POCKET PARKS

FAQ

• What is a “Pocket Park”?
  Pocket Parks are small, passive, quiet use landscaped park areas, designed to enhance the surrounding community.
• Why add Pocket Parks to Palmetto Dunes?
  The PDPOA own several properties and common areas that are essentially empty lots that, while perhaps not unsightly, could be better used as community assets and be more attractive.
• Are there other examples of Pocket Park nearby?
  Yes, in fact the town of HH is in the process of developing 11 more pocket parks in addition to those currently at Coligny Circle and Compass Rose.
• What are the primary uses?
  Pocket Parks are primarily areas to rest & relax while out enjoying our community. The primary amenities are shaded seating and landscaped pathways where neighbors can chat, take break while out on a walk, enjoy nature, etc. Some parks may also have a specific function, like the Strath Pocket Park, which will be an area for owners (not renters) to launch a kayak.
• What will these parks NOT be used for?
  They will not be event spaces, nor any other commercial activity, nor areas for larger gatherings.
• How will the construction of Pocket Parks be funded?
  Through our Community Enhancement Fund. PDPOA currently has approximately $9 million in the Community Enhancement Fund (CEF). Under our covenants, these funds are specifically designated for enhancement projects rather than routine maintenance. The CEF is also growing by approximately $700,000 annually. The cost of these parks would represent only a small portion of the existing CEF balance and would not require any additional assessment to fund their construction.
• What is the construction cost?
  Exact price is pending competitive bidding, but both Pocket Parks would likely cost in the low six-figure range (or less than 1/10th the projected cost of developing a park at 7 Lee Shore would have cost).
• Will it be expensive to maintain the Pocket Parks?
  No. Design and construction will incorporate native plants that require minimal watering/maintenance. Routine services like emptying trash receptacles or blowing pathways can be done with existing staff with minimal incremental cost.
• Who will use the Pocket Parks?
  These are primarily owner amenities, for use by owners and their guests & most likely by those who live relatively close to them. This reality is why the PDPOA is looking at multiple small sites we own that are spread out through our community to benefit as many owners as possible.
• Will STR renters/guests have access to the Pocket Parks?
  Yes. The Pocket Parks will not have fences or gates, so anyone walking or biking by—including STR renters and guests—will be able to enjoy them. The exception will be certain owner-exclusive amenities, such as kayak access or storage. These amenities will be reserved for property owners and managed through an online reservation system. Specific details are still being developed.
• How will immediate neighbors be impacted?
  We expect the impact on immediate neighbors to be minimal. Where appropriate, new landscaping will be added to provide additional privacy, while existing trees and vegetation that already provide natural screening will be preserved and incorporated into the park designs. These parks are intended to be quiet, passive-use spaces, so noise levels should generally be no greater than normal conversation. In addition, well-designed and maintained green spaces can be an attractive neighborhood amenity and may have a positive effect on nearby property values.
• Do immediate neighbors support the Pocket Parks?
  The PDPOA has proactively been in touch with several immediate neighbors of the proposed parks. They generally support the concepts and appreciate their concerns being addressed. Any future Pocket Parks will go through a similar process.
• Will the Pocket Parks negatively impact native wildlife?
  No. The goal is to have net positive impact on the entire community, including our wildlife. For example, fishing will not be permitted in the parks that have a shoreline. Much of the land in these parks will be kept in its natural state.
• What will be the hours for the Pocket Parks?
  Signage will indicate dawn to dusk hours. As with any common areas, security will patrol on a regular basis and address any after-hours noise concerns, if warranted.
• Will the Pocket Parks add extra work for Security?
  We do not anticipate the Pocket Parks creating additional workload for Security. Routine patrols will include the parks as part of their normal coverage of the community. Additionally, security cameras may be considered where appropriate, allowing Security to monitor these areas in the same manner as other PDPOA common areas.
• Will there be parking?
  Parking will vary by location. Swing About will not have vehicle parking, while Strath will include two parking spaces to accommodate owners who may occasionally bring their own kayaks to use the proposed kayak launch, similar to the existing launch on St. George. Pocket Parks are primarily intended to serve walkers and bicyclists, and each park will include a small bicycle parking area.
• Why are other amenities like playgrounds not being considered for these Pocket Parks?
  The PDPOA realizes there is need for other amenities that other similar communities offer, like a playground; dog park; water access, etc. While the Strath Pocket Park is well-suited to address lagoon access, neither of these properties are large enough to support amenities like a playground, and their locations are not central enough for that use.
• Is the PDPOA looking at other areas for additional Pocket Parks that may incorporate other amenities?
  Yes. PDPOA owns land on Full Sweep and on St. George that are being looked at for possible Pocket Parks. There are other potential areas the PDPOA is considering, but that would likely require cooperation with Greenwood and or Disney to develop.
• Will having a Pocket Park on Swing About inadvertently invite 278 path users to enter Palmetto Dunes through the nearby emergency gate?
  We do not expect the Swing About Pocket Park to encourage additional access from the Highway 278 pathway. Unauthorized access along the Robert Trent Jones golf course has long been a general security concern, but historically it has rarely presented an actual problem. Because this area is owned by Greenwood rather than PDPOA, our ability to control access across the golf course is limited. However, we plan to discuss potential improvements to the fencing near the emergency access area with Greenwood as part of our broader security efforts.Importantly, the proposed Pocket Park will not be visible from the emergency entrance area and therefore should not create any additional incentive to enter Palmetto Dunes from that location. In addition, the dense existing vegetation along the lagoon will be maintained to screen the park from the Highway 278 pathway. Most of the landscaped and usable park area will be located on the Swing About side of the property.
• Will 278 street noise detract from the Swing About Pocket Park?
  No, there is a great deal of foliage between the park area and 278 that screens both sight and sounds. The ambient noise level at the Pocket Park measures about the same as any street in Palmetto Dunes- approximately 55 decibles, or the level of noise of a light rainfall.
• Will there be a dock in the Swing About Pocket Park?
  No. While this is an excellent fishing spot (as evidenced by the many fishermen on the path under the highway across the lagoon there), it was decided that a dock there would be too visible to 278 and possibly invite non-residents into the area.
• Will there be a gazebo at the Swing About Pocket Park?
  No. Based on community feedback, it was determined that a gazebo is not necessary. Instead, the design will incorporate covered benches, providing comfortable shaded seating while maintaining the Pocket Park’s more open and natural character.
• What kayak launch and storage amenities are planned for the Strath Court Pocket Park?
  The proposed park will include a new dock to replace the existing one, a kayak launch relocated from the current St. George location, and a nearby kayak storage rack. Because well over half of Palmetto Dunes owners do not have direct lagoon access from their properties, improved access to our unique 11-mile lagoon system has long been a requested amenity. Kayak storage will be available exclusively to owners and managed through an online reservation system on the owner website, with specific procedures and details to be finalized.
• Will the kayak storage at the Strath Court Pocket Park be visible from the street/neighbors?
  No, the storage would be sited on the isthmus toward the back of the property that is well screened from both Inverness and Leamington homes. Likewise, the dock would remain in its current location, toward the back of the site, barely visible from the street.
• Will the current kayak dock at St. George remain?
  It will remain until the new park is developed and then relocated to the Strath Pocket Park.
• Given how open the current property at Strath Court is to the immediate neighbor, how will privacy be addressed?
  Substantial screening planting will be placed between the properties to ensure privacy. PDPOA has been in touch with and continues to discuss with the adjacent owner.