About Us

Purpose per Hillsborough County Ordinance 85-39 as amended by Hillsborough County Ordinance 98-26: Continued development, administration, and maintenance of properties for the unincorporated area known as North Lakes Maintenance District. 

Goals:

1. The special district will provide lawn maintenance service for all common areas, and install and maintain landscaping at the main sign and in the designated areas along the privacy wall. 

a. Objective: Provide regular grass cutting, edging, trimming in landscaped areas, weeding, and planting, accordingly by seasons (weekly in summer, bi-weekly in winter). 

b. Performance Standard: Monitor work of the lawn maintenance company monthly and ensure it meets the defined requirements provided to the company. 

FY 2025 results: Regular communication with the lawn maintenance company occurred through the year. A revised maintenance contract was sent to the current company in August 2025 and was signed by that company in October 2025. Fertilizer application for the common areas two times per year in October 2025 and March 2026 was contracted with the pest control company because of licensing requirements. 

2. The special district will provide pest control for the common areas. 

a. Objective: Eradicate pests to maintain grass and plantings in the common areas. 

b. Performance Standard: Regular monthly inspection of common areas and reporting to pest control company if any infestations are found. 

FY 2025 results: Consistent application of pesticides in accordance with the stipulated schedule controlled the insect population. 

3. The special district will maintain the privacy wall, including regular pressure washing, painting and repairs of cracks.

a. Objective:  Preserve the wall and ensure resident’s privacy.

b. Performance Standard: Observation of the wall and communication to the wall maintenance contractor if damage is detected. Scheduling of repairs if necessary. 

FY 2025 results: One repair to the wall for structural damage was completed in June 2025 at a cost of $4,450. 

4. The special district will repair any damage to the wall caused by trees or automobile accidents. 

a. Objective: Restore the wall after any damage occurs. 

b. Performance Standard: Contact the wall maintenance contractor as soon as the damage is observed. Repairs done as soon as possible by the contractor. 

FY 2025 results: Another repair is pending that was caused by an owner hiring a tree trimming company that dropped a limb on the wall in August 2025. Additionally, there may be other damage to the wall caused by shrubs in this owner’s back yard. These repairs are pending estimates and owner acceptance of the repair costs for the damage. The owner does not live in the home and a renter is the resident. 

5. The special district will maintain the irrigation system. 

a. Objective: Provide once weekly irrigation in accordance with current watering restrictions. 

b. Performance Standard: Monthly review of the water bill to ensure system is working. 

FY 2025 results: A service call for inspection of the system required the replacement of 4 battery operated nodes and re-programming of the system to sprinkle two times per week. This was done in July 2025 at a cost of $1,180. The new lawn maintenance contract includes inspection of the system at every service date to ensure it is working properly. Any problems will be reported to the North Lakes Manager and a service call to the irrigation company will be initiated.  

6. The special district will maintain the signage at the entrance and on the privacy wall. 

a. Objective: Define the geographic boundaries of North Lakes Maintenance District. 

b. Performance Standard: All signs are legible and in good repair. 

FY2025 results: All signage remains legible and in good repair. 

7. The special district will maintain the lighting of the sign at the entrance. 

a. Objective: Define the entrance to North Lakes Maintenance District.

b. Performance Standard: If power is interrupted except by storms, contact electrician for repairs within 2 days. 

FY 2025 results: The lighting for the sign remains in good repair. 

8. The special district will maintain the electrical receptacles at the entrance, which service the irrigation system and the lighting of the sign. 

a. Objective: Provide continuous electricity for the sign and irrigation system. 

b. Performance Standard: Contact electrician within 2 days if repair is needed.  

FY 2025 results: The electrical outlets at the sign remain in good repair. 

9. The special district will assist residents in reporting issues to Hillsborough County by submitting work orders for illegal dumping, sidewalk and road damage, overhanging or damaged trees, road sign damage, overgrown lawns, flooding, damage to county property, noise more than normal standards, drainage concerns in the conservation area, and parking on the right of way. Any other categories not mentioned that Hillsborough County is obligated to either repair or respond to will be reported via work order. 

a. Objective:  Ensure that Hillsborough Country departments maintain county property and the safety of residents of North Lakes Maintenance District. 

b. Performance Standard: Keep log book of work orders and follow up with appropriate departments regularly if work orders are not addressed. Note: North Lakes Maintenance District is not responsible for work orders not completed by Hillsborough County. 

FY 2025 results: Members of the North Lakes Maintenance District Board submitted 84 work requests to Hillsborough County using the “At Your Service” portal on the Hillsborough County website. We had the most success with Code Enforcement getting debris removed from curbsides and addressing overgrown lawns. We had less success with road and/or pothole repairs, sidewalk repairs, signage replacement, drainage in the conservation area, repairs to sewer drains/grates, parking on the conservation areas or right of way, and tree-trimming over the roads and around the conservation area. The completion of the work remains Hillsborough County’s responsibility. Members of the Maintenance District Board of Trustees also attended 2 separate meetings In May 2025 about Regional Stormwater Evaluation, held to gather information about flooding/water damage due to Hurricane Milton. These Board Members provided photos and a summary to representatives of Black & Veatch, a company hired by Hillsborough County to evaluate how to address the flooding that occurred from Hurricane Milton. 

10. The special district will retrieve the voicemail messages received on the phone line weekly. 

a. Objective: Receive communications from residents or others. 

b. Performance Standard: Respond to messages, if needed, within 3-5 days. 

FY 2025 results: 162 phone calls were logged, with 19 voicemail messages left. None of these messages required a response. Most of these messages were from realtors about HOA dues (which we do not have in North Lakes) or from others about money-making opportunities. 

11. The special district will read the emails received at the website’s email address. 

a. Objective:  Receive communications from residents or others. 

b. Performance Standard: respond to messages within 3-5 days, if needed. 

FY 2025 results: 630 emails were received, with 12 requiring a response. 6 messages had longer response times than 3-5 days because they were related to the due date of the response. Example: submission of the non-ad valorem tax roll. This email was sent weeks before the due date. The other 6 messages had a response time between 0-5 days. There were many obvious scam emails involving money making “opportunities” for our website, or other bogus schemes. 

12. The special district will provide information of interest to the North Lakes Maintenance District residents on a regular basis. 

a. Objective: Inform residents of changes that may affect them, relevant information about the North Lakes community, or upcoming events.

b. Performance Standard: Website will be updated monthly. 

FY 2025 results: Information updates were posted each month on the website. 

13.  The special district will post signs advertising the monthly meeting. 

a. Objective: Invite residents to attend meeting and receive information. 

b. Performance Standard: Post signs at least 3 days before monthly meetings and advertise the annual schedule of meetings in the Tampa Bay Times at the beginning of each fiscal year.

FY 2025 results: A total of 4 signs are posted at the 4 streets that exit North Lakes at N. Lakeview Drive a minimum of 3 days before each Board Meeting that is on the third Tuesday of each month at 6:30 pm. The monthly meeting schedule was published in the Tampa Bay Times on September 25, 2024.   

14.  The special district will create a balanced budget each fiscal year.

a. Objective:  To carry out the duties and responsibilities of the special district within the funds collected from the annual fee of $70 per parcel. 

b. Performance Standard: Expenses will not exceed the budgeted amounts in each category, except in emergencies. An amendment to the budget will be submitted if this occurs. 

FY 2025 results: A balanced FY 2026 budget was submitted to the County in June 2025.

15.  The special district will provide an audited financial statement annually. 

a. Objective: Comply with ordinance standards for special districts with more than $50,000 in annual funds collected. 

b. Performance Standard: The audited financial statement from a state approved auditor will show no irregularities. 

FY 2025 results: The audit of North Lakes by King & Walker for FY 2024 at a cost of $2,500 showed no irregularities and was certified on the state LOGER financial system on March 9, 2025. The audit of North Lakes for FY 2025 by King & Walker was completed in December 2025 and showed no irregularities. It has not yet been posted on the state (LOGER) system to be certified.