be proud of to call home!
Garden Patio Villas Association, Inc.
7708 Margate Blvd, Margate, FL 33063
Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
February 7, 2022 Time: 6:30PM Location: Clubhouse
Agenda: 2021 Garden Patio Villas Taxes; Planned Roadwork and Sealcoating
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Melodie Savoca, President; Lou Grunes, Vice President; Mary Schultze, Secretary; Gelly Dossman, Treasurer; Jeff Mandell, Member at Large
OWNERS PRESENT: None
Melodie, our President, called the meeting to order.
OLD BUSINESS
NEW TRASH / RECYCLE SERVICES – Republic Services assumed the City of Margate contract as of February 1, 2022.
NEW BUSINESS
ROADWAYS – We are pleased to announce that Extreme Maintenance is contracted for roadwork and sealcoating! A tentative start date is March 7, 2022. It should last six days and will be completed in stages. Members will receive more detailed information as we approach the start date.
2021 YEAR END TAXES PREPARATION – It was decided that our 2021 year-end taxes will be prepared internally by Melodie (President) and Gelly (Treasurer). Once complete, it will be verified for accuracy by TaxAct, a third party tax specialist.
MEETING ADJOURNED AT 7:08 PM
NEXT BOARD MEETING IS 6:30PM – MONDAY, MARCH 14, 2022
When Developers Oriole Homes Corp. were allowed to build Garden Patio Villas in Margate, Florida, they wanted to build a Homeowners Association (HOA) where private citizens could purchase property and enjoy the serenity of having the Association take care of the maintenance with a sense of indoor and outdoor living. The Developers built a HOA which is a private entity. HOAs are created to maintain common areas and have the authority to enforce deed restrictions. HOAs have a strict structure which appeal to some but frustrate others.
Who owns the Association land? Association land is maintained by the Board of Directors. This land is owned by the Association entity not the Members of the Association. Many people think all the Members own a small portion of this land. In a court room, Governing Documents prevail. There can be problems when Members don’t understand what a HOA really means. HOA’s are very different than purchasing a single family home. How is it different?
Homeowners Association land is owned by the Association entity not the Members of the Association.
Governing Documents
The Developers created our original Governing Documents. They consist of:
1. Articles of Incorporation – This created the Association, Garden Patio Villas Association, Inc., as a Florida Non-Profit Corporation. It also includes our name and location.
2. Bylaws – These are the rules of how our Association is legally required to run. This includes the Board of Directors, their Responsibilities and how meetings and voting takes place.
3. Declarations of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&R) – This is the most important part of the Governing Documents and the most difficult for some Members! These can not be contradicted and must be followed with all Owners’ property and common area. This sections restricts or approves to what is allowed with all Members of the Association, including Members of the Board of Directors.
Oriole Homes Corp. sold our 83 villas and put together our first Board of Directors to run the Association. This happened in 1977 when many Members who purchased a villa were only here for the winter season when it was cold up north. Previously, Oriole Homes Corp. had built many condominiums and single family homes in Margate. This new type of living arrangement was new and appealing to many moving into Margate, Florida!
Homeowners have property boundaries they must abide by as well as many rules to follow. Members vote into office, every year, a group of Board Members who will help maintain and follow these rules. All Board of Directors are required by law to follow the Florida Statutes along with the Governing Documents. Members are allowed to attend and speak at all Board of Directors meetings with the exception of with a lawyer.
Homeowners Associations and Members have legal right to anything stated in the Governing Documents, Florida Statutes and Rules & Regulations. Members of the Association purchase restricted deeds and must abide by these rules. HOAs were intended to simplify the life of the Member not to worry about the landscaping and build a community where the Members can use the clubhouse and pool and sometimes other amenities at no additional cost. In exchange for maintenance being completed, HOAs have maintenance fees all Members must pay. Occasionally, there are assessments when there are issues that are not normally covered by maintenance.
Does this sound harsh? It is for many people who will not step foot into a Homeowners Association. On the other hand, there are many people who prefer this lifestyle and the simplicity of not taking care of property which is required with single family homes.
Garden Patio Villas Association was voted by Members to become a 55+ community in 1995. Since then, Members who purchase must be over the age of 55. This allows our community to have a more quiet atmosphere which is important to many in our community. Any changes to the Governing Documents must be voted in by the Members by a legal percentage. Today our Governing Documents consist of 135 pages!
If you are looking to purchase in Garden Patio Villas or any condo or homeowners association, read the Governing Documents!
You can read our “Rules & Regulations” which are a simplified version that the Board creates to make it easier to understand. If you are still interested in purchasing in a Homeowners Association, please take a look at our available villas for sale!
