President’s Special Report: TLA Board of Directors’ Position on Proposed Grand Harbor Club Memberships

Board Position

As you may be aware, The Landings Golf & Athletic Club (Club) has proposed allowing owners of the 45 future homes in the Grand Harbor development on Green Island Road to become Club members, even though this development is not part of The Landings. The Club intends to hold a vote of its members starting March 6. The Landings Association’s (TLA) Board recently learned of this proposal and was not involved in any prior discussions with the Club or the developer of Grand Harbor, who began site development in 2022.

TLA’s Board does not endorse the proposal as presented by the Club, as it represents a significant change impacting the character of our private residential community.

Background

During the Great Recession of 2008-2009, due to financial challenges, the Club explored the possibility of adding non-property owner memberships for the first time (outside a limited number of national memberships and prior property owners). The Club membership voted to approve this in 2010, setting a cap of 100 non-property owner Club members.

For reference, there are approximately 256 Club members who live outside TLA’s gates, as listed below: 

• Prior property owners (primarily living at The Marshes, Thrive, or Harmony) - 140
• Non-property owners (primarily living locally) - 100
• National members - 16

Rationale

TLA’s Board firmly believes enabling additional non-property owner Club members to access the Landings community (which potentially could bring the total to almost 300) is not in keeping with the 52-year history or spirit of the community. We are concerned that this could negatively impact safety, security, and access control and could have a detrimental effect on property values. In our view, the current proposal benefits the Club and the developer, with little benefit to the overall Landings community. Additionally, accepting Grand Harbor residents as a special category of non-resident members sets a worrisome precedent for other such developments and may erode the private character of The Landings.

We recognize that it is the Club’s membership that will vote on the proposal. We also recognize TLA’s Board’s duty to represent all 4,420 Landings property owners, including about 25% of whom are not Club members.

Should the proposal receive approval, TLA anticipates future financial implications. One major fiscal consequence includes additions to security and access measures. These could include installing more access gates across the community, modifying existing infrastructure, additional security staff, the need for cart and bike RFIDs, IT components, and all the related associated additional staffing operating costs. While a precise cost estimate is not currently available, it is evident that these changes will affect all property owners.

While supporting the Club’s success is important, it is equally crucial for The Landings Company (our realty company) and TLA to thrive. The current proposal offers no support to either entity. It is noteworthy that The Landings Company, owned by TLA, contributes approximately $1.5 million annually to marketing our community nationally…a very significant and vital factor in maintaining property values. Grand Harbor, which will be marketed by a Berkshire Hathaway real estate venture, does not contribute at all to marketing The Landings on a national basis, and The Landings Company currently is not involved with Grand Harbor marketing. This additional non-property owner venture, giving Club privileges, directly impacts The Landings’ private residential community in the future sale of your property.

Annexation Alternative

In the past, when developers wanted to be considered for Club membership, they had to formally approach TLA for annexation into the community. Approval was contingent on a vote of all property owners, including those who are not Club members. Two examples of such annexations are Marshview Landing and Moon River Landing, both situated along Green Island Road. These residents are TLA members who pay full Annual Dues (property owner assessments) and are subject to all TLA governing documents, rules, and regulations

2023 Community Survey

TLA’s Board has worked diligently to understand The Landings homeowners’ values and concerns, and it believes that it is aligned with the opinions of the majority of both Club and non-Club homeowners. As noted in the 2023 TLA Community Survey of all Landings members, while the Club is highly appreciated, the following factors were of equal or greater value in deciding to purchase in The Landings:

• Personal and property safety
• Natural environment
• Gated community
• Overall cost of living (value for money)
• Location and surrounding area (e.g., proximity to Savannah)

Repeatedly, Landings owners have shown they want to maintain a private residential community as originally established by our founders’ intents in 1972. The interests, concerns, and property values of our community continue to remain our primary focus.

Clarification

At the recent Club Town Halls presentation on this matter, information given regarding the access fee for potential Grand Harbor residents was erroneous and had not been discussed with TLA. To clarify, the fee for future non-property owner access has not been determined by TLA. but could be as much as the full Annual Dues.