Newsroom
*Updated 5/1/2013*


SEBC Welcomes 46 New Exhibitors, Announces New Member Discount

The 35th annual Southeast Building Conference (SEBC) will have an exciting new look this year with 46 new exhibiting companies for the July 11-13 trade show at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando.

That's great news for the more than 5,000 delegates expected as well as new members of the (local HBA name), who can attend the entire show, including 60 educational programs, for just $69... more than a 50 percent discount off the regular price.

For details on attending or exhibiting, visit www.sebcshow.com

SEBC Celebrates 35th Year With New Venue, Format
ORLANDO – The Florida Home Builders Association-sponsored Southeast Building Conference (SEBC) will celebrate its 35th anniversary this year and is marking the occasion with changes that it hopes will keep the show vibrant and relevant for years to come.

For the first time in history, SEBC 2013 moves into the new SOUTH Hall of the Orange County Convention Center, giving exhibitors and delegates a fresh venue for the vast array of building industry products and services displayed at the July 11-13 show.

To make sure exhibitors get maximum attention, this year’s show schedule has set aside designated hours (Noon to 3 pm each day) for home builders, remodelers, and allied construction-related professionals to tour the displays.

There will be specialty pavilions featuring Hurricane Alley, Green Building, and Masonry. The Florida Department of Community Affairs sponsors the hurricane-mitigation displays while the Florida Masonry Association presents exhibits as part of its co-location partnership with SEBC.

As the only major building industry trade show in the South this year, SEBC expects to draw a large audience to its world-class educational programs, which includes all 14 hours that Florida contractors need to achieve their continuing education requirement.

Top key elements of SEBC over the years – the New Southern Home and the Aurora Awards – will remain staples of the show experience.

The New Southern Home is being built by Nathan Cross of NWC Construction, Inc., and will be a living laboratory for builders and consumers with a keen interest in Green building and energy-efficiency.

The Aurora Awards, the premier building industry design competition in the Southeast, will honor its winners on Saturday evening, July 13, 2013, at the Rosen Centre’ Hotel.

For more on SEBC and the Aurora Awards, visit www.sebcshow.com and www.theauroras.com.


Charlotte County Building & Construction Services Department Presentation
In case you missed the General Membership Meeting this past Tuesday, we invite you to review the presentation the county shared with CDBIA members. Their presentation explained where the building and construction services department are financially and where they will be in the near future. Claire Jubbs was very helpful in presenting the information and answering questions following the presentation. You will also find follow up information from questions asked at the meeting to support the information that was shared with us.
Presentation PDF (link)
Follow-up Documentation PDF (link)
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email or call Governmental affairs Chairman Suzanne Graham. (941) 628-4216


Updated Charlotte County Scrub-Jay Search Data Base
Charlotte County and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) have a Memo of Understanding (MOU) created in 2007. The MOU was designed to assist Charlotte County residents and property owners to identify potential impacts to the Florida Scrub-jay. The MOU contains a clause for an annual review to be performed by USFWS and the County: “The Service and County will meet at least once per year to update the Review Area. Where survey data shows that scrub-jays are no longer found, the Review Area will be reduced accordingly. Conversely, the Review Area will be expanded where new scrub-jay observations are made”. This review is necessary as it has been documented that scrub jays can, and will, move outside of known zones; these newly identified properties would be subject to USFWS review.
The USFWS has verified the data points identified during the annual review process with the County; the revised data points will be added to the County search data base on June 1, 2011. The County’s Property Appraisers office has been notified and this information will be added to their evaluation process. The 2011 analysis by the USFWS has shown an increase in territory possibly occupied by the Florida Scrub-jays.
The County created a data base system from information provided by USFWS that identifies properties that have documented locations where Scrub-jays are found. It can be accessed via the County website.
The County advises that property owners who are preparing to apply for building permits should check the data base to access the possible impact on their projects.
Areas that are affected are Peace River Shores and some areas in West County.

Gopher Tortoises
If you are a developer developing a lot or parcel and you have the ability to relocate Gopher Tortoises on site (if there is adequate room), you do not have to pay for a FWC certified person to move them. There are some simple instructions to follow go to Gopher Tortoise Permits

Issues with CCU and DOH
CDBIA had a meeting with our members to discuss issues with CCU and DOH. After listening to the concerns we brought them up at our Building Industry Oversight Committee meeting and hope to have more to report next month.

City of Punta Gorda Suspends/Roll Back Impact Fees
by Charlotte-DeSoto Building Industry Association
Wednesday, April 20, 2011 at 12:25pm
The City of Punta Gorda compromised with the CDBIA, PG-PC-NP Board of Realtors, Punta Gorda Chamber of Commerce, Charlotte County Chamber of Commerce and the Enterprise Charlotte Economic Council and unanimously supported:
To suspend police, fire and general government on commercial and residential. For 2 years.
Transportation and parks stay as is for residential.
Transportation rolls back to 2007 rates for commercial.
Commercial change of use no charge for 2 years.
In addition the City Council will be having a new impact fee study done based on the lack of new permits as well as the decrease in population in the City from their earlier projections.
This was huge compromise and well worth the fight!


If you have any questions feel free to email me at amerpest@american-pest.com or call me 941-628-4216.
For the Industry,
Suzanne. T. Graham
Governmental Affairs Chairman