April 2006

 www.CharlotteCountyFL.com

Murdock Village Developer Selected - After thorough review by the Professional Services Committee and oral presentations to the Board of County Commissioners, Charlotte County has selected Stock Development of Naples, Florida as their number one choice to bring the Murdock Village vision to reality.  The County Attorney, Janette Knowlton, and Debrah Forester, Redevelopment Manager, will now begin negotiations with Stock Development on a contract that will specify timelines and development parameters for the project.  The contract will be returned to the Board of County Commissioners within 90 to 180 days for review and approval.  Click to view Stock Development proposal.  

Residents Tour Stump Pass Dredging Project - On April 19 Commissioners invited residents, members of the County's Beaches and Shores Advisory Committee and the media to view the progress being made on the Stump Pass Beach State Park Dredging Project.  Residents learned that the project serves two purposes.  About 430,000 cubic yards of sand will be pumped onto Stump Pass State Park as well as Knight and Don Pedro Islands to renourish those beaches.  The dredging will also clear the pass to connect boaters from Lemon Bay to the Gulf. The County's share of the $4 million project is $1.2 million, with the state and FEMA paying the remainder.  FEMA's assistance is due to the damage caused by the 2004 hurricanes.

MSBU's - What does it all mean?  MSBU and MSTU is a method used to assess neighborhoods for additional services they request from the County government.  Charlotte County currently has over 70 different MSBU/MSTU groups that establish specific work plans for their neighborhoods and then request that the Commission assess them for these special services. These services can be for canal dredging, lighting, beautification, or other special needs. During the budget hearings held each summer the Commission holds public hearings to allow all residents in MSBU's to comment on the assessments before finalizing the costs for the following fiscal year. Learn more about MSBU's on-line.

Code Enforcement Meetings to be televised live - Charlotte County is pleased to announce an addition to the CCTV-20 programming line-up with the live airing of the Code Enforcement Board Meetings. The first Code Enforcement Board Meeting will be telecast live on Wednesday, May 3, 2006 at 9:00 a.m.   It will be simulcast on CCTV-20 (Comcast Cable) and on the Internet on www.CharlotteCountyFL.com.  The meetings will also be archived on-line for on-demand viewing.  

The Code Enforcement Board meets monthly and has the authority to impose administrative fines and other non-criminal penalties to provide an equitable and effective method of enforcing any codes and ordinances. Their mission is to promote, protect and improve the health and welfare of the citizens of Charlotte County .  The cases brought before the Code Enforcement Board include a variety of community standards issues such as prohibited zoning uses,  outside storage, junk, tall grass, abandoned watercraft and parking of trucks, trailers and travel trailers. 

Dangerous Dogs - Many of our residents enjoy walking and biking, and the many new sidewalks make this enjoyable pastime even easier for participants.  Want to know in advance where you may encounter dangerous dogs?  Our Animal Control Department maintains a dangerous dog database on-line. This website also includes a variety of information on dog parks, licensing requirements and information on trapping wildlife in urban areas.

Make Freedom Count - VOTE 2006 - Have you moved since the last election? To vote in the General Election you must file a change of address so that you can be provided with a new voter registration card designating your new voting precinct.  If you are a new resident, you must be registered to vote 29 days before each election.  Voting dates to remember:  September 5, 2006 is the Primary, November 7, 2006 is the General Election.  For more information go to:  www.CharlotteVotes.com.

Water Conservation is a way of life in Charlotte County.   Residents are being reminded by Charlotte County Utilities that we have had an especially dry period and watering restrictions still apply. Compliance with the one day per week watering schedule for lawns and landscaping will ensure that you have drinking water available for your family, your pets and home consumption.  Charlotte County practices year-round water restrictions as follows:

• Addresses ending in an even number, or letters A through M can water on Tuesday ONLY.
• Addresses ending in an odd number, or letters N through Z can water on Sunday ONLY
• Locations where no address can be determined can water on Sunday ONLY.
• No watering is allowed between the hours of 10:00 am and 4:00 pm ON ANY DAY.

To protect our customers who are adhering to the restrictions, CCU will enforce all current watering policies and is prepared to issue warnings and citations for repeat violations.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

EnviroFashion Extravaganza - Last chance - Laugh yourself silly or gaze in awe at these wonderful fashions designed solely from recycled materials!  Sponsored by Keep Charlotte Beautiful, Inc., this event is not to be missed; you can never tell which community notable will walk down the runway.  Vote for your favorite model and participate in silent auctions.  For only $20 (Students $5) experience an evening of fun and fashion including Hors d'oeuvres and beverages.  All proceeds benefit Keep Charlotte beautiful environmental projects.  Saturday, April 29, 7:00 p.m. at the Edison College Auditorium.  Call 941.764.4390 or 941.743.1247 for tickets.

Hurricane Charley:  Winds of Change - The latest exhibit at the Historical Center is a collection of memorabilia collected from around the County relating to Hurricane Charley.  the exhibit also fatures the oral history documentary "Winds of Change" created by Charlotte High School and Port Charlotte High School students with a grant from the History Channel. The exhibit will be on display through September 9, 2006.  The Historical Center is located at 22959 Bayshore Road, Charlotte Harbor.

Big Surf Youth Fishing Tournament - Don’t miss the eighth annual “Big Surf” youth fishing tournament at Englewood Beach .  Tournament will be held Saturday, May 20, 2006 from 8:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. for children age 14 and under.  All participants must pre-register by May 18 at the Tringali Park Recreation Center , 3460 N. Access Road in Englewood .  This is a free event with trophies awarded in four categories for two age divisions.  A cook-out will take place for all participants immediately following the tournament and door prizes will be given away.  Children must bring their own rod and reel.  Bait will be provided.  Tournament sponsors and donations are needed.  To be a sponsor or to obtain additional information, please call the Tringali Park office at (941) 473-1018.

Men’s 30 & Over Summer Basketball League - Charlotte County Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources Department is accepting registrations for its Summer Men’s 30 and Over Basketball League which begins Tuesday, June 6th, 2006.  League games will be played on Tuesday nights at the Tringali Park Gymnasium, 3460 N. Access Road in Englewood .  Cost is $40 per player for the eight game season with play-offs and championship games held for teams finishing in the top fifty percent of the league. An organizational meeting will be held for all participants on Thursday, June 1 to discuss league rules and expectations.  T-shirts will be provided for all players for team jerseys.  Registration deadline is May 31st, 2006 .  For additional information or to receive a registration packet, please call the Tringali Park office at (941)0 473-1018

MEETINGS

The Board of County Commissioners hold their regular meetings at 9:00 a.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month.  Land use issues are addressed the third Tuesday of each month.

To view the agenda for the Board meetings click here: Commission Agenda.  The meetings can also be viewed live on CCTV20, (Comcast Channel 20) or can be viewed via live stream on our website - Streaming Video 

A variety of government meetings are archived for on-demand viewing. Check out our inventory here: On Demand Video

Charlotte County has dozens of official meetings and activities each month.  For an itemized listing click here: Meeting Calendars

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