Article
and Video Courtesy of Channel 12, Jacksonville
By Ken
Amaro
Published
September 11, 2013
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Watch
VIDEO
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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- It was a landfill
that turned into a field of dreams, but a few years ago those dreams
fizzled.
"We bought in
here hoping it would be near an eighteen hole golf
course," said Don Spencer.
Spencer bought his retirement
home in Edgewater at Sunbeam, a condominium community next
to the closed Sunbeam Road landfill. Spencer and his
neighbors said a strong selling point was a golf
course, which went from 18 holes to nine holes to nothing.
"It
would be selfish if it was for us, it can't be private, it
would be public," he said. |
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Even
though it would be separate from Spencer's condo community, it would
improve property values, but Spencer said more than that, it was promised.
"No
homes were to be constructed until a golf course was open," he said.
"That was clearly stated."
A
developer has filed an application for a zoning change and
that has Spencer and his neighbors concerned. What does it
mean? Will it include the promised golf course?
The proposed planned unit
development is in Councilwoman Lori Boyer's district.
"I understand their
concern," said Boyer. "It was represented to
them when they built their homes that the Golf course was
part of the recreation land for the PUD." |
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The application has yet to go through the
various committee hearings, she has to see what was proposed in the
original zoning versus what's being proposed now.
"The individual who owned the property
business failed," she said. "I would love to find someone to
take over the golf course, if it is not part of the original we can't make
them."
Spencer said the concerned homeowners plan
to take their opposition to the planning board.
"We're against it with the caveat that
was the original intent that no homes will be built until the golf course
is open," said Spencer.
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