JUNE 1, 2018

– Bill Schulz, Beach Cabana Committee Board Liaison

Over the past several years improvements to the Cabana has been one of the top recommended priorities from the Strategic Planning and Development Committee (SPDC) annual working sessions. Increased deck space, enclosed space, improved drainage and increased parking were just a few of the SPDC’s recommendations. The acquisition and completion of the 3rd parking lot several years ago achieved one of those goals.

In 2016 the Barefoot Resort Residential Owners Association (BRRA) Board approved enclosing a section of the Cabana as well as replacing the deck railing with an improved design that would allow for improved visibility of the beach from the deck. In 2017 the BRRA Board voted to delay those investments until a more holistic approach to Cabana improvements could be studied. Simultaneously, design/construction deficiencies of the Cabana had begun to pile up and the BRRA Board and Cabana Committee noticed a steady increase in Cabana maintenance cost. 

These issues and the holistic approach sparked an investigation into 2 options for the Cabana:

1. What is the cost and timing to upgrade the Cabana to a more sound structure that included the approved recommendations (enclosed space and new railings) from 2016? 
2. What is the cost and timing to replace the Cabana with a new design? The new design should not only accommodate the approved improvements from 2016 but also achieve some of the recommended Cabana objectives by Strategic Planning over the last several years.

While this investigation was taking place, the BRRA Board also recommended that a Structural Engineering study be completed to see if option 1 was viable. The study was completed in early 2018 and is attached. 

The results of the survey highlighted several of the design/construction deficiencies the BRRA Board and Cabana Committee had seen over the years and shed some light on future design/construction issues that will need to be addressed in the future. 

Essentially the main issues are that the Cabana was built to residential code and not commercial code and that marine grade materials were not used in its construction. The original Cabana design was approved before the City went to the International Building Code that would have required a commercial grade design.

After much discussion and review of our history with the Cabana, recommendations from the SPDC, and review of future costs and concerns, the BRRA Board voted and approved last month to move forward with option 2 and replace the Cabana with a new design. The Board felt that to continue to make significant investment into a Cabana that had basic design and construction flaws was not making good use of our financial resources.

The timing of the new Cabana is as follows:

1. Enter into a design phase over the next several months, taking into account recommendations from the SPDC and the Cabana Committee. The BRRA Board approved the expenditure of $30K from the 1% Marketing Fund to complete this architectural design.
2. During late summer to early fall of 2018, the Barefoot Residential Owners Association will receive communications of the new design recommendation as well as its final cost. The Residential Association will have the opportunity to vote on the recommended Cabana replacement.
3. Starting in September 2019 and into the early spring of 2020 the new Cabana will be constructed. The cost for construction of the new Cabana will also come from the 1% Marketing Fund.

The Cabana is an important amenity for the community; it not only provides the easy access and amenities the community desires at the beach, but it is also a key feature when purchasing or selling a home in Barefoot. It is important that we have a Cabana facility that reflects the quality and integrity of our community.

 

Photo captions:

Top photo: Example of severly corroded joist straps at dropped girder.

Middle photo 1: Example of mushroomed decking and (overdriven/improper) fasteners at elevator landing area.

Middle photo 2: Example of corroded fasteners at railing connection.

Bottom photo: Example of lack of knee (lateral) bracing at pile/girder connections.