Southern Pool Designs designs and builds custom pools for homes in Palencia, the gated community on the Intracoastal Waterway just north of St. Augustine. Our St. Augustine office handles design, Palencia ARB approval, St. Johns County permitting and construction. Palencia projects typically land in our Signature tier ($175,000 to $325,000) and Monument tier ($325,000 and up). Every project starts in our custom pool design studio, where you see the full design in 3D and know the cost before we break ground.
Where Palencia Sits and Who Permits
Palencia carries a St. Augustine mailing address, but it is not inside the City of St. Augustine. The community was approved by St. Johns County as the Marshall Creek Planned Unit Development, and it sits in unincorporated St. Johns County, so the county issues the building permit and applies the PUD’s standards. Development by The Hines Company began in 2002, south of Nocatee and east of I-95, with the Intracoastal Waterway and the Tolomato River along its eastern side.
Palencia also has two layers of community government that are easy to confuse:
- Community Development Districts. Palencia is served by the Marshall Creek CDD, a public body that runs streets, boardwalks, the fitness and tennis centers and the amenity pools. Palencia North is served by the Sweetwater Creek CDD. CDDs do not review your pool design.
- Palencia Property Owners Association. The POA handles architectural control through the Palencia Architectural Review Board (ARB), which reviews new homes, improvements to existing homes and landscaping. Owners are asked to contact the ARB before any exterior change, and some neighborhoods have sub-associations with their own documents as well.
We confirm which documents govern your lot, prepare the ARB submittal, and apply for the county permit after the ARB approves.
What the County Wants on the Site Plan
St. Johns County’s residential site plan checklist can require the jurisdictional wetland line, the upland buffer with dimensions, FEMA flood zones, setbacks, finished floor elevation, waterways, limits of fill, erosion control and stormwater flow arrows. On a Palencia lot near marsh or preserve, several of those apply at once, so we build the pool layout on a current survey that shows them rather than on a plat drawing.
Palencia Lot Types
Intracoastal and marsh lots
Homes on the community’s waterfront streets look across marsh to the Intracoastal. These lots raise the most design questions: wetland lines and upland buffers set the back limit for the pool and deck, flood zone and elevation affect the deck and equipment pad, and soils near the marsh need engineering attention. The payoff is a long, open view that a well-placed pool can frame.
Golf lots
The Palencia Club’s 18-hole Arthur Hills course runs past old oaks and along the Intracoastal. Pools facing a fairway need privacy without a wall, so we work out screening, fence style and lighting direction during design.
Preserve and lake lots
Palencia has preserve land, about 30 acres of parks linked by boardwalks and trails, and lakes and ponds. Preserve-backed lots often have a wetland or buffer line at the rear, so the pool may sit closer to the house than you first picture. That is where a raised spa or a vanishing edge toward the trees earns its place.
Design Ideas for Palencia Homes
Whether your home leans traditional, with a tile roof and stucco, or toward a cleaner coastal look, these layouts work well on Palencia lots:
- Courtyard pool: a formal rectangle with a stone coping and a champagne spa with perimeter overflow on the main axis of the house.
- Marsh-view vanishing edge: where the lot falls toward the marsh, an infinity edge lines the water up with the Intracoastal horizon.
- Loggia and lap lane: a narrow lap pool along a covered loggia for golf lots, with a fire feature at the far end.
- Family pool: a sun shelf and beach entry for young children, with lighting and heat on smart automation.
What a Pool in Palencia Costs
- Foundation: $120,000 to $175,000
- Signature: $175,000 to $325,000, our most-built tier
- Monument: $325,000 to $1,000,000+
A courtyard pool and spa on a golf or preserve lot often fits Signature. Intracoastal and marsh-front pools with vanishing edges, outdoor kitchens and covered living usually reach Monument. If your home has an older pool you want gone, a complete rip and replace adds $8,000 to $20,000 for demolition. We build new pools and full rebuilds only.
How a Palencia Project Runs
- Welcome call. We talk through your lot, how you will use the pool and your budget band.
- On-site design consultation. We walk the property with the survey, checking the wetland line, upland buffer, flood zone and sub-association documents.
- The Signature Experience. A paid design phase produces your custom 3D design. We coordinate engineering, submit to the Palencia ARB, obtain the St. Johns County permit, and build under a dedicated project manager with real-time tracking and a final walkthrough. Our article on custom pool timelines explains how long each stage takes.
Palencia Pool FAQs
Is Palencia in the City of St. Augustine?
No. Palencia has a St. Augustine mailing address but sits in unincorporated St. Johns County as the Marshall Creek Planned Unit Development. The county issues the building permit, and the Palencia Property Owners Association’s Architectural Review Board approves the design.
Do I need ARB approval for a pool in Palencia?
Yes. The Palencia ARB reviews improvements to existing homes, including exterior changes and landscaping, and owners are asked to contact it before starting any exterior work. Some neighborhoods also have sub-association documents. We prepare the full submittal and get approval before applying for the county permit.
Can I build a pool on an Intracoastal or marsh lot?
Usually, yes, within the limits on your survey. The wetland jurisdiction line and upland buffer set how far back the pool and deck can go, and the flood zone affects elevations. We map those first so the design you approve is one the county and ARB can approve too.
How much does a pool cost in Palencia?
Most Palencia projects land in our Signature tier ($175,000 to $325,000) or Monument tier ($325,000 and up). Waterfront pools with vanishing edges and full outdoor living tend toward Monument. Replacing an existing pool adds $8,000 to $20,000 for demolition.
Start Your Palencia Pool Design
Call our St. Augustine office at (904) 217-0254 or request a design consultation, and we will visit your Palencia property with your survey and ARB requirements in hand.