Article Courtesy of The Orlando Sentinel

By David Breen

Published February 15, 2015

       
Orange County seeks to stem fallout from golf-course failures

As the sport of golf struggles and courses continue to shut down, Orange County is trying to stem the fallout in its communities before the situation worsens.

County commissioners on Tuesday discussed the issue, with a focus on how to protect the rights of residents in golf-course communities. They're investigating how other jurisdictions are handling the problem before setting any new rules.
District 4 Commissioner Jennifer Thompson, who represents the east Orange developments of Waterford Lakes and Avalon Park, is concerned about the closed Meadow Woods course and the struggling Eastwood Golf Club in her district.

She wants to ensure residents have recourse when developers seek to turn courses into condos or shopping plazas. She noted that 1,100 residents packed a community meeting in November to protest plans to put a mixed-use project on the Eastwood site.

The owner withdrew the proposal amid the public outcry but hasn't given up on redeveloping the course.

"In a couple of years we're going to hear more about this," Thompson said. "…We're not having to deal with it at scale yet, but it's coming."

"We may just be seeing the tip of the iceberg in terms of what could come," added Mayor Teresa Jacobs.

Commissioners floated ideas such as allowing agricultural or environmental uses on courses that have closed. Bryan Nelson of District 2 suggested that courses could remain viable by shaving off a few holes for redevelopment, coupled with mandatory association fees to maintain the course.

Any measures adopted by the county would affect only unincorporated Orange. But the issue of shuttered golf courses is an issue for cities too.

In Apopka, Rock Springs Ridge closed late last year, and though no formal plan has been put forward, the owners have discussed putting homes on the site, Mayor Joe Kilsheimer said.

"The current residents of Rock Springs Ridge are going to have a lot to say about what happens" to the course, Kilsheimer said.

The city's other course, Errol Estates, is under new ownership, which is investing in the course.

But as for the issue of failing courses in general, Kilsheimer said, "it's a trend for sure."

Orlando is home to the former Lake Orlando Golf Club in Rosemont. City spokeswoman Heather Fagan said any redevelopment proposal would have to go through a public rezoning process. She added that the city will monitor the county's efforts to address the issue.

County Commissioner Pete Clarke suggested some parts of courses could be repurposed for environmental usage, such as green space or recharge areas.

Golf is in decline nationwide, with TV ratings plunging, players abandoning the game and courses closing up shop. But the situation is likely to become acute in Florida, which is home to more golf courses than any other state.

In neighboring Seminole County, commissioners recently adopted an ordinance requiring owners to maintain the properties after shutting them down. Neighbors of closed courses such as Sabal Point Country Club had been mowing overgrown fairways themselves to keep them from becoming permanent eyesores.

A blend of factors, including overbuilding, changing recreational tastes, the economic downturn and the decline of Tiger Woods' career, has been blamed for the state of the industry. But residents of some golf-course neighborhoods say owners are hastening the decline of their courses deliberately.

It's a situation Thompson has seen for herself. She wants to ensure any county action doesn't reward owners who neglect their properties in order to smooth the way to redevelopment.

"I've played all the courses in my district, and the one where they're seeking redevelopment is the one that's the least maintained," she said of Eastwood.

"We don't want to encourage someone to just let the business fall apart," she added.

There was no immediate indication of when the issue will return to the commission. But the proposed redevelopment of Eastwood is another matter.

The owner is expected to submit a revised development proposal to the county by the end of this month.