About - History

 

The Piney-Z Community Development District (CDD) was established to partner with the City of Tallahassee and a developer to build the Piney-Z neighborhood and Conner Boulevard.  Having paid off the bonds (debt) in 2019, the CDD now exists only to operate the Piney-Z amenities (the lodge, pool, playground, fitness facility, and pavilion) located in the Piney-Z neighborhood.

 

 

The Piney-Z Community Development District (CDD) is technically a special-purpose unit of municipal government.  It operates under Chapter 190, Florida Statutes (F.S.), for Community Development Districts, and Chapter 189, F.S., the Uniform Special Districts Accountability Act.  The CDD’s authority to impose a levy is outlined in F.S. 190.021.  CDD Supervisors and employees must follow Florida’s Code of Ethics for Public Officers and Employees, established in Chapter 112, F.S.  The CDD does not participate in the Florida Retirement System (FRS).

 

 

Over 95% of the revenue received by the CDD comes from the annual resident assessment, collected with local property taxes starting in November.  For Fiscal Year 2025, the yearly cost (assessment) per household in Piney-Z is $598 (or $451,490 total, (755 homes x $598)), collected by the Leon County Tax Collector and paid over, minus collection costs and prepayment discounts, to the CDD.  The Supervisors set the amount each year at the budget meeting.  The revenue received covers the operating expenses of the Piney-Z amenities, including the lodge, pool, pavilion, playground, employee salaries, maintenance, and insurance, as well as the administrative operating expenses of the CDD, such as Supervisor salaries, contractor fees, and attorney fees.  Approximately $100 of each household’s yearly assessment (or a total of $75,500) is needed to cover the CDD’s administrative expenses.  Rental fees expected annually ($18,000) increase total revenue, but account for less than 4% of the total funds received.  Reserve funds held for emergencies and projects earn interest and typically produce less than 1% of the total annual resident levy.  According to F.S. 190.006, Supervisors may be paid $200 per meeting, not to exceed $ 4,800 per year.   

 

 

Map: CDD Area of Responsibility

 

In April 1997, the Tallahassee City Commission established the Piney-Z Community Development District at the request of Piney-Z Limited, a partnership of Mark Conner and J.T. Williams, Jr., who collaborated with property owners Sherrill and Grace Dansby to develop the Piney-Z Farm into the residential subdivision known today.  Per City of Tallahassee ordinance, the CDD issued bonds (debt) to finance the construction of essential infrastructure, including roads, utility pipelines, and electrical systems, including the Conner Boulevard Project.  The partnership chose the original five Supervisors.  Supervisors serving after the initial five are publicly elected from qualifying Piney-Z residents or appointed by the remaining Supervisors when a Supervisor resigns or becomes ineligible (e.g., moving out of Piney-Z).  All Supervisors, except the initial five, must reside in the Piney-Z neighborhood.

 

In 1999, the Supervisors added the purchase of the former Dansby residence, which became the Piney-Z Lodge, including about 4.74 acres located near the center of the development.  The City of Tallahassee subsequently authorized the CDD to create and maintain recreation and meeting facilities for residents, in addition to funding the installation of roads and utilities.  When the residents paid off the bonds, the CDD was directed by ordinance to dissolve and to turn over (dedicate) all roads and utilities infrastructure to the City of Tallahassee.  All remaining assets were to be transferred to the Piney-Z Homeowners Association.  However, in November 2013 and later, the Supervisors decided, with negotiated consent from both the HOA Board and the City Commission in 2014, to keep the CDD active to manage the amenities after Piney-Z residents finished paying the bonds. 

 

The residents paid off the bonds in 2019 through the annual assessment included with yearly property taxes.  The amount of this assessment is determined each year by the five Supervisors.  All Piney-Z households pay the same amount.  The initial assessment was about $600 annually per Piney-Z household, which included around $100 in yearly operating costs for the CDD.  With the payoff of the bonds, the assessment now covers only the costs to operate the amenities and the CDD.  The CDD cannot issue additional bonds without the permission of the City of Tallahassee.  In addition to maintaining and managing the amenities in the long term, the Supervisors are responsible for establishing an annual budget needed to operate them.  

 

 

The Piney-Z Community Development District employs an on-site manager, office assistant, and pool staff who may be contacted for daily operational matters.  The Supervisors also retain a contractor (INFRAMARK) for accounting and related issues, such as public records requests.  They are certified to manage the collection of assessments, accounts payable, reserves, and other matters required by Florida law. 

 

INFRAMARK
313 Campus Drive
Celebration, Florida  34747

 

Leah Popelka, VP of Accounting Services at Inframark, acts as the non-voting Treasurer of the Piney-Z Board of Supervisors.  Samantha Harvey serves as the District Manager and is also an employee of Inframark.