Southern Pool Designs designs and builds custom pools for homes in The Plantation at Ponte Vedra, the private, gated club community in Ponte Vedra Beach. Our St. Augustine office takes each project from design through Architectural Design Board approval, St. Johns County permitting and construction. Plantation 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.
The Setting
The Plantation covers about 650 acres with 577 homes. Its 18-hole golf course takes up about 133 acres and its lakes another 56. Owning a home here includes membership in the club: golf, tennis and pickleball, croquet, fitness, the clubhouse, and an oceanfront Beach House on Ponte Vedra Boulevard with its own pool. The front gate off A1A is staffed around the clock.
That last point shapes how people use a home pool here. Families with an oceanfront beach club a short ride away tend to want the home pool for things the club cannot offer: privacy, a spa at the end of the day, morning laps, and an outdoor room that works for entertaining at home.
Who Approves a Pool in The Plantation
The Plantation is in unincorporated St. Johns County, so the county issues the building permit. The community’s own review comes first.
- Architectural Design Board (ADB). The Plantation’s governing documents create an ADB that reviews both new homes and later changes. Pools, pool fences, screened enclosures, fountains and landscaping changes all need ADB approval before installation. The ADB published amended Architectural Guidelines in January 2024, and we design to the current version.
- Trees. Removing any tree with a trunk over three inches in diameter requires prior written ADB approval. On wooded lots, tree locations often decide where the pool can go, so we survey them before sketching.
- Fences and walls. No fence or wall goes up without ADB approval, which matters because a pool needs a compliant barrier.
- Access and hours. Under the association’s published rules, construction and delivery vehicles use the County Road 210 gate rather than the main entrance, and construction is limited to set hours with none on Sundays or holidays. We plan deliveries, concrete pours and crew schedules around both.
- County permit. After ADB approval, we submit to St. Johns County. Our Ponte Vedra Beach page covers the county’s zoning rules for the area.
Lake and Golf Lots
Lake and lagoon lots
The Plantation’s lakes and lagoons form an interconnected stormwater system that also irrigates the golf course, and swimming in them is prohibited because of alligators and runoff. For a pool on a lake lot, that means:
- We locate the top of bank, any easements and the property line on the survey before placing the pool.
- The deck is graded so pool and deck water drain as the site plan intends, not straight into the lake.
- The pool is oriented to frame the water view, often with a vanishing or low edge on the lake side.
- Engineering accounts for soil and groundwater conditions near the water.
Golf lots
The association’s rules ask owners next to the golf course to avoid anything that detracts from play. A pool facing a fairway should feel private without walling off the course, so we design screening, fence style and lighting with that in mind, and keep lighting aimed at the pool and terrace rather than at the course.
Replacing an Existing Pool
For a home with a pool that no longer suits the house, we do a complete rip and replace: remove the old shell and deck, then design and build a new pool, spa and hardscape, approved by the ADB like any new pool. We build new pools and full rebuilds only; we do not resurface or repair existing pools.
Design Ideas for Plantation Homes
- Lake-edge pool: a long, simple pool parallel to the water with a vanishing edge where the grade allows, and a sun shelf at the shallow end.
- Spa as the centerpiece: a raised champagne spa with perimeter overflow next to the main living room, for the evenings when the club is not the plan.
- Lap pool for golf lots: a narrow lap lane along the back of the house, screened from the fairway with planting the ADB can approve.
- Outdoor room: a covered loggia, fire feature and summer kitchen tied to the pool, with lighting and heat on smart automation.
What a Pool in The Plantation 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 pool and spa with a full deck on a golf lot often fits Signature. Lake-front designs with a vanishing edge, outdoor kitchen and loggia usually move into Monument. Rip and replace adds $8,000 to $20,000 for demolition. Our design fee article explains why we design and price in detail before you commit to construction.
How a Plantation Project Runs
- Welcome call. We talk through how you will use the pool alongside the club, your timeline and your budget band.
- On-site design consultation. We walk the lot, mark trees over the three inch threshold, note the lake bank or fairway edge, and plan crew access through the County Road 210 gate.
- The Signature Experience. A paid design phase produces your custom 3D design. We coordinate engineering, submit to the ADB, obtain the St. Johns County permit, and build within the community’s construction hours under a dedicated project manager, ending with a final walkthrough.
Plantation at Ponte Vedra Pool FAQs
Do I need ADB approval for a pool in The Plantation?
Yes. Pools, pool fences, screened enclosures, fountains and landscaping changes must all be submitted to The Plantation’s Architectural Design Board before installation. Tree removals over three inches in trunk diameter also need written approval. We prepare the submittal and respond to any comments before applying for the county permit.
How do construction crews get into The Plantation?
The association’s published rules route construction, delivery and other commercial vehicles through the County Road 210 gate, while the staffed front gate off A1A serves members and guests. We coordinate access with security ahead of each phase so concrete trucks and equipment arrive without delays.
Can I build a pool on a lake lot?
Usually, yes. The lakes are part of the community’s stormwater and irrigation system, so we locate the bank, easements and drainage paths on the survey first, then design the pool and deck to fit inside them and frame the view across the water.
How much does a pool cost in The Plantation at Ponte Vedra?
Most projects here land in our Signature tier ($175,000 to $325,000) or Monument tier ($325,000 and up). Size, spa, edge details, covered outdoor living and automation drive the number. Replacing an existing pool adds $8,000 to $20,000 for demolition.
Plan Your Plantation Pool
Call our St. Augustine office at (904) 217-0254 or request a design consultation, and we will schedule a visit to your property with the ADB guidelines in hand.