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Article Courtesy of The
Apopka Voice
By Reggie Connell
Published September 23, 2023
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For the past three years, the Rock Springs Ridge Homeowners Association has
tried to strike a deal to bring the RSR golf course lands back to its residents.
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It's been a struggle, to say the least, but after announcing a new contract to
swap the 51-acre gopher tortoise conservation area for the golf course lands, a
new roadblock has emerged.
Through a public records request, The
Apopka Voice has learned that The Golf Group, owners of the
RSR golf course lands, has been cited for multiple code
violations and amassed fines totaling over $1.7 million and
still climbing.
The notices were sent between March and October 2022, with
fines as high as $7,500 per day and ongoing at $4,000 per
day.
According to the APD, some of the violations have been
brought into compliance, while others are still out of
compliance. The violations fell into two categories: the
golf course lands and the restaurant/clubhouse formerly
known as the Tavern. |
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Among the violations associated with the golf course lands were:
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Overgrown grass, weeds, and other vegetation exceeding 12
inches in height in multiple places
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Repeat violation: High grass and weeds. Overgrown
vegetation. Trees canopy are too low.
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A Business Tax Receipt is required.
Among the violations associated with the restaurant/clubhouse were:
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Sidewalks, walkways, stairs, driveways, parking spaces,
and similar areas shall be kept in a proper state of repair and maintained
free from hazardous conditions.
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Glazing materials shall be maintained free from cracks
and holes.
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The exterior of a structure shall be maintained in good
repair, structurally sound, and sanitary.
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Boarded up structure for over one year.
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Windows boarded up for more than a year, and broken
windows on the structures south of the restaurant.
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Graffiti on the walls by the structures.
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Accumulation of junk, trash, and debris.
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With a large fine
outstanding, some properties still not in compliance, and
the meter running at $4,000 per day, it might be expected
that the APD or City of Apopka may want to make an example
out of the Golf Group, but so far it's allowing for a level
of grace.
"We're going to treat them like any other property owner,"
said Lieutenant Stephan Brick of the APD, who is the Code
Enforcement Manager. "I have a duty and a responsibility to
the city and the citizens. And, you know, I will work with
anybody and try to come to a fair, equitable solution. We
have to be consistent with what we've done in the past, and
we routinely negotiate with people who ask for reductions."
Gary Mc Sweeney, the director of the RSR Homeowners
Association, said that the Golf Group would have to resolve
the liens/violations before the swap can take place. |
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"We concluded our Exchange Agreement with the Golf Club at the end of August. We
have yet to receive approval from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission nor
the City of Apopka relative to the conservation land approval or Comp Plan,
Zoning and PUD related changes. Once all is completed, we will own the golf
lands outright and will disclose our plans and complete negotiations with all
parties as soon as possible. The party owning the golf lands will settle any
violations on those lands prior to any ownership exchange."
Although the amount and time of non-compliance may seem extreme, Brick says he
has dealt with individuals facing larger fines and longer periods of
non-compliance.
"I've got one from 2019," he said. "I've got a case from 2013, 2015. 2017. But a
lot of these are homestead. So they're exempt. I've had properties where they're
not making any progress, or the property owners, and usually a business, is not
responding or the the officers within the company are not responding or not
communicating with us. And they're not addressing the the violations. So there
comes a point where it's, it's futile, and the fines are just so high that we
will go ahead and initiate foreclosure actions. And most of the time in the
past, the initiating the foreclosure action gets somebody's attention. And then
we go from there."
According to Brick, deciding to begin a foreclosure process would involve an
administrative decision potentially involving the police chief, city attorney,
city administrator, or the mayor.
But because the Golf Group stays in contact with Brick, he is optimistic the
code violations and fines can be resolved.
"They've been in communication," he said. "They've also called for regular
inspections, they are working towards not just the sale, but getting the
property in compliance."
Brick also cites the previous tenant for leaving the restaurant/clubhouse in
poor condition.
"They just walked away from the place and left it mismanaged," he said. "The
propane tank was was dug up, and then it was taken away and the restaurant was
closed down because they could no longer order food or pay the employees. The
place was left in shambles and it wasn't cared for... there was no air
conditioning. When a building is not kept up, it just starts to deteriorate.
There's quite a bit of work."
According to Mc Sweeney, the land swap between the RSR HOA and the Golf Group is
scheduled to close in March 2024.
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