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Photo Contest Winner!
The Lake Sawyer South Community Homeowner Association is happy to announce that Daya Zoldan is our Photo Contest winner. You can see their photo at the top, header photo on this page. This beautiful sunset shot, showcasing our lake, fountain and clubhouse is great! And it met all the requirements of the photo contest, fitting proportionally in the various dimension required for this website.
Congrats to Daya. They’ll be receiving the $25 Publix Gift Card from our HOA President soon.
Thanks to those who entered the contest, but didn’t win.
If you want to see those pictures, you can go to our Photo Gallery Page. You’ll also see some of them scattered around the website in “sub-pages”.
If you missed out on the Photo Contest, but would like to submit your favorite Lake Sawyer South photograph, you may submit up to 3. Just attach them to an email to webmaster@lakesawyersouth.com. Photos should .jpg,, .gif, .png, or .heic and not be of people (or children) or specific houses. We love to see any of the wild animals who roam around our neighborhoods. Or anything that showcases our communities. They should be LARGE, at least 1000 px wide, and fit in a horizontal dimension, but crop-able to a square format. Those have a better chance to be used on our website.
Tennis and Basketball Courts Closed.
We would like to inform you that both the tennis court and basketball court are currently closed until further notice.
This temporary closure is necessary to address maintenance and safety concerns.
We understand the inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your patience and understanding
as we work to ensure these amenities remain safe and enjoyable for all residents.
Updates will be provided as soon as more information becomes available.
In the meantime, please refrain from entering the closed court areas.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Exciting News:
ARB has taken the applications On Line!
Exciting News:Everyone is working hard to develop an online system for ARB application submissions.
This will make the process easier to submit and easier to review.
If you have to submit an application – please check out the online applications available.
The board encourages the use of the online application over the paper form.
If you don’t see your specific project offered – please use the paper application and
provide as much information as you can for consideration.
Summertime at Lake Sawyer South
It is hot and sticky, and the school parking lots are void of all scooters, bikes and skateboards – all signs that it is summertime here in central Florida.
Playground Update
First, I want to start off with the playground is almost done! I don’t know about any of you but I enjoy taking my walk in the evening to see the progress that has been made that day. What a beautiful playground for the community and soon it will be our responsibility to keep it that way. No bikes, no chalk, no soccer balls – just kids 2-12 playing with respect on our new playground. One change that has been made is now you will need a key card to enter the playground. The gate between the pool and the playground is inoperable so please stop trying to pry it open.
Here is a message from me to all of our homeowners:
These amenities, whether it is the pool, the playground, the sport courts, the ponds, any of the common areas within out community, are yours. You pay for them. I think that some individuals forget that if they damage something, the 744 homeowners will be paying their share of the cost to repair. That is why we constantly are putting on our signs “for use by homeowners and their guests only”. If your guests damage something, it is your responsibility to make it right. These areas should be jewels of the community, but so many times I come only to find garbage all over the ground because it is too difficult to walk the extra 10 steps to the garbage can, spray paint artwork, or broken items from mis-use.
Take Care of our Common Amenities
We are constantly having to repair and replace the pool furniture because kids (while their parents watch in some cases) use the loungers as trampolines or stack the chairs and crawl up to jump from them. Another problem, that I know no one thinks of, is not only the damage that is being done to the putting green, but also to the fencing that runs between it and the playground, with the continued playing of soccer on the turf. The putting green is not flat and was not built with the intention of being a soccer field. Along with that is the damage that is being done to the fence from the balls being hit against it. This fence has to pass inspection every quarter and already repairs have had to be made to fix the bottom of the fence where it has been bent backwards or the vertical pieces have been pried open past the allowed gap size. Any of these items have to be fixed and it is on the homeowners’ dime. Something to think about.
Photo Contest
We received some wonderful entries in the photo contest. I have not heard who the winner is, but I can tell you who the real winner is…all of us because we will be able to incorporate these photos in our photo gallery on our website “LakeSawyerSouth.com”. Thank you to everyone that submitted. They all were beautiful and I am glad that I didn’t have to judge, because it has to be difficult for them.
Garbage on the Street
Finally, can we talk about garbage being left at the curb or on the storm water drain? The goal of the HOA is to maintain property values in the community. To me, there is nothing that brings the condition of a community down more than trash. I am not talking about bags of garbage, well that is part of it, but I am talking about items that you decide are junk on Thursday and you throw them on the curb to see if anyone would like them before Wednesday’s bulk removal. Those items are either getting baked in the sun or soaked in the daily rain for almost a full week. After a day would there be anyone that would still want it? If you are giving something away, please bring it to Goodwill or another charitable organization.
Another example of trash being left out is landscape trash. Remember: it can NOT go on the curb until Tuesday evening for Wednesday pick up. Please let’s work together to keep all trash cans out of sight until Monday night when they can be placed at the end of the driveway and put away on Tuesday, and all landscape trash and bulk items are kept out of sight until Tuesday evening when they can be placed at the end of the driveway. Think how you would like everything to look if a special member of your family was coming to your home for the very first time.
Keep Your Kids Safe!
Please remind your children to be careful when riding their motorized scooters, bikes and skateboards this summer. Not only for their safety, but also for the safety of others sharing the sidewalks and roadways. There has been several instances of kids driving these machines have actually knocked over people out walking, or ridden into the streets without looking.
If You See Something, Say Something.
And finally, if you see something going on in the community, don’t confront anyone, but mark the time, document it with a photo or video, and email Tiffany as soon as you can with the location, time, and description of the activity, and we can review the incident to pinpoint the offender.
Be safe and let’s be vigilant in keeping Lake Sawyer South the best example of HOA success it can be.
Shannon
HOA Board Chairman
Your Leaves are NOT Our Leaves
It has come to our attention that many homeowners and/or landscaping vendors are blowing leaves from their yard either into the street or into HOA Common Area for the community landscapers to pick up. Please pick up your own leaves each week and if you hire a landscaping team make sure that debris is being picked up (NOT blown down the storm drain) and removed from the home. Landscape debris is NOT to be put on the curb until Tuesday evening for Wednesday morning pick up. Be courteous to those around you.
New Lake Sawyer South Community Paint Schemes
The ARB is excited to provide new paint schemes starting in 2025. These schemes might be similar to what you see within the community now, because they are keeping with the Horizon West Design Plan that was initiated in 1993 in its Master Plan. What we have tried to accomplish is giving homeowners a few more options for each scheme.
How does it work? First ,you choose the body color from the 44 available. Then if your home requires a secondary body color, it is listed. Then you pick one of two trim colors. In some cases they are close in color and other cases they are very different. Then we have updated accent colors from which you get to choose one.
We are finalizing the new online application for painting that will be a great help in walking you through the process of choosing.
What if you like your color? You can repaint your home the same color with ARB approval. It will also be an option on the new online application.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE NEW LAKE SAWYER SOUTH COMMUNITY PAINT SCHEMES.
Updating Your House Numbers or Garage Lights?
Our lit house numbers are all consistent, and we prefer they stay that way. That makes it easier for anyone looking for your house. And you might have to change the light bulb when it burns out. Go ahead, that’s fine.
But if you want to change the numbers or the fixture they sit in or your garage lights, that requires ARB approval.
That includes if you add additional or solar-powered light fixtures.
You must fill in the ARB APPLICATION and submit it for approval.
It must be received no later than 5 days prior to the next scheduled ARB meeting.
Don’t Feed the Gators!
Our friend, “Smiley”, has been spotted from time to time on the shores of Lake Brofield Ave. Loop. Be sure to leave him alone and keep your distance. He doesn’t need your food. He finds his meals in the lake perfectly well.
Alligators have inhabited Florida’s marshes, swamps, rivers and lakes for many centuries, and are found in all 67 counties. In recent years, Florida has experienced tremendous human population growth. Many residents seek waterfront homes, and increasingly participate in water-related activities. This can result in more frequent alligator-human interactions, and a greater potential for conflict.
Remember, never feed an alligator and keep your distance if you see one. And keep pets on a leash and away from the water. Smiley’s relatives were here long before any of us were.
Playground Closure UPDATE
As you drive by, you continue to see nothing happening in the way of progress in the playground. Most parents are frustrated that their children do not have a safe place to play and most residents are angered by the big mess that sits in the playground site. As a board member and a grandparent, I am too!
Where are we in the process. Everything is ready to go but we are having trouble with Orange County issuing us a permit. We are now stuck in “housing” which I am not sure how that pertains but our project manager has done everything from having to circle the word playground on a map that says playground to certifying the mulch that is there. I have been in contact with Nicole Wilson’s office about the continued delay but no solution has been reached in getting us our permit.
I would have never guessed this would have been such a painful process to all of us. I want to let you know that the board understands your frustration and anger and acknowledges that this wait is painful. Please feel free to contact Commissioner Nicole Wilson at district1@OCFL.net to let her know about our frustrations in getting a permit to put in a new playground in the exact location that the old one was in.
Shannon Boe
Lake Sawyer South HOA President
Lake Sawyer South Neighborhood Guidelines:
“Do’s and Don’ts”
In order to maintain the home values and cordial atmosphere in our neighborhoods,
we hope everyone will respect these simple “Do’s”, so we can all enjoy a safe and comfortable environment.
• Do be respectful to other Dog owners and only take Waste bags you need right now.
• Do be respectful to your neighbors by picking up after your dog.
• Do bring your garbage and recycling cans into your garage as soon as possible, after they have been emptied.
• Do use our new Putting Green with respect, and only use for Putting, not Soccer and not chairs.
• Do pick up your leaves and put them out on Yard Waste Day (Wednesday), so they don’t get into our storm drains.
• Do park your car in your driveway, and not across the sidewalk.
• Do trim the branches of your trees over the sidewalk and over the street,
so your neighbor walkers and delivery trucks
(and Post Office trucks) aren’t bumped by the low branches.
• Do ask your landscapers to take away any landscaping debris.
Yard Waste should only be visible on Tuesday evenings for pick up on Wednesday morning.
• Do keep your easements (between the sidewalk and street) neat and edged properly.
• Do provide Association with a current mailing address, if you are renting your property.
NO DON’TS!
Sorry, one DON’T:
• DON’T dump your yard waste into conservation areas. It’s against the law, and violators will be prosecuted.
If you see someone dumping anything into the conservation areas please report it immediately
to Tiffany at Leland Management.
What’s Horizon West?
Yes, if you live in Lake Sawyer South, you’re part of it!
Horizon West is a new community located in southwest Orange County designed using the principles of Garden Cities and New Urbanism to create self-sustaining, mixed-use villages. As the community continues to grow over the next few decades, this foundation ensures that new development will contribute to a sense of place, environmental preservation, excellent architectural design, quality bicycle and pedestrian facilities and vibrant community gathering places.
Horizon West includes nearly 23,000 acres of former citrus groves until the devastating freezes of the 1980s, which created the impetus to institute appropriate master planning for the area’s urbanization over time.
Waste Collection Tips
• Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) and Electronic Waste (E-Waste)
can injure waste workers and contaminate the environment.
• Check out the virtual celebration of over 30 years of recycling in Orange County,
and see what happens to your waste by watching the “Landfill Video Tour (in English and Spanish) :
www.ocfl.net/OCRecyclesDay.
TRUE OR FALSE:
• Plastic bags can go in the recycling cart. –
FALSE:
Plastic bags and wraps should never go in the recycling cart. Visit BagandFilmRecycling.org to find a drop-off location near you.
For us, Publix would be the closest spot.
• Containers must be washed before recycling –
FALSE:
A quick rinse or wipe is sufficient for bottles and containers to deter bugs.
Too much food or liquid can contaminate other recyclables like paper, Recyclables should be empty and dry before placing in the cart.
• It doesn’t matter what goes into the cart; it will all be sorted eventually –
FALSE:
Too many unacceptable items can make the recycling load too contaminated for processing.
For example, “stringy things” like hoses and wires get tangled in the sorting equipment and shut down operations for hours, even days.
• If an item has the chasing arrow triangle symbol, it can be recycled. –
FALSE:
The symbol indicates the type or plastic resin used to make the item and not what goes in the blue lid cart.
Remember to “Think 5” and only place these items in the recycling cart:
(1) plastic bottles, jugs, and tubs #1 – #5, (2) metal cans, (3) glass bottles and jars, (4) cardboard, and (5) paper.
Important Numbers to Know!
311
Call or use the App for code enforcement, violations/ordinances –
to report concerns that a deputy is not needed to attend to.
407-836-HELP (4357)
Goes straight to a deputy for assistance, but is not an emergency situation.
911
Call for emergency help.
Header Photo: Daya Zoldan
Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay
Image by Mahamadou Oumarou from Pixabay