Drowning Prevention

Homeowners and guests should be aware of the posted 

speed limit and the stop signs throughout the community.

These signs are posted for the safety of 

ALL Southern Dunes Residents and guests!   

Precautions related to exposure and spreading of COVID-19

 Please take the proper precautions when using the community amenities: 

All residents and guests voluntarily 

assume all liabilities and risks 

related to the exposure & spreading of COVID-19 

& assume all responsibilities in maintaining proper preventive measures 

such as maintaining social distancing, 

the use of masks and gloves 

as well as proper hand washing 

or use of hand sanitizers. 

VEHICLE REGISTRATION

Residents (owners & tenants) must register their vehicles with the H.O.A office, please make arrangements to come to the office during office hours or email the necessary documents to us. There is a maximum of five (5) vehicles permitted to a property at one time. 

Decals must be placed on the front windshield, lower left hand corner (drivers side) and visible at all times. 

Decals are not interchangeable; if you have sold your vehicle to another resident of the community please remove your sticker and have the new owner register with the office. If you have moved to a different address within the community you must provide the lease or owner documents to register your vehicle to the new address. 

Remember the decals are registered to your name, address and vehicle. 

*Rental vehicles and short term (vacation) renters will not be provided with a decal.

Owners will need to provide proof of ownership (new owners) and current car registration. Owner decals will only be provided to the named deed holder. All other residents will receive a yearly renewable decal. 

Tenants will need to provide current lease and current car registration. Vehicles will not be registered to tenants with expired leases and vehicle registrations. 

GOLF CARTS You will need to provide proof of insurance (check property insurance). You will also need to provide the cart serial number, color, year and make and model of the golf cart. 

ANYONE WHO DRIVES ON OUR ROADS MUST HAVE A 

VALID DRIVER'S LICENSE.

Parking within Southern Dunes Master H.O.A 

This community was originally intended as a vacation rental community we now have many full time residents and parking has become a big issue. We ask that all residents and guests be courteous when parking as well as abide by parking rules. 

• NO parking is permitted on the main roads - Southern Dunes Blvd and Hemingway Ave. 
• 
  
• Do not parked in yellow zones.

Please abide by the following parking rules:

• When parking on the street, Do not to interfere with traffic flow.
• Avoid creating obstructions this can delay emergency response vehicles from reaching those in need. 
• Park your vehicles within the enclosed garage or driveway whenever possible.
• Park in front of your property.
• Park larger vehicles in the garage or on the driveway and not on the street.
• Do not obstruct driveways or mailboxes.
• Avoid blocking the sidewalks at all times.
• No parking on the grass or on the curb. 
• Avoid parking on corners since this blocks visibility.
• Parking on the street should be temporary whenever possible.

This applies to all residents and guests including vacation renters. 

Homeowners and property management companies 

Please remind your tenants and guests about parking within our community. 

As owners and property managers you are responsible 

for your tenants and guests while they are in our community.

The association may take legal actions which may 

include towing of vehicles at the owner’s expense and liability.

We thank you in advance for your cooperation!

THE IMPORTANCE OF BAGGING LEAVES

We ask that ALL residents pick up the leaves on their property. Even if you do not have a tree - the wind blows them in your direction. DO NOT blow or sweep them onto the street or into the street gutter or drains! This will cause the drains to block and possibly flood. 

Bagging leaves can seem like an unending chore. Here are some tips to make the task a little bit easier:

• Mow right over the fallen leaves. While your mowing your lawn, mow the leaves as well, and bag them together with the cut grass. If you have a mulching mower, the leaves can be turned into next spring's mulch.
• 
  
• Knock leaves from hard-to-reach places, like the top of your roof, with a leaf blower. Remember your gutters! 
• 
  
• GATHER YOUR LEAVES! Rake your leaves into piles to be bagged. When buying a rake, try to get one with wave-shaped teeth, which prevent leaves and dirt from getting stuck in the rake.
• 
  
• BAG THE LEAVES!  Once you've gathered the leaves into piles, it's time to bag them. An efficient way to bag leaves is to put some plastic sheeting on the lawn and rake the piles of leaves onto it. Then use the plastic like a funnel to pour the leaves into bags.
• 
  
• You can also use a leaf scoop, which is a lightweight plastic scoop that lets you easily pick up a large batch of leaves in a single swipe. Simply empty the scoop into your lawn or garbage bag.
• 
  
• DO NOT place yard debris on top or inside the drains!
• 
  
• Place yard debris on the curb NOT ON THE STREET on garbage pick up day (Friday). They will be picked up if properly bagged.

We appreciate and expect  your continued cooperation! 

Tree Trimming: Why It Is Important

I’m sure I speak on behalf of more than half of the residents when I say “We love our trees!”. They provide cool shade and make our community looks great! What were once small trees have grown to be big trees and require trimming every once in a while. Not only for aesthetics but for safety. The Haines City Public Works and the Haines City Fire Department requests a 14-16 ft clearance from street level. This allows for passing on the roadways of the larger vehicles. Also trimming your trees away from your property helps against damages during strong winds. 

Why trim a tree?

Health

• Remove dead, damaged and diseased branches to help prevent insect & decay organisms from entering the tree. If dead matter if left untrimmed the decaying material can attract wood boring insects which will weaken the tree and eventually cause it to fall.
• 
  
• Thin a dense canopy on a tree to increase air and sunlight, resulting in fewer disease problems.
• 
  
• Weak or narrow crotches split apart as the tree grows older. Remove these crotches to eliminate breaking and tearing of wood.
• 
  
• Remove co-dominant leaders. Co-dominant leaders are 2 branches growing near the top of a tree that grow straight up and become equally dominant. Cutting off one allows the other branch to grow & become the dominant branch. This prevents the branches from splitting and tearing wood that is often a problem in heavy winds.
• 
  

• Maintain natural tree form

  Often erratic or vigorous branches grow that change the growth habit of other branches, this results in a misshaped tree. Early removal of these vigorous branches maintains a natural tree form.

• Correct pruning procedures create & maintain a strong tree structure, preventing safety hazards such as low growing branches and growth forms subject to storm damage near a sidewalk or driveway.
• 
  
• Trimming back dead branches or useless “shooters” lessens the potential fire danger should your tree or any structures nearby catch fire.
• 
  
• Falling debris, leaves, branches and etc on the ground. This is a safety concern for pedestrians and vehicles. Rake and collect leaves, branches and debris; place in bags for garbage pickup. Leaving debris on the ground may end up in the community gutters which may clog the drains and cause flooding.
• 
  
• During hurricane season trees should be trimmed to allow the flow of wind through them limiting them to fall over.
• 
  
• Overgrown tree branches can block the streetlights limiting adequate lighting.
•  
• Pruning can stimulate growth in sparse areas of the tree. Pruning can also restrict growth where too much growth is undesirable.
•  
• Branches and roots frequently extend across property lines. The adjoining landowner may at his or her own expense trim back the branches or roots up to the property line; if the tree is healthy. Please see the Handbook of Florida Fence and Property Law: Tree and Landowner Responsibility for more information. (Click on the Documents Library)

If you are considering removing your tree, remember to apply to the Design Review Committee first. You will need to provide a survey indicating where the tree is located. Once your request has been approved you may proceed in removing your tree. You will need to grind down the stump and possibly re-sod the area if needed. Your tree trimmer will need to haul away the tree and branches. And don’t forget to clean up any debris or leaves left of the street.