My Croissant Park: September 2013

Croissant Park General Meeting September 2013

Hi Neighbors

Our September meeting started with the Pledge of Allegiance at 7:05pm. Board members in attendance were Pat, Rhonda, Heather, Karla, Michelle, Joe and Virginia.

Officer Stevens

Officer Dejo

FLPD Officers Stevens and Dejo were there to fill us in on the recent crime activities in our neighborhood. Ofc. Stevens reported that since our last General meeting in May there have been seven residential burglaries, five vehicle break-ins and one stolen scooter. We are reminded once again that leaving valuables in plain sight in our cars is an invitation for a smash-and-grab robbery. These kind of vehicle break-ins are common in the cemetery. Do the smart thing and put your valuables out of sight when you leave the car. And don’t forget to lock. When the question was raised as to why we don’t see as many FLPD cars patrolling our streets, Ofc. Stevens said that there are more unmarked cars patrolling now and that they have put a bigger presence of patrol cars out west of us where the crime is more rampant. They will begin moving eastward to our neighborhood again. Regarding people speeding through our streets, she told us they are using radar to catch them, but they have to actually be there when the speeding occurs. They cannot give a ticket if a witness sees a speeder and reports the tag number. One neighbor who lives near the cemetery reported that there is a chronic speeder who detours through the cemetery on a regular basis. Ofc. Stevens made note of that complaint and indicated that they will be on the lookout. Car thefts are down now that school is back in session, as the majority of thefts reported were being done by juveniles. Ofc. Stevens suggested that we put an X through our license tag decal with a razor knife to prevent theft of the decal. Also, don’t leave all the old decals on from year to year, as that makes it easier to peel the top one off.

Bob Vick & Eric Fernandez

Our next speakers were Robert Vick and Eric Fernandez, developer and architect respectively, of the SW 15th Street cluster home project. They plan to build four, 2-story rental units, 2 bedroom/21/2 baths each, with room to park 3 cars per unit. When asked what the units would rent for we were told they would be in the neighborhood of $1400-1800/month. A question was raised about the need for a variance for the project and we were told that no variance is required and that all is reportedly in compliance with Planning and Zoning. One member asked if the parking area would be paved with impervious pavers and Mr. Vick replied that they are not sure at this time what materials will be used. Someone else asked about the mature oak trees on the property and we were informed that one will be removed for the driveway and two will remain. Another neighbor disapproved of the enormity of the building and how it would affect the neighbors. Several neighbors voiced concerns about maintaining the integrity of our neighborhood of single-family homes, and are worried that we are losing the battle.

C.E.R.T.

Ray Dettman from CERT, Ft. Lauderdale’s Community Emergency Response Team was our next speaker. He outlined the free training program offered to prepare citizens like us to respond to emergencies in our own neighborhoods. First responders often need assistance from trained volunteers after a disaster and that volunteer could be you. The training course consists of many components, including, but not limited to, basic first aid, fire suppression, performing light search and rescue, and triage. The training sessions are conducted on two consecutive Saturdays at Station 53 at Executive Airport. The next session will be held on October 26th and November 2nd. Call (954) 828-6700 to reserve a spot.

A motion was made and seconded to oppose the SW 15th Street project. There was a discussion that followed; someone pointed out that two single-family homes could be built on that lot. Another person pointed out that there will be many new rentals on the market soon and the competition could lower the rents for these units. Someone else suggested that a committee be formed to explore the project and present their concerns to the Planning and Zoning board. A hand vote was taken, and of the 26 people in the auditorium, 13 voted in favor of the motion. Because it was not a majority, the motion failed.

The annual Halloween party will be held at the Community Center on October 26 from 4-6pm. Volunteers are always welcome to help out with the fun and games. The kids in their costumes are a hoot--you could even be a judge in the costume contest. We have received some candy and cash contributions for the party.

Steve Cook announced that we received a grant to fund our tree project and the signs that remind dog owners to pick up after their dogs.

Surveillance signs--an informal vote was taken and it was established that there is interest in displaying signs around the neighborhood that alert would-be burglars and other law breakers of the surveillance cameras throughout the area. Many neighbors have installed cameras to burglar-proof their homes. We will look into the legality of posting these signs at our entryways to Croissant Park; they have proven to be deterrents in other neighborhoods.

Nominations for the Croissant Park Board are open. All Board members wish to remain onboard and we have a nomination for a new member--Manuel “Manny” Carrera. Voting will take place at the October meeting.

Rhonda has posted a link on Nextdoor to access the crime statistics for the area. This website contains all the crime data for the past few years. Look it up if you are interested in comparing our neighborhood’s crime with other areas. Here it is again--

http://www.flpd.gov/index.aspx?page=58

The 50/50 raffle was won by Chris Falkenhagen. Congratulations, Chris.