Stonecrest in Summerfield has been named “Community of the Year” in the 2015 Florida Communities of Excellence Awards.
Stonecrest was honored for its green water conversation and was named a “Trendsetter” for its Neighborhood Emergency Response Team.
“To minimize water use, the Stonecrest community initiated a water conservation and five-year landscape plan,” Florida Communities of Excellence said in its award presentation. ” A series of Florida Friendly Landscaping workshops were held for residents, the list of acceptable plants was revised, and residents were offered micro-irrigation starter kits. High-maintenance common areas were re-landscaped, removing St. Augustine and replacing it with Asiatic jasmine where possible. The irrigation system was audited and repaired, with a dual-wire controller and rain-sensor system installed to help reduce overwatering. Metered irrigation costs were reduced by $81,000 from 2012 to 2013, and the 2014 use was cut another 10 percent.”
And in being named a “Trendsetter,” the Florida Communities of Excellence lauded Stonecrest for improving response times to cardiac arrest emergencies. The community purchased 32 automated defibrillators for its 23 volunteer Neighborhood Emergency Response Teams, and trained more than 300 residents. Volunteer responders are activated with “Call Alerts” from 911 Dispatch.
Now in its seventh year, the Florida Communities of Excellence Awards focus on innovative practices in communities from across the state. Winners are chosen from small communities (up to 400 units) and large communities by a panel of independent experts. The judges include representatives of leading state and local government departments and agencies, and officials at industry and non-profit organizations. Judges also come from the fields of journalism, resource management, education, public safety and public advocacy.
Stonecrest was judged in over 400 units category.
