MINUTES OF MEETING RIDGEWOOD TRAILS
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT

The regular meeting of the Board of Supervisors of the Ridgewood Trails Community Development District was held Wednesday, November 5, 2025 at 6:02 p.m. at the Azalea Ridge Amenity Center, 1667 Azalea Ridge Boulevard, Middleburg, Florida.

Present and constituting a quorum were:

Michael Wetherbee	Chairman
Cassie Alba	Assistant Secretary
Scott Edson	Assistant Secretary by telephone
Tom Schumacher	Assistant Secretary Also present were:
Marilee Giles	District Manager
Katie Buchanan	District Counsel by telephone
Jay Soriano	GMS
Rob Alba	RMS
Karen Fisher	Brightview by telephone
Richard Smith	Clay County
Caleb Risinger	Clay County
Bobby Jamieson	GAI Consultants

The following is a summary of the discussions and actions taken at the November 5, 2025 meeting.

FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS	Roll Call
Ms. Giles called the meeting to order at 6:02 p.m. and called the roll.

SECOND ORDER OF BUSINESS	Public Comments
A resident stated on Halloween we were hammered with everyone from Middleburg, it was overwhelming. I would like to do something for Azalea Ridge only.

THIRD ORDER OF BUSINESS	Consideration	of	Long	Bay	SUN	Trail
Conveyance Tract

Ms. Giles stated county representatives are here who will go over this and tell us what some of our options are. District counsel is on the line and at some point I will ask her to weigh in and the board will have a discussion.
Mr. Smith gave an overview of the location of the Long Bay SUN Trail and stated we hope to have design and permitting completed by late spring and construction will commence July/August/September.
Mr. Jamieson stated it will be 12 feet wide, mostly asphalt as far from the road as possible to maximize connectivity to existing neighborhoods.

On MOTION by Mr. Schumacher seconded by Mr. Wetherbee with all in favor district staff and the chair were authorized to negotiate with the county to determine a reasonable reimbursement for the conveyance of parcels to Clay County in support of the Long Bay SUN Trail.

Mr. Soriano stated Rich asked if he could pressure wash the sidewalks and he said okay in a public meeting and I have no issue if he wants to move forward with it. I can get proposals and bring them back for your consideration.

FOURTH ORDER OF BUSINESS	Consideration of Fencing (Lot 380)
Mr. Soriano stated it is 4171 Fishing Creek Lane and there are a couple concerns. They are asking to put up a fence around the property. Standing at their front door looking at the road, the left side of their property sits on an unlockable drainage easement. The pipe goes underground between them and their neighbor and goes to the pond behind their house. Those easements are meant to keep clear, not just for access for maintenance but for future issues if you have to deal with the pipe. That is the only true access to the pond for things like mowers and Lake Doctors. We are not supposed to block it and we already have a problem in the front of your neighborhood where there are a couple ponds that we have two easements that are completely blocked now and don’t have good access and they didn’t come to the CDD. They may have started the process through the HOA and the HOA gives their approval but the homeowner stops there and puts up a fence and block our access. Here we have the ability to get in another way and we have access to get to the pond but if you give permission to them to put up a fence you are blocking off your only true access. If you don’t want to tell them no, we want them to be able to use their property, this

is an easement on their property, then we go through a variance we could say install a gate and give us permission or you could do a variation, they want 10-feet and we will give them five-feet.
Mr. Wetherbee stated we can send a letter and let them do what they are requesting but if we need access it would be their responsibility. We need to inform the ones who already has a fences in the easement to make them understand that in an emergency we would need access.
Mr. Soriano stated that is going to be a bigger discussion.
Mr. Edson stated we need to be clear that we are not breaking or creating a precedent on and on future applications we need to follow the same rules.
Ms. Giles asked do you have anything to add about some type of license agreement?
Ms. Buchanan stated we have them but the form we would use is incredibly favorable to the CDD. We try to protect the district. It would require removal upon the CDD’s request if the homeowner doesn’t do it the CDD has the option to remove it, bill the homeowner for it. The district can access the property when they need to, they are not liable for any damage to the property or the fence. We can draft it and record it in the official records so it runs with the property.
Mr. Wetherbee asked do you recommend allowing the fence?
Ms. Buchanan stated no because it increases complications for the CDD, but I understand that you as a neighbor and representative of your community are trying to find a compromise.
Ms. Giles stated this is not uncommon, it happens in districts when we do a license agreement.
Mr. Wetherbee stated if we have good access around the back of the pond then I say we draft a letter stating if she wants to put the fence up then the responsibility of repairing or replacing the fence or any damage to the property would be on her and the other homeowner and we have to notify the other homeowner as well.
Mr. Edson asked what if you added into it that if we need access and we were denied it that we would require them to return it back to the way it was before we allowed them to do anything. Mr. Soriano stated we have heard that before even with homes with a gate and we find it

locked.

Mr. Alba asked do you want to do the same for all the easements that are blocked? Mr. Schumacher asked do we need to send out notices too?
Mr. Soriano stated we can do that next because that one has some issues.

On MOTION by Mr. Wetherbee seconded by Mr. Schumacher with all in favor district counsel was directed to prepare a license agreement for the property at 4171 Fishing Creek Lane to allow the construction of a fence but in the event it has to be accessed it is their responsibility to repair or replace it and to also put the neighbor with the existing fence on notice.

FIFTH ORDER OF BUSINESS	Acceptance of Fiscal Year 2024 Audit Report
Ms. Giles stated the next item is acceptance of your fiscal year 2024 audit report. In the management letter there were no findings or recommendations, and this is a clean audit.

On MOTION by Ms. Alba seconded by Mr. Wetherbee with all in favor the fiscal year 2025 audit report was accepted.

SIXTH ORDER OF BUSINESS	Discussion of Fiscal Year 2025 Audit Services
and Appointment of Audit Committee
Ms. Giles stated Berger Toombs did a great job on the audit, but they had an extremely difficult time in completing these audits by June 30th, the date the audits are supposed to be completed. We had numerous audits that did not meet that June 30th deadline.
Mr. Wetherbee stated I think we need to ask them why they were so late and that will help determine if we approach it in the future.
Ms. Giles stated my only concern in delaying action is October 1st is typically when these audit companies reach into our server and start the review process. We can email them and ask how they feel about being timely for the 2025 audit and I can bring that back to your January meeting. They did have a turnover in personnel and that was part of the reason they were late.
Ms. Alba stated let’s find out their response why they were not completed in a timely manner so that when it comes time for us to start looking for next year’s audit we can make an informed decision.

SEVENTH ORDER OF BUSINESS	Consideration of Proposal from Sterling for
Egress Gate
Mr. Soriano stated this one was tabled from the last meeting because we have a district that is getting rid of one of their gates and I did mention their meeting was a week later and they were happy with the $800. That is not your total cost because I still have to have Rob and someone

from RMS help him install the gate. They are keeping the crash bars. The cost is going to come in well below the $2,500.

On MOTION by Mr. Schumacher seconded by Mr. Wetherbee with all in favor staff was authorized a not to exceed amount of $2,500 for the gate and installation.

EIGHTH ORDER OF BUSINESS	Staff Reports
Attorney
There being none, the next item followed.

Engineer
There being none, the next item followed.

Manager – Review of Fiscal Year 2025 Goals and Objectives
Ms. Giles stated each of these goals and objectives were met with the standards identified in the reporting form.

On MOTION by Mr. Wetherbee seconded by Mr. Schumacher with all in favor the fiscal year 2025 goals and objectives were approved.

Ms. Giles stated you still have the four hours of ethics training that needs to be completed by December 31st.

Operation Manager’s Report –Report
Mr. Soriano stated we are finishing the lighting at the back of Azalea Ridge Parkway. We had some complaints that they were too bright and Rob adjusted them and no one has complained since. We did get the permit for the playground. We had a structure installed for the gazebo and playground structure. The problem came in finalizing the permit, the county would not finalize the permit without going through all the other steps that are normal in opening a park. This park has been open for eight to ten years but they made us go through all the steps. The GC had to go through a landscape inspection and unfortunately some of your trees have died in the last decade

and the county wouldn’t finalize the permit until we replaced trees. They wanted two long leaf pine trees replaced at the back of the property and the price was higher than I liked but Brightview as able to get it done quickly. It was almost $4,000 and will be in your packet at the next meeting to be ratified. Two more trees will be installed by the playground itself.
Mr. Wetherbee stated I took my granddaughter there and there was a young person on a motor bike in the playground area and we need to put a stop to that. It could be dangerous. Do we have signage saying no motorized vehicles?
Mr. Soriano stated not at that park. Since we just put in the playground it will be an added usage area with more people than before and we have those signs here and we can put some out there.
The last item is a discussion on the fountains and we are not getting cooperation from any of the owners for access to the easements.
Mr. Schumacher asked what are our options?
Mr. Soriano stated we would have to start by sending letters to the homeowners letting them know that they may have to remove those fences.
Ms. Giles stated or we just don’t maintain the landscape back there.
Mr. Soriano stated you have that other option. Residents seem to think that we are required to do big maintenance on these ponds and you are not. St. Johns wants to make sure there is waterflow that the pond works the way it was designed. They don’t care if they get mucky. They don’t like people complaining about snakes and things like that, it is natural. We could have Lake Doctors go in a couple times a year with a backpack and spray and as to cutting the grass we could do just the main areas around the culverts with trimmers and the maintenance guys can walk through the trees. As to the maintenance that is expected we would not be able to do that.
Mr. Schumacher asked who owns the property behind these homes?
Mr. Soriano stated the pond bank sits behind their properties and we own the pond bank.
On the other side of the pond are preserve areas.
Mr. Wetherbee stated just treat it twice a year and if we get complaints we will address the
access.

Amenity Manager
Report

Mr. Alba gave an overview of the amenity manager’s report, copy of which was provided in the agenda package.

On MOTION by Mr. Wetherbee seconded by Mr. Schumacher with all in favor staff was authorized to obtain a sports streaming package for the clubhouse and amenity center.

Brightview QSA
A copy of the Brightview quality site assessment report was included in the agenda package.

NINTH ORDER OF BUSINESS	Supervisor’s Requests and Public Comments
There being none, the next item followed.

TENTH ORDER OF BUSINESS	Approval of Consent Agenda
Approval of the Minutes of the September 3, 2025 Meeting

On MOTION by Ms. Alba seconded by Mr. Wetherbee with all in favor the minutes of the September 3, 2025 meeting were approved as presented.

Balance Sheet & Income Statement
Assessment Receipt Schedule
Approval of Check Register

On MOTION by Ms. Alba seconded by Mr. Schumacher with all in favor the balance of the consent agenda items was approved.

ELEVENTH ORDER OF BUSINESS	Next  Meeting  Scheduled  for  Wednesday,
January 7, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. at the Azalea Ridge Amenity Center, 1667 Azalea Ridge Boulevard, Middleburg, Florida
Ms. Giles stated the next meeting will be held January 7, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. in the same location.

On MOTION by Ms. Alba seconded by Mr. Wetherbee with all in favor the meeting adjourned at 8:13 p.m.

Secretary/Assistant Secretary	Chairman/Vice Chairman