Stoneybrook names its new board of residents

EAST COUNTY — After more than a decade of developer control, Stoneybrook residents have assumed ownership of their community.

Lennar, the developer of Heritage Harbour and its Stoneybrook neighborhood, formally resigned from the homeowners association board Jan. 2.

On that same day, after roughly 400 votes were tallied, a new nine-person board of residents began work. 

“It’s about time,” said Lee Miller, the HOA’s new vice president.

In a community that has been split during a controversial decade-plus of developer control, the nine winners all identify with a group that calls itself the “Pro-Stoneybrook Team.”

Ira Tropp, the new treasurer, does not expect familiarity to affect the board’s ability to be unbiased. 

“Going forward, I believe we will have the community as a whole behind us,” said Tropp, who had been on the homeowners association finance and landscape committees when Lennar was in control. “There won’t be a rubber stamp. Each board member has different views on how to do things. And, I hope the candidates who did not win participate and don’t just fade away. The conflict is in the past.”

The new board will hold a workshop at 6 p.m. Jan. 8, at the Stoneybrook recreation center, to determine a meeting schedule. The board cannot make motions during workshops.

Lennar still must turn over the community’s assets and documents.

Tropp expects that to happen soon.

He says the board likely will hire a lawyer to review the documents and ensure the legality of the transition.

Lennar decided to turn over the community’s assets, including its recreation center and pool, through a quitclaim deed, rather than a warranty deed.

For a quitclaim deed, the owner simply “quits” claim to the property, allowing transfer of ownership to occur. A warrantee deed guarantees title to property under a transfer.

Lennar decided to turn over the community after a task force of residents sent the developer a letter in mid-August demanding its departure.

A Lennar representative, Tony Burdett, traveled from Fort Myers to a Stoneybrook homeowners association meeting in September to announce the developer’s intent to give up control.

Board members say Lennar competently managed the community’s assets, such as the recreation center, pool and basketball court, but they plan to make those amenities more accessible.

“We see Stoneybrook as a premier community in Sarasota/Bradenton, and we want to make it better,” Tropp said.

Turnover Leadership
The residents voted to the new nine-person resident-controlled board are: 
Tom Bakalar (president) 
Joanne Pytlik 
Dave Arras 
Ira Tropp (treasurer) 
Dick Williams 
Mike Listro 
Phil Martinetti 
Gene Zeiner (secretary)
Lee Miller (vice president) 

Contact Josh Siegel at [email protected].