Gate Damage

UPDATE: Temporary gates will be installed this week and will remain until the new gates are manufactured.

Topic: Broken Front Gate Incident

Date: Friday, January 31, 2025

Time: Approximate time 10:15 p.m.-10:40 p.m.

Vehicle: Nissan Sentra, gray, year between 2015-2019

At this time if you have information concerning this incident please notify a Board member asap. Maybe you were expecting a delivery from Door Dash and it didn’t arrive or someone was trying to get into the community using the call box at that time. Please think about it and get back to the Board members with any information you might have..

Numerous residents are reporting cars hanging out at the gate and trying to follow residents into the community. Please do not let them in. You can call the police for trespassing or report them to the Board. Getting a photo of the license plate is needed in these cases. It would be especially helpful to see what house they go to also. That is once our gates are repaired.

Needless to say our gates will now be out of commission for some time. They have to be made specifically for our gate system.

Your cooperation is appreciated.

Board of Directors Fontana Estates HOA, Inc.

Stay clear of alligators!

Alligator Sighting

03/24/2025 - The State alligator trapper will be installing a trap since alligators have been on land around the pond.. Please follow the directions on the signs and do not walk near the ponds, feed the gators or get close to the gators. Feeding alligators is illegal in Florida. They are dangerous. If you see one contact board member immediately so trapper can be contacted to come asap.

Actual photograph of the alligator. Click image to view Florida law.

RECLAIMED WATER METERING

IF YOU HAVE A WELL YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS

If you have a well for irrigating your lawn you may be paying a fee for having a meter to measure reclaimed water usage. This community DOES NOT have reclaimed water. The water that goes through that meter is potable water just like the rest of the water in your house. Those residents with wells have no water going past that meter, but you may be paying a fee for that meter anyway. It would show up on your water bill like this:

Reclaim Residential
Service from 05/02/24 - 06/03/24

PRC Meter Fixed Charge $8.51

Public Service Tax $0.85
Subtotal $9.36

You can alleviate this problem by emailing Orange County Utilities, tell them you have a well and Fontana Estates does not receive reclaimed water. Ask them to lock your meter. This will stop the charges from being applied at a yearly savings of nearly $120. Make sure to include your contact information in the email along with your account number.

Send this email to www.utilities.information@ocfl.net

News and Information

07/11/2024 - It's beginning to get to the point where we have to address trees again. Trees that hang over sidewalks need to be trimmed back to 10' above the walkway. A good rule of thumb is that a person should be able to walk under the branches with an umbrella. Palm trees also need to be trimmed of dead branches.

07/01/2024 - We are currently having problems with our front gates. The underground sensors are faulty and result in either the exit gate not opening for motorbikes or the gates remaining open. Be assured that the board is working diligently with our contractors to resolve this problem. We have been informed that bicycle riders have circumvented the problem of the exit not opening by riding in circles in front of the gate.

Note that we've added "Things to do", "Photos News", "Documents", "Hurricane Awareness" and "Security" sections to our menu at the top of the page. Please let us know of any other restaurants or services you would recommend.

Gopher turtles are a protected species and it’s a felony to disturb one along with a $5000 fine. If you discover a burrow in your yard you can get a permit to relocate a gopher turtle. Visit:
https://myfwc.com/license/wildlife/gopher-tortoise-permits/#:~:text=Gopher%20tortoises%20and%20their%20burrows,27.003%2C%20FL%20Administrative%20Code).

02/19/2024 - Please do not encourage solicitors who are trespassing in our community. It is in everyone’s best interest to tell them to leave. You can also call the police since the sign out front states they are trespassing. Once board members are aware of this they contact these companies and individuals. But these companies continue to break policies so please do not make appointments with them. Legitimate companies don’t do this.
12/21/2023 - A vendor attempted to enter our exit gate today causing significant damage to the gate.Please do not touch or go near gates. The gates will remain open until repairs can be done. The parts will require 12 weeks to arrive before installation can occur. Fortunately our cameras, once again, caught the responsible party and we are pursuing reparations. This is why ARC forms require proof of insurance. Without it the HOA or homeowner would be on the hook for the deductible.
08/01/2023 Photo of gators getting larger. Signs are posted not to feed them or go near them. They can run faster than you and are dangerous. The county has been informed about them.
07/12/2023 - one homeowner warned us not to use All American septic. We were told that they overcharge when they advertise a coupon. Be careful of companies that try to get you to pay ahead of Tim, they may not show up.
05/21/2023 - a break-in and major roberry has occurred in the Community. Please read our Security Page for advise on protecting your property.
05/15/2023 - The pedestrian gates have been repaired. Thank you Collin and Bev for the superior job you did!
12/20/2022 - Due to unusual activity by strangers associated with the rental property that just had an eviction we needed to change the universal entry code at the call box. Please log on to the secure DOCS/FORMS page to see the new code.
12/20/2022 - The call box was just upgraded to a cellular network. This should save us money instead of using LAN lines and provide more reliable service.
12/05/2022 - All ARC applications must be completed properly with all attached information in order to be considered by the committee or the application will not be accepted. Forms are available on the Documents Page.
11/28/2022 - Work began today for the installation of our solar streetlights. please stay clear of the construction and let the workers do their jobs. It is estimated that the work will take one week to complete.
10/22/2022 - Large No trespassing signs are now very visible at the home building site next door to our community. This seems to have stopped the motorized hand gliders from landing so close to homes here at Fontana Estates east side. Our HOA president contacted the builders and informed them of the situation and we are glad that this cooperation paid off.
10/21/2022 - Community Management Professionals, like all management companies, does a monthly drive around to ascertain that the covenants and bylaws established by Toll Brothers are being followed. This is a routine procedure completed by all management companies. If homeowners have any further questions they can contact one of the Board of Directors since they all live here on property full-time. The BOD does prioritize which infractions to enforce. The BOD has NO imput into who gets letters. If you receive a letter from Community Management Professionals please contact them immediately with any questions. Kris can be reached at kperez@community-mgmt.com. You will need to comply with their request or you will receive a follow-up letter from them and then a date and time for a meeting with the Fine/Compliance Committee. State law allows $100/day fine up to $1000 per violation. This is all in the covenants/bylaws book that you all received upon closing. If you need a copy please contact the management company or check the secure section of the official website
09/23/2022 As a reminder to residents that Wednesday the blue and green garbage bins can go out to the curb the night before and stored again within 24 hours of pick up. Please refer to the covenants that state storing garbage bins needs to be out of view. Anyone keeping garbage bins outside runs the risk of wildlife creating havoc. Bears, wild dogs and raccoons etc, who are known to get into garbage cans, are seen on a regular basis in this area. Yard waste and bulk trash pick up is on Thursday. A different trash container needs to be used for yard waste and each container needs to be under 60 pounds. The bulk or large waste collection is restricted to 3 cubic yards per week unless you contact the solid waste hotline at 407-836-6601, Monday -Friday 8 a.m.-5p.m. This is per Orange County regulations.
Contact at the management company is Kris Perez at: kperez@community-mgmt.com
08/31/21. A Neighborhood Watch Zoom meeting was held Monday, September 27th, 7PM. It was recorded and is available in the SECURITY section of our website.
6/16/2021. If you receive a violation letter please contact the management company. Keeping your property pristine helps maintain our property values. This includes:

Cutting and trimming your lawn weekly.
Edging around your sidewalk, driveway and gardens. Weeding gardens.
Keeping your driveway and sidewalk clean and free of stains and debris.
Washing your roof and house once the mold becomes noticeable.
Painting your house when the paint fades or streaks.
Submit an ARC application for all outdoor changes to your property. This includes, but not limited to: adding gutters and fences, removing trees or adding trees or sod, any structure that is considered permanent, painting the house. This must be done before starting your project.

6/16/2021 Our covenants decree there will be no fireworks on property due to safety concerns.
01/16/21 The BOD received the following text from a neighbor: "We received a weird phone call. Knew our last name. Wanted to know if we would be home to check our roof for damage from storms. Was checking whole neighborhood for free. Construction group of Florida. Did not find company on web. Number 407-707-4418. No one answers phone. Get clicking noise." THIS IS A SCAM. If this person calls, hang up. If they come to your house, call the police.
01/01/21 The new dog refuse station has been mostly successful. Unfortunately, we still have dog owners who refuse to clean up after their pet. This is "discouraging" considering the cost and effort by our volunteers to erect the station. It mostly occurs on the eastern half of Bellezza Drive, often within feet of the dog station. Please do your civic, hygienic duty and don't make us consider fining offenders.
We have received our letter of compliance from St. John's Water Management. It is available for viewing on the Documents page.
Please inspect and trim your trees at the sidewalk. There should be 8 feet of clearance to allow for pedestrians.
Upcoming events (dates to be determined due to covid):
Plant exchange. Residents, families and friends will be invited to exchange plants with each other for free. If you bring 3 to be exchanged you get to pick 3, etc.
Community picnic.
Egg hunt for children.
Residents who live on the ponds; please pick up any garbage, sticks or debris behind you homes near the ponds on a regular basis.
St Johns Water Management will be here in the spring to check that all of the recommendations that they made have been accomplished.
outflow system - repaired
largest bank - repaired
pump - repaired
plants placed in the littoral zone to help keep the banks from collapsing - completed
storm drains stenciled warning against dumping - completed
Residents of Fontana Estates please do not walk within 2 feet of ponds edge. Adults as well as children have been seen walking dogs in these areas. FYI: banks in various areas have been slipping especially with heavy rains. Please speak to your families about this. An alternative is to walk on the sidewalks. Just a reminder: carry bags to pick up your dogs waste. These bags need to go in your garbage cans or in the dog poop station located on Bellezza Drive. Unfortunately these waste bags have been thrown into storm drains. This is a costly problem to solve since they not only clog the drain pipes but wind up in our ponds and can ultimately go into Lake Pickett. This is not acceptable and against Florida environmental standards. It pollutes our waters.
Watering landscaping is to be in accordance with Orange County regulations. At this time it is twice a week and will change to once a week when Standard Time starts on Sunday, November 7, 2021. Please be aware that only your own well water or county water can be used for watering your landscaping. At this point reclaimed water is not available to our community. Taping into any other water system could lead to significant fines from Orange County.
The Gate Access form found in the Downloads section needs to be filled out by any new homeowner or anyone having problems entering the gates. An information letter is included with the form.
There was a black bear sighting in our HOA earlier this year. Please make sure that no food is left out for any kind of animal. This includes food for cats, birds or any wild life. As per our covenants please do not leave garbage cans outside! A bear can tear your garbage can apart if it has items left in it. That's what the bears are looking for.
Homeowners are receiving letters in the mail and emails that are not sanctioned by the Fontana Estates Homeowners Community Association and your elected Board of Directors. Please notify any one of us if you receive any of these since we have an attorney actively working on the false information being sent to you and emails that are being compromised.
As some of you may be aware, there is now another option available to our community for internet and television besides Spectrum or satellite. AT&T U-Verse now offers service to our area and is a high speed fiber optic provider. One of our HOA members, Jules Desrosiers, can be contacted for further information if you are looking for an alternative to your current service provider. You can contact Jules at: julesjdesrosiers@gmail.com
Please note that 3 foot alligator has been spotted in our pond near the front gate. The state SNAP program will not remove a gator until they are 4 feet or larger and prove to be a nuisance. This applies to UF gators fans also :). Keep supplying us with updates.
A Community Block Watch is now in place. We will have two guest speakers per year to provide important information to the community on how to create a safe environment.

A successful outcome

Letter to Fontana Estates Homeowners from your BOD,

It took a tremendous amount of time to organize the street repairs so that the residents understood the scope of the project and exhibited the level of cooperation needed for the process to be executed appropriately. Numerous signs were made and posted in the community and on the website. A newsletter was written and sent to all owners and residents. We arranged for garbage pick up and parking in neighbors driveways. The contractors made a point of saying that it was the most well organized community repair job they have seen.

None of this happened by chance nor does the management company work at this level. It was the volunteer efforts of board members and a few homeowners who checked the streets daily.

Many of you saw the efforts of your HOA president putting up the signs out front, adding caution tape everywhere for safety and delivering 30 packages to owners so delays weren’t experienced. This didn’t take place just one day but during the entire street repair process.

Please make a point of thanking your board members who go above and beyond the job description of a volunteer

Policy updates 08/01/2024

1. If any resident sees gators close to land or on land and it seems aggressive please report to a Board Members asap. The only way the county will issue a permit to trap it is if the Board knows about it immediately.

2. Any residents living along the east side of Fontana Estates, where the new community by Home Dynamics is being built, please report any people trespassing to a Board members asap. Legal signs will be posted so that we can call the police and follow up on issues.

3. When trees are removed from any owners property an ARC application needs to be submitted prior to removal. A list of approved replacement trees are also available. Trees in front yards will need to be replaced.

4. HOA POLICY UPDATE : "All residents and owners who live along the back wall need to make sure that the irrigation is not hitting it. This damages the walls and the irrigation can be redirected or caped off since the trees are well established in those areas. Any homeowners who cause damage to the wall as a result of irrigation hitting it will be responsible for paying for repairs to those areas. Letters were sent out to all owners prior to the wall being repaired and painted in January 2022"

5.HOA POLICY: “No one can advertise homes in this community as vacation property for sale or rental. This includes time share or time share like properties i.e. fractional ownership or others. Our covenants do not allow rentals for less than 90 days and that is with board approval. Board must see contract before rental agreement is signed also.” This Pacaso company is out of California and is some type of fractional ownership company.It is advertising homes here at Fontana Estates in the manner described. Pacaso is a 3rd party listing company that helps people get LLC. Fontana Estates is not a vacation rental community."

6. Mission Statement or Vision for Fontana Estates Community Homeowners Association Board as of July 31, 2024: The HOA was created to maintain high standards of this deluxe community, that we all purchased into, with established covenants and bylaws to abide by. These predetermined standards help guide the HOA in providing uniformity to proper care of the common areas, long term care and emergency contingencies. The goods and services provided with HOA fees are determined by an accurate evaluation annually of how to pay for maintaining property values for the present and future.”

Board of Directors

Fontana Estates Community HOA, Inc.

policy updates 08/20/2020

Political Signs

Policy approved September 20, 2020

Posting political sign criteria at Fontana Estates: Criteria includes: Sign No greater than 12 in. by 12 in. Cannot be more than 5 ft from front door of homeowner’s home. Sign made of weather resistant material. Only to be placed in ground using a metal frame. On windy or stormy days owner is responsible for removing signs so that they do not present a risk of injury. No vulgar language. Limit one sign per lot/address.

Dates: to be used for November general elections that is the first Tuesday in November and not to exceed 30 total days. Therefore, no more than 23 days before election day and 6 days after including election day for a total of 30 days. Then signs must be removed from display.

Golf Carts and ATV's

Policy Approval June 17, 2021 Effective July 1, 2021 for Golf Cart criteria: Driver must have any government issued auto drivers license, follow all auto driving laws, have turn signal, rear mirror. At night must have lights and they must be on.

Fontana Estates Community HOA

Gate Damage