Food & Beverage: For June, Blazin’ Bites Food Truck will be set up at the Recreation Center pavilion, Monday through Friday, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
In addition to The Pub being open, poolside cookouts will be scheduled from Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Recreation Center, featuring rotating menus.
The Club at Candler Hills is now closed on Mondays through Monday, Nov. 3. To better serve our customers, new hours are Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. The restaurant will be closed for maintenance from Monday, July 28, through Monday, Aug. 11, reopening on Tuesday, Aug. 12.
The Summit in Longleaf Ridge: The building has been completely dried in, and the 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 main pool, and a resistance pool. The estimated completion of this project is forecasted for winter 2026.
Azura Fitness Center in Candler Hills: Sitework has begun on this project within the construction fence. Construction of the building is estimated to start this summer. We appreciate your interest in the project but kindly request that you stay outside the construction fence. This 8,000-square-foot facility will feature a large pool and is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
Recreation Center: Three construction projects are underway for this amenity. A facelift and update of the building and landscape in the front are in the works. At press time, work has begun on the new structure to cover the pickleball courts and the small pavilion near the parking lot.
Woodworking 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 7,200-square-foot building will be constructed where the Eco Gardeners Club garden was located, providing more space for our growing wood shop membership. It will also feature separate suites and serve as a general-purpose space for activities such as table tennis, ballet, and other uses.
Eco Gardeners Garden: As mentioned previously, a new, convenient location has been selected for the current SW 99th Street Eco Gardeners garden. 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. Garden club members have until July 1 to vacate the previous SW 99th Street garden.
Candler Hills Golf Club: The Candler Hills Golf Club closed in early May to begin renovations to the playing surfaces, with plans to reopen sometime later this year, weather permitting. During this time, the landscaping around the golf shop, restaurant, and community center will undergo some much-needed enhancements. While this work is being performed, the Golf Shop will have reduced hours but will remain open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Irons 9 Golf Course: Construction has begun on the new nine-hole pitch and putt golf course near SW 80th Street and SW 92nd Court Road. Look for an opening near the end of the year.
Gatehouse (SW 92nd Court Road): A new, automated gatehouse will be erected 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 the time of writing, 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.
Bay Laurel Center Community Development District: The construction of Bay Laurel’s new office building in Calesa is anticipated to be completed by late summer. We encourage all residents to remain informed regarding the timing of the transition to the new facility.
Adjacent to this site will be Water Treatment Plant #4, a highly advanced water treatment facility that services all of Calesa and the entire Bay Laurel Center CDD water transmission system.
Bay Laurel Center CDD has begun the demolition of the South Water Reclamation facility. It is anticipated to be completed by September. Once the plant is entirely demolished, the site will be graded, and a new warehouse facility will be built. This warehouse will store piping in sizes up to 36” in diameter, as well as pipe fittings and fire hydrants will be inventoried onsite.
Roadway Improvements
SW 90th Terrace: By now, you will have likely seen that work in this area has commenced. There will be some light clearing near the Weybourne Landing entry to make way for the multi-modal path extension, which is set to begin taking shape this month. Watch this space for further announcements as to the opening of the pathway.
Work has also begun on the extension of SW 90th Terrace from SW 79th Street to SW 63rd Street Road. Residents in and around Weybourne Landing can expect increased construction traffic and activity in this area during the project’s duration. The contractor’s goal is to complete this roadway before major construction of SW 80th Avenue begins, providing an alternate route of travel north.
SW 92nd Court Road: Those of you keeping tabs in the vicinity of this project will have seen that approximately one-half of the roadway has been paved, including a new multi-modal path. Although there is still considerable work to be done to complete the roadway and fill in the existing landscape, we have reached a significant milestone. This roadway will likely be complete by the end of the year and will offer an alternative route of travel from Longleaf Ridge to Candler Hills and The Town Square.
Southwest 80th Avenue: Sources at the Marion County Engineering Department assure residents in and around SW 80th Avenue that construction is slated to begin later this year to widen the road from two to four lanes. The completion period is approximately two years from the start. Unfortunately, there are no other updates on this highly traveled corridor.
Landscape Update
This is a great month for growing a small garden and planting shrubs. That said, please note that landscape modifications apply to all communities and require prior approval from the Owners’ Association.
I am mentioning this in the hope that we can all avoid the unnecessary consequences of violating the Association’s Rules and Regulations. The application process is very simple. Simply visit Resident Services, Suite 400, to complete a modification request form or go to the AppFolio Owner’s Portal and complete the modification process electronically. You will be asked to provide a detailed description of the work requested, a drawing of the affected area showing dimensions, the name of the contractor performing the work, and proof of your contractor’s insurance. A representative from the Association will inspect the area, and the owner will be advised of the approval, approval with modifications, or denial.
Practical Preventative Home Maintenance
From June through October, your air conditioning systems will be running full tilt. These systems don’t operate by themselves without proper care and maintenance. For a helpful short video on practical things you can do to service your air conditioning system to keep it functioning efficiently, visit OTOWInfo.com > Resources > Homeowner Maintenance > Air Conditioning. These include changing the filters monthly and pouring vinegar into the main condensate pan to keep the main drain flowing without obstruction. Check the outflow outside near the compressor. If you don’t see the cleaning solution coming out, the drain line is blocked and needs immediate attention.
At least once a year, have your air conditioning serviced by a professional. They will clean the coils in both the air handler (inside the home) and the compressor (outside), as well as clean electrical connections and ensure the motors are operating properly.
AppFolio Owner Portal
AppFolio is the Management Company’s software that allows for community service payments, service requests, and modifications, among other features. The AppFolio Owner’s Portal is secure, and you can manage your account by creating a password. If owners have not enrolled, please ensure the Association has your current email address on file. 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, allowing owners to 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 are uploaded to this secure portal. 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!
