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Article Courtesy of Tamarac
Talk
By Agrippina Fadel
Published March 17, 2022
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There is a change of power in the Woodlands Homeowners’ Association after all
four candidates endorsed by “Save the Woodlands” won the recent at-large HOA
delegate election.
The election, initially scheduled for February 7, was finally completed on March
10. It gathered attention due to the clear line dividing candidates and
residents into those who support the 13th Floor’s development of the former golf
course and those who vehemently oppose it.
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The opposing camp, Save the Woodlands, says the WHOA did not
have the residents’ or the community’s best interests in
mind; and accused board members of having ulterior motives
for supporting the development of 335 new homes.
Equally vocal are the residents who support new development
and say it could be a saving grace to the 50-year-old
community bringing much-needed upgrades, better
infrastructure, and social life.
Save the Woodlands president Chris Hodgkins said at the WHOA
election, they endorsed candidates who were against the 13th
Floor or at the very least not for them – in the case of
Tyneka Rene, who was seemingly not in support of the
developer at first, but later stated in her interview with
Tamarac Talk that she “does not side with any organization,
either for or against” the project. |
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The Woodlands front entrance at Commercial Blvd.
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“The bottom line is the residents spoke with their votes, and the votes are
clear. The key cheerleaders for 13th Floor were defeated, and you don’t need
to be a political scientist to figure out that the residents of the
Woodlands are overwhelmingly against the developer’s project,” said Hodgkins.
The winning candidates’ Penny Coleman, Judy Margolis, Trish Newlin, and
Tyneka Rene have unseated Kevin Borwick, Sara Jane Rose, and Bonnie Schultz,
board members, believed to be in support of the 13th Floor development plan.
The fate of the 13th Floor Land Use Plan Amendment, rezoning, and
development was slated for a public hearing last November, but the developer
asked for another extension, citing problems with getting the application
ready and other Covid-19 related issues.
The Tamarac city commission denied the request, and the developer later sued
the city for its handling of the project.
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