Board meetings are usually scheduled for the fourth Thursday of the month, 7:00 PM at The Moose Hall, 3190 Courtenay Pkwy, Merritt Island.  If there is a change in schedule or location, it will be posted on this site under NOTICES and on the community bulletin boards at least forty-eight hours in advance.  Board meeting agendas are available to Owners at the meeting.  2018 Minutes of Meetings are located in the Downloads section of this site.

Notice of Membership meetings, as well as Annual and Budget meetings, with agendas and other needed information are sent electronically or by USPS to all Owners.  

Gates may be open for monthly garage sales on the first Saturday of each month from 8 AM to 2 PM. 

Please email the board at board@slhoa.com to volunteer for a committee. Those currently being formed include:

  Welcoming Committee -  Chair and one member in place

  Social/Holiday Committee  - Chair in place 

  Stormwater Committee - Chair in place

  Hurricane Preparedness Committee  - Chair and one member in place

Each committee selects a Chairperson and submits a Charter (purpose, goals, implementation, recommendations - activities, members and contact info) for Board approval.     

“It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.”      Ralph Waldo Emerson                           

The Architectural Review Committee (ARC)  is a important part of Sunset Lakes HOA.  They are elected by Owners and tasked with reviewing , evaluating and either approving or disapproving requests for construction, and all exterior additions to our homes, including roofs, fencing, shutters, paint, etc.   The ARC encourages harmonious continuity in Sunset Lakes and adds guidelines from time to time to assist Owners in this effort.  They require a special form be filled out and according to the nature of the request, may need other items such as surveys, as well.  The ARC form is in the download section of this site.   The email for the ARC is arc@slhoa.info .   ARC meetings are scheduled with monthly Board meetings.

FREQUENT QUESTIONS:

Q- Where do we find the Bylaws, C&Rs, Articles and other governing documents for Sunset Lakes HOA?

A- Those documents should be provided by the seller of the property at closing.  If they were not or have been lost, Sentry can provide them electronically or a hard copy may be provided at a small charge.

Q - In the event of a conflict in documents, what is the order of precedence for an HOA in Florida?

A - State Statutes (Chapter 720), Declarations of Covenants & Restrictions, Articles, Bylaws, Guidelines, Rules.

Q- Where do I find a map of Sunset Lakes?

A- Maps of both Sunset Lakes and Island Estates are found in the download section of this site.

Q - Now that we have changed Property Management Companies, who should we contact if we need to clarify or address a situation about the HOA?

A - Sentry Management Company is now our Property Management Company. The SLHOA Property Manager of Sentry Management, Inc., is Ted Warwick LCAM who may be reached via email - twarwick@sentrymgt.com or phone - 321-638-8880, ext 56009.  Email is the most efficient method of contact for Ted .  

Q- What is the difference between the Property Manager and the Board of Directors?

A-  The Property Manager manages the association; the Board governs the association.

Q- Now that Sentry is our Management Company will our dates for assessments or the amount due change?

A- The dates for our semi-annual assessments (January 1 & July 1 of each year) and the amount ($330) will stay the same.  Because Sentry started on July 1, when our assessments are normally due, we must wait until they send us an invoice and info about where and how to pay. No one will be considered late within the 30 day grace period. Setting up accounting for a large HOA is complex and Sentry is working through the process.    

Q- For hurricane information, how do we find the Brevard County Emergency Preparedness info?

A- http://www.brevardfl.gov/EmergencyManagement/Preparedness .  We also have a newly formed Hurricane Committee that needs extra hands before and after hurricane events. 

Q- In the event of a non-violent emergency, who should we call?

A- The non-violent contact for the Brevard County Sheriff's Department is 321-633-7162.  Our Property Manager Ted Warwick LCAM at twarwick@sentrymgt.com should also be notified, as well as the board at board@slhoa.com.

Q- In the event of an emergency where life or property is in imminent danger, who should we call?

A- 911 is the appropriate call for a situation that imminently endangers life or property.  Our Property Manager and Board should also be notified, of course.

 NOTES

 Rabies Alert By Brevard County Health Department 

The Florida Department of Health in Brevard County (DOH-Brevard) urges residents to avoid contact with wild and stray animals to protect themselves from the risk of rabies exposure after a person was exposed to a rabid raccoon in July 2018.

In Florida, raccoons, bats and foxes, and unvaccinated cats are the animals most frequently diagnosed with rabies

Other animals that are at high risk for rabies include skunks, otters, coyotes, bobcats, and stray or unvaccinated dogs and ferrets.

Each year, Brevard receives reports of rabid animals. In 2018, 4 rabid animals including 3 raccoons and 1 bat were reported in Brevard. Most recently, a raccoon with exposure to one person was reported in July 2018.

“Rabies is a potentially fatal disease. It is important not to handle wild animals, to be aware of unusual acting animals, and to keep pets vaccinated against rabies,” said Maria Stahl, DNP, RN, Health Officer FDOH Brevard County.

Rabies is transmitted through exposure to the saliva and nervous tissue from a rabid animal through a bite, scratch, or contact with mucous membranes such as the eyes, nose, or mouth. DOH-Brevard works with Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Animal Services in responding to incidents of animal bites, tests animals for rabies through the Department of Health state laboratory, and quarantines animals as necessary.

DOH-Brevard also provides rabies vaccinations to victims of animal bites, the only known effective treatment for rabies prevention in humans.

The following are steps you can take to protect yourself and your loved ones against rabies:

Keep rabies vaccinations up to date for all pets and at-risk livestock.

Do not allow your pets to run free. Follow leash laws by keeping pets and livestock secured on your property.

If your pet or livestock are bitten by a wild animal, seek veterinary assistance for the animal immediately and contact Brevard Animal Services at 321-633-2024.

Spay or neuter your pets to help reduce the number of unwanted pets that may not be properly cared for or regularly vaccinated.

Do not handle, feed, or unintentionally attract wild animals with outdoor food sources such as uncovered trash or litter.

Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home.

Teach children never to handle unfamiliar animals, wild or domestic, even if they appear friendly.

Prevent bats from entering living quarters or occupied spaces in homes, churches, schools, and other similar areas, where they might come in contact with people and pets.

Persons who have been bitten or scratched by wild or domestic animals should seek medical attention and report the injury to the DOH-Brevard at 321-634-6337.

We have just checked and cleared our street stormwater drains for the upcoming hurricane season.  Our street gutters drain into the stormwater drains that flow from detention pond to pond, finally emptying into the river as cleaner water.  Putting yard waste in the gutters endangers the patency of our stormwater drains - possibly causing backup and flooding properties during a heavy rain event.  Please put yard waste into reusable containers or piled neatly in no > 4 foot sections on the apron of the driveway for pickup by Waste Management. 

During our rainy season  - especially when a storm is approaching, it is wise to reduce our gray water use.  All our irrigation runoff goes into our storm water system and we will need more space for heavy storm rains.  When a storm is close, it is wise to reduce or turn off our home irrigation systems, as our property management company will do for the common areas, as well.  That will keep our grounds from being over saturated and unable to absorb the heavy rainwater that may follow.  

Of course, this is the time to trim our own trees so they will be stable and safe during high winds.  We have done that for the common areas and all Owners need to consider that now for their properties, before storms threaten.  

If we engage a professional firm to trim our trees or shrubs on our own property, we are each responsible to make sure they follow Brevard County Ordinance and remove those cuttings from the community.  Cuttings should not be left at the residence or in the street.

At the last Board Meeting, sidewalk blocking was discussed.  It is against Florida State Law and may present a safety hazard for our Owners and guest pedestrians. Please ensure the safety of our Owners and guests by not blocking the sidewalks with parked cars or other items such as pool drain pipes, motorcycles, yard waste, etc.

At areas of sidewalk that may have become uneven over time, we are continuing to grind the uneven joint areas to smooth curves instead of the alternate option of removing the sidewalks and replacing with sod.   Replacing all sidewalks would be beyond the current budget and require a revenue adjustment.  Grinding to curved edges is the more economical choice.  If Owners will email our Property Manager the location of uneven sidewalks observed, it will help speed the process.

 A reminder -  Signage is not allowed in our community save the "For Sale" signs in the yard of a home that is for sale with specific sign dimensions noted in our C&Rs. State Statutes allow very small security signs within 10 feet of the front entrance of homes.  No signage is allowed on common property.  The exception we have established is for those small, temporary directional signs during Garage Sale First Saturdays that are removed at the end of the sale period.  Please keep our common areas clear of signage.

July 4th Parade

The Annual July 4th Parade was held as scheduled!  PRIZES for the most patriotic decor were awarded and Amber Cochran has once again done a wonderful job to organize a great community event to celebrate our nation's birthday! Thanks to everyone who helped from those who provided refreshments like the Ryan's on Starlight with a water station, to the sharp guys who kept us from having traffic issues as the parade moved through our streets.  As one neighbor said, even the dogs were impressed!  See  pictures below.