Sandpiper Bay Community Through the Decades

The city has defined the Sandpiper Bay area: (west of US Hwy 1, east of the St Lucie River and south of Port St Lucie Blvd) which includes 11 HOA’s. While our HOA’s do not qualify as a neighborhood association since they have statutory responsibility within their own borders, they can enjoy the benefits through Sandpiper Bay Community (SBC). SBC is concerned about all the public infrastructure and services (outside the HOA borders) that effect all of us and bring the community together for our mutual benefit. Consider water, sewer, drainage ditches, roads, police, fire protection, park & recreation, code and code compliance, taxes, city management, etc. are all items of mutual interest.

Sandpiper Bay Community is a unique place to live. We are known as the Crown Jewel of Port Saint Lucie and are a dominant influence on city government. We now have over 3000 homesites, 6000 residents in about six square miles. But the city has grown enormously, and we are now a smaller part of over 200,000 residents and it is more difficult to influence government officials. But together we can make a difference.

SANDPIPER BAY COMMUNITY (SBC), is the new name for the Sandpiper Bay Homeowners Association (SBHA), this name was around for 36 years. While still incorporated under the old name, this change was necessitated to reflect changes in State Law, changes in our organizational mission and changes in our City structure.

Why does an established Community organization change its name? Here is some history. Since February 24, 1965, this community organization has undergone 4 name changes, before this one.

  • 1965-1966-1967 – PORT ST LUCIE HOME AND PLAN OWNERS ASSOCIATION
  • 1968-1969, 1970 – The name was legally changed to THE CITY OF PORT ST LUCIE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION
  • 1971- The name changed again to ST LUCIE COUNTRY CLUB HOME-OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC.
  • June 22, 1981, the Association’s name was legally changed to SANDPIPER BAY HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, INCORPORATED (A Florida Not-for-Profit 504(c)(3) Corporation under state Statute, Chapter 720.
  • October 16, 2008, the Association was reorganized under State Statute Chapter 617, a Florida not for Profit Corporation without the 504(C)(3) charity status. This was done because the state statutes for homeowners changed eliminating volunteer organizations like ours. But, we kept the same name, SANDPIPER BAY HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC.
  • October 30, 2017 – The association filed to use the fictitious name SANDPIPER BAY COMMUNITY (SBC) to do its business. This was necessary to reflect changes in State law, changes in our organizational mission and to take advantage of changes to the structure of the City of Port Saint Lucie.
    • State law changed about 2000, requiring Homeowners Association organized under State Statue, Chapter 720 to be limited to mandatory memberships only. As a voluntary organization it was a misnomer and confusing for us to continue under this name. We are now incorporated under State Statue Chapter 617, as a Florida Not-For-Profit and do not retain the 504(c) (4) charity status.
    • Our organizational mission and Bylaws were changed to include all residents, not just homeowners to join our organization. Hence, the use of the word Homeowners in our name would be a misnomer.

The City of Port Saint Lucie established the Neighborhood Services Department under which the NICE (Neighborhood Improvement and Community Engagement) program was established. We are one of 33 officially recognized neighborhood associations under the NICE program. The purpose of NICE is to promote residents to work cooperatively to make their neighborhood a better place to live and provide the necessary communication with city officials.