Boat Manufacturing Planned at Roscioli
by Gary Starkweather

Need a new boat? Cheer up! You won’t have to go far to get one. They’re gonna be make’um
right here in our own community at Roscioli. Oh don’t worry about the stink, noise, and mess because we’ve been assured by all the Town of Davie planners and marine industry project advocates that nothing "they" do or ever "might do" will ever be a problem. On May 3, 2000 the Davie Town Council unanimously approved an amendment to Davie’s Land Development Code that opens the door for the Roscioli and Bradford yards to change their existing maintenance yards into ship manufacturing facilities. If you recall, that is exactly what we fought so hard to avoid two years ago at Hacienda. Deja Vu’? (We’re not finished having fun yet.)

Davie is planning to increase their town’s tax revenues. While preserving their town’s country -ranch lifestyle residential districts, the town planners are hoping to increase town tax revenues with a plan that further degrades our waterfront lifestyle. Davie’s land use structure includes large amounts of one acre minimum residential ranch homes resulting in serious cash shortages required to run the town. To resolve this problem Davie’s new land use plan targets specific areas for intense development. The town’s development policy doesn't appear to show compassion or consideration for Davie’s neighbors in Lauderdale Isles located directly adjacent to one of the town’s planned tax revenue generating zones. At the April 19th and May 3rd Town Hall meetings, Davie council members listened to several marine industry advocates touting big dollar economics. Next they listened to several concerns expressed by the LICIA committee. The LICIA committee also advised the Davie Town Council that the earliest date our association could produce a consensus opinion was May 18, 2000 at our next general meeting. After a few minutes of discussion the council voted unanimously in favor of passing the amendment and the final reading is scheduled on May 17, the day before our next General Meeting.

Davie’s planned land use amendment will allow permitted M-2 zoning and increased intensity of use of the areas now occupied by Bradford and Roscioli yards. The Town of Davie also appears willing to allow Roscioli to expand his operations. Roscioli plans to add 4 acres of new shipyard for boat manufacturing. According to Broward County M-1 zoning standards and even Davie’s M-1 zoning standards, fiberglass fabrication and several other typical shipyard activities are not permitted. Davie’s M-1 code only permits "activities not likely to be objectionable" but fiberglass work is a regular daily part of business of these yards. Broward County’s M-1 code clearly restricts activities that "use any materials, processes, or machinery which would pose a potential environmental or safety hazard for nearby commercial business districts or residential areas." It appears that the allowed activities permitted in M-1 zoning are being stretched to the limit and the new proposed land use amendment would stretch the rules even further.

The narrow strip of land area defined by SR 84 on the south, the New River canal on the north, 441 on the west and Bradford Marine on the east is expected to be a Davie tax revenue gold mine. The expected tax revenues from Hacienda Cove and the expected tax revenue increases from the shipyards will serve to fill the budget needs of the Town of Dave. Lauderdale Isles residents need to mobilize and be heard. There is enough example of history and expressed intent to clearly see that Lauderdale Isles will be exposed to heavy industrial manufacturing activities across from Andros, Bimini, and Cat Cay Lanes unless we take this matter seriously. If you have an opinion to express, be at the Davie Town hall on May 17th and at the LICIA General Meeting May 18th.

The President's Corner
by Rich Thompson

At the last General Meeting in February a traffic committee was formed to look into reducing
the speed limit in our Isles from 30 MPH to 25 MPH. Deputy David Currie of BSO was instrumental in contacting the appropriate authorities in Fort Lauderdale in order to start the process and lengthy paperwork was sent.

In response, it appears that Broward County made a mistake when originally placing the 30 MPH signs in our neighborhood and practically overnight new 25 MPH signs were substituted. Many thanks to Deputy David Currie for a job well done!

Riverland Crossing
Deputy Currie recently informed me that possibly a Wendy’s and a gas station will be constructed at Riverland Crossing, the six acre parcel adjacent to U Store It on 441 and Riverland Road. This is still in the planning stages.

T-Docks at Hacienda Cove
We are still working on the T-Dock issue at Hacienda Cove. A petition was signed by a majority of the residents opposing the imposition of eight T-Docks and sent to the appropriate authorities. The developer responded by deleting a T-Dock. We sent a further response asking for an in depth-study to be performed before the developer is allowed to start construction and also we questioned the measurements that were taken from high mean tide as opposed to low mean tide.

Notice of Civic Association Meeting Planned Discussion and Vote
At the Civic Association meeting on May 18, 2000 there will be a discussion to establish a consensus of acceptable activities at the Bradford and Roscioli yards. The association committee represented to the Davie Town Council May 3rd, 2000, that the issue would be discussed. We represented that we hoped we could reach a consensus decision and communicate same directly to staff at the planning department. Please attend this LICIA meeting and voice your opinion.

Notice of Proposed Land Use Change Adjacent to Andros Lane and Bimini Lane
At the May 3rd, 2000, Town of Davie council meeting, advocates of the proposed land use change claimed that Lauderdale Isles didn’t oppose their land use change. They claimed that if anybody did object to the land use change there would be many Isles residents in attendance. The final reading of the land use amendment is scheduled for Wednesday May the 17th, at the Davie Town Hall, 6591 Orange Drive, 7:00 P.M. Be counted. Be there. Be heard.

Come to the Meeting!
As you can see we have some very important issues to discuss. If you are concerned about the future of your neighborhood, I’d like to see you at the LICIA meeting. Thursday, May 18th at the yacht club on Whale Harbor.

Motorcycle Racing
by Robert Krycki

Below is a copy of a letter that I wrote to Sheriff Jenne in April this year voicing my concerns about the motorcyclists

Dear Sir,

This letter is intended to lodge a nuisance complaint. We reside in Lauderdale Isles located on the north side of the North fork of the New River canal. This nuisance has carried on for a period of more than 3 years.

Subject: Motorcycles (bullet bikes.) Allow me to explain the situation.

They have harassed us, along with all the neighbors, with their noise and speeding over the last three years We live along North Fork of the New River and State Road 84. Interstate 595 runs east and west on the south side of State Road 84. This area runs through the north end of Davie. The lads on motorcycles are racing west on State Rd. 84. These motorcycles make the U turn into old Hacienda village as their starting point. They arrive there, then race west on SR84 to the off ramp and return on east SR84 to the "U" turn. They stop and regroup at this point and when the traffic is clear they race west on SR84. They repeat this action over and over again. They race on Saturday afternoons between 2 pm and 4 pm and the same times on Sunday, almost every week. The noise is so loud you cannot hear the airplanes taking off and flying overhead from Fort Lauderdale airport.

The most annoying times are Friday and Saturday nights from 10:00 pm to 2:00 am. It seems to happen most of the time at 12:30 am for about 30 minutes straight. This is our time to wake up and call the police.

We have called the police at 765-4321 many times. The police come and the noise stops for another day. Next day they (motorcycles) are back at it again, continually.

My suggestion is to stop chasing fires and develop a maintenance plan.

Is it possible to place an unmarked car in the area and take a video and record the tag information? This information could locate the cyclist’s and the owner of the motorcycle along with the owner’s insurance company. Explaining what the homeowners have complained about, might be sufficient to get the word around that the practice track is closed.

This racing is annoying, unlawful and dangerous to the riders. Thank you for your attention in this helpless situation.

Dredging the Canals
by Robert Krycki

As a homeowner and a boat-owner in Lauderdale Isles, I am concerned about the muck buildup in our canal systems. The water is becoming quite shallow and the new plant growth has everyone’s attention.

The city and state made a big effort to dredge the river up to the marinas and they did a good job. This was the effort of a business association I am sure. The dollars brought into Fort Lauderdale for service on large yachts are certainly a benefit.

This is great, but what about the homeowners that live here and pay taxes year round? Do we not deserve to have the same attention? Are the canals not considered a way of transportation the same as our streets? As time goes on, this problem will become much larger. As a property owner, I have put a lot of time and money into my property. This is one of the biggest investments most of us will ever make.

It is our responsibility to protect our investment. We seriously need to have our canals in the Lauderdale Isles serviced as our canals are not up to standard for navigable recreation boaters. We should have the code enforcement give a report to the city..

Tons of dollars were spent on the Dania Canal for the recreation boaters. I believe as a taxpayer that our area in the Isles now needs more attention. Gary Starkweather once stated that the canal is not a huge dumping place for our waste and I fully agree. The waste I am referring to flows down the river from the glades and continues to build tide-after-tide and day-by-day.

The Army Corp of engineers will do nothing for us, according to my call at 305-526-7181. I called the city Public Works Department of planning. The Environmental Protection department’s Mr. Mark Wallace (Inspector) at 945-519-148, suggested I call Kevin Carter at 519-1477. He returned my call and he said he would (dig) into the issue and report back to me.

As soon as I have any information, I will let everyone know. In the meantime, if anyone has any suggestions, please pass them along. We need to know what can be done about this issue, and whether we want to do anything about it as a team.

You may contact Robert at his email address: KryckiR@aol.com.

Poop & Scoop
by Robert Krycki

Dogs will be dogs and will answer nature’s call whenever and wherever it occurs but it’s inexcusable for the dog’s owner to allow these "calls of nature" to sully his neighbor’s lawns. How many of us have met with an unpleasant surprise when we’ve gone out to get our morning paper? There’s nothing that can quite compare with stepping into a large pile of "you know what" before we’ve had our morning coffee.

Dog feces can cause worms
This is not only an obnoxious nuisance but it can cause illness. In the May 8th issue of the Sun Sentinel an article by veterinarian, Steve Dale headlines "Children may contact worms from dog feces." It then goes on to say that even though the feces is washed away by rain or by water from a hose the parasite eggs can live in the grass for many months but if the waste is picked up immediately the risk is nearly eliminated. I‘m sure that no one wants a child to contact a parasitic disease just because they are too lazy or insensitive to pick up after their dog.

Some communities have enacted "poop and scoop" laws It is a pity that people walking their dogs, have to have a law to force them to be responsible pet owners. So be a good neighbor and carry a plastic bag to take home and dispose of the waste. It would be great if we didn’t have to take the time and effort to create a by-law to stop this nuisance.

Your comments would be appreciated.

email: KryckiR@aol.com

A Friend for Buddy
by Bobbye Atha

In January Coco the Cockatiel came to live with Buddy. Buddy had been depressed since he lost his
best friend and cage-mate Barney the Cockatiel to old age. I went to the Wildlife Care Center (WLCC) met with a staff member/volunteer who showed me around the facility and introduced me to the birds they had available for adoption. (There were a lot!) I filled out the required paper work and a staff member was scheduled to come to my house for a "Home Visit" the next day. (They want to make sure their animals are going to a safe and secure home) The house, Buddy and I passed the test. The next step was choosing a new friend for Bud. Although there were a number of cockatiels to choose from most were male and Bud had asked for a beautiful lady so… My name was put on a list to be called when a female came in. A staff member called me in less than a week. I took one look at Coco and knew Buddy would approve. She is a young beautiful "Fancy" Cockatiel who brought her own cage (bigger than Bud’s) to the relationship. Bud gladly moved in and Bud and Coco are a happy couple.

The WLCC staff were terrific and very helpful all the while making sure their animals were being placed in a good home.

I encourage you to visit the WLCC and see the animals available for adoption (rabbits, birds, guinea pigs and more). As well as the injured animals being cared for by the wonderful volunteer staff. It is an outstanding organization and Buddy and Coco are very thankful they helped bring them together!

Just When You Thought It Was Safe...
by Terry Simonds

I was working on my boat on 31 March when my dog started yapping and running around on the sea wall. Thinking it was another duck (she doesn’t tolerate ducks!), I ignored her. Impatient at her incessant barking I turned to bark at her myself when a movement in the water caught my eye. "Oh, my God," said I! It’s Al. Yes, Al E. Gator, of the Upriver Gators, had meandered into the Cobia Canal for a snack...or whatever. It is the mating season, after all.

Al hung around for about 20 minutes eyeing the tasty morsel howling at him from the seawall, then slowly slipped beneath the surface, not to be seen again. Needless to say, I rescheduled my installation of a zinc on the prop shaft until another day and place!

Al was about five feet long and was moving very slowly. A few of my neighbors also saw him. He was just trying to make a living and was, after all, here long before us. What a fascinating sight he was, out there in the water. Fortunately, it was low tide and he couldn’t haul out anywhere.

Check out http://www.ifas.ufl.edu/agrigator/gators/ on the internet for more information about Al’s family.

Neighborhood Cleanup June 10th
by Ann Guardino

Our annual neighborhood clean up is scheduled for June 10th, 2000, from 9:00am to 12:00 noon. Once again the Broward County Office of Integrated Waste Management has offered LICIA its services so we can get rid of things they won’t take on bulk trash days. It’s also an excellent opportunity to get ready for hurricane season. You can put out tree limbs that are not cut to 4 feet and we will pick them up or better yet, you can take them to the Dumpsters we will have available that morning. Afterwards you can stop by for a hot dog and a soda at the Yacht Club.

Bring Out Your Trash
We will have dumpsters at the Lauderdale Isles Yacht and Tennis Club at 2637 Whale Harbor Lane. Please bring any household items you want to get rid of to the dumpster—that old sofa, tree trimmings, carpeting, old mattresses, etc. We will not have a garbage truck this year, so we really, really encourage you to bring your items yourself to the Dumpster. If you need special assistance, please be ready when we come down your lane with a pick-up truck. Put the item out that you need carried off or be out working in your yard and flag down the Waste Management white pickups.

Sadly, we will not be able to accept any hazardous waste or commercial waste. This clean up is just for our neighborhood. So get started on sprucing up your yard or interior and have it ready for June 10th.

VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED!!!!
They will get free goodies and do not even have to work the whole 3 hours. We need some to drive down the isles to remind people of the event. We need strong people to help load the dumpsters. We need some to help load the pick-up trucks. We need some to walk Riverland Road and pick up trash. This is your neighborhood. Let’s show our pride and get involved for at least two hours! Parents are encouraged to have teenagers do community work that day. Please call Ann Guardino at 321-0507 to volunteer or for any questions you may have.

Intensified Zoning to Isles Southeast?
by George Counts

It’s no secret. Cities are at war. At war to recruit businesses that create lots of jobs and pay mucho
taxes. The problem, there are often sacrificial pawns. The Isles could become one if we aren’t careful. Davie is trying to intensify the zoning across from Cat Cay eastward. Roscioli Yachting Center wants to expand west to manufacture yachts from 53' to 83'. Some in Davie are pushing for a 180’ limit, while others aren’t so sure. At the May 3rd public hearing Davie Vice-Mayor Weiner’s motion limited vessels to 180’', however they may reapply for longer vessel limits. Now, those above the limit would have to get a special permit. I’d like to be there when an 180 footer rounds Little Florida. I rounded it on a 106 footer and it was a snug fit. Bradford has serviced 170 footers; however, these large vessels would be no problem for us since they wouldn’t be kept on the river and are not serviced by Roscioli’s, which is closer. They’re usually inside the yard for their brief stay.

On April 18, the Davie Town Council had a public hearing to amend its zoning laws. Agenda # 8.1- amendment application ZB(TXT)03-03-00) dealt with our area of concern. There was no notification of those living within 500' of the project by U.S. mail, and unanswered environmental concerns. Frustrated Council members tabled the matter until May 3, at 7 p.m. At this meeting they discussed including Isles residents in future workshops on the matter. The 2nd and final hearing will be Wednesday, May 17. At an emergency civic association. meeting following the April 18, Davie Council meeting, Bob Roscioli detailed his plans and answered questions. A Stranahan High School grad, he owns 2 Isles homes and lives on the water just east of us. As a result, he says he is also interested in the quality of life here. He’s been a good neighbor for the most part; however, intensification of the zoning so near us is not in our best interest. Rich Thompson, your civic association. president, indicated he would like to find a mutually agreeable alternative. A committee was formed and met with Roscioli at his yachting center on May 2. We examined drawings, looked at the site and discussed the matter. Roscioli indicated he would bring in hulls from 53'- 83' to assemble and outfit rather than laying them up at his yard.

He is the first recipient of $3 million in low interest industrial revenue bonds in partnership with the school board to train boatyard workers as he builds yachts. Davie loves the idea, but has little experience with the marine regulations. So our concerns are still with Davie allowing intensification of this M-1 zoning to M-2. Davie code states processes allowed in M-1 areas should be used that are "...not likely to be objectionable to neighborhood properties". Roscioli eliminated loudspeaker paging due to a request from a nearby Isles resident, and also indicated he has had no official complaints about objectionable processes at his yard. With our conditions, M-1 the least obnoxious industrial zoning is adequate and in our best interest.

Due to their taking of other areas, Davie planners say they need to amend old zoning ordinances to give their code uniformity. They claim there are benefits for us. It appears the negatives far outweigh the positives. The amendment ignores compatibility with our neighborhood. Davie’s own code states that M-2 zoning , which they would like at this site, shouldn’t abut residential areas. Our final concerns are a future owner with a more intense zoning might impact our area more and not be as civic minded. Have questions? Call Davie planner Marcie Nolan at 797-1103. She will also keep you up to date on hearing time and place changes.

Be at the next civic assn. meeting on May 18 at 7:30 p.m. at 2637 Whale Harbor Lane and make your views known. By all means, pack the next Davie Town Council meeting at 6591 Orange Dr. at 7 p.m. on May 17. Then it can’t be said again that our residents aren’t concerned or they would attend the meeting. At least an unofficial notification is going out this time.

Riverland Crossing
by George Counts

A hearing was held at Ft. Lauderdale City Hall recently on the development of the property north of the storage center. Yours truly requested there be no intensification of the zoning or permitted uses. The applicant agreed to channel truck traffic back to 441. A 29,500 sq ft building will be erected to house what the developer’s attorneys termed, neighborhood type businesses. There will be more hearings, so watch the paper closely or contact Ft. Lauderdale planners for their dates, time and place.

Just My Opinion
by Gary Starkweather

Ft. Lauderdale is known as the "Yachting Capital of the World." Lauderdale Isles new claim to fame is "Waterfront Community Squished In Between Obnoxious Uses." Need a new interstate highway? Wanna a nasty incinerator? How about a monster size airport that grows like a cancer? Looking for high density townhouses on the water? Oh we’ve seen just about everything. We’ve even seen plans for juvenile detention centers, homeless shelters, storage facilities, industrial boat manufacturing plants, and more! And don’t forget, we even have our own EPA super fund site next door where the "Potentially Responsible Parties" are dodging their responsibilities to clean up their mess. Here, have a glass of mostly fresh water, yummy. Shucks, even Hollywood tried to get onto the obnoxious use band wagon recently with their plans to build a garbage recycling plant nearby.

So what ! Ya Bunch of NIMBY crybabies! A little land use change here, a little zoning change there and bingo, another charming obnoxious use degrades our community. Meanwhile our community has stood firmly opposed to the issue of annexation. "Look how much money we’ve saved", so goes the clamor of anti-annexation advocates. Just how far down the toilet does our community have to go before our community unifies and stands up to protect our properties? Hello, anybody home? Obnoxious use developers depend upon mass apathy in order to shovel their projects through. You want reality? Heck, even a boring TV show is good reason enough for many Isles residents to skip a civic association general meeting where critical development issues are discussed. So to a great degree, Lauderdale Isles has served up the finest quality apathy along with a side order of amateur objections. And at the same time we’ve also insisted upon having no municipal representation. Don’t get me wrong, Lauderdale Isles has many dedicated civic supporters and I am grateful for each and every one of them. But we have too many residents that contribute absolutely nothing, ignore proposed damaging development, and by default they radiate a public impression that our community doesn’t really mind when obnoxious uses are stuck in our back yard. Our score card doesn’t look all that impressive. Too many times the bad guys win.

Davie’s proposed new land development code paves the way for permitted legal intensification of land use. It’s clear to me that the Marina Mile Association promotes marina related growth and development without regard to the property rights of anybody they may trespass upon. Combine their efforts with the nightmare of undefined land use zoning codes of the now defunct Hacienda Village and we’ve really got a mess on our hands. But don’t worry, the Town of Davie said that they are drafting new land development code to clear up inconsistencies. Wake up!

Is Lauderdale Isles going to hire legal and professional representation as would be suitably required to protect our interests this time? Or are we going to retain our usual policy which is to save money, rely solely upon the efforts of civic volunteers, and watch as another obnoxious use gets approved? And the civic association wouldn’t be out here all alone in their quest to protect our (your) community. Why not accept the reality that municipal representation could be helpful. Belonging to a city like Fort Lauderdale would at least offer our community the option of asking for assistance. Even though it may appear that just about every obnoxious thing that could happen to our community has already happened, I feel very confident that there are more charming obnoxious proposals soon to arrive. Forget about taxes, the price we’ve already paid to hold onto our sacred unincorporated status is just about to bury our community in undesirable land uses. The question is, how long will unincorporation appear to remain a good idea and since we are still unincorporated how are we going to deal with Davie’s new Land Use Development Code?

Annexation Antics
by George Counts

The crusade to supposedly make all our problems disappear by forcing us into a city continues. To enlighten us, the County is spending thousands of your hard earned tax dollars for a consultant. His name is Philip M. Gonot, Vice-President of PMG Associates, Inc. of 3880 NW 2nd Ct., Deerfield Beach His company is billed as an economic, marketing and management consulting firm. You may call his voice mail at 954-427-5010.

Just think, at the rate Ft. Lauderdale is allowing highrises to go up on, and near the beach, you could one day live in Miami Beach at Ft. Lauderdale if you allow it.. There are some in ivory towers who refer to this as "smart growth." It’s so smart you’ll probably have to do more of your shopping or leisure activities out west, as Ft. Gridlock has no parking requirements for the highrise mania that it is also encouraging for downtown. Could it be because there is so much extra parking downtown now? Just think, if we allow them to annex us, they’ll attack our problems with this same rationale.

Hacienda Cove
by Rich Thomson

Some of the Isles residents have expressed concern about the increased traffic noise that has resulted from the removal of trees and foliage from the old Hacienda Village area. The developer was asked about his plans for replanting. According to him the plans are as follows:

Tropical Trees and Shrubs to be Planted
The landscape treatment along the north property line of Hacienda, which parallels the New River canal for approximately 1900 lineal feet, will include both the preservation of numerous existing trees and berming while supplemented with new flowering and shade trees, palm groupings and colorful shrub massings.

The intention is to create a passive park area and setting. Many of the existing trees to be saved include very large specimens of tropical almond, ficus species and australian pine. These trees are located along the north property on the existing 3' to 6' high earthen berm. The preservation of these trees will allow for this existing buffer and screening to remain as is. To further enhance this buffer and to provide additional screening of the proposed two story buildings to the south of the canal, additional trees such as purple flowering jacaranda, orange flowering royal poinciana, green buttonwood, mahogany and pongam will be installed along with coconut palm and sabal palm groupings to provide shade, color and screening. Large shrub massings planted atop the berm along the canal bank will include pink ixora, silver buttonwood and yellow wedelia. Note that it is expected that mature trees will be planted in lieu of younger seedlings. Remaining areas will include lawn and ground covers.

It’s a Good Plan but....
Whatever the Davie landscape planning engineer and the Town of Davie Code says is all they have to do with regard to buffering of noise. Unfortunately, they are right across from us and their code is not the same as Fort Lauderdale’s. We can go to Broward County after the project is completed and force them to do more if it is not acceptable.

The buildings next to the New River will all be two story and the buildings behind will be three story. Hopefully, this will eradicate a lot of the traffic noise.

Zoned Out
By Terry Simonds

Most communities in this country have zoning regulations that are intended to make life bearable for most, maintain our property values, and in general make a neighborhood a better place to live.

Lauderdale Isles is no exception. Broward County has a zoning regulation that covers just about every aspect of property ownership in the county. Some of the rules make a lot of sense, while others can cause the meekest neighbor to "go over the edge" at times.

The county zoning regulations are contained in a ponderous document and are very difficult to fathom, unless you work with them every day. To help us understand how zoning regulations affect us here in the Isles, a special page on zoning has been put up on our web site at www.licia.org. Click on the "Our Community" sign and follow the menu to the zoning page. If you don’t have internet capabilities, call me at 792-8080 and I’ll get you a copy.

Charles Klinger from the county zoning office is scheduled to speak at the general meeting on May 18th. You’ll be able to fire questions at him and get the answers straight from the horse’s mouth. Charles is a senior code-enforcement officer for Broward County, and can give us a lot of good information. Plan to attend!

You've Got Mail!
by Terry Simonds

No, I’m not hyping a movie or trying to convince you to sign up with AOL. The new Melrose Vista branch office of the USPS is now open in the shopping center at the northeast corner of Broward and SR7. It’s open M-F only from 10AM to 5PM with full services. Mail collection is at 2:30 PM and 5PM on M-F.

On Saturday, the windows and counter are closed, but you can purchase stamps from a machine and drop-slots for stamped and metered mail are available. There is one pickup on Saturday at 5PM.

A Note from your Treasurer....
by Ruth & Keith Lindgren

For those of you who have inquired or just might be curious LICIA has 186 dues paying members. At the trustee meetings held monthly, everyone has been curious about the breakdown by lane. So if you would like to boost your lane’s membership here’s the totals as follows:

As always, we welcome new members to attend the general meetings. So bring a friend, enjoy, and be informed! Remember, it’s your neighborhood, come and find out what’s new and exciting!

All Green Thumbers
by Elaine Peterick

Are you a gardening enthusiast with a yard all the neighbors envy? Or, are you landscape-challenged? No matter where you are on the gardening spectrum, circle June 24 on your calendar. LICIA wants to bring all of us together in a fun event designed for sharing landscape information and plants. Plan to meet your neighbors, learn something new, save some money, and have fun doing it.

At this time of year many of us are pruning and thinning plant beds. Instead of throwing all the clippings and small rooted starts in the garbage, let your neighbors use them to enhance their yards. By doing so, you will help LICIA raise money for neighborhood beautification and improvements — such as the proposed project to install fluorescent canal-identification signs.

LICIA has scheduled our first ever "Plant Swap" for the last Saturday in June (June 24, 2000), from 10am to 2 pm at the Lauderdale Isles Yacht and Tennis Club. FREE cuttings will be available! Donations for other plants will be collected by LICIA. In an effort to include everyone, neighbors who have landscape, nursery, and other related businesses are welcome to join us. The Yacht Club’s grill and refreshment bar will be open. So come and make a day of it!

The goal of the "Plant Swap" is to create a pleasant gathering of like-minded neighbors who wish to share their horticultural experiences, get landscape ideas, and obtain low-cost plants to enhance their yards and the overall appeal of our lovely neighborhood — and of course to raise a bit of money.

In order for the event to be successful, we need your help. We need unwanted plant containers, soil/mulch, potted plants, rooted starts, clippings of easily propagated plants, and volunteers. Neighbors who wish to sell more exotic plants or promote a business must make arrangements prior to the event.

To request more information or to make donations or to volunteer, contact Elaine Peterick (Cat Cay trustee) at 797-7019 or e-mail peterick@aol.com. If you have comments or suggestions, please feel free to express them.

Wanna Get Clubbed?
by Terry Simonds

Once again, BSO has announced that they will give away "The Club" auto theft-deterrent device at our May general meeting. These are absolutely free with no strings attached, other than BSO would strongly suggest that you use the device and not leave it under the seat!

To be eligible, the recipient must be a resident of Lauderdale Isles and be the owner of one of the ten most frequently stolen vehicles. Residency within Lauderdale Isles will be verified by the address listed on the individual’s Florida driver’s license and vehicle registration card. Both must be presented to receive "The Club."

Ten Most Frequently Stolen Vehicles
Acura Legend, Buick Regal, Cadillac De Ville, Chrysler / Plymouth / Dodge Vans, Honda Civic, Honda Accord, Oldsmobile Cutlass, Saturn (all models), Toyota Camry, Toyota Corolla

There will be a limit of one "Club" per family.

The Native
I am happy to present our second honoree, Gary Starkweather. Gary is one of the few individuals in our neighborhood who is native to South Florida. He was born in Miami in 1955 in the same hospital where his mother was born. In the early 1960’s he grew up in Hialeah, during a time when Miami was known for its Florida crackers, pioneer types, and famous mobsters. At age 12, his family purchased land 10 miles west of Hialeah in Hialeah Gardens at the very edge of the Everglades. Living on the edge of the Everglades, Gary acquired an "in depth" understanding of South Florida’s wetland environment. He learned how fragile it is, and as he watched development move in, he became very concerned about trying to protect it. In 1973 he graduated from Hialeah Miami Lakes High School and moved to Swannanoa, North Carolina to attend Warren Wilson College, a small liberal arts college in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Gary’s favorite college studies were physics, economics and music. In 1977, he graduated from Warren Wilson with a Bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Science. Although enchanting, the mountains of North Carolina were not enough to keep Gary anchored to North Carolina, so after graduation in he moved back to Miami.

Finding a Home
Gary didn’t find a career path that directly utilized his college education. His interests were really in electronics. In 1979, he started his own business building residential and community television distribution systems. By 1982, he was building business radio systems and by 1984, he was building mobile telephone networks. The communications industry eventually led him to Ft. Lauderdale and in 1989, he and his partner, Terry Rhoades, started a communications company and Gary and his wife Vandy moved to Lauderdale Isles. In 1992, on the day of Hurricane Andrew, Gary and Vandy bought a house on Key Largo Lane that fortunately was still there the next day.

Investing In Community
Gary and Vandy’s new Isles home needed lots of repairs and Gary soon noticed the community needed a lot of attention too. In 1994, he was elected president of the Lauderdale Isles Civic Improvement Association and began a crash course in local politics. Gary volunteered to serve the community as civic association president for four consecutive years. During that four year period, Lauderdale Isles faced several serious community issues. With the assistance of many supporters and volunteers, the community association gained considerable momentum and recognition. Most community issues were resolved in favor of Lauderdale Isles and even when we didn’t win we still were able to achieve valuable compromises on key issues.

Supporting Community
While not directly involved in the civic association, Gary is still involved in many civic and community matters. His company’s office resources continue to remain available to the civic association. Gary continues to promote environmental education issues and has been a member of Broward Urban River Trails since 1994. As a native Floridian, environmental preservation and education issues are very important to Gary. In the issues of this LICIA newsletter you’ll be sure to find something that Gary has written concerning our community, our environment and environmental education.

Editor’s note: If you know of someone that you think deserves to be spotlighted for outstanding service to the community, contact me. You won’t even need to write the article. Just jot down all the information and it can be written for you.

The Environmental Corner

Test Your Knowledge--Take the Environmental Exam
by Gary Starkweather

Take the test and add up your score. See if your knowledge of neighborhood environmental issues is up to speed.

1. The community of Lauderdale Isles has what type of storm water drain system?

a. What storm drain system?
b. Drains that dump storm water directly into the canals.
c. French Drain storm water containment systems.
d. Canadian storm water drain systems with locking flood gates.

a. Apply small amounts of fertilizer near and around specific plants and cover the fertilizer with soil.
b. Use a whirly bird type fertilizer spreader and be sure to cover all areas evenly.
c. Use fertilizers only on the front yard because applications in the back yards may get into the canal.
d. Use fertilizers at least every 90 days to promote healthy plant growth and water often.

a. Pesky Muscovy Ducks.
b. Organic matter from your yard like tree branches, fruit, and yard clippings.
c. Very small amounts of petroleum products like oils, paints.
d. Old plastic or aluminum patio furniture.

4. The most environmentally friendly way to control insects in your yard is:

a. Be polite when you ask them to leave.
b. Plant varieties of trees and vegetation naturally resistant to South Florida insect species.
c. Avoid creating wood piles or other similar places where insects will nest and hide.
d. Hire a professional pest control company to spray your lawn on a periodic basis.

5. The canal and river water quality in our neighborhood is low mostly because the water contains:

a. Too many drink containers and plastic bags.
b. Too many nutrients.
c. Too many pesticides.
d. Too many Muscovy Ducks.

a. Shipyards and other commercial properties.
b. Residential property owners.
c. Boaters that toss litter overboard.
d. Exotic water plant species

a. You don’t have to worry about water quality issues because the front yard is not near the canal or New River.
b. Birds and fish are not affected by these products so there is no cause for concern.
c. It is best to call a professional service because they won’t use any pesticides harmful to our environment.
d. Remember that storm water can easily wash pesticides used in the front yard into the canal and river waters.

a. Just give up and leave Florida because the bugs will eventually win anyway.
b. Use only granulized pesticides because they last longer and target only the intended pests.
c. Use limited spot applications when needed, where needed, and avoid use during rainy periods.
d. Exterminate all of the pests by treating the entire yard in one treatment so the pests will not return.

a = 0  Storm drains help to keep desired areas above water when there is a lot of rain.
b =10 Great job. Yes, unfortunately the Isle’s drain system routes storm water directly into the canals.
c = 4  You get some points for a good guess. There is such a drain system but not in the Isles.
d = 1  Sorry, You get only one point for a really bad guess.

a = 10  Yup, fertilizer is great for plants but really bad for water quality.
b = -2  Subtract points because these devices are terrible. Fertilizer on the surface washes into the water.
c = 4   OK - Some points. The front yard storm water drains carry the fertilizers into the canal water.
d = -5 Subtract points. Regular treatments only increase the amount of nutrients that reach the canal water.

3. The most serious water quality problem is excessive nutrient content.

a = 3   Good answer. But these pesky dock mess makers are not the primary problem.
b = 10 Organic matter breaks down increasing the nutrient content of the water. Less is better.
c = 5   Yes, small amounts add up to large amounts but the Isles does not have serious petroleum pollution
problems.
d = 0   There are many patio furniture sets in our canals but they do not significantly reduce water quality.

a = 2    I like your good attitude. But bugs just never listen.
b = 10 The best way to get along with bugs is to avoid planting their favorite meals. Looks good, tastes bad.
c = 5   Some points here. Often folks overlook how much bugs appreciate a nice place to stay. Less places, less bugs.
d = 0   Pest services kill bugs but typically do not take environmental needs into consideration when treating properties.

a = 2   Good guess. Surface garbage is a nuisance but it usually does not substantially reduce water quality.
b = 10 High nutrient content rapidly reduces water quality in many different ways.
c = 4   Good guess. While pesticides do reduce our water quality it is secondary to the damage done by nutrients.
d = 2   I have to give some points here for the pesky duck factor but the ducks are not the basis of poor water quality.

a = 3   Good guess. Shipyards reduce water quality but they occupy a relatively small percentage of waterfront property.
b = 10 Homeowners buy waterfront property but they don’t automatically know about environmental issues.
c = 4   Annoying, well yes. But litter is more of a visual pollution that a water quality or contamination problem.
d = 2   Exotic water plants restrict free water flow but they are not a prime factor causing poor water quality.

a = 0  During rain storms the chemicals you use in your front will yard flow through the storm drains into the canals.
b = -5 Subtract points. Many common pesticides are highly toxic to birds and fish. Read the product labels.
c = -5 Subtract points. Pesticides commonly used by pest control services are highly toxic to birds and fish.
d = 10 Rain water and irrigation water adds mobility to many pest control related chemicals.

a = 3  You get points for sympathy. But you don’t really have to leave Florida!
b = -3 Subtract points. This form of pesticide application is long lasting and too often kills unexpected targets.
c = 10 If you use a chemical treatment keep the application area to a minimum and avoid water migration.
d = -5 This tactic causes maximum pollution and won’t prevent the pests from returning.

Score Ratings

70 - 80 Wonderful ! You must have been paying attention to environmental issues.
60 - 69 Pretty Good. You’ve got the basics on neighborhood environmental issues.
50 - 59 Good. You have the basic rules. Read some more about our community environmental issues.
40 - 49 Not So Good. You may be causing more environmental problems that you know.
30 - 39 Not Good. You’ve missed the key basic issues. Time to learn the Environmental Do’s & Don’ts.
20 - 29 Time for School. Begin environmental studies immediately.
10 - 19 Move to the school. Don’t move back till you can raise your score above 40.
 0  -   9 Winner of the Oil Slick Award. Install a containment barrier around your home.

Any score less than zero means you may be an Environmental Terrorist. Just call the Department of Planning and Environmental Protection and turn yourself in to the authorities.