News

Over the last several months your HOA accepted bids and contracted with an environmental company to clean and grade the neighborhood’s storm
water runoff retention areas, culverts and baffles.  In all, there are 25 drainage culverts with baffles in Greater Pines and nearly all of them were almost completely blocked with debris. Unfortunately, there was a huge volume of garbage and litter including old car tires, engine oil bottles, (even an old set of crutches!) as well as papers, soda/beer cans and bottles, snack wrappers, paper etc.

 

 

      

 

As homeowners, please be mindful that all of the street gutters in Greater Pines lead to these drainage areas. It is vitally important that yard clippings and waste not be blown into the street where it eventually makes its way down these drains then collects and quickly blocks the flow of water.  Instead it should be blown back into the yard-please be sure to communicate this to any lawn service you use!  These culverts do not drain into Lost Lake at the back of the neighborhood as the lake and immediate surroundings have been deemed a conservation area by the State of Florida.  Instead the water is directed into one of the retention areas until it is absorbed or evaporated.

The expense to complete this project was approximately $20,000, however it is evident from the pictures it was long overdue. Thanks to the foresight and planning of the Board there were sufficient funds available to complete this project.  After recent heavy rains, the drainage system proved it was restored and working as intended. 

 

Moving forward, the landscaping crew is responsible for maintaining the baffles and drainage areas, keeping them free of litter and clearing any vegetation as it grows.  Additionally, there will be annual Spring time inspections of the baffles and regularly scheduled inspections every 5 years of the rest of the pipes/cleanouts.