Outdoor kitchens and pool waterfalls in Lakewood Ranch

Approval comes before the permit

Lakewood Ranch is not a city. It is "a 35,000+-acre, 53-square-mile master-planned community in Manatee and Sarasota counties" where "More than 80,000 people live across 40+ villages", by its developer's count (Lakewood Ranch fact sheet, 2026). The Legislature's 2005 act for the community is titled "An act relating to Manatee and Sarasota Counties" (ch. 2005-338, Laws of Florida), so your permit comes from whichever county your lot is in. Exterior work goes to your village's review committee first. The Summerfield and Riverwalk manual asks for "written approval received prior to commencement of ANY change", says "Upon receipt of written approval, a homeowner may proceed with filing for building permits, if applicable", and notes that its committee "meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month" (Summerfield/Riverwalk manual). The Country Club/Edgewater manual says "The MCs also serve as the Architectural Review Committees" and that a "Modification Request Form is required for all exterior construction" (Country Club/Edgewater Village Association manual, 2022). Areas outside the original community development districts "are governed by the Lakewood Ranch Stewardship District" (Lakewood Ranch Town Hall FAQ), and other villages have their own associations and standards; at Esplanade at Lakewood Ranch, the design standards say "Outdoor kitchens must be contained inside the lanai" (Esplanade Community Design Standards, 2023). The manuals we read may not be the latest editions, so get your village's current standards from your association before you settle on a design.

Yes. We prepare the paperwork for your HOA, and a village Modification Request is that paperwork. Tell us your village when you call and send its current standards with your photos, so the request goes in complete.

Gas fire pits in Lakewood Ranch

Some villages say what a fire pit may burn and where it may stand. The Country Club/Edgewater manual says fire pits outside pool cages "may only burn natural or propane gas and may not be in the front yard or visible from the street" (Country Club/Edgewater Village Association manual, 2022); Summerfield and Riverwalk's says "Permanent fire pits require Modification Committee approval" (Summerfield/Riverwalk manual). Gas has one more advantage on the Manatee County side: during a county burn ban, Manatee allows "fire pits or other devices that solely burn liquefied petroleum gas, natural gas, butane, naphthalene or other liquid fuel, provided they are attended by a responsible adult at all times" (Manatee County burn ban page). The fire pits and fire tables we have built are on our outdoor fireplaces and fire pits page.

Which county issues your permit

After the village approves, the permit comes from the county your lot is in: Lakewood Ranch lots are in unincorporated Manatee County or unincorporated Sarasota County. The Manatee County Building Division sits at 9000 Town Center Parkway, inside Lakewood Ranch (Manatee County Building Division, Accela portal, 941-748-4501 ext. 3800). The Sarasota County villages go to the county's permit centers (Accela Citizen Access, 941-861-5000). Your property tax record says which county you are in. In Manatee County, "Natural Gas Line install", "Propane Tank install", "Any alteration of electrical" and "Concrete slab with footers" need a permit, and a "Non-structural concrete/paver patio" does not (Manatee County, what does not require a permit). Florida's exemption for work valued at less than $7,500 does not cover gas, electrical, plumbing or structural work (s. 553.79, F.S.). Both counties' rules and portals are in our guide to permits in Manatee and Sarasota counties. Confirm with your county's office before you build.

Adding a waterfall to a Lakewood Ranch pool

The waterfall at the top of this page is the kind of rock we build on a pool here: boulders stacked at the edge, flat ledges that break the water, and glass mosaic tile at the waterline. On the permit side, Manatee County lists "Swimming pools" and a "Natural Gas/Propane Gas Pool Heater Install" among the work that needs a permit, while "Repair/replacement of residential pool equipment other than pool heater" does not (Manatee County). If the work is treated as a new pool, Florida's residential pool safety law applies at final inspection (s. 515.27, F.S.). What a waterfall does to the pool's temperature and chemistry, and what else we build on pools, is on our pool waterfalls and grottos page.