Residents questioned the Amenity Authority Committee on Wednesday morning about amenity rates and the Developer’s take at the Soulliere and Phillips Villas.
Villager Ron Henke, who resides in Community Development District 1, reacted to a recent memo from AAC legal counsel Lewis Stone explaining the Developer’s announcement of setting a new prevailing rate for amenities, including resales of existing homes.
Henke pointed out that the AAC has authority over amenities north of County Road 466 – not the Developer.
“I don’t understand how the Developer can say we are going to up the amenity fees when he’s not even here,” Henke said.
Gary Moyer, who represents the Village Center Community Development District on the AAC and who recently retired as Villages vice president of Development, responded, “It’s one recreation system.”
George Bennett, of the Village of Woodbury, wanted clarification as to where the amenity money collected from residents of the Soulliere and Phillips Villas is going.
Budget Director Barbara Kays said that money goes to the Developer, but she hastened to add that the Developer pays for the upkeep of the recreation facilities at those villas.
“It’s one bocce court, one shuffleboard court and a pool,” Bennett countered.
He asked what those residents are contributing to the upkeep of facilities such as the Savannah Center, of which they have full use.
AAC member Don Deakin estimated that the amenity revenue collected from the two new villa communities in Community Development District 4 is probably $500,000 per year.
