CDD discusses security plan

LAKEWOOD RANCH — A series of home burglaries over the past few months broke an aura of impenetrability for residents of the Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club, a master-planned community with manicured lawns, accomplished retirees and multimillion-dollar homes.

As Lakewood Ranch residents seek assurances that they are safe, Community Development District supervisors want homeowners to know they are protected.

At its agenda workshop meeting Dec. 16, CDD 6 supervisors adopted a 10-point program to improve security at the gate at Balmoral Woods and Lakewood Ranch boulevards, which offers entry into Country Club West, located within country club boundaries.

The program did not require a formal motion.

Part of improving security, says Jim Hill, the CDD 6 supervisor who created the plan, requires alerting residents to protections already in place.

“We want to improve property owners’ and supervisors’ understanding of the controls already here,” Hill said. “We want to have a record in one place that spells out the rules of the game. It would say, ‘Here is how the gate is supposed to operate from a security standpoint.’ Doing so would bolster the opinion that the gate guards are doing a job, and it’s not just, ‘Car drives up, lift the gate.’ There are actually questions asked and data compiled.”

As part of the action plan, district attorney Andy Cohen reviewed Lakewood Ranch Town Hall’s contract with U.S. Security Associates, the contractor that provides security at the gate, and confirmed the scope of work it requires. Cohen also reviewed a contract between CDDs 2 and 5 and U.S. Security Associates, related to management of the Legacy Boulevard gate, to confirm both gates are managed by the same security protocol.

Because most roads within Lakewood Ranch were publicly funded, public access must be allowed. However, cameras at the gate can photograph drivers and license plates. Guards also can ask visitors for their destination.

“We don’t anticipate any changes to the rules,” Hill said. “But there is a lack of precise knowledge about what the rules are. We can improve security by simply understanding what the rules are and what resources we have access to.”

CDD 6 will compile and distribute an information package related to a website,

gateaccess.net, that allows residents to send notifications to gate guards when they have visitors and can provide guards with instructions about the visitors.

The online system logs visitors’ names, dates of visit and license plate numbers.

“I was unaware this system existed,” Hill said. “This gives residents a level of control.”

Other action items included preparing a comprehensive Balmoral gate policy that contains the contract with U.S. Security Associates, the protocols the company must follow and any other information relevant to managing the gate.

“The information is scattered,” Hill said. “This brings it all together.”

The final items call for operations staff to present a detailed quarterly security report to the board.

Hill realizes a gate that can be accessed by anybody only represents a component of security.

“We owe it to homeowners to manage our district asset (the gate) as efficiently as possible,” Hill said. “But property owners have a responsibility to keep their doors locked and eyes open.”

IN OTHER BUSINESS:
IDA:
 • A ribbon-cutting ceremony for Town Hall’s new maintenance facility will be held Jan. 9.
 
CDD 1:
• Town Hall Executive Director Eva Rey said, in January, she will have information about switching to electronic-only agendas.
 
CDD 2:
• Town Hall Operations Director Ryan Heise said landscaping contractor Down To Earth has improved its performance.
 
CDD 5:
• Phase five storm-drain repairs will soon begin in seven locations. The repairs are similar to those done in phases three and four.
 
CDD 6:
• Supervisor Richard Williams proved a clerical error has led to CDD 6 being erroneously charged a share of costs for the operations and maintenance of Lorraine Road from Masters Avenue to the Braden River. A 2005 email from Schroeder-Manatee Ranch shows CDDs 2 and 5 are responsible for those costs. Board attorney Andy Cohen will resolve the situation so that the district is not charged next fiscal year.

 CDD’S 2, 5 and 6:
• In a joint workshop, board members from the CDDs set a February deadline to produce a formal document related to cost sharing of the gate at Balmoral Woods and Lakewood Ranch boulevards.

Contact Josh Siegel at [email protected].