RiverTown HOA Guide for Outdoor Living Projects
A practical look at getting a RiverTown outdoor project approved and permitted.
Here's how a pergola, patio cover, screen enclosure, outdoor kitchen or fire feature usually moves through review in RiverTown.
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Architectural Review in RiverTown
RiverTown's architectural review covers exterior additions, and neighborhood-level guidelines can apply too. We prepare the package with a site plan, elevations, materials and renderings. Confirm current guidelines with your association.
- In RiverTown, the master association reviews exterior changes, and some neighborhoods like Watersong add their own guidelines.
RiverTown at a Glance
RiverTown is a master-planned community of roughly 4,000 acres along the St. Johns River in northwest St. Johns County. Its amenities include the riverfront RiverClub with a kayak launch, boardwalk and amphitheater, plus RiverHouse, RiverLodge, pools, trails and dog parks.
Matching the Package to the Project
- Covers and gazebos. A scaled site plan, elevations and the roof, post and trim selections are what most boards ask to see for a new structure.
- Screen enclosures. HOAs usually set rules on frame and screen colors and on height, so the package shows both.
- Fire pits and fireplaces. Many HOAs review fire pits, and fireplaces have code requirements for placement and clearances.
That's what boards commonly ask for; RiverTown's current guidelines decide. Confirm current guidelines with your association.
RiverTown Lots and What They Need
- RiverTown's newer homes usually start with a small lanai, so many families extend the patio first and add a roof later.
- Neighborhood rules on top of master rules. RiverTown has many neighborhoods, and some have their own guidelines. We check both levels.
- Entertaining space. Raised paver patios, fire pits and gazebos are popular here, and they're all part of our RiverTown work.
What We've Built in RiverTown
Cedar pergola over a raised paver patio with fire pit, RiverTown (St. Johns) A custom cedar pergola crowns a raised paver patio, with a built-in bench, a wood-burning fire pit and lighting woven through the walls and steps.
Grand cedar gazebo, fire pit walk and color-changing waterfall, RiverTown (St. Johns) An expansive cedar gazebo tied into the roofline, inside a screen enclosure with our expanded-view upgrade. Out in the yard, a paver walkway follows the slope of the lot down to a wood-burning fire pit and a color-changing waterfall, with lighting throughout.
We've also built paver patios with seating walls and lighting for several RiverTown homes in Watersong, one with a fire pit.
Permitting a RiverTown Project
RiverTown homes are permitted by St. Johns County. The County requires a building permit for most improvements and, in most cases, a clearance sheet before it accepts the application, and registered architectural review associations are notified automatically when exterior work is filed. A recorded Notice of Commencement is required for most permitted projects. Our St. Johns County permit guide walks through each step. Each permitted structure gets the engineered documents it needs. Approval from the board and the permit from the building department are two different sign-offs, and we manage each.
A pavilion is usually an open, sometimes ornamental structure in a garden, park or place of recreation that is used for entertainment or shelter.
How a Project Runs With Us
Amany Youssef designs every project in person with you in AutoCAD, first at our Jacksonville studio and then at your home. Wiring is done with our licensed electrical partner, and our licensed trade partners make the gas and plumbing connections. The itemized quote arrives within 24 hours of your consultation. Every AY Luxury Designs project has a $10,000 minimum. We can start most projects within two to four weeks, and financing is available through Synchrony Bank, including 18 months of no-interest financing. Paperwork is on us: the HOA submittal, the engineered documents for permitted structures and the permit application.
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Related Guides
For the bigger picture, see the St. Johns page and our guide to HOA architectural review.
Frequently Asked Questions
Have you built in RiverTown? Yes. Our RiverTown projects include a cedar pergola over a raised paver patio with a fire pit, and a grand cedar gazebo with a fire pit walk and a color-changing waterfall.
Does RiverTown have river access? Yes. The RiverClub on the St. Johns River has a kayak launch and boardwalk. If your lot faces the river or preserve, we plan the design around that view.
Do you serve RiverTown? Yes, we serve homeowners in RiverTown and throughout Northeast Florida. Your project starts with a design session at our Jacksonville studio, and then Amany comes to your home for the in-home design visit.
Talk Through Your RiverTown Project
Sit down with Amany to design it in person in AutoCAD, and we'll handle the review package and the permit.
Call (904) 629-8803 or book a consultation. Design studio: 8917 Western Way, Suite 7, Jacksonville, FL 32256 · Monday–Friday, 10am–5pm
AY Luxury Designs LLC · Certified Building Contractor CBC1268168 · Amany Youssef: Registered Building Contractor RB29003947 · Registered Electrical Contractor ER13016631 · Registered Underground Utility & Excavation Contractor RU11066663
