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Article
Courtesy of Bay News 9 By
Erin Maloney
Published
February 13, 2015
PLANT CITY -- A group of Plant City residents are upset after learning their golf course views are about to disappear.
Shelly Orrico bought her house in the Walden Lake community while her husband was stationed in Iraq. She said it was his dream to retire in a golf course community. The couple enjoyed the view from their backyard for more than a decade, but recently, course owners closed the 18 holes due to the economy.
“We would like to keep a golf course,” Orrico said. “We bought into a golf course community. We would like to see it back 100 percent.”
The company that owns the golf course, Visions Golf, and a second one in the neighborhood wants to put hundreds of homes on the course instead. |
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The new plan is to build houses, townhomes, and an assisted living facility on the property. The company submitted rezoning plans to the city this week.
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The new plan is to build houses, townhomes, and an assisted living facility on the property. The company submitted rezoning plans to the city this week.
“The idea that you’re going to take and bulldoze that up, you basically destroy everything this community was intended to be,” said lawyer Harley Herman.
A group of neighbors hired a lawyer and sued Visions Golf. They want a judge to nix the idea, but a spokesperson for Visions Golf says the new plan will benefit everyone.
Owners of the golf course say rezoning is just good business practice because with the money they make on the project they say will go towards the second golf course inside of the community.
Both golf courses have been in bad shape since the downturn in the economy. Some golfers say they’d rather have one good course than none.
“The course is in real sad condition, and it’s not improving,” said golfer Bill Griffin. “If this is the only way we’ll be able to get 18 holes then that’s the best option. It’s not good for a lot of people.”
People like Orrico just want what they paid for — a golf course in their backyard. Her biggest worry now is property values. |
