[Goldwingnut]

Originally Posted by Altavia

Facinating story Don, truely appreciate the uploads also.

Historically, was there any change in the financial methodology that enables infrastructure and then Amenities to be built first? This seems to be a huge distinction that enabled the contineous planned development?

Basically, NO, there have been very few changes in the last 30 years. FS chapter 190 came into existence in about 1980 and allowed for the special purpose CDD governments to be formed. The CDDs carry the burden of the infrastructure through municipal bonds that area issued. The bonds are then paid off by the residents whose homes have benefited from the infrastructure. The infrastructure is a necessity to create the community.

Amenities, when they are built are not a part of the CDD, they are privately owned property built by developers to attract residents to the communities that they are building. Even after the community is built the amenities remain private property and in the case of The Villages, they are a business unit of the developer's portfolio.

Infrastructure obviously must be built first. Amenities can be built anytime by anyone. In our case the developer builds them along with the early infrastructure construction. This is why in some communities they'll sell houses before the amenities are built - "and over there will be the tee for the 7th hole and over there will be the swimming pool, when (if) they are built.

Infrastructure and amenities are funded separately, one is public and the other is private.

I'm not sure what developments you are considering contentious.