CPCA Meeting

Croissant Park Civic Association Meeting

February 24, 2015

Hi Neighbors,

The February meeting started at 7:05 pm with the Pledge of Allegiance.  All CPCA Board members were present: Pat Rathburn, Rhonda Kramer, Joe Russell, Michelle DiMaria, Heather Cunniff, Beth Falkenhagen and Virginia Dill Russell.  Joe greeted people as they arrived and was happy to report that we had 10 new and renewed memberships tonight.  It’s never too late to become a first time member or to renew your membership to the Association.  Membership runs from January 1 to December 31 each year.

Officer Tisch

Chief Hoecherl

Our first speaker was Officer Tisch from FLPD who reported one very recent burglary on SW 16th Street in Croissant Park. The suspects, a male and female, entered the home through a doggy door and were later apprehended.  Their “safe house” was discovered in Coral Springs, full of loot from many burglaries.  The residents of the home on 16th Street were interviewed and all the local TV stations broadcast the interview on the evening news. BSO is responsible for the surveillance and arrest of the burglars.  Nice work BSO!

Chris Wren

Our next speakers were Chris Wren from the Downtown Development Authority and Diana Alarcon from the City of Fort Lauderdale.  Also in attendance were Fire Chief Robert Hoecherl and Debbie Griner from the City.  Chris Wren is one of the main architects of the WAVE streetcar project, an environmentally-friendly streetcar system that will service Downtown Fort Lauderdale and the surrounding neighborhoods, including Croissant Park.  The goals of the WAVE are to provide transit, encourage economic growth in the city, provide quality of life, safety and vitality, and offer a ‘green’ approach to transportation by rendering us less dependent on cars.  There are 14 proposed stops for the WAVE and the routes will be expanded in the future to include 17th Street Causeway, Port Everglades and the airport.  The WAVE vehicle maintenance and storage facility was originally set for the property downtown that housed the “one stop shop” permit offices, but in a complicated land swap that the City has made, the new site for the maintenance facility will be located at 1801 SW 1st Ave, directly across the tracks from the Croissant Park Community Center recreation field. Fire Chief Hoecherl informed us of the need for a new fire station to service the area east of the tracks, which will be built adjacent to the WAVE maintenance facility. The powers that be promise that these developments will vitalize the area with the new buildings, lighting and landscaping, thereby lighting areas that are currently dark and unsafe.  A vigorous Q and A followed.  If you would like more information about the WAVE you can visit www.wavestreetcar.com 

Train horns--are they louder lately?  Do they appear to last longer?  Diana Alarcon from the City responded to these questions by saying that the City will apply for “quiet zone infrastructure upgrades” that would be done by All Aboard Florida (AAF).  Diana does not represent AAF.  We hope to have a representative from AAF at a future meeting.  For any complaints about the train horns Diana suggested going to sunsentinel.com which has a place for such complaints.  It will ask for specifics: time/day/which track/reason for complaint.

The 50/50 raffle was won by Paul Stickl in the yellow shirt.

The next Croissant Park meeting will be on May 26th.  See you there!

Minutes by Virginia-Sec’y

Croissant Park Civic Association

Why Be a Member? Because bigger is better, at least when it comes to being
paid attention to by the City of Fort Lauderdale.

Please join us at the Croissant Park Civic Association Membership meeting
Tuesday night Feb. 24th at 7pm.

Representatives of the Downtown Development Authority and the City
Transportation planning departments will be there to tell us why they think
it is a great idea to swap land next to City Hall for land next to the rail
road tracks south of 17th Street for Wave/All Aboard Florida facilities.

They will update us on the Wave and other transportation issues - should be
a fascinating meeting - get there early to get a seat - and don't forget
your $20 membership checks/cash (no, we don't take debit or credit) because
the bottom line is - if we, as an Association want to be heard-  our best
bet is to have a membership list makes us worth reckoning with. Remember
-you can't vote on a issue if you are not a member

“Ask Lori…Parrish on Appraisal” February 2015

Broward County Property Appraiser Lori Parrish Answers Your Questions…

“The Perfect Home and the Perfect Partner – Be Sure To Protect Yourself!”

Dear Lori:

We are a same-sex married couple who bought a home in Broward County.  Since Florida finally grants legal recognition to the rights of same-sex married couples, what steps can we take to help us enjoy the same rights and financial protections under the law?

P.K. & S.W., Fort Lauderdale, FL (via email)

On January 6, 2015, Florida began recognizing LGBT marriages performed in other jurisdictions and issuing marriage licenses for LGBT couples married in Florida.  This tremendous step forward for equality allows new legal status for married LGBT couples with ownership of real property as Tenants By The Entireties (TBTE).

Tenants By The Entirety (TBTE):  This applies only to married couples. This TBTE status -- which is automatic when the Grantees of a deed are identified as a married LGBT couple -- gives each spouse overlapping 100% interests in their Homestead Property Tax Exemption, full exemption coverage (when one spouse receives the Homestead Exemption), Widow/Widower, qualified Veteran’s related exemptions, and rights of survivorship (inheritance) for the surviving spouse.

The creation of a tenancy by the entireties is not automatic as a result of marriage.  A new deed changing the ownership type of a couple to a married couple must be recorded in Public Records. Be sure to consult with your attorney and get his/her assistance before making changes to the ownership of your property. Even if you choose not to execute a new deed amending your marital status, we recommend you provide our office with a copy of your marriage license so we may notate your marital status and extend to you all exemptions available to married couples.

It is very important both spouses with an ownership interest in the property file individually for Homestead Exemption.  The Homestead Exemption and related Save-Our-Homes (SOH) protection saved the average Broward homeowner in 2014 with an assessed value of $75,000 or higher anywhere from $646  to $1,114 a year in taxes.  With SOH, your property’s assessed value can increase by no more than 3% per year – regardless of how much it climbs in actual value. Florida law protects a legal spouse in the event their spouse dies and the title passes to the survivor.

Under Florida law, married couples are only permitted one Homestead Exemption/permanent residency based property tax exemption.  Prior to January 6, 2015, LGBT couples married outside of Florida could maintain two permanent residency based property tax exemptions because their legal status was not recognized in Florida. Now, LGBT married couples (as any married couple) cannot claim more than one Florida Homestead Exemption and cannot claim a Florida Homestead Exemption if either person is claiming a permanent residency based property tax exemption anywhere in the world.

Since recognition of LGBT marriages in Florida took place after January 1, 2015, beginning with the 2016 tax year LGBT married couples will be subject to a loss of their Florida Homestead Exemption, back assessment liens, penalties, and interest, if they are found to be claiming a Florida Homestead Exemption and another permanent residency based exemption anywhere else. Florida law requires a Homestead Exemption recipient/applicant to notify the Property Appraiser of any change in circumstance which affects his/her eligibility for exemption. To avoid any of these consequences, married couples should determine which Homestead Exemption/permanent residency based exemptions to surrender and which one to keep as soon as possible then notify the Property Appraiser’s Office of their decision.

We recommend you consult with your attorney to best protect your LGBT rights under Florida law.  If we can be of any assistance on questions relating to Homestead Exemptions or Save Our Homes and Exemptions, visit our website at www.bcpa.net, or call 954-357-6035, or email kbrown@bcpa.net.  You can also call our General Counsel’s office at 954.357.6934.

Sincerely,

Lori Parrish, CFA

If you have a question for Lori, please email her at lori@bcpa.net or write to her at the Broward County Property Appraiser’s Office, 115 South Andrews Avenue, Room 111, and Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301.  (02/15).

Robert L. Wolfe, Jr. CFE
Community Outreach Specialist II
954.357.6871 – office
954.357.8474 – fax
954.445.5732 – cell

rwolfe@bcpa.net

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