How much will Belfair’s new amenities cost the Bluffton neighborhood’s residents?

Bluffton’s Belfair community is planning a series of amenity improvements and additions — projects that come with a $7.5 million price tag.

Plans call for the addition of a outdoor dining area and lounge at the existing clubhouse, as well as the construction of a new multi-purpose facility with pools, fitness equipment, a cafe, and meeting space, Belfair’s general manager David Dew said Tuesday.

“We are very excited about the improvements,” which are expected to break ground early next year, he said.

While some of the new amenities could be up within a couple of months of ground breaking, the entire improvement project is expected to take about a year to complete, Dew said.

Belfair property owners association president Frank Farese said in a statement earlier this week that the POA’s “board of directors recognize the importance of investing” in the communities facilities and programs.

But, naturally, those investments won’t come free.

In order to build the new amenities, “the membership (of the POA) voted to charge themselves a monthly capital improvement fee,” Dew said.

That fee is $79 per month for a period of ten years, he said.

Residents of the private, gated community pay annual membership dues of nearly $15,000.

As with any decision to increase dues, there were some POA members who didn’t support the idea, Dew said.

But the roughly 700-member association voted in favor of the new fees “without much divisiveness,” he said. “There, of course, wasn’t 100 percent support in terms of the votes, but it was pretty overwhelming.”

Farese said, “We are confident that these community enhancements, which are consistent with industry trends, will position Belfair for continued success and growth.”

In a letter to association members, Farese wrote that building the new facilities “means we will remain relevant in the market for the long haul, hopefully increase demand and consequently our property values.”

Community planning documents show that Belfair expects to spend roughly $20 million on capital improvement projects over the next decade.

Nearly half of that total is expected to be spend on the community’s golf complex, with the remainder to be used for other facilities, roads, ponds, and storm water drainage, documents show.

This story was originally published August 1, 2017 at 2:15 PM with the headline "How much will Belfair’s new amenities cost the Bluffton neighborhood’s residents?."