Q A

A: Membership to Pelican Sound Golf & River Club is included with your purchase and upon closing of your residential property.
Use of Club facilities include:

Twenty-seven challenging holes of golf.
Eight Hydro-Grid Tennis Courts.
Ten Pickleball Courts.
Five Bocce Courts.
A Fitness Center.
Casual and formal dining at the Golf Club and River Club.
Canoe park and boat dock
Dry boat storage
A boat launch
River boat shuttle to Lovers Key
Nature and Walking trails
A butterfly garden
Golf practice facility with aqua driving range, putting and chipping areas.
Six heated swimming pools and six outdoor spas.

A: The day-to-day operations of the Club are conducted by the COO/General Manager who reports to the Board of Directors. The Board is responsible for the Governing Documents and general oversight of the Club, functioning through a number of committees. Any amendments to the Bylaws approved by the Board must be ratified by the members.

A: The Board consists of nine directors, each serving a three-year term. Annually, three new directors are elected by the members via their Neighborhood Voting Representatives.

A: 1299, of which approximately 450 are year round residents.

A: The member's immediate family is entitled to use the Club facilities in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of Pelican Sound. Resident membership is a family membership. Family membership permits the member, spouse, and unmarried dependent children twenty-four years of age and under who are living with their parents or attending school full time to use the facilities.

A: Yes

A: Members are entitled to have guests use the Club facilities in accordance with the Club Rules pertaining to guests either as an unaccompanied registered houseguest or accompanied by the member. A member is required to pay the applicable daily fees and charges for their guests.Houseguest registration forms are available online or at the administrative office.

A: Houseguests are permitted to use the Club facilities unaccompanied by the member, provided the houseguest has been registered with the Club and issued a houseguest card. The maximum length of stay for unaccompanied houseguests is two weeks. The current fee will be charged to the member's account; this fee is per occurrence not per guest. A member may not register more than six houseguest transactions during any single membership year for all Neighborhoods except Island Sound 1, Isleand Sound 2 and Turnberry 1 which allow only 2 per year. Amenities available to registered houseguests with a card include the tennis shop, tennis courts (a guest user fee applies), Pelican Sound Golf Club dining, the golf shop, the River Club restaurant, the river boat shuttle, canoes, kayaks, fitness center, swimming pools and spas. Golf: Unaccompanied registered houseguests may make tee-times two days in advance through the golf shop. Guest will be charged the prevailing member-guest rate for golf at the time of play. Guests may pay by credit card.

A:  Anyone who is not an owner with membership privileges or included in the membership as stated by the Rules and Regulations must be accompanied by a member or registered as a houseguest.

A: Yes. Your home may be leased and privileges to Club amenities may be transferred to the lessee. During the period of the lease, you surrender your amenity privileges, expect for dining privileges, but you retain responsibility for your dues, the lessee's adherence to Club Rules and for any unpaid charges.

A: Members who own a home within Pelican Sound may rent or lease out their home to a lessee for a minimum of 30 days. A few associations require a longer lease of at least 60 days.
An Application to Lease must be filed 20 business days in advance with the Pelican Sound Accounting Office.
Transfer of Amenity Privileges must be filed 20 business days in advance in order for the lessee to have access to the amenities of Pelican Sound, including dining, fitness center, golf, tennis, pools and boat shuttle. The member shall be fully responsible for payment of all charges incurred by a lessee that are not paid by the lessee within the customary billing period of the Club. Lessees may make tee times 10 days in advance.
 

A: Yes. A corporation or a trust may purchase a home in Pelican Sound. If a residence is owned by multiple Owners (other than a husband and wife) or an entity, such as by way of example and not limited to, joint or multiple tenancy, corporation, partnership or trust, privileges to use the Club facilities shall be available to only one married couple and either of the spouses' unmarried dependent children 24 years of age or under who are living with their parents or attending school full time or an individual and his or her unmarried dependent children 24 years of age or under who are living with their parent or attending school full time. Membership may be re-designated to others on title three times per year. The Owners may change the Designated User by completing a Re-designation of Membership Form and paying the current fee as established by the Board of Directors. Please see Terms of Membership for more details.

A: Each neighborhood association has an elected Board of Directors who are responsible for the management of their affairs. Each neighborhood has a Neighborhood Voting Representative (NVR) which attends any meeting in which a vote is required, such as the Annual Budget Meeting or Annual Election of the Pelican Sound Board of Directors. Procedures are described in the Bylaws of each neighborhood association and the Master Association Bylaws.

A:  A home may only be used as a private single family residence.

A: For concerns regarding; smart passes, gate access, renting or leasing your unit please contact Accounting at 239-948-5238
For concerns regarding common area landscape, common area irrigation, pools or other common areas please call Assistant General Manager Travis Childers at 239-948-5230.
For concerns regarding your building or its immediate surroundings, including parking lots and irrigation please contact your Homeowners Association Management Company.

A: Each year from May through October, Pelican Sound participates in a reciprocal program with other local clubs. Arrangements to play golf or tennis or to dine at these clubs must be made through the golf, tennis shop or the front office. Specifics on the participating clubs in this program are available online and golf shop during reciprocal season.

A: Currently there is no minimum.

A: A 20% gratuity and 6.5% Florida sales tax is added to all food and beverage purchases. The gratuity is automatically included for the convenience of members and may be raised or lowered at your discretion.

A: Members' club accounts shall be due and payable on the 15th of each month, with a grace period to the end of the month.

A: At your orientation, you will complete an automatic payment form providing a bank account. Your statement will be emailed to you at the beginning of the month and your balance due will be drafted from the bank account provided on the 15th of each month.

A: Residents of Pelican Sound are also members of their local neighborhood association.

A: The dues for the neighborhood associations are billed quarterly by the neighborhood association and vary depending upon the neighborhood in which you live. The Club dues (or annual assessment) for the Master Homeowners Association is paid to Pelican Sound and is determined yearly at the annual budget meeting in the late fall.

A: The Annual Assessment is the amount each residence pays to offset club expenses that are not covered by revenues. It consists of three parts: Amenities, Property Management and Replacement Reserves.

Amenities cover the following departments:

• Food & Beverage

• Golf Pro Shop

• Golf Course Maintenance

• Racquet Center

• Fitness Center

• Utilities

• Marina (Shuttle Boat, Boat Yard, Canoes and Kayaks)

Pelican Sound Property Management covers the following areas:

• Cable TV and Internet (Fiber Optic) for all homes

• Common Area Maintenance

• Common Area Landscaping

• Security

• Swimming Pool Maintenance

• Utilities

A: The annual assessment is billed on the November statement.

A: The Operating Budget consists of expected operational expenses and forecasted revenues. The Operating Budget has two components, Amenities and Property Management.

A: Each spring the Pelican Sound Chief Operating Officer and the Director of Finance meet with the Department Heads to develop the budget "from the ground up". In the fall this budget is reviewed by the Finance Committee and the Board of Directors, who recommends the budget to the Neighborhood Voting Representatives (NVR's). It is then presented to the NVR's at a Budget Workshop in detail. The NVR's have the opportunity to raise questions and ask for clarifications. The NVR's then vote to either approve or disapprove the Budget.(If the Budget is disapproved the previous years Budget remains in effect until a new Budget is approved.)

A: The budget includes expected revenues and expenses for the year. Budgeted operating expenses that are not covered by incoming revenues are funded by the members through their annual dues assessment.

A: We have two types of reserves;
Replacement Reserve and Capital Resale Reserve.
These reserves are used to pay for items that replace or improve our facilities at Pelican Sound.

The funds in the Replacement Reserve account are used for projects or significant items that are cited for replacement in a study that is prepared each year, by an independent firm which specializes in Reserve Study Analysis. The Replacement Reserve is funded by the members through their annual dues assessment. The amount is calculated by the independent firm that performs the reserve analysis.

The funds in the Capital Resale Reserve account are used for new projects and items which are not included in the operating budget. The Capital Resale Reserve is funded by the money that is collected specifically for that account each time a unit is sold in Pelican Sound. The amount per sale is equal to the annual assessment for that year.

A: Briefly, the Department Heads submit a ranked list of new items that are needed for projects which will enhance member services, or the community, for the next year to the General Manager during the budgeting process. It is then submitted to various committees and finally the Board of Directors for approval. It's important to note that the new capital projects are only undertaken if, and when, there are sufficient funds in the Capital Resale Reserve Account to pay for these projects.

A: Yes, River Ridge Community Development District.

A: District Manager ~ Chuck Adams.
The Board consists of the 5 members.

A: Community Development District (CDD)
A CDD is a governmental unit created to serve the long-term specific needs of its community. Created pursuant to Chapter 190 of the Florida Statutes, a CDD's main powers are to plan, finance, construct, operate and maintain community-wide infrastructure and services specifically for the benefit of its residents.

CDD's are not unlike other forms of local government, such as cities and counties, however, similar to other special taxing districts, their powers are limited solely to the provision of infrastructure and services for master planned developments.

A: Through a CDD, the community can offer its residents a broad range of community-related services and infrastructure to help ensure the highest quality of life possible.

CDD's primary responsibilities within a community include aquatic and preserve maintenance, storm water management, irrigation water supply, common area landscape maintenance, common roadway maintenance and street lights.

A: A CDD is governed by its Board of Supervisors consisting of five members. Initially, Board Members are elected by property owners and usually composed of representatives of the developer. Thereafter, the Board of Supervisors is elected by the majority vote of the electors within the District. Like all municipal, county, state, and national elections, the Office of the Supervisor of Elections oversees the vote, and CDD Supervisors are subject to state ethics and financial disclosure laws.

With certain exemptions specified by law, the CDD's business is conducted in the "Sunshine," which means all meetings and records are open to the public. Public hearings are held on CDD assessments and the CDD's budget and financial records are subject to annual independent audit.

Relationship with homeowner's associations (HOA's)
The CDD complements the responsibilities of community homeowner's associations (HOAs). Many of the maintenance functions handled by these associations in other communities may be handled by the CDD. However, the associations have other responsibilities such as operating amenities and ensuring that deed restrictions and other quality standards are enforced. The CDD may contract with the master homeowner's association to perform maintenance functions.

Benefits to residents
Residents within a community with a CDD may expect to receive three major classes of benefits. First, the CDD provides landowners consistently high levels of public facilities and services managed and financed through self-imposed fees and assessments. Second, the CDD ensures that these community development facilities and services will be completed concurrently with other parts of the development. Third, CDD landowners and electors choose the Board of Supervisors, which is able to determine the type, quality and expense of CDD facilities and services.

Other savings are realized because a CDD is subject to the same laws and regulations that apply to other government entities. The CDD is able to borrow money to finance its facilities at lower, tax-exempt interest rates, the same as cities and counties. Many contracts for goods and services, such as annually negotiated maintenance contracts, are subject to publicly advertised competitive bidding.

Residents and property owners in a CDD set the standards of quality, which are then managed by the CDD. This consistent and quality-controlled method of management helps protect the long term property values in a community.

Lasting Value
The CDD makes it possible for our community to offer the most desirable elements of a master-planned community. Residents enjoy high quality infrastructure facilities and services with the comfort and assurance of knowing that the standards of the community will be maintained long after the developer is gone. With a CDD in place, residents are assured of the ability to control quality and value for years to come.

A: The cost to operate a CDD is borne by those who benefit from its services. Property owners in the CDD are subject to a non-ad valorem assessment, which appears on their annual property tax bill from the county tax collector and may consist of two parts - an annual assessment for operations and maintenance, which can fluctuate up and down from year-to-year based upon the adopted budget for that fiscal year and an annual capital or debt service assessment to repay capital infrastructure and facilities financing, for which the annual assessments are generally fixed for the term of the financing. Because costs and services vary depending upon the individual CDD, specific fee information is available for each community.

This document is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied on as a basis for a decision to acquire a residence in Pelican Sound Community. Please read all governing documents before signing a contract to purchase.