Page 1 - PGA Community News - February '24

VOL. 34 NO. 2 FAX 561-624-9088 • E-MAIL canpga@yahoo.com FEBRUARY 2024

PGA POA Communication Corner

By Gail Coppage, Communications Committee Chairperson Twinkled Out
Happy New Year!! Thank you to the amazing light and holiday displays by the PGA HOAs at their
Annual Meeting neighborhood entrances. Neighborhood lights at individual homeowners and condo owners
The 2024 PGA POA ANNUAL MEETING WILL were lovely and it was great to see such interest and creative use of different types of
BE HELD AT A NEW VENUE! Please note that the holiday displays at all the entrances. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end,
annual meeting will be held this year on WEDNESDAY, so please remember that all holiday lighting displays should have been removed by mid-
FEBRUARY 14th, 2024, at the Doubletree by Hilton January.
Hotel and Executive Meeting Center, 4431 PGA Boulevard, Reminder About The Flashing Pedestrian Signals
Palm Beach Gardens. Residents may sign into the meeting The flashing signals were installed in November on Avenue of the Masters at Old
beginning at 5 p.m. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. The Meadow Way and on Ryder Cup Boulevard in front of Preston. Last year a flashing
Doubletree has ample parking including valet service. Were pedestrian warning signal was placed at Fairway Drive by the ellipse (traffic circle). A
you wondering where to celebrate Valentine’s Day? Wonder reminder to residents crossing at these locations to use the signal buttons when crossing
no longer! We would love to have you join the PGA POA Board of Governors at the Annual these intersections. This is also a reminder to all drivers to STOP when the lights are
Meeting. We are excited to offer the Annual Meeting at a new event space. Current information flashing in the crosswalk. Stopping the car when the lights are flashing is not optional.
and updates will be provided about the work and efforts of PGA National. It would be great If a car in front of you is stopped at the flashing signal, please wait until the signal has
to have significant interest in the Annual Meeting for this New Year. stopped. DO NOT GO AROUND the stopped car at the flashing signal intersections.
Engagement With The Palm Beach Gardens Toy Drive There are several other crosswalks throughout PGA National and state law requires
Thank you to all the PGA National friends and families who participated in providing a all drivers to yield to pedestrians. We have a number of residents using the paths and
host of new unwrapped toys for the 2023 Toy Drive! Thank you to the HOA Presidents and crossing streets to enjoy our beautiful community. This includes residents with strollers,
Board members who rallied to get out the word about the Toy Drive, and a special thanks or in wheelchairs or mobility devices so if you are driving, remember you must yield to
to the Villa D’Este Community who not only had an enjoyable holiday party but who also pedestrians in ALL crosswalks.
spearheaded their own mini-toy drive at the same time, resulting in many new toys for the
Toy Drive. Way to go! Thanks to the PGA POA Staff who consistently serve as volunteers PGA POA Communication Corner on page 2
each year for this worthwhile effort in our community.
Commissioner’s Update POA Lakes And Water Bodies

County Keeps Watchful Eye Background
The PGA POA recently established a Lakes Committee to improve the condition
On 2024 Legislative Session of the water bodies within PGA National, which include our lakes, canals, marshes,
and water retention ponds.
By Commissioner Maria Marino The committee has learned there is a large accumulation of “muck” in our water
Florida’s legislative session stands as a pivotal period in bodies due to algae and other organic material that has settled to the bottom. This
shaping the state’s policies, laws and overall governance. has led to a significant reduction in their depth.
Unlike some states with full-time lawmakers, Florida’s Water bodies are adversely impacted by a number of substances including pet
legislature is part-time and convenes for a 60-day regular waste, cooking waste, food, fertilizer, litter, grass clippings and other landscape
session each year. This year, the 2024 legislative session debris, construction debris, pool water, paints and solvents, medical supplies, and
began on Jan. 9, and lawmakers have only 60 days to other foreign substances and objects (collectively “foreign materials”).
pass legislation, including the state budget which grew Action
to $118.5 billion in FY 2023/24. As such, we are asking everyone (owners, associations, managers, landscapers,
Over 3,000 pieces of legislation are filed each year and and contractors) to comply with the Palm Beach Gardens Pollution Ordinance and
lawmakers will only take up and pass a small percentage to please follow the below requirements.
of these bills, leaving many untouched. Different types of 1. Landscapers must be properly licensed for fertilizer application and
bills include: appropriations, claims, general, local, memorial, resolution, reviser and complete the “Florida-Friendly Best Management Practices for Protection of Water
trust fund. In order for a bill to become law, an identical bill must pass both legislative Resources by the Green Industries” course.
chambers, the Florida Senate and the Florida House of Representatives, and be signed 2. Nitrogen and phosphorous fertilizer may only be applied in accordance with
by the Governor. With 120 members in the Florida House and 40 members in the Florida the guidelines of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agriculture. See
Senate, this is challenging. Because Florida is such a large and diverse state, lawmakers edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/LH014.
often have diverse priorities and conflicting agendas. 3. Fertilizer shall not be applied when the soil is saturated or when stormy
Each year the Board of County Commissioners approves Palm Beach County’s State weather is occurring or predicted.
Legislative Agenda. The 2024 state legislative agenda includes general government 4. Spreader deflector shields must be used when fertilizing and positioned to
and environmental and natural resources issues with a focus on items related to deflect fertilizer granules away from all water bodies.
5. Fertilizer shall not be applied within 10 feet, or 3 feet, if a deflector shield
Commissioner’s Update on page 4 or drop spread is used, of any water body.
6. Foreign materials shall not be placed or allowed to enter into storm drains,
catch basins or water bodies, and, if improperly deposited, must be immediately
removed, to the fullest extent possible.
7. Pet waste must be immediately cleaned up and properly disposed of.
8. All foreign materials created or deposited in the course of any work shall
be promptly cleaned up and removed. Foreign materials shall not be left on any
property or impervious surface for removal by a recycler or disposal operator
unless such material is in a container.
9. Owners shall not allow their drainage system (including drains and any
extensions from roof gutters) to drain, directly or indirectly, into any water body.