Orange County Mayor Richard T. Crotty along with Orange County Cooperative Extension will host twelve (12) tree adoptions during 2009. The programs are free for all Orange County citizens and are designed to encourage adding trees to our environment. Along with the obvious advantages of shade and beauty, trees provide oxygen, filter, pollution, and create habitats for wildlife. Adding trees also replenish lost canopy due to storm damage, age, and development. And of course, pride of ownership, a sense of accomplishment and increased property value are added perks.

The Adopt-A-Tree events will be held the following dates and locations from 8 a.m. until 12 Noon

(or when all the trees are gone):

Orange County Utilities requires that we install a Back Flow Prevention device. We are currently soliciting bids and contributions to pay for this project. We did not budget for this. Our irrigation system has been repaired multiple times in the past year and we do not have any discretionary funds that we can use to cover what apparently will cost around $500. Please help.

Raintree Place received another ReNEW grant from Orange County in 2007. This grant was used to redesign our front entrance landscaping to enhance the aesthetic properties of our neighborhood and reduce the amount of money we spend on irrigation. Since then, we have been able to drastically reduce our water consumption and maintenance expenses.

Raintree Place Neighborhood Location: Raintree Place is located in the Metrowest area of Orlando in Central Florida: Southwest Orange County - West of Edgewood Ranch Road, south of Old Winter Garden Road and north of Metrowest Elementary School & Steer Lake Road.

Directions: From Hiawassee Road, turn west onto Old Winter Garden. Turn left at the second traffic signal, which is Edgewood Ranch Road. Raintree Place is the 2nd subdivision on the right.

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If you are a new resident, you should know about the homestead exemption for your primary residence. If you moved into your home in 2008, then you must file before March 2009 in order to get the homestead exemption as soon as possible. This will also qualify you for more savings in the future realized by the "Save Our Homes" program. Since 1995 in Florida, the annual increase in value for residential property with a homestead exemption has been limited by constitutional amendment. State laws and regulations have been put into force to implement this limit. Residential property with current homestead exemption is protected against large value increases used for calculating property taxes in any single year. That value increase is limited to a maximum of 3% or the rise in the Consumer Price Index, whichever is less. Even if you didn't file right after purchasing your home, you can still file for your primary residence - the longer you wait the less you save...

You could save $$$ on your Orange County property taxes.
Click here for more info on Orange County Florida Homestead Exemption: http://www.ocpafl.org/docs/hxbro.html

Directional signage is defined as a sign, “solely used for the purpose of indicating the direction or physical location of any sale, object, place, use, business, event, service, or area, which is not on the same parcel as the sign.” Effective March 1, 2005, any individual or business owner must:

• Obtain a required permit from Orange County Zoning Division to post a sign on County right-of-way
• Post a maximum of six right-of-way directional signs within three miles of an event or location, up to three times per year. .Include the address or location of the event within the sign message
• Post the signs no earlier than Friday, 5 pm, and remove them prior to 8 am the Monday following the weekend event.

The Code Enforcement Division will continue to enforce illegal right-of-way signs by issuing violation notices, removing and/or destroying illegal signs, and when, necessary, presenting the case before the Code Enforcement Board for their review and disposition thereof. For more information about weekend right-of-way signage, contact the Orange County Code Enforcement Division.

Wilderness Trekkers is a Florida not-for-profit organization dedicated to the education and promotion of the responsible recreational use and enjoyment of the outdoors. One of the ways they achieve this is by bringing together people with the same outdoor interests through activities, seminars, and educational events organized by our volunteer Event Hosts.

What's FUN and FREE and close by? The West Orange Trail! Over 50,000 people a month enjoy the West Orange Trail, a 20 mile (32 kilometer) long multipurpose recreational greenway following an old railroad grade from Oakland to Apopka. The Trail contains a 12 foot (3 meter) wide paved surface for hikers, walkers, joggers, bikers, skaters and horseback riders. Bicycle and rollerblade rental is available at the County Line Station, the trailhead two miles (three kilometers) west of Old Town.

If you have an item for the Raintree Record (our neighborhood newsletter), please be sure to submit it by the 15th of the month for inclusion in the next monthly newsletter. Contact Brian Swann at (321) 221-0702. Classified ads are free to all paid members of the association.

Raintree Place Neighborhood Location: Raintree Place is located in the Greater Metropolitan area of Orlando in Central Florida: Southwest Orange County - West of Edgewood Ranch Road, south of Old Winter Garden Road and north of Metrowest Elementary School & Steer Lake Road. Although Raintree Place is located in unincorporated Orange County, we are in the Metrowest Elementary School district. (Gotha Middle School and Olympia High School). The Raintree Place Neighborhood Association is a voluntary association of residents and home owners in Raintree Place, which is located just outside of Orlando city limits near Metrowest / Veranda Park in unincorporated Orange County Florida.

2009 Annual Membership Dues: $85 - Mail your due$ with your name, address, and phone # to:

June 26th - Raintree Place Potluck Picnic and Patriotic Parade - On June 26, 2004 Raintree Place Neighborhood Association hosted its first Potluck Picnic and Patriotic Parade. (Don't you just love the alliteration?) We celebrated our receiving an Orange County RENEW grant to clean, repair, and paint our front entrance wall. Thanks to everyone at Neighborhood Services Division, especially Mark Lewis! At 12 noon, Tim and Marybeth opened their garage. We decorated bikes, scooters, strollers, an antique-looking car, and a wheelchair with red, white and blue streamers and USA flags. At about 2pm, the parade proceeded around Sweetgum Loop to the back of the subdivision (mp3 video coming soon?) and then we all feasted on scrumptious delectables prepared by our neighbors. The wheelbarrow full of ice seemed to be the hit of the day - at least with most of the younger children. Thanks to everyone who participated - Enjoy the slideshow!

More Past Social Events:

Raintree Place Patriotic Parade : June 20 2007 - View the Photos!