On April 4th the City of Tallahassee will be voting on the rezoning application submitted by the owner of the Killearn Country Club. The controversial application cites the struggling golf course industry as support for the request that would allow for residential development on a portion of the golf course.
It looks as though other communities are dealing with the same issue.
Tallahassee Reports has learned that the Collier County commission voted last week to implement new rules when it comes to converting golf courses to residential developments. Collier County is home to Naples, Florida.
Among the changes is a requirement for developers to put up a greenway that is between 75 and 100 feet wide around the perimeter of the property before they can begin tearing out fairways to put up houses.
Developers would also have to offer the golf course for sale to neighborhood associations and/or the county to keep operating it as a golf course.
In addition, developers would be required to put a minimum of 35 percent of the land under a conversion project dedicated as a greenway with an average minimum width of 100 feet along the perimeter of the course. The developer would be asked to include amenities, such as walking paths, for neighbors on green spaces.
The rules would only apply to the unincorporated county and wouldn’t affect courses in Naples.
The Killearn Country Club owner has committed to converting at least five of the “North Nine” holes -which has been closed – to a conservation easement.
However, the rezoning application under consideration, which calls for a density of 10 units/acre, does not specify development parameters for items such as buffers.
Also, the Killearn Country Club owner did offer the course for purchase to country club members. The members voted not to pursue a purchase. However, the process, ultimately accepted by the courts, was challenged by a group of residents.
Florida Community Approves Rules for Converting Golf Course to Residential Development added by Staff on
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The golf course industry has fallen on hard times as evidenced by numerious coures in receivership, for sale, or facing actions simular to Killearn CC. While I dislike having to abandon the north nine, the loss of CC frontage by a handful of abutting home owners is vastly off set by salvaging the remainder facility for some 3700 homeowners of Killearn Estates as the core or center piece of a very successful, long established, and popular subdivision. Sorry folks in the long run, the majority rules, always has and always will. (AND that is the way it should be).
The Killearn Country Club owner NEVER offered to sell the golf course. He refused to consider it. Can’t imagine where you heard that complete fabrication. An offer of 2.8 million was given to him & he said he was not interested at all. If you’re going to write something, at least get your facts straight.
Also the buffer that has been proposed is only 30 feet as opposed to the buffer all of us home owners have given for the past years of 50 feet.
And, do you realize this man has THREE mortgages on this property owing over 2.8 million?? Look it up if you don’t believe it. So how is he going to do what he says when he states he needs 3 million but owes 2.8?
And I don’t know if you saw the newspaper article stating how many millions of dollars were going to be needed to renovate the FSU golf course and they weren’t even building a clubhouse. This is pure fiction & this guy us taking everyone for a ride!
Wise up Tallahassee & don’t let this carpetbagger hoodwink you. Send him packing!
Karen – the facts accepted by the court are Mr. Tuck offered the club for sale to the country club members and they declined. You might not agree with the process that took place, but those are the facts documented in the public record. TR has published a number of stories on this issue.