I will try short and sweet this month. I know you can’t believe it either! I just have a couple reminders and a little news.
ASSESSMENTS: The annual assessment to PGA POA was due July 1st so if you haven’t mailed your payment, it is now late. If you didn’t receive the budget and assessment information, please call us at (561) 627-2800 so we can verify your address and, if necessary, send you a duplicate package.
STORMS: The storm season officially began last month. Please be sure that you have already made arrangements to have your property secured at the issuance of a storm Warning or Watch. Remember, you not only need to close your shutters or install your panels, you must be sure to store or secure all potted plants, accessory items, patio furniture and anything that can blow away (and don’t be fooled, 50 lb. items can fly when winds are more than twice the weight of the item). DO NOT empty or lower your pool. If you are going away, be sure to make arrangements now for someone to address these items. Every time we have a storm, I get calls just hours before the storm makes landfall asking if I have anyone who can help secure property; we don’t. Please don’t wait to be prepared. Information regarding storm preparation can be found at pga-poa.com
If you don’t already have hurricane protection for your windows, remember you must get approval from the POA ARC before installing shutters, panels, impact glass (or anything else on the outside of any residence).
GATORS: As I mentioned last month, alligator mating and nesting season. Nesting season lasts through July and Momma Gator can lay as many as 25 – 50 eggs. Stay away if you see a pile of sticks and dirt (sometimes they measure 2-3 ft. high and 7-10 ft. long) along any lake bank or canal, these are alligator nests. Just like humans look after their babies (or soon to be babies) so does Momma and she can take your leg off or worse. Do not walk dogs near the water’s edge.
HUNGRY HUMANS? Pollo Tropical took the former Burger King space in the LA Fitness Plaza. Many people have asked us when they will open. The answer is they are now open!
RAIN: We all complained that it was so dry. Be careful what you wish for because May and June certainly made up for it by dumping rain every day. During the first part of June we had some bad days with one day in particular dumping over three inches of rain in just 30 minutes. For those who aren’t aware, along the main roads and in Marlwood, Burwick, Thurston and Glengary there are swale systems which are designed to hold water. The idea is that some of the water flows to the storm drain (then into the lakes/canals) and some of the water sits in the swale to percolate into the ground which acts as an additional filtering system (i.e.: instead of just having it all run from the edge of the street directly into the storm drains).
Northern Palm Beach County Improvement District has some pretty amazing pumps along the west perimeter of PGA National and when the lakes (which are all connected) reach a certain level, those pumps turn on. They pump several hundred-thousand gallons of water per minute into the preserve and canals west of the community. There are pipes that go from the community storm drains into the lakes and when the lake level gets higher than the top of the pipe, water can’t flow into the lakes/canals and it backs up into the pipes and the storm drains fill up causing standing water. The moment it stops raining so heavily and steadily, the levels drop again.
The whole point to my rambling is that Mother Nature just has to take a breath and within a couple hours things get back under control. In 1999 there was a 24 hour period where PGA received 30” of rain. I have pictures in my office of residents in row boats in the street. Since then, the pump systems have been upgraded and replaced and the system works even better but even in 1999, no one had water inside their home.
PGA security does a great job helping out by driving the roads in the rain and stopping to clear blocked drains free of leaves. If you have a storm drain on or near your property, be sure to keep it clear of leaves and debris (especially if it starts raining and the water carries the debris to the drain). NEVER lift the metal grate. The suction is strong and can literally pull you into the drain.
As with everything, just be patient: the old saying, “If you don’t like the weather wait 30 minutes and it will change” must have been written for this area. If it has been raining heavily and you must drive, slow down and watch for standing water.
Be careful, be patient and this too shall pass. Then before you know it we will have sunny days (so we can complain that we wish it would only rain to cool things off!)
Have a good month!