Pembrooke Homeowners Association

Retention Tract 6 Update

Nov 04, 2005

We are moving ahead with the plan to restore the retention area next to the pool which is known as Tract 6. As you may recall, this area was assigned to the association by the Orange County Commissioners in the original developer?’s agreement with J.L. Mason. The agreement releases the county of all future responsibility for the care and maintenance of the retention area and assigns it to the homeowners of Pembrooke.
Last year when over 30 inches of rain fell thanks to 4 hurricanes, there was significant erosion to the slopes of this area. The result of this erosion is that several yards on Hunterdon Court began eroding into Tract 6.
The erosion also reduced the storage capacity of the retention area and we were notified by the South Florida Water Management District that the retention area was in violation of the terms of the permit issued. Failure to restore the retention area would result in litigation and fines of up to $2500 per day.
The board hired a Professional Engineering (PE) firm to assess the condition of this area and a soil testing company to determine if an active sinkhole had developed next to the pool. The soil test revealed no sinkhole but an unstable slope condition around this area. The recommendation of the soil test was to either re-grade the slopes to a sustainable 3 to 1 ratio or the construction of a retention wall around this area to hold back the slopes.
While either solution would resolve the situation, the board found that redoing the slope would less expensive and a more attractive approach. Installing retention walls would leave a steep slope and require a fence to keep people from falling into the retention pond. If you look at the retention ponds at the entrance to Pembrooke, you can see what a difference in slope there is compared to the area in Tract 6.
With a retention wall in place, maintenance of this area will not be possible and the area would revert to the jungle state it is currently.
To protect the homes on Hunterdon and fulfill the responsibility assigned to us by Orange County, the Association hired a PE firm to redesign the pond at Tract 6 to the more stable 3 to 1 slope. Tract 6 will be cleared of all the overgrowth and replanted with Bahia grass which should improve its appearance dramatically.
While the new slope will be more stable and attractive, it will reduce capacity in Tract 6. To compensate for the reduced volume of Tract 6, we will excavate Tract 7 between Somersworth and Barrymore to hold more water in the event of another storm season like 2004. Excavating Tract 7 will also save the Association in the cost of re-grading Tract 6 since the soil removed can be moved across Somersworth Ct. instead of having to truck it in. The area at Tract 7 is connected to Tract 6 for overflow.
The projected cost of the restoration will exceed $375,000.00 which is more than the Association?’s current reserves. To finance the restoration, we have applied for a loan so we can pay for the construction over 10 years. We will give the Association the option of paying a special assessment to repay the entire cost next year and avoid much of the interest. There will be a vote at the annual meeting for a special assessment of $1300.00 per homeowners to repay the debt off early.
If you have any questions on the restoration project, you may email the association, attend a Board of Directors meeting or call our Sentry Management property manager, Nancy Nordyke-Shelley at 407-788-6700, extension 294.