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Well, it simply shows to go ya how stupid we all are at St James. While they're building over 250 homes in this dump at this very moment, which accounts for over 65% of al the building permits in Brunswick County and over 70 lots sold to more unsuspecting simpletons from up north in the last six months.... much more than any other plantation anywhere near St James, here we are having quite a happy life with all of our new friends and neighbors, getting ready to move into our newly constructed home in about a month and all the time my wife and I not knowing just how terrible it really is here. I feel ashamed and a bit duped.... I wish I had known about the terrible goings on sooner, you know, before we ordered furniture and all, now we're just stuck..... how simple we are to be going around this seemingly lovely place and being completely unawares as to the extent of terrible, terrible things going on that are sure to doom us all.
Oh woe is me........
Yes, WOE is you! While there are a lot of very good things going on in sjp it is very frightening what the town council is willing to let the developer do . Just know all you people on the other side of the Woodlands covered bridge if something happens to the bridge you can't get in or out . Thank the development company and the town for continuing to allow more homes back there without a secondary access point. Another example of how our town does not have the residents best interests in mind.
Just a note on the Reserve setbacks. I know in our area of the Reserve setbacks on the golf course were 40ft. but were changed about 1.5 years ago to 30ft. I am not sure if the setbacks differ in different parts of the Reserve, but in my section they are 30ft.
If your lot abuts the Reserve golf course ---- unless you have a natural buffer the set backs are 40 feet for safety reasons. Only a couple of lots have specific variances. Setbacks are determined prior to the platting of the lots and recorded with the ACC. What hole is your lot on? Lots not on the golf course have different set backs. Set backs are not usually changed once the lots have been recorded. Interesting that the setbacks were changed.
Since I started looking for a place to retire about 2 years ago, I found communities, gated and otherwise, around North Carolina with a number of issues. I found communities that went bankrupt and communities with abandoned golf courses gone to weed and seed. I found communities with legal issues the went up the chain to the highest levels of state government and sometimes even federal issues. I have seen communities with ineffective POA's that turned into slums.
I look at SJP and try to keep a perspective. The biggest issue that has generated a fusillade of comments in "two newspapers and two local websites" is about a set back on a golf course that is 20 feet, or perhaps 30 feet or maybe 40 feet in the interest of safety. I fully realize how important that 10 or 20 feet might be when you are sitting on your patio and the wayward spent golf ball singles out your coffee cup. You could be burned and scared for life.
Seriously though, there have been some thoughtful comments made here. The Reserve golf course is beautiful as is SJP in general. It has received accolades and praise in the form of a number of awards and recognition. It is still not totally clear if the set backs of houses surrounding the course truly affects the status bestowed upon it. It seems to me no one but Nicklaus Design can clarify that. The only statements attributed to Nicklaus Design so far are they "recommend" this or that. A recommendation is not an ironclad requirement to actually do any thing in order to preserve the Reserve.
I think the good that has come from this is town and community officials have gotten the word that the "good ol boy" system of politics, that can sometimes be prevalent in any government, is not acceptable. There are rules and regulations and accountability.
What would you like in your tea, one tempest or two?
We leave CT to make SJ our permanent residence tomorrow, and I am still excited and happy!
I always enjoy reading Stoneman's eloquent posts and am glad to see he has made a comeback!
Despite all the controversy and issues going on (there are always issues and controversies as others have pointed out), I am thrilled to be moving to SJ and believe we made the right decision for us. Soon after we became property owners we met some people at Tommy Thompson's who held their fingers up to their noses when they heard we purchased in the Reserve saying it was snooty - they did this in jest. What reasonable person decides someone is a snob just by where they live? IMHO people are people -good/bad, snooty/down to earth, etc. regardless of where one lives. We are far from snobs and look forward to enjoying our retirement in SJ.
Hope to meet some forum members as we acclimate to SJ.
It was just a matter of time before the scare tactics raised their ugly heads, in my experience I'm sure this is only the beginning.
Any savvy lot/home purchaser should do their homework before the purchase of any property, particularly those in a new development. Should a buyer take the word of a seller in any situation? Of course not. Do the research on the surrounding area topography, easements, previous/planned land use, etc.
Coastal Carolina is obviously at risk of being affected by hurricanes, if egress is a concern look for primary/secondary evacuation routes from your site and if not present look elsewhere. The covered bridge is certainly not going to be washed away by storm surge or flooding, but there is the possibility that falling trees could damage the structure. Is the developer intelligent enough to know this? I would assume so if a guy from Upstate New York does! Do you think that there might be a plan to construct a second or possible third point of ingress/egress to the Woodlands? I would assume so, but just not fast enough for some folks that didn't consider this factor before their purchase (or are attempting to raise support for their agenda.)
By taking a glance at Google Maps, potential access points are clearly visible. My understanding is that St. James Drive is also going to be extended to provide additional access to the southwest corner of SJP (which is adjacent to Woodlands and could be easily connected.)
It seems that some property owners in the Reserve across the fairway/green from the planned Legacy Park purchased based upon the premise of complete privacy or unobstructed nature views from the rear patio and are now discovering that their homework was not completed. Caveat Emptor.
Chrissearay... when you get here this weekend please close and lock the gate on your way in..... that may prevent more riff raff from up north from entering.
LakeEffect.... quite a mouthful, elegantly put.... but more importantly quite true !
Ummm ..not so fast .... my house is supposed to be finished in 40 days, I'm already moving some things into a Southport storage unit in preparation. Once I'm in, then you can close and lock the gate.
I am thinking of riding my Harley down on Sunday for the POA meeting if the weather permits. So if you see a white haired old man on a red Ultra Classic, please don't run him off the road.
Just a last thought... as we get ready to move into our new home next month, still trying to get the darn builder to get the lead out and finish the thing..... as we also are in the Reserve I never actually thought of myself as snooty but in consulting the commandant this morning regarding our landscaping, she informed me that I am in fact quite snooty, so I guess I will fit right in.
Covered bridge not really in danger of being washed away but is currently be repaired because of damage by a construction vehicles. It's also the only way these large trucks can get in and out.
Second egress problematic because of wetlands and what land the developer may or may not own
St James Dr extension will help residents over PollyGully get out. Look how many years that took and with really heavy rains or hurricanes that bridge does flood out.
I had no expectations I wouldn't have homes across the golf course. I did however expect them to be required to use the same building criteria as I had to abide by. After all, same golf course. Even though Nicklaus Design did not demand it, it was recommended by them and a golf course forensic architect for safety reasons, yet, the developer chose to ignore because he would have had to increase the lot sizes to accommodate a house if the 40 foot setbacks were to be. Lots are 75 feet wide and not quite a quarter acre. Developer is marketing these lots with the impression you will be able to put larger homes in there. More lots more money that's all it's about now. Changes probably would have meant developer might lose 4 to 5 lots
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