Several years ago, Winding River asked a defining question: Who are we — and who do we want to become?
The answer became Vision 2028, the Strategic Plan approved in September 2023. Shaped by residents, committees, and leadership, it reflects pride in our standards, respect for our environment, and a shared commitment to protecting what makes Winding River distinctive.
This plan is not a project list. It is a compass. Vision 2028 guides Board deliberations, informs committee work, and shapes community conversations.
Architecture
- Encourage development of the undeveloped lots contiguous to Clear Water Place to be consistent with the original intended plans of additional multi-family structures.
- Financial: 7 HOA fees ($13,000) currently as undeveloped; potentially gain of 35–63 HOA fees ($65,000–$117,000) if developed.
- Socioeconomic: Provides more opportunity for downsizing within the community for aging residents, particularly if built ADA compliant.
- General Appearance: Ensure that the defunct pool, bathhouse/mailboxes, and parking lot are brought up to community standards.
Landscape
- Modernize standards with consideration given to sustainability, conservation, and use of natural materials to preserve and protect the quality of the Winding River environment.
- Revise acceptable landscape materials to include natural stone as a more durable sustainable and firesafe alternative to wood/pine needle ground covering.
- Investigate alternative natural products for community areas that are currently replenished with pine needles biannually and consider cost savings benefits.
- Encourage the use of rain collection systems to promote conservation of water.
Fiscal Management
- Continue to exercise prudent spending to maintain affordability while preserving Winding River's value and attraction to current and future residents.
- Encourage investment in long term solutions versus short term patches to aging systems.
- Identify opportunities to reduce costs by adjusting timelines of capital improvements, annual maintenance projects, etc. that provide for competitive bid processes for larger scale work.
Accessibility
- Prioritize projects that enhance accessibility to amenities within the community.
- This includes, but is not limited to, projects such as automatic door openers and a beach mat at Holden Beach.
Communications
- Ensure that all residents have access to and are informed of activities and information disseminated by the community (e.g., Board, committees, interest groups, property management).
- Invest in a message board system at the POC to promote WR events and activities, and keep the community generally more informed.
- Annually review and update the owner database to correct email addresses to ensure members are receiving important information.
- Appoint a task force to evaluate the current website and provide feedback on functionality and access to information.
- Identify channels of communications, their specific purpose, and establish standard distribution schedules.
Diversity: Activities & Interest Groups
- Annually review participation and resident satisfaction with interest groups and activities offered by committees to ensure the needs and expectations of the community are met.
- Survey members annually on wants and needs to help develop the year's social calendar.
- Develop a standardized information center that provides basic information and activities for each interest group that could be modified and updated by the groups to include upcoming schedules, activities, and new information.
Governance
- Ensure the implementation of standardized and transparent policies that address the use of amenities for the purpose of fundraising.
- Evaluate and update Board Committee Charters to reflect the current and anticipated needs of Winding River.
- Increase the size of the Board of Directors to the maximum number currently allowed (7).
- Introduce bylaw amendments to either increase Board terms or establish term limits that would provide for consecutive terms of service.
Volunteerism
- Develop a system for recognizing residents for volunteer service within the community in order to encourage continued involvement.
Neighborhoods
- Establish a system for neighborhoods to participate in developing proposals for improvements within the community.
- Explore adding fitness stations to walking paths throughout the community to encourage health and active lifestyles and as an outdoor alternative to exercising in the fitness center.
Strategic Pillar 3
Community Safety
Winding River is a safe community for everyone, from raising a family to enjoying retirement.
Roads & Traffic
- Improve current systems to effectively respond to the growth in population and traffic in Winding River and the surrounding area.
- Educate residents on the use of low-speed vehicles (LSV) within the Winding River community and investigate the provision of designated LSV parking at WR amenities.
Pedestrian Safety
- Develop and implement a plan to connect walking paths and sidewalks throughout Winding River to connect all areas and neighborhoods within the land side of Winding River.
Security
- Investigate gate entry systems utilizing RFID that would use car tags that could control gates with flexibility to limit access as needed.
- Reactivate key card system for the tennis/pickleball courts.
- Expand camera security system to monitor common area parking lots (e.g., POC, marina, beach club).
Public Safety
- Enhance public safety using signage to warn of natural dangers within the community (e.g., alligators, private property notices at ponds and natural areas).
Fire Safety
- Develop and implement a Firewise plan for deadwood in Winding River common areas.
Public Health
- Provide public education opportunities on topics that include but are not limited to first aid/CPR, aging in place, fall prevention, estate planning, elder care, memory care.
Strategic Pillar 4
Community Amenities
Winding River offers some of the finest amenities in Brunswick County.
Property Owners Complex
- Maximize usage of the facilities.
- Add lighting to the pool deck ($14,000).
- Investigate heating/cooling system for pool.
- Replace carpeted floors with wood floor in the clubhouse to increase multi-use capacity and realize cost savings over investment lifespan.
Beach Club
- Maximize access to Winding River's most highly valued amenity.
- Create a task force to investigate and identify ways to increase parking for property owners.
River House & Marina
- Maximize use of the facilities.
- Survey members for ideas of how to utilize space to the benefit of property owners.
Walking Trails
- Further enhance the nature trail.
- Develop a comprehensive plan and annual budget to expand and maintain the new amenity.
Corral
- Increase the number of property owners able to utilize this amenity.
- Create a task force to investigate opportunities to expand and optimize use.
Connected Organizations
- Collaborate with Clear Water Place to acquire control of property that includes pool and mailboxes in order to create an additional pool amenity for residents. Consider rules that designate this pool for adults only.
- Strengthen and enhance Winding River's collaboration with Carolina National, as both mutually benefit from their symbiotic relationship.
- Partner to promote CN activities and events to encourage resident participation.
- Investigate food/beverage openings poolside.
- Participate in conversations with CN regarding membership plans, future plans, and growth.