Bayou Estates News

BAYOU ESTATES JUNE 2026 – DECEMBER 2026

Our homeowner’s association is a corporation chartered in accordance with the laws of the State of Florida. Current board of Directors are: President (Website maintainer) – Bart Huitema; Vice-President – Micki Gaughan; Secretary/Treasurer John Karnitz; Member-at-Large – Annette Kneeland.

UPCOMING BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETINGS
15 July – Micki Gaughan – 3623 6th Ave W
19 August – Annette Kneeland – 3515 5th Dr W
16 September – John Karnitz – 3215 6th Ave W
21 October – Bart Huitema – 506 36th St W
18 November – Micki Gaughan – 3623 6th Ave W

NO MEETING WILL BE HELD IN DECEMBER

Rights and Responsibilities for the Bayou Estates Community
Principles for Homeowners and Community Board Members

More than a destination at the end of the day, Bayou Estates is a place people want to call home and where they feel at home. This goal is best achieved when homeowners, non-owner residents and association board members recognize and accept their rights and responsibilities. This entails striking a reasonable balance between the preferences of individual homeowners and the best interests of the community as a whole. It is with this challenge in mind that we the Bayou Estates Association Board members developed the following Rights and Responsibilities for the Bayou Estates community. Rights and Responsibilities can serve as important guideposts for all those involved in the community – board members, community managers, homeowners and non-owner residents (renters).

Homeowners Have the Right To:

• A responsive and competent community association.
• Honest, fair and respectful treatment by board members and managers.
• Participate in governing the community association by attending meetings, serving on committees and standing for election.
• Access appropriate association books and records.
• Expect prudent expenditure of fees and other assessments.
• Live in a community where the property is maintained according to established standards.
• Fair treatment regarding financial and other association obligations, including the opportunity to discuss payment plans and options with the association before foreclosure is initiated.
• Receive all documents that address rules and regulations governing the community association—if not prior to purchase and settlement by a real estate agent or attorney, then upon joining the community.
• Appeal to appropriate community leaders those decisions affecting non-routine financial responsibilities or property rights.

Homeowners Have the Responsibility To:

• Read and comply with the governing documents of the community.
• Maintain their property according to established standards.
• Treat association leaders honestly and with respect.
• Vote in community elections and on other issues.
• Pay association assessments and charges on time.
• Contact association leaders or managers, if necessary, to discuss financial obligations and alternative payment arrangements.
• Request reconsideration of material decisions that personally affect them.
• Provide current contact information to association leaders or managers to help ensure they receive information from the community.
• Ensure that those who reside on their property (e.g., tenants, relatives, friends) adhere to all rules and regulations.

Board Members Have the Right To:

• Expect owners and non-owner residents (renters) to meet their financial obligations to the community.
• Expect residents to know and comply with the rules and regulations of the community and to stay informed by reading materials provided by the association.
• Receive respectful and honest treatment from residents.
• Conduct meetings in a positive and constructive atmosphere.
• Receive support and constructive input from owners and non-owner residents.
• Expect personal privacy at home and during leisure time in the community.

Board Members Have the Responsibility To:

• Fulfill their fiduciary duties to the association and exercise discretion in a manner they reasonably believe to be in the best interests of the community.
• Exercise sound business judgment and follow established management practices.
• Balance the needs and obligations of the community as a whole with those of individual homeowners and residents.
• Understand the association’s governing documents and become educated with respect to applicable state and local laws, and to manage the association accordingly.
• Establish committees or use other methods to obtain input from owners and non-owner residents (renters).
• Conduct open, fair and well-publicized elections.
• Welcome and educate new members of the community—owners and non-owner residents (renters) alike.
• Encourage input from residents on issues affecting them personally and the community as a whole.
• Encourage events that foster neighborliness and a sense of community.
• Conduct business in a transparent manner when feasible and appropriate.
• Allow homeowners access to appropriate association records, when requested.
• Empower a community manager to collect all monies due from owners and non-owner residents (renters).
• Devise appropriate and reasonable arrangements, when needed and as feasible, to facilitate the ability of individual homeowners to meet their financial obligations to the community.
• Provide a process residents can use to appeal decisions affecting their non-routine financial responsibilities or property rights—where permitted by law and the association’s governing documents.
• Initiate foreclosure proceedings only as a measure of last resort.
• Make covenants, conditions and restrictions as understandable as possible, adding clarifying “lay” language or supplementary materials when drafting or revising the documents.

HURRICANE SEASON

1. Now is the time to take a look around your home for any hazards. You should check for trees that may have limbs/palm fronds that could break off, and along with other items around the outside of your home, become flying missiles during a strong storm. Flying debris is a major factor in personal injuries and also can cause penetration of buildings by breaking windows and putting holes in roofs. Take a few minutes to walk around your property to pick up any loose items such as lawn chairs, toys, trash receptacles, etc. Another benefit is that your property will project a more attractive appearance. The ultimate benefit is that both you and your neighbors will feel better about living next to each other and that the neighborhood will be safer and more attractive as everyone drives through it.
2. In Manatee County there are 5 levels of evacuation A through E. The Northern and Southern portions of Bayou Estates fall in the Level B evacuation area, requiring evacuation in the event of a hurricane with a potential surge inundation of at least 14 feet.
3. The closest Evacuation Shelters to Bayou Estates are:
   BUFFALO CREEK MIDDLE SCHOOL, 7320 69th St. East, Palmetto
   MILLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, 7200 69th St. East, Palmetto
   TILLMAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, 1415 29th St. East, Palmetto.
4. Three pet friendly shelters are available and more may be designated in the near future. The pet friendly shelters are:
   MILLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, 7200 69th St. East, Palmetto
   BRADEN RIVER HIGH SCHOOL, 6545 S.R. 70 E, Bradenton
   MANATEE HIGH SCHOOL, 1000 32nd St. West, Bradenton.
5. Be sure and monitor all the television and radio stations for all the latest information available. For those of you with internet service, here are a few sites that may prove useful:
   weather.com/storms/hurricane-central (The Weather Channel)
   nhc.noaa.gov (National Hurricane Center site)
   wunderground.com (WX Underground site, look for the tropical tab)
   nrlmry.navy.mil/tc_pages/tc_home.html (Navy Research Laboratory, Monterey’s Marine Meteorology Division Tropical Cyclone site)
   mymanatee.org/Departments/Public_Safety (Manatee County Emergency Services)

RETENTION PONDS

Due to the sensitive nature of Florida’s environment and the need to control localized flooding in urbanized areas, storm water retention ponds are frequently used. This is extremely important during the Hurricane season when rainfall may become very heavy at times. A storm water retention pond is generally used to temporarily store and subsequently discharge collected storm water runoff from a developed site at a rate less than or equal to the predevelopment discharge rate.

Simply put, the main purpose of a storm water retention pond is to collect and treat “the first flush” of pollutants in the storm water runoff from lawns and roadways.

All of our storm water retention ponds are of the wet retention type, meaning that during the year they will have water in them.

In recent years, storm water runoff has been recognized as a source of ground water pollution. Our retention ponds are designed to collect such runoff. Then the water, held by a retention pond, is disposed of by evaporation and infiltration into the shallow ground water aquifer.

As you can see from the information our retention ponds are NOT a source of clean water. While local wildlife may be seen in and around the retention ponds these ponds are not a playground. It is important to speak to your children and explain to them that the water may be harmful, as the runoff can contain oil/gas/fertilizer/lead and numerous other harmful substances.

Also we all must cut down on the pollution in the ponds by not disposing of anything that may be flushed through the storm drains. We need to be more vigilant in ensuring trash and yard waste does not reach the retention ponds. When cutting your lawns DO NOT flush clippings into the street, sweep or blow them back onto the lawn. These clippings contribute to algae growth in the ponds. Let us all help to keep the retention ponds clean and uncluttered so that they can function as they are designed to.

Our community is a DEED RESTRICTED community.

The Board of the HOA is here to ensure the neighborhood stays in good shape, which helps keep home values where they should be.

Bayou Estates RULES AND REGULATIONS are in place to address key areas of concern in easy to understand terms.

Bayou Estates Homeowners Association Rules and Regulations

We, the Board of Directors, urge all homeowners to be good neighbors and at a minimum adhere to following excerpt from the Article VI section of the Bayou Estates Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, Restrictions and Easements for Bayou Estates.

1. Lots are to be solely used for single-family residential homes. Under no circumstances can garages be converted to living quarters, as Manatee County ordinances govern this prohibition. No business or commercial activity may be conducted on any lot.
2. No disturbance, illegal activity, unreasonable noises, odors or anything which may be considered an annoyance or offensive activity to the neighborhood shall come from any lot. A report of a “nuisance” by two or more Bayou Estates owners will enable the board to take appropriate actions as outlined in the article 6.21 of the Association’s Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, Restrictions and Easements for Bayou Estates.
3. As a Homeowner your home and yard reflect upon the neighborhood as a whole. Each owner shall maintain the exteriors of all structures and any fixtures attached thereto in a well-kept manner, including fences, sidewalks, landscaping and lawn. Each owner must contact the Association Architectural Control Committee, before making any changes to the exterior of your home or major landscaping changes. It is also our wish that you keep your yard appearing as uncluttered as possible, by limiting yard ornaments to a select few. Many changes or improvements may require you to obtain building permit issued by the county.
4. On waterfront lots, no fences, hedges, walls or any other structures may be erected beyond the rear setback line of your lot without the prior written approval of the Board of Directors. As a reminder, the retention ponds serve a valuable function in removal of excess water in the case of a tropical storm, hurricane or other rain producing events. As such the retention ponds are to be viewed as areas that are off limits to any and all persons other than maintenance personnel. Recreational use of the retention ponds and surrounding wetland areas is not permitted.
5. Garbage, trash, refuse or rubbish shall be kept in closed containers. Yard waste must be dealt with in accordance with Manatee County Regulations and is prohibited from remaining on a lot for more than three days. In keeping with the desire to maintain a well kept neighborhood every attempt to keep containers in the garage or an area adjacent to the garage in an uncluttered manner should be made.
6. For safety, all above ground swimming pools and trampolines shall be caged or fenced in such a manner to prevent unauthorized access from any street or adjacent lot.
7. No storage buildings shall be erected, placed or constructed upon a lot, unless walled or fenced in so that it is not exposed to public view from any street or adjacent lot. Owners are solely responsible for maintenance for storage buildings and if the storage buildings fall into disrepair they must be repaired or destroyed.
8. All vehicles shall be parked in the street, in the garage, driveway or behind a fence on the lot. Parking any vehicle, boat or trailer on front lawn, at any time, is strictly prohibited. Parking any vehicle, boat or trailer on Bayou Estates Association property, known as common open spaces, is prohibited.
9. No Vehicle, boat or trailer shall be permitted to remain adjacent to any structure unless completely walled or fenced in such a manner as not to be exposed to public view from the street or adjoining lot. No inoperative cars, trucks or trailers or other type of vehicle will be allowed to remain on or adjacent to any lot for a period in excess of forty eight (48) hours, however this provision shall not apply to such vehicles which are kept within an enclosed garage. Maintenance or repair of any car, truck, boat or other vehicle, shall be permitted upon any lot for a period not exceeding 24 hours. The only exception to this time limit is if the maintenance or repair takes place within an enclosed garage.

A reminder about pets. RECENTLY, some homeowners have let their pets roam freely around our retention ponds. Pets MUST BE LEASHED when not in a fenced in area (your yard). If walking your pet PLEASE ensure that you clean up after your pet and DO NOT use the sidewalk or soil a neighbor’s yard. Remember leash and cleaning up after your pet rules are addressed by Manatee County Codes.

Household Hazardous and E-Scrap drop off dates
Disposing of Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) and Electronic Scrap (E-Scrap) Residents of Unincorporated Manatee County can bring their unwanted gasoline and diesel to the Manatee County Hazardous Waste Facility at the Lena Road Landfill Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., or every third Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. … Upcoming Saturday pickup dates: 18 July, 15 August, 19 September, 17 October and 21 November.

Bulk Garbage Pick-up
Bulk Collection Pilot Program May 1, 2026, Manatee County Utilities is launching the Bulk Collection Pilot Program for Unincorporated Manatee County residential solid waste customers, expanding curbside bulk collection service. Residents may place up to two bulk items at the curb once per month on their scheduled collection day, for up to 12 pickups per year. Tires, appliances and the annual bulk pickup must be scheduled in advance through the Customer Self-Service Portal at mymanatee.org/css.

GARBAGE PICKUP SCHEDULE CHANGES
2026 Manatee County-Observed Holidays: … AS A RESULT OF THE COUNTY OBSERVED HOLIDAYS, TRASH/RECYCLING/YARD WASTE PICKUP FOR BAYOU ESTATES RESIDENTS WILL BE DELAYED TO THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 10TH.

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