A Guest in our Neighborhood's Retention Pond...

Bell Ridge Forest in Beulah had an alligator in the retention pond on Sunday.  FWC will be coming out to remove and relocate him...

I got a text message early yesterday morning from a concerned resident of our subdivision Bell Ridge Forest in Beulah.  I get a lot of questions and comments from residents and citizens as a County Commissioner--but this one was a first!

One text message, partially in jest, said

"We have an un-welcomed guest in the holding pond.....alligator.  Any idea who I can call within the county to get it removed?"

"Another resident sent this  "Have you seen the 6-foot alligator at our duck pond?  What should we do about it?  Go look at it."

Obviously these are a native species in our area--but this time of year and in this location it seemed kind of odd.  15 years living in this subdivision and I have never spotted an alligator in our pond.  Several residents, myself included, went out to look at this alligator and take pictures.

I emailed Chips Kirchenfeld and Janice Gilley at the county about the issue.  I heard back very quickly and the information was given to the residents.  FWC hires trappers that will come in and remove/relocate nuisance alligators--they are the entity that needed to be contacted

I anticipate at some point later this morning or today the trappers will come to the neighborhood to remove the alligator--estimated by one resident who took close-up photos to be between 5-6 feet long.

Hopefully they'll take him someplace where he can live out the remainder of his days--safely away from people in neighborhoods.

Deer Run in Beulah: Problems with the Ponds......

Staff of the planning and zoning department identified issues with multiple holding ponds at Deer Run this week....

I received some email traffic late in the week about the situation with a development out in Beulah called "The Preserve at Deer Run."

Two weeks ago, a citizen's complaint drew intense scrutiny on this development that eventually led to  a $24,000.00 fine being levied, along with a very specific order mandating corrective action.

On Thursday of this week, staff from planning and zoning made the decision to NOT issue any more

Certificates of Occupancy (COs) for this development until all deficient issues are addressed---to include multiple issues identified this week with the development's four holding ponds.  from staff:

"All ponds are holding water. There is some erosion on one pond ramp. On another pond there is sediments on the slopes from what appears to run off from home construction."

A different staff member chimed in that "it appears that currently all four ponds are not functioning as designed. I’m attaching Tom’s e-mail to Dana Palermo with WMD. Pond A was in better shape than others at the time of final plat.. all ponds shall be watched throughout 2-year compliance period."

The Builder responded, requesting a meeting.  "I’d like to request a meeting to discuss the current situation at Deer Run. This meeting’s intention is to display DR Horton’s willingness and preparedness to address the county’s concern over issuing additional COs for new homes at Deer Run. Our Remediation plans are currently being formed and the Fl DEP and NWFWMD have both visited the site in recent days to evaluate our BMPs."

Staff will accommodate the builder's request for a site visit with all stakeholders the week of March 22nd--where all the issues with this site will be looked over to include the issues with the ponds and the mud runoff leeching into the wetlands.  I have requested that this meeting be put on my calendar; I will be attending this meeting.

Retention Pond Answers

I recently received a lot of questions on facebook about the local retention ponds in and around the Beulah area of District 1.  So I posted some information about retention ponds and how citizens can check on their nearby ponds, online, to see if such ponds are county-maintained.

The drawing above illustrates several of the ponds about which I have been questioned.

I received information back from staff late this week about these specific ponds, so I am posting it here now:

Pond 833 Bridlewood.  Last cut 6-25-18

Ponds 684, 685, 686 Twin Spires. Last cut 6-26-18

Pond 724 Audrey Plantation. Last cut 6-11-18

Ponds 895, 896 Twenty One Oaks. Last cut 6-11-18

Pond 872 Hawthorne Grove. Last cut 6-28-18

Pond 914 Navy Oaks. Last cut 6-11-18

Pond 917 Covington. Appears to be a new pond recently added to the route and will be cut in the next 2-3 weeks.

Pond 564 is the one in front of the Equestrian Center. We have not cut it in a couple of years as the Equestrian Center has been mowing around it each time they mow their site. I know there are trees around it and lily pads in it but it is a wet pond.

All the ponds above, with the exception of the Equestrian Center, should be cut in the next 2-3 weeks .