The CDD team has been busy this week. Following is a closer look at what they’ve been working on.

Private Property Maintenance Standards

Routine inspections were conducted in Palmetto this week. Follow-up and requested inspections were conducted throughout the island. This week, five properties were contacted regarding new violations of the Private Property Maintenance Standards, and two properties were contacted to provide courtesy education regarding property maintenance standards.

Dear Landings Association Members,

The Landings Association now has hired our Traffic Safety Enforcement Officer. This new position will help monitor and enforce traffic rules on our roads and community paths. We heard loud and clear during the 2023 Community Survey that speeding and traffic infractions are important to our residents and that the Association should take a more active role in this area.

Part of that has included speed monitoring, where Landings Security has been sending courtesy notices to speeders in the community. These courtesy notices along with the random placement of our GuardanPro system around the community have been effective in lessening the problem in some instances. However, in other instances, they haven’t been as impactful as we had hoped. Some drivers have received as many as eight notices without changing their speeding behavior. Therefore, on July 1 we will begin implementing fines, as appropriate, for those speeding within the community, with a focus on those greatly exceeding the speed limits. The Association does not want to fine any drivers, nor is this a strategy to generate additional revenue. The goal is simply to make drivers (residents, guests, employees, vendors, etc.) more aware of their surroundings, speeding, and fellow neighbors, in the name of safety.

Sticking with Security, the recent Community Survey showed some gaps in Security’s customer service and follow-up on reports. Our Human Resources/Organizational Effectiveness Director Karin Condame has convened a working group of the Security Supervisors, along with Security Director Tim Cook, to focus on these and other improvement issues. The feedback from the Survey has been very helpful for this effort.

After more than a year of review by the Governance Committee, as well as other supporting committees, the Association’s Board Policy Manual and Bylaws have now been updated. This is the first extensive review in a number of years of these governing documents. Changes made clarified duties and responsibilities, as well as tightened language to allow for an easier read of these admittedly “dry” documents. Focus now turns to the Architectural Guidelines, which will be ready for community review and feedback later this year.

Other recent updates include those made to the Association’s Strategic Plan. You can view quarterly progress against goals by clicking here. New actions are in green.

I’m sure all by now have seen the announcement that longtime President of The Landings Company, Raoul Rushin, is leaving in June to pursue a new career opportunity with his fiancé in Statesboro. For those who have been here for the last 10 years along with Raoul, you have seen just how much impact he has made on modernizing the marketing of The Landings. National members help support and improve property values versus being limited to just a local pool of potential new owners. The Company, wholly owned by you, the Association members, spends about $1.5 million per year on such marketing. We like to call the Company the “Residents’ Realtor”.

Raoul always has been very supportive of The Landings Association and The Landings Golf & Athletic Club, as well as of me personally. I’ll miss his visionary and calming leadership. Please join me in wishing him well on his new life adventure!

Schools soon will be out for  summer. That means more children out and about on the roads and community paths. Please be mindful, slow down, and watch out for your fellow neighbors.

Finally, don’t forget to mark your calendars for our Annual Hurricane Town Hall at 7 p.m. on June 18 in Palmetto’s Ballroom. Chatham Emergency Management Agency officials will be on hand to share tips for preparing for Hurricane Season. We have been fortunate the past couple of years and are hoping for another uneventful Hurricane Season this year. However, we know from prior experience that the devastation caused by severe weather is real, and our best line of defense is to be prepared.

If I can be of help, please let me know (karls@landings.org).

When we all moved to The Landings on Skidaway Island, one of the first things we noticed about our new home was that everyone waved to us — on the cart path, at Landings Harbor, in The Village, at the playground, at the Dog Park — everywhere. Remember how welcomed and comfortable it made us feel  and how glad we were that we moved here.

Over the years, all our lives have become more filled and hectic, and everyone seems to be in a hurry all of the time. In addition, COVID-19 added to our sense of isolation. Nowadays, we drive or walk by our neighbors and others and simply pay no attention to (or don’t notice) them. The community doesn’t seem quite as “warm and fuzzy” anymore, does it?

It’s time to start smiling and acknowledging each other again. Look up from our phones and see who’s walking near us, standing in line at the pharmacy next to us, or driving down the cart path toward us. Do you want to brighten your and others’ days? Let’s “Bring Back the Skidaway Wave!”