Bylaws and Records - Overbrook Gardens Association, Inc.

The Overbrook Gardens Association is incorporated in the State of Florida. The Association is a member of the Southwest Sarasota County Alliance of Homeowners. Members of the Board of Directors attend seminars on subjects such as: development of grants applications, disaster preparation, and neighborhood leadership development: and when appropriate, they attend meetings of such groups as the Englewood Area Planning Advisory Board, The Englewood Community Redevelopment Authority, the Sarasota County Planning Commission, and the Sarasota County Commission. Participation in all of these activities gives Overbrook Gardens a greater voice in community affairs as well as access to a broad base of knowledge on what is going on and how to get help when necessary.

The Association hosts a meeting for all community residents each November. This is done to update residents on Association activities, to hear of concerns from the people who live in our community, and to introduce the Association to non-members. For information on current community activities see What’s New In Overbrook Gardens.

Bylaws

The Association’s Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws can be read here online at these links:

Articles Of Incorporation Of Overbrook Gardens Association, Inc.

Bylaws Of Overbrook Gardens Association

Maps

Click here for a map of properties in Overbrook Gardens showing house numbers.

Click here for a map of original lot numbers. This was found in a badly deteriorated state but was pieced together and scanned to produce this PDF. Zoom in on it and it becomes more readable.

Click here for the Google map of this area. Drag the cursor to move the map.

Historical Information

Someone sent in a copy of a newspaper article that shows a photo of a painting of the old Bridge St. bridge that crossed Forked Creek before Overbrook Gardens was developed. Click here for the complete article and the picture. Also, while digging through the Association’s archives, this 1966 Herald Tribune article was found. Apparently there was some controversy surrounding the removal of the bridge.

An early aerial photograph of Overbrook Gardens, apparently taken for a real estate brochure in the late 1950s, was found in Ed Bohon’s archives. His house at 1953 Fairview Dr. was built in 1960, one of earliest houses built in Overbrook Gardens. Note that his house is not in the photo. Click here to view the photo. Note the Bridge St. bridge and the Englewood Isles (now) shoreline that extends into North Forked Creek. This no longer exists and we have, instead, the placid basin between Fairview and Forked Creek Drives and Englewood Isles. A perfect turning area for raising and lowering sails! You can also plainly see the shoal at the entrance to Greenlawn Channel. Also note the absence of “native” Mangroves—-anywhere!!!

Jo Smith has provided two additional pictures of our neighborhood in earlier days which are here and here.

Click here for the full article that was in the Herald Tribune on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2014 featuring Overbrook Gardens in the Real Estate magazine.

Lot 12 Mangrove Damage

The Association has been charged for two mangrove violations by the State of Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection, one in 2004 and a much larger one in 2008. The following links show a document trail for both. The Lot 12 violation was done in early 2008 by person(s) unknown but has cost the Association some $6000, extreme stress to the Board, and uncounted hours of volunteer time. There were many more emails, reports, consent orders (and rebuttals), conference calls, meetings, and photo excursions that are not listed. The process was completed on Oct. 2012 when the DEP made their final inspection of the property, reviewed documentation of the restoration process and issued a letter releasing the Association from further restoration work and reporting requirements.