The Summit in Longleaf Ridge: The building has been dryed in and next steps are the mechanical systems of the building and exterior metal framing. As a reminder, this will be a 20,000-square-foot amenity with a 6,000-square-foot ballroom, card room, a large central pool, and a resistance pool. The estimated completion of this project is forecasted for this winter.
Azura Fitness Center in Candler Hills: Sitework has started on this project inside the construction fence. Construction is estimated to begin this summer. We love your interest in the project, but we ask that you stay outside the construction fence. This 8,000-square-foot facility will have a large pool and will be completed before the end of the year.
Recreation Center: The front building and landscape are being updated, and a “facelift” will be added. A small pavilion and a design covering the eight pickleball courts will also be added.
Wood Shop: The new, expanded wood shop building is planned for the parcel of land just north of the existing Bay Laurel Center CDD Water Plant #1. This new 8,000-square-foot building will be constructed where the Eco Gardeners Club garden is currently located, providing more space for our growing woodworking membership. This new building will also have separate suites and function as a general-purpose space for activities such as table tennis, ballet, and other uses.
Eco Gardens: As mentioned previously, a new, convenient location has been selected to rebuild the current SW 99th Street Eco Gardens. This relocation offers the added benefit of additional garden plots. Management recognizes that it takes a great deal of time to build up the tilth of soils, especially for organic gardeners. To this end, Management has been working with the Eco Gardeners Club to establish clean soils with high fertility. Construction on the new garden is expected to be completed by late July.
Multi-Modal Paths: The addition of multi-modal paths along the west side of SW 90th Terrace Road has been submitted to Marion County for plan review and permitting. This project also includes roadway improvements, which will include underground utilities and roadway pavement from the entrance at Weybourne Landing north to SW 63rd Street, opposite the intersection with Stone Creek.
Candler Hills Golf Club and The Club at Candler Hills: This amenity will see landscape enhancements during the summer golf course renovation.
Irons 9 Golf Course: Construction has begun on the new pitch-and-putt golf course near SW 80th Street and SW 92nd Court Road. This exciting addition will open in late summer.
Gatehouse: A new, automated gatehouse will be erected along SW 92nd Court Road to replace the temporary gate at SW 80th Street. The design team has been chosen, and work has begun on the permit drawings for this project. This automated gate will include a dedicated lane for guests to interact with the virtual gate attendant and a bypass lane for resident owners. At this time, there is no projected start date. Once plans are submitted to the building department, there will be a better window to determine a start date.
Roadway Improvements
SW 92nd Court Road: Underground utilities, including water, sewer, and data lines, are currently being installed. This project has become more recognizable as curbs form, and the roadway takes shape. You will notice that the southern portion of the travel lanes has begun paving. This is a large roadway and will be paved in multiple lifts, so there is still a bit of time until the roadway is open for traffic. Please be aware that this roadway may look partially complete and safe to traverse, but it is still a way from that point. Please continue to use caution in this area.
SW 52nd Street: Permission has been granted from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to move forward with the east-west SW 52nd Street improvements through Calesa Township. This improvement may offer much-needed traffic relief while SW 80th Avenue and SW 38th Street are under construction by Marion County. An adjacent developer will complete SW 52nd Street from Calesa to the intersection at SW 60th Avenue (including a new traffic signal). On Top of the World Communities will continue to work with Marion County and the neighboring developer to ensure this much-needed project progresses in a timely manner. Most recently, that developer has begun working with Marion County to secure the right of way required to construct improvements outside of the Calesa and On Top of the World projects.
SW 90th Terrace: This roadway connects SW 80th Street (Candler Hills) to SW 63rd Street, opposite the entry to Stone Creek. This critical roadway enables residents to avoid much of the construction on SW 80th Avenue. The contractor has been selected, and early work will begin in May. Generally, the project will start at the south end closest to Weybourne Landing and Circle Square Commons and progress northward toward SW 63rd Street Road and Stone Creek. The multi-modal path connecting SW 90th Terrace to SW 80th Street (from Weybourne to Candler Hills) will be the first item built so that pedestrians and cart traffic can safely traverse the area while the major construction is underway.
SW 80th Avenue (Four Lanes): Sources at the Marion County Engineering Department assured us that construction of SW 80th Avenue is slated to begin in late 2025. The completion time is approximately two years from the start. Surveyors and engineering contractors were onsite pot-holing and verifying utility locations in mid-April. That is a sure sign something is about to happen. Marion County continues to confirm these dates.
North Water Reclamation Facility (NWRF)
This new facility will replace the current south wastewater reclamation plant, which has a treatment capacity of 1.25 million gallons per day (MGD). 100% of the disinfected and filtered effluent goes to beneficial reuse irrigation on the golf courses and parkways around the community. This very advanced treatment facility is designed to remove nitrates and phosphates efficiently. This means that any contamination load that could affect the Floridan Aquifer is greatly reduced, and the state’s waters are protected.
This new treatment facility reclaims four times the capacity of the south plant at buildout, meaning that at full operations capacity, the reclaimed water yield will be in the range of five MGD. That is a lot of recycled water that offsets groundwater withdrawals from an overtaxed Floridan Aquifer. The golf courses and large common areas will continue to benefit from this new output capacity.
This new plant is currently in the full operational testing phase. It is expected that the NWRF will be at full operational capability by the time you read this, once again producing high-quality public-access reuse reclaimed water that meets the highest State standards.
The south plant is slated to be demolished starting in June. The concrete will be pulverized and reused for road-building materials and soil stabilization. The steel will also be recycled. The site will be graded once the plant is fully demolished, and a new warehouse facility will be built. This will be the parts depot for the Bay Laurel Center CDD. Piping in sizes up to 36” in diameter and pipe fittings and fire hydrants will be inventoried onsite.
I am confident that this warehouse will be much quieter than the previous operating plant.
Springtime is in Full Bloom
The few mid-April showers that fell certainly benefitted the native wildflowers to bloom along many roadways around us. The winds have also been strong this year, accompanying the start of our dry season! Look for seasonal winds to settle down in May. The heavier rain cycle usually begins in mid-June to give the yards some relief but can be as late as mid-July.
If you haven’t pruned back shrubbery in mid-April, May is still time to consider any pruning of owner-added plantings. Lawns and shrubbery will continue to grow, albeit very slowly, because of dry conditions. Pruning back old growth stimulates new growth on trees and shrubs.
Although we have received some much-needed rain, irrigation may be needed as we warm up in the 90s. It is best to trust your smart water-wise irrigation controller to know when to water. If your shrubbery is still looking weak, it is best to hand water for approximately 10 minutes with a hose and sprayer attachment. This will perk them up and get them through the most stressful periods.
Sunshine State 811
Have you ever wondered what all the colored flags are for in my yard? Each colored flag represents a different utility type and marks the location of an underground utility before excavation or digging. Any digging, no matter how small or deep, must have all utility locations marked before the work is performed. This free service will prevent damage to underground utilities and possibly a hefty bill for repairs should you damage one. This free service is provided by Sunshine State 811 of Florida and can be reached by calling 811 or toll-free at 1-800-432-4770. Also, the Florida Statute requires the flags to remain in place for 30 days or until the work is completed.
AppFolio Owner Portal
AppFolio is the Management Company’s software that allows community service payments and service requests, among many other things. The AppFolio Owner’s Portal is secure, and you can manage your account by creating your password. If owners have not enrolled, please ensure the Association has your current email address. You may submit your email address to associationinfo@otowfl.net with that information or stop by Resident Services to update your contact information. Once you do so, a link to your portal will be sent to that email address so owners can register their portals completely.
Owners who have set up their portals can now remit payments for community service fees (or other assessments) via eCheck or credit/debit cards (AppFolio service fees apply). They may also update their bank account information to continue with the Management Company’s automatic debit service. Owners may also submit maintenance service requests and communicate with Resident Services, thus alleviating the need for an in-person visit.
In addition, under Florida HOA Statutes, all official records must be uploaded to a secure portal by Jan. 1, 2025. You will find all of these records in the saved documents that will appear on every owner’s portal. If you have not signed up for this valuable tool, please do so!
