Rainy Season is Here and So are Mosquitos

Rainy season is here and with it so are the mosquitos. Mosquitoes are not only a pest, but are also a potential disease vector. It's important that homeowners ensure that there are no areas around their home with any standing water. We ask that members and residents inspect their homes for any areas which may have standing water on a regular basis. Drain water from your units rain gutters if you have them, kiddie pools, coolers, toys, flower pots, jugs or any other containers where water has collected. It is especially important to make sure to discard any bottles, cans, pots or any other items that aren't being used that could potentially collect water. If you have a bird bath or fountain, flush out the water every couple of days. If you have bromeliads or other plants that can collect enough water in which mosquitoes can lay eggs, you should also flush them once a week with a stream of water or sprinkle commercially available Bti "bits" in your plants. You can also place 1 drop of cooking oil every 20 days in a bromeliad's cup which will smother mosquito larvae. Homeowners should perform these checks of their homes at least once a week. Homeowners renting out their units need to ensure that their tenants are performing those checks for them.

To ensure that our community remains as mosquito free as possible, we have already begun dropping mosquito dunks in all 52 catch basins found throughout our community. This is a larvicide which is not harmful to fish, humans or other animals and are dropped in catch basins every 30 days until December. This will prevent any larval mosquitoes from becoming adults thus reducing their numbers.

Mosquitos in Florida are known for transmitting several diseases such as West Nile, Zika encephalitis, Dengue and Chikungunya as well as heartworm in dogs and cats. Miami-Dade County ordinances gives the county the authority to cite property owners for any standing water violations two days after they receive a warning. If the county is forced to enter upon your property to take care of the issue for you, the homeowner would be liable for the costs of removing any mosquito breeding grounds found on your property and Miami-Dade County can also place a lien on your property to recover those costs as allowed under the ordinance.

If you feel that you are experiencing a mosquito nuisance, you are encouraged to report the problem by calling 311 or online by Clicking Here, then select Property and choose Mosquitoes from the menu.

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Driveway Widening & Repair

This fall the Association will be sealcoating and making road repairs throughout the community. As usual, we will also be sealcoating homeowner driveways. This work is performed every 5 years to prevent damage to roadways and driveways and also helps increase their useful lifespan. It is very important that all homeowners inspect their driveways and make any pothole repairs before work begins this fall. Members that cannot make repairs on their own and need references for someone who can, please Contact Us.  We will send out more information regarding sealcoating towards the end of the summer or the beginning of fall.

The Association's contractor, Southern Asphalt Engineering, has given members of the Association the opportunity to professionally widen their driveways up to 10 feet at a bulk rate of $875 per unit.  Homeowners which have 20 or 21 foot driveways can widen their driveways up to 30 feet which will allow them to park up to 3 cars. All owners who participate must obtain Association approval prior to the commencement of work by submitting an ACC form.  Please contact Josh Kaufman at Southern Asphalt Engineering by calling (305) 667-8390 to make payment arrangements and schedule work on your driveway.  All work must be completed before sealcoating begins this fall.

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New Park Benches in Park West

The Board of Directors is always looking for constructive feedback from our members on ways to improve the community and although we may not be able to implement all suggestions, the ones that can be implemented are placed on a list of potential future projects.  A few years ago, a member made a suggestion to have park benches installed on the walking park on the West side of the community.  During last years budgeting process, we were finally able to add a line item for this project to have them installed.  A total of 3 benches were purchased at the beginning of this year and they have subsequently been installed.  Since their installation we have already seen members using the benches while visiting the park.  We would like to thank Mrs. Moore for making the suggestion all those years ago.  It's members like you that make our community a great place to live.

If you have a suggestion you think would improve the community and benefit our membership, please Contact Us and let us know.

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Mosquito Control

On May 18th, the Miami Dade County Board of Commissioners amended section 26A-2.1 of the county code in order to authorize and empower the Department of Solid Waste Management to investigate and abate conditions capable of breeding mosquitoes throughout the county and can issue a notice of violation against any individual, corporation, organization, legal entities, etc. found to be out of compliance. Devon-Aire Villas HOA #1, being not-for-profit corporation organized under the law of the State of Florida, falls under that definition and must comply with the amended county ordinance. The Board of Directors, in order to promote the health, safety and welfare of our membership and others living within our community, began to catalog all the catch basins on the property and the drains leading to them a few weeks ago. The Board of Directors, with the help of our Property Manager, Scott Galya, have also been researching what needs to be done to ensure that our community remains as mosquito free as possible. Beginning this month a larvicide which is not harmful to fish, humans or other animals will be placed every 30 days into the 51 drains that lead to the catch basins on the property until December and would resume in May of next year. This will prevent any larval mosquitoes from becoming adults thus reducing their numbers. No type of spraying will be occurring on the property.

This year there have been many stories concerning the Zika virus outbreak which is of particular concern to pregnant women & their unborn child as well as those with compromised immune systems such as the elderly. There is still a lot that is also unknown regarding the log term affects it may have on ordinary folks. The mosquito transmitting this disease is the same one known to infect folks with west nile, encephalitis, dengue and chikungunya as well as heartworm in dogs and cats. It is important that everyone do their part to ensure that there is no standing water on your property that can serve as a breading ground for mosquitoes. Drain water from your units rain gutters if you have them, kiddie pools, coolers, toys, flower pots, jugs or any other containers where water has collected. It is especially important to make sure to discard any bottles, cans, pots or any other items that aren't being used that could potentially collect water. If you have a bird bath or fountain, flush out the water every couple of days. If you have bromeliads or other plants that can collect enough water in which mosquitoes can lay eggs, you should also flush them once a week with a stream of water or sprinkle commercially available Bti "bits" in your plants. You can also place 1 drop of cooking oil every 20 days in a bromeliad's cup which will smother mosquito larvae. Homeowners should perform these checks of their homes at least once a week. Homeowners renting out their units need to ensure that their tenants are performing those checks for them.

If you feel that you are experiencing a mosquito nuisance, you are encouraged to report the problem by calling 311 or online by Clicking Here, then select Property and choose Mosquitoes from the drop-down menu.

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Phase 2 Lighting Project Update

The Board of Directors is pleased to announce that the Phase 2 Lighting Project is now complete.  The light installation on all the West side cul-de-sac guest parking areas were energized today, 1/28/2016, as well as the guest parking areas on 111th LN and 109th LN.  Of particular interest to our members is that the light installations on 111th LN and 109th LN also have flood lights which will illuminate the walking park for our members from 6PM up until some time between 10PM - 11PM to provide our members with greater enjoyment of the walking park and some peace of mind.  With the completion of phase 2, the Board of Directors will begin to focus their attention to the East side of the community.  The Board of Directors will start planning Phase 3 sometime in June of this year and hope to complete that phase towards the end of 2017 or beginning of 2018.  Phase 3 will encompass all the cul-de-sac guest parking areas on the East side and will be identical to the the installations on the West.  The future phase 4 & 5 of the lighting project will ultimately light of the guest parking spaces found around the parameter of Circle South, Circle North & Circle East.

We want to thank our membership for both their patience and the support we received during phase 2 of the project.  Phase 2, just like phase 1, had its own set of obstacles that we had to overcome and based on our experience, we certainly expect no different for phase 3.  We will provide our membership an update once phase 3 begins to move out of the planning stage and we have a better idea of when to expect its completion.

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Completion of Sealcoat of Common Streets & Driveways 12/6/2014

The sealcoating project came to a successful close on Thursday, 12/11/2014.  We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the residents that helped us knock on doors in the mornings, direct traffic, direct parking and keep watch of the streets during the project.  The project was better organized than the 2009 project. We also want to thank all the residents that wrote in and called letting us know how well things turned out.  We agree and hope that the slight inconvenience posed during the project not only keeps the roads looking good but will also help protect the roads for another 5 years.

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The Day The Lights Were Switched On At Devon-Aire Villas #1

    Today marks an important milestone in our communities lighting project.  Throughout all the decision making, permitting obstacles, delays, etc... that we encountered in phase 1, today marked the most important day of the project.  With the exception of one fixture, all the lights came on at dusk which lit the entrances on the East & West side of the community as well as some of the parking spaces on both sides.  The last remaining fixture will be looked at this week and that too will be brought online.  In total there were 10 light poles installed during this phase.  As phase 1 winds down, we are already preparing for phase 2 of the project which is planned for next year.  We wish to thank everyone for their patience during the project.  We know that many of you have been asking for this sort of thing for years and we are glad that we were able to deliver.  This will definitely make our community safer and easier to navigate at night.

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Devon-Aire Villas #1 - Lighting Project Update

On June 20th, our lighting contractor finished receiving all the materials necessary to begin the light installations at the entrances of Devon-Aire Villas #1 East & West which is the first phase of this long term project.  You may have noticed his crew at the entrances as they begin re-marking the areas they will be working for the next several weeks. Work is scheduled to be completed by the end of July if not sooner.  As with any construction project there undoubtly will be some inconveniences to our members but the long term benifit will be well worth it.  We know many of you have been asking for lighting at the entrances for years and we thank you for your patience.

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New Dog Stations

The park and other common spaces in Devon-Aire Villas #1 is for the enjoyment of all the residents in the community. There are many community residents, including children and some residents from Devon-Aire Estates, which use the park on a daily basis.  Over the years, many have complained about dog owners walking their dogs in the park that don't pick up after their dog's droppings.  Not only has this been a public nuisance and unhealthy for those using the park, but it is also unlawful under Miami Dade County Ordinance Chapter 5 Section 20(c) and carries a $50 fine for any one caught doing so.  It is also not allowed under our Rules & Regulations.  We understand that it may not always be convenient for those who walk their dogs to pick up after them so over the last month we have installed three Dog Waste Stations. 

Two stations are on the West side in the park and one on the East side on Circle East.  The stations which were chosen are designed so that there is no or little offending odors emanating from them and include bag dispenser so owners don't even have to carry a bag with them.  Since their installation this last month, residents have been using the stations and the messes that were being left behind have begun to disappear.  For those owners doing their part, we want to thank you.  If you observe any resident which is not picking after their dog, please let us know so we can speak to them.

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2014 Landscaping Project

The Landscaping project has come to a close for this year.  Much of the tree pruning which has been neglected for several years was completed in March on both the East & West sides of the property.  In April new trees where planted on the West which were lost over time due to the many storms we have had and never replaced.  The trees chosen for the park are those which have bright blooms and have a high tolerance for drought and sun.  Although the trees are young now, as they grow and fill in, they will add to the character of the park.  

A lot of work was also put into tree pruning on the East side in this years project with a lot of effort placed in the many neglect trees and palms on that side of the property. 

Next year we plan to focus even more of our attention to the East side of the property which has been neglected through the years.  We will be discussing some of those plans with our landscaper at this months Board meeting.  Our intention is to eventually create an atmosphere to rival that of the West side.  If you have an interest in what the future of the East side may hold, we ask that you attend this months Board meeting.

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Devon-Aire Villas #1 - Lighting Project

It has been more than a year in planning, with many twists and turns along the way, but we are about to undertake one of the biggest projects that this community has undertaken since its incorporation back in 1977.  A lot of effort has been put into discovery, contractor selection, the planning of where the lights will go and the long process of getting permits from Miami Dade County.  So it is with great pleasure that we announce that the last hurdle has been cleared which will allow us to roll out phase one of our lighting project.  Our contractor was finally able to secure permits last week and within the next four to five weeks, he will begin receiving the materials necessary to begin installation of lights at the entrances of Devon-Aire Villas #1 East & West.  This will be the first phase, of several, of a project which will span a few years.  At this years Annual Budget meeting we will begin planning for phase two of this project which will occur a couple of years from now.  Our goal is to eventually have lighting at all public parking spaces around the community.  We know many of you have been asking for this sort of thing for years and we thank you for your patience as we start deploying phase one.

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Comcast On Property Repair Work

We have been in contact with Comcast recently due to the large amount of broken pedestals and unburied cable lines on property.  We met with a Comcast supervisor this week and went around the property to go over affected equipment.  They have told us that they will begin repairs within the next few weeks so expect an increased Comcast presence during this time.

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New Annual Assessment Payment Options

We are pleased to announce that Devon-Aire Villas # 1 can now accept annual assessments via eCheck or by Credit Card as an option from homeowners.  We would like to thank Scott Galya, our property manager, and Executive National Bank for making this possible.  To make use of this option, you will need your Devon-Aire Villas #1 account number when creating an account in order to pay online.  You can find this information listed on the coupon you received in the mail in December.  If you do not have your account number, please reach out to us via the Contact Us section on our home page and we will get that information to you as soon as possible.  You can find the link to the online payment system on the right hand column of the page, right below the event calendar.  You will also find a help guide there should you have any questions on using the system.  Please note that there is a $1.95 service fee if you pay by eCheck and a $15 service fee if paying by credit card.  As always, there is no service fee if paying by check and mailing your coupon to us.

We hope that this new system is of benefit to our homeowners.  Should you have any questions or concerns, don't hesitate to contact us.

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Community Improvement Projects

Between January 11th - 16th, work was commenced to replace the bushes which sit along 123rd Place with sea grapes.  The damaged fence in the same area was also repaired.  Below are before and after images of that work:




Also, some landscaping work was completed along the 106th Street island.

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