Article
and Video Courtesy of Bay News 9
By Sarah Blazoni
Published
October 23, 2019
|
Watch
VIDEO
|
HUDSON -- The president of The Estates at Beacon
Woods Homeowners Association said residents plan to attend this week's
meeting of the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners to ask for
help addressing deteriorating conditions at the former Links Golf Club.
-
The Links Golf Club closed in June
-
HOA president says course hasn't been maintained
since
-
Residents want ordinance that would require owner
to mow course
"Values of homes,"
said HOA President Jay Cybart of one of his concerns.
"You're out here working to keep your backyard clean and
trimmed, then you have this."
Aside from golf
cart crossing signs that dot The Estates neighborhood
and cart paths that wind past homes, it's hard to tell
The Links was an active course just more than four
months ago. Grass is overgrown, greens are now brown,
sand traps don't have much sand left, and weeds as tall
as people grow across former fairways. Cybart said while
the course wasn't in top shape before closing, much of
the overgrowth has occurred just since closing day on
June 10.
"From what was a fairly decent course, we have this. So,
we're held hostage," said Cybart. |
|
|
Links owner Matt Lowman announced the closing in a letter dated April 22
that's still posted outside the clubhouse. It states owners were unable
to complete capital projects that were key to the longevity of the
course, including greens renovations, t-box renovations, and cart path
improvements.
The letter goes on to state that in 2013, Lowman proposed homeowners in
the Beacon Woods East community pay $100 a year to help with capital
improvements. In return, each household would receive a golf membership
with discounted green fees. Lowman wrote the proposal was not accepted
by the Master Association.
"Due to the financial considerations and the lack of homeowner
associations support, we have not been able to make it work. As a
result, we have reluctantly made the difficult decision to close down
the course, pro shop, restaurant, driving range, and all other related
facilities as of June 10, 2019," the letter reads.
In a letter dated July 1, Lowman wrote there was a chance the Links
could reopen.
"A closed golf course impacts the homeowners because property values
will decrease," the letter states. "Over the recent years, there have
been numerous examples of how an abandoned golf course lowers home
values in a neighborhood."
Lowman again proposed a fee for residents. This time, homes on the
course would pay $400 per year, or $33.33 per month. All other homes
located in Beacon Woods East and Fairway Oaks would pay $200 per year,
or $16.67 per month. The letter said funds would go toward capital
improvements, and households would receive two golf memberships valid at
The Links and Beacon Woods Golf Clubs.
"A lot of people are on fixed incomes, so I'm going to tell them, 'Oh,
we could legally do this, so we're going to try to take $12, $14, $16 a
month from you to supplement capital improvements at this
privately-owned golf course.' We're a not-for-profit, so how do we do
this?" said Cybart.
Cybart said he and other residents planned to attend Tuesday's BOCC
meeting and request that commissioners look into enacting an ordinance
similar to one passed by Seminole County in 2014. It required that
vegetation on parcels of land that had been previously improved for uses
such as residential or commercial development, stormwater management, or
recreation be maintained once it reached eight inches in height.
"We have 480 homes in The Estates. Between Fairway Oaks, The Reserve,
Beacon Point, Barrington Woods, Millwood Village, we have well over
1,000 homes," said Cybart of the communities near the course. "Times
that by two, you're impacting over 2,000 people directly by not
maintaining it. So, if you can't or won't, maybe it's time the county
step in and say, 'You will.'"
While the issue wasn't listed on the agenda for the BOCC meeting,
Commissioner Jack Mariano said he planned to bring it up. He said a
county attorney was in the process of drawing up a similar ordinance for
consideration in Pasco County.
Requests made to Matt Lowman via e-mail for comment were not immediately
returned.
|