Streetlights on during the day

 

You might notice our streetlights on during the day. Utility companies do this intentionally so their crews can see where power has come back. Our community pays Tampa Electric a flat rate for our streetlights. This won't impact our electric bill.

Let There Be Light!

I am not home to verify it, but the board president texted me to say power had come back on and the property manager said that water service should resume within the hour. 

We obviously have a lot of repairs and cleanup to do. The next HOA board meeting, to which all homeowners are welcome is Oct. 30 at the office of our property manager, Excelsior Community Management. Discussion topics include the 2025 budget. 

Water Shut Off Community Wide

Water use has overwhelmed our lift station, forcing water to the community to be shut off. The lift station needs electricity to run, which it has not had since just after 8 p.m. Wednesday.

Hurricane Milton Afternath

Hurricane Milton did more damage to our community in its 18 years of existence than any storm has ever done. It toppled at least two of our grand oak trees, one onto a building on Marble Fawn. It tore shingles off our roofs and destroyed a lot of our privacy fencing. But, overall, it looks like the buildings withstood the winds and well. 

The primary hardship for most of us is the power outage. As of Thursday at 7 p.m., about 580,000 Tampa Electric customers lacked electricity. It could take a while for it to come back on. 

Besides the discomfort of living in Florida without air conditioning, this presents a big problem for us because the lift station that pumps our water waste out of the community currently does not function. When it reaches capacity, the water to the community will have to turn off.

If your unit suffered storm damage, especially its interior, FEMA had already opened a disaster assistance center at The Regent at 6437 Watson Rd. after Hurricane Helene. You can begin to apply for help by registering online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362). Or try visiting the center on Watson Rd.

It looks from one man's Google searching that the HOA cannot get FEMA aid (though I have seen laws proposed that would allow this, I have not read where any of them passed) itself. Only individuals qualify, so it puts the burden on individual unit owners to apply for help. 

Alafia River near U.S. 301

Hillsborough County sent the following text alert at 12:28 p.m. today that should NOT cause undue alarm for us in St. Charles Place: 

This is an urgent message from Hillsborough County government. Major flooding is expected in your area. A flood watch has been issued for the Alafia River near U.S. 301 and at Lithia from late tonight, Wed. Oct. 9, until further notice. Take necessary safety precautions. Visit HCFL.Gov/StaySafe for all storm related information. Residents without digital access should call (833) HC STORM, the County’s storm information and helpline. Stay tuned to local news for further updates.

This is not surprising. If Hurricane Milton's center passes north of us, the Alafia will rise significantly as the storm pushes water inland. 

However, St. Charles Place lies in Zone E. We are not forecast to get flooding. Also, the current forecast track - which obviously can change - has Milton's eye making landfall south of the Alafia, which would push water west, giving us whatever the opposite of storm surge is called. 

Hurricane Milton

Hillsborough County just sent evacuation orders for Zones A, B, and all mobile homes. St. Charles Place is NOT in Zone A or B. Nor do we have mobile homes (at least we hope not). 

We are in Zone E. 

Also, we don't know if our scheduled garbage pickup for Wednesday will happen. Please don't overload the dumpsters. It could all just become flying debris. 

The dumpster at the far east end of Johanna Ave. seems to fill less quickly than most of our other ones. If your usual dumpster is full, please make the effort to find one that isn't, especially when your trash doesn't just become an eyesore, it could become a hazard.