Ellie’s Notes – March 13, 2026

Hello folks – I have important news and updates for you.

Fun Fest is tomorrow, Saturday, March 14, 2026  from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. Please stop by. We’ll be on Cherry Hill Dr in front of the Arts and Craft building across from Bunka / Needlepoint and the Stained Glass studio. If you own a SaveSCC tee shirt, perhaps you’d want to wear it at Fun Fest.  Show your support and solidarity of our collective efforts to maintain and protect our existing golf courses for future generations for recreational use only and show some “green” for St Paddy’s Day. It would be great. Visibility and hype work.

Unfortunately, my spouse and I are out of commission and in quarantine due to COVID. We will definitely not be in attendance as planned. Unfortunately I have a number of serious health issues and comorbidities that make any respiratory infection particularly serious for me. I need to lay low for a while to recuperate and prepare for some important and exciting upcoming meetings.

Capable members of our SaveSCC volunteer team will be manning the booth under the direction of our Technology Work Group leader, Lorraine Mancuso. Kudos Lorraine!

If you are so inclined to pitch in and help out, we could use a few more folks to help Saturday. Call me at 312-282-7337 and I’ll put you on the schedule. Those of us who have done it in the past found it very rewarding and fun! I will miss it and you very much!  Stay Calm and Carry-on!

We’ll be providing our updated SaveSCC green post cards about SaveSCC and our upcoming Informational Meeting on April 22, 2026 at the SCC Community Hall so that you can easily share the details with your friends and neighbors.

You can donate and receive SaveSCC promotional materials and order fundraising SaveSCC promotional items like tee shirts, yard signs and window slicks.

Important Announcement

Attend the Town Hall meeting with Commissioner Christine Miller, our Hillsborough County District 4 Commissioner on Monday, March 30, 2026 at 3:00 pm in the Caper Room in the Atrium on the Central (North) Campus. Commissioner Miller has assured me on numerous occasions that she understands our fight to reserve our golf course and is a supporter. Commissioner Josah Wostal, an at large commissioner, also expressed his support.  when I met with him last month.

This town hall would be a great time to address any concerns you may have about County issues, services or actions. Potential topics you might have and want to address could include development on our golf courses, traffic, Sun City Center roads that need resurfacing or repair, water restrictions, too much building all around with too little infrastructure to support it, perhaps a County Senior Center in Sun City Center to address the needs of our communities aging seniors like the Center in Wimauma which is at capacity and not accessible via golf cart, etc.

If you own a SaveSCC tee shirt, perhaps you’d want to wear it in support of our efforts to maintain and protect our existing golf courses for future generations for recreational use only.  We want the Commissioner to know how important, concerned and committed we all are to this issue and ask for her support and guidance.

North Lakes Course update – I have received several more calls that certainly seem to point at imminent plans by ClubLink for the North Lakes Course. Several people verbally confirmed that they saw and spoke with surveyors verifying survey points in the ground against a survey map they were carrying. Some also reported what they believed to be soil testing activities. Investigations are continuing and if you have concrete data to share, please send me an email with photos and pertinent information. Some also definitely relayed that Toro staff told them the course was sold to a developer. These all point to due diligence and preparation for development by someone. Again we have no confirmation from ClubLink but these signs are quite tell-tale.

Others confirmed that Teco was replacing dilapidated old wooden poles with new wooden poles. They were out there working today.

You are our eyes and ears! It takes the whole village!

Most importantly, Save Sun City Center  has scheduled a “vitally important” informational meeting for residents of the community that will include several topics, including the submission by ClubLink with Hillsborough County potentially to move forward with its plans to develop housing on three golf courses it owns within Sun City Center, legislative and zoning concerns and other topics.  Adam Gormly, Director of Development Services, Hillsborough County will be our special guest.  This is an opportunity not to be missed.

Again I hope you will wear your SaveSCC shirt in solidarity and support for our community efforts to protect our golf courses for recreation use, not development!

The SaveSCC meeting will be held at 5 p.m. on April 22, 2026 in the Sun City Center Community Hall, 1910 S Pebble Beach Blvd, in Sun City Center. SaveSCC representatives will be present at 4 p.m. to address any specific concerns or pre-meeting questions and/or to accept donations and provide SaveSCC promotional items including tee shirts, lawn signs, window slicks and more.

Ellie’s Notes – March 11, 2026

Hope this note finds you enjoying our “Spring”. The golf courses are busy, the pools are seeing more bathers, and birds, wildlife, greenery and flowers abound with new life emerging.  What a wonderful place to enjoy our retirement and the great outdoors with friends and neighbors.

Fun Fest is this Saturday, March 14th,  from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm.  It is one of my favorite community events with opportunities to meet new folks, check out our SCC clubs, affiliated organizations and local businesses and enjoy some great food and entertainment.  Save Sun City Center will be there with our SaveSCC table to speak with interested folks and offer SaveSCC tee shirts and other materials for a nominal donation. Stop by.

We’ll be at Table 41 in front of the Arts and Crafts Building on Cherry Hill Dr across from Bunka / Needlepoint. We’d love to see you and get you up to speed and on board. We will also distribute our newest postcards for folks to share around town with their neighbors, friends and local businesses to promote protecting our golf courses from development.

I could use some help in our booth if you are so inclined. Please let me know via email or call and we’ll get you on the schedule.

If you have a SaveSCC tee shirt, wear it to Fun Fest and support the cause making us more visible in the community. You’ll also have a great “green” outfit for St Paddy’s Day! A win on both fronts!  If you don’t have one, this is an excellent opportunity to get one at our booth. It is “must-wear fashion” that will be very compelling as we organize and demonstrate to protect our golf courses and community.

Our newly updated and printed SaveSCC postcards are done and will be available at Fun Fest. Please stop by and get some to share. If you want an electronic version, they are available for download from our website at SaveSCC.org.

Most importantly, Save Sun City Center  has scheduled a “vitally important” informational meeting for residents of the community that will include several topics, including the submission by ClubLink with Hillsborough County potentially move forward with its plans to develop housing on three golf courses it owns within Sun City Center, legislative and zoning concerns and other topics.

 The SaveSCC meeting will be held at 5 p.m. on April 22, 2026 in the Sun City Center Community Hall, 1910 S Pebble Beach Blvd, in Sun City Center. Save SCC representatives will be present at 4 p.m. to address any specific concerns or pre-meeting questions and/or to accept donations and provide SaveSCC promotional items including tee shirts, lawn signs, window slicks and more.

ClubLink first announced its intentions and tentative plans for its residential development for Sun City Center golf course properties four years ago on March 22, 2022. This Canadian company then closed Sandpiper Golf Course on June 1, 2023, with almost no notice. Since then, ClubLink has not communicated to the community about their intentions.

In early 2024, ClubLink filed three separate “Notice of Intent (NOI) to Propose Project under the Live Local Act” with no communication to the community. The NOI letters delivered to Hillsborough County Development Services gave notice that ClubLink potentially intends to develop projects on the closed North Lakes, Caloosa Greens and Sandpiper golf courses using the Live Local Act for affordable housing.

What specifically those project details are still remains unknown to the public at this time. Since its submission, ClubLink has gone “quiet” after the February 2024 letters, and has filed no projects for Sun City Center, according to Hillsborough County records and officials.

Some of the SaveSCC team have been quietly working behind the scenes, preparing and waiting on ClubLink, but it’s vitally important that all of us, who want to preserve and protect our golf courses and green spaces, gather together at this upcoming meeting. There is a lot to be done now in preparation for ClubLink’s next move, and we want everyone to get informed, up to speed and working on our plans as we prepare for ClubLink’s eventual plans and filings for development.

Again, we will provide post cards promoting the Informational Meeting on April 22 at Fun Fest or you may download the .pdfs from our SaveSCC web site at https://savescc.org.

ClubLink’s most recently published Quarterly Report – 3rd Quarter 2025 says “The Company is considering strategic options for its underutilized land at Sun City which includes development options for unutilized land.” Please know that they are determined and will not just go away. They are determined to make money off their investment and that means development!

I have been hearing rumors of activities on the North Course including surveying activities, potential changes with respect to Toro and where they will be mowing, and telephone poles on the course.  Unfortunately, these rumors lacked specific time, date and location data making it impossible to explore the details.

It is always difficult to separate fact from fiction and to find out what the facts are in terms of potential signals for next steps from ClubLink that may be imminent.

There is also the very real possibility that the activities could be related to County projects, use of easements by Teco, the County and utility providers.  There are extensive easements throughout the community.

I have spoken with Paul Ascioti Director of Operations, ClubLink here at Club Renaissance. He confirmed that ClubLink has a continuing relationship with Toro where they use ClubLink properties here in SCC and at Palm Aire in Pompano Beach for their product testing and research. That relationship is managed out of Canada and he did not have any specifics on any upcoming changes but said he would not be surprised if there are changes as Toro has been seeking a larger area for testing and Sandpiper is about 250 acres as opposed to the North Course that is about 170 acres. Time will tell.

You all are “our eyes and ears”, whether it’s in the media – radio, TV, social, or other or in your backyard. Please help keep us informed.

As I’ve mentioned just a few times 😊, we need everyone’s help if we’re going to stop ClubLink. And here’s how you can do that with only a little effort — be our eyes and ears out there.

What do I mean by that? If you’re walking the neighborhood, or driving past any of the closed courses, just keep a casual lookout. Spot a survey crew, people with notebooks walking around the golf course, or just anything out of the ordinary? Snap a quick photo, jot down the date and location, and send the details my way. (andersonellie@mac.com and getinvolved@savescc.org). If they leave stakes or paint on the ground, take a photo of the color and any writing on the lath (wood stakes).

And don’t stop at what you see in the neighborhood. Hear folks talking about permits at an HOA/COA/membership meeting, or you read something in the paper or online about zoning changes? Maybe you notice something in local Facebook groups or Nextdoor or even a random flyer on a lamppost? If you are reporting something from the media – please provide a link, copy or .pdf of the media source. Send me an email. Every tip helps in our fight to stay ahead of ClubLink.

But be cautious, too. You don’t have to confront someone. If you can ask a question nicely, great. If it means “chasing” after someone, let it go. We’re not asking you to play detective — just be the neighborhood pulse.

As always, any help is a big help. As the saying goes, many hands make for light work.

“Be a Witness, Not a Participant.” Documentation is more powerful than an argument.

We will do our best to determine what is happening and report any findings.

There are a number of County Capital Improvement Projects in the works for Sun City Center that also may be related to something you see. Below is the list compiled from the Hillsborough County Web Site:

 https://www.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/1452ac696ac94c30a83a1fef11679263

This chart and the Project Fact Sheet for each of these projects is attached for those seeking more information.

Other project details from Jan 2025 are available on the CA web site at:

https://www.suncitycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/v.-1-2-2025-Sun-City-Center-Public-Works-Update.pdf#:~:text=$4%2C052%2C812.%20•%20Lyndhurst%20Drive%20(375%20LF%2C%20$61%2C834),$287%2C002)%20•%20Platinum%20Drive%20(5%2C866%20LF%2C%20$830%2C194

For your convenience the pdf of the PowerPoint is attached.

Teco is conducting major storm-hardening projects in Sun City Center and the surrounding areas. In 2024 TECO replaced wooden poles with steel, strengthening infrastructure, and clearing vegetation along Rickenbacker. This initiative is part of a broader, multi-year plan by Teco to improve grid resilience and reliability.

Another important topic we will be discussing in the near future is compatibility and recent legislative efforts to revise this concept as it relates to protecting the “character” of existing neighborhoods which is an important aspect of our argument against development.

Please be sure to share this communique with your friends, neighbors and associates. Better yet, help them to sign up on our website at https://savescc.org/114-2/ to receive our electronic communication so they are “in the loop”.

Hope to see you Saturday at Fun Fest!

Best Regards,

Ellie Anderson

312-282-7337

Ellie’s Notes – February 17, 2026 — UPCOMING IMPORTANT EVENTS!

Hello All,

Hope this quick note finds you all enjoying this beautiful weather. We are indeed blessed. Hope you are getting out and about to enjoy it.

I apologize for the late notice but some times things get way from me.  Today – February 17 from 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm, Hillsborough County at Large Commissioner District 7- Joshua Wostal will hold community office hours at the Southshore Regional Library, 15816 Beth Shields Way, Ruskin, FL 33573.  This would be an excellent opportunity to address any of your community concerns to one of our at large commissioners.  You could speak about how you feel about further development in our community (ClubLink and protecting golf courses in our planned senior community protected by our Greater Sun City Community Plan), or roads conditions as requested by the CA , or traffic congestion and accidents on 674 and 301, or county services issues, water issues, etc … you name it. It is always a good thing to advocate on behalf of your community and he will be right in our backyard. Don’t miss this special opportunity. Hope to see you there!

Mark your Calander and Save the Date. We’ll be holding a Save Sun City Center Informational Meeting on April 22, 2026 at 5:00 at the SCC Community Hall.  This will be your opportunity to hear all about the current state of our efforts to protect and preserve our golf course for recreational use only and bring you up to date on the what happening. More details to follow.

Also don’t forget to visit our Save Sun City Center Booth at Fun Fest on Saturday, March 14^th on the Main SCC North Campus from 9:00 to 2:00.

That’s all for now folks!

Hope to see you soon at one of this events!

Best regards,

Ellie Anderson

312-282-7337

Ellie’s Notes – January 22, 2026

Happy New Year folks! Welcome to 2026!

Aren’t we just the luckiest people in the world to live where we live and enjoy the community, friends, weather and lifestyle we have? We definitely did something right! Hallelujah!

Now, let’s be good stewards and build on that foundation.

I’d like to share on a personal basis for a minute. My efforts for our community organizing, leading and personally doing the lion’s share of the work of Save Sun City Center to protect our golf courses has come at great personal detriment to my life, health, welfare and finances.

It is better than a full-time job, but I am not getting any younger. However, it is taking a toll on me, and recently I had another six-day admission to St Joseph’s South with a life-threatening infection and blood clot. I must take better care of myself and smell some roses.

To that end, I need your help. My most urgent need is to reconstitute our SaveSCC Board and leadership. We need more strong, committed and talented leadership to more effectively meet the challenges ahead and share the load. We are seeking a few good folks, men and women, who have the heart and passion for this important work.

Working on our Board is interesting, challenging and vital to the future of our community. Are you the person for the job? If so, we really need you! Your community needs you! Please reach out to me – Ellie Anderson at andersonellie@mac.com or 312-282-7337 and let’s see how you can best contribute.

Please mark your calendars for Fun Fest 2026 – Saturday, March 14, 2026, from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. It is a great opportunity to meet us and get involved. SaveSCC will have a table and a number of us will be there. We really hope to see you there at the main SCC campus on North Pebble Beach Blvd. It is always a great event and opportunity to share with one another. We will provide our location and table details as they are available.

The following is a comprehensive summary of the communities facing the same issues of golf course development, and state legislative bills that have been passed, being reviewed or being created that can have an effect on our battles to keep our green space. Yes, it’s long, but it will give you great background – and HOPE – for our future efforts.

The Walden Lakes Golf Course Saga – the Latest Update

The Walden Lakes Golf course development saga is a multi-decade legal and community battle rooted in the course’s financial insolvency and subsequent closure, with homeowners consistently and constantly fighting residential development to preserve green space. The dispute revolves around zoning laws and a developer’s attempt to use state housing legislation to bypass local opposition and restrictions.

History and Closure

The original Walden Lake development, which began in the 1970s, was designed with two privately-owned golf courses spanning hundreds of acres amidst approximately 2,200 homes. The courses were built in phases, with all 36 holes completed by the early 1990s.

The club’s financial troubles started long before its eventual closure. Visions Golf, which purchased the club in 2006, consistently reported financial losses, largely due to declining memberships. A proposal for homeowners to pay a small monthly fee to support the club was rejected by many residents, citing a lack of personal use or the community’s bylaws.

The course eventually closed on August 2016, initially due to a workers’ compensation issue, and never reopened. The clubhouse and other amenities fell into disrepair, leading to city code enforcementviolations for overgrown grass, debris, and safety hazards.

Development Saga and Homeowner Struggle

The core of the conflict is the tension between the property owner’s right to develop their land and the homeowners’ desire to maintain their quality of life and property values, which were predicated on the presence of green space. This has resulted in a long-standing legal struggle.

Initial Rezoning Attempts: In the mid-2010s, Visions Golf and subsequent owners proposed rezoning the land for residential development to recoup their investments. These attempts were met with strong opposition from the Walden Lake Community Association (WLCA) and individual residents, who formed groups to fight the plans.

Legal Battles: The community’s legal arguments focus on existing Planned Unit Development (PUD) agreements with the City of Plant City and a 1985 Master Settlement Agreement that residents argue limit the total number of housing units and dictate land use. At least two prior lawsuits were initiated in 2008 and 2015.

Live Local Act Controversy: In September 2023, the current owner, Walden Lake LLC, proposed a large new development of nearly 2,000 units (both multifamily and townhomes). The developer attempted to use Florida’s controversial “Live Local Act” to bypass local zoning rules, arguing the land’s commercial designation allowed them to fast-track affordable housing development.

Recent Court Ruling: In a major victory for the homeowners and the city, a court ruling in early January 2026 rejected the developer’s attempt to use the Live Local Act to override established local planning protections, affirming that the PUD is a binding contract.

Current Status

As of January 2026, the city has won its case against the developer’s attempt to bypass zoning rules. However, the developer is invested heavily and is expected to continue the fight. The legal situation remains fluid, with ongoing efforts from the community to ensure a final resolution that preserves the area’s character and open space, encouraging residents to stay involved and attend court hearings.

In addition, although the court rejected the developer’s attempt to use the Live Local Act to bypass local zoning rules for a high-density development on the former golf course site, the case is ongoing, and the developer may appeal the decision.

Case Details

Parties Involved: The primary lawsuit is between the developer, Walden Lake, LLC, and the City of Plant City (Circuit Court Case No. 23-CA-16857). The Walden Lake Community Association (WLCA) and “Save Walden Lake” group have been granted the right to intervene and represent homeowner interests.

Core Dispute: The developer proposed a project including 470 townhomes and 1,530 apartments, arguing that the Live Local Act allowed for administrative approval on the former golf course land, which they characterized as “commercial.” The City rejected the application, maintaining the land was not zoned for such high-density use, and the recent court ruling affirmed the city’s position that a Planned Unit Development (PUD) is a binding agreement that cannot be easily overridden.

Key Insights

·      The recent ruling is considered a significant victory for the city and homeowners, as it affirms local planning protections and the validity of PUD agreements.

·      The developer has heavily invested in the project and is expected to continue their legal efforts, so the fight is not over.

·      In the meantime, the property continues to face code enforcement issues, with the City requiring the developer to maintain the area. Homeowners are advised not to trespass on the private property.

·      The January 2026 ruling in the Walden Lake case establishes a critical legal boundary for Florida’s Live Local Act (SB 102). By finding in favor of the City of Plant City, the court has signaled that the Act is not a “blank check” for developers to override all local land-use agreements.

Potential Impacts on Florida Developments

Protection of PUD Agreements: The ruling affirms that a Planned Unit Development (PUD) is a binding contract. Developers may no longer be able to use the Live Local Act to unilaterally discard negotiated density limits and land-use rules established in these master-planned agreements.

Stricter Definition of “Commercial” Land: The court rejected the developer’s attempt to re-characterize recreational green space (the golf course) as “commercial” land simply because it was a for-profit entity. This prevents developers from using recreational or open spaces as “loopholes” to trigger the Act’s high-density administrative approvals.

Restoration of Local Oversight: The decision reinforces that projects must still move through standard municipal processes (local home rule and zoning decisions)—including zoning reviews and public hearings—if they do not strictly meet the Act’s location criteria. It effectively closes the “administrative pathway” for projects trying to force high-density builds into established residential neighborhoods via legal shortcuts.

Precedent for Other Municipalities: This case provides a legal road map for other Florida cities, such as Hollywood and Bal Harbour, which are also challenging the Act on “home rule” and due process grounds. It may encourage more local governments to use existing PUD contracts or specific land-use designations to resist unwanted high-density developments.

Increased Litigation and Policy Reform: Although the ruling is a win for local control, it is expected to trigger further appeals and may prompt the Florida Legislature to further amend the Act to clarify definitions of “commercial” or “mixed-use” land to avoid similar disputes in the future.

The legislative environment in Florida regarding golf course redevelopment is currently a high-stakes tug-of-war between state-level “pre-emption” laws, which aim to fast-track development, and local “home rule” protections.

The “quicksand” status I warn of stems from a series of 2025 laws that significantly shifted the rules for when and how developers can bypass local oversight.

SB 180: The “Home Rule Freeze”

Signed in June 2025, SB 180 is the primary source of the recent “shifting rules.” While presented as a hurricane recovery measure, its effects are sweeping and statewide.

Zoning Lock: It prohibits local governments from adopting any development rules that are “more restrictive or burdensome” than those in place as of July 31, 2024.

Impact on Golf Courses: If a city tries to pass new protections specifically to save a golf course (like stricter open-space requirements), the developer can challenge the rule as “more restrictive” under SB 180. This has thwarted options we as SaveSCC were hoping to pursue.

Legal “Quicksand”: Because the term “more restrictive” is not clearly defined, it has invited a wave of lawsuits, with dozens of cities and counties now suing the state to overturn the law.

Live Local Act (2025 Amendments)

The original Live Local Act allowed developers to bypass local zoning if they included affordable housing on commercial or industrial land. Recent 2025 updates (SB 1730) have clarified these boundaries, as follows:

Golf Course Protection: Crucially, the 2025 update explicitly states that recreational uses, such as golf courses, within residential areas are not considered “mixed-use” for the purposes of the Act. This prevents developers from claiming a golf course is “commercial” land to trigger administrative (non-public) approval. This is the result of our non-partisan SaveSCC grassroots campaign advocating for protections with lawmakers during the final hours of the legislative session last spring. Our collective voice was heard and the bill amended at the 11^th hour to protect recreation spaces under the live Local Act.

PUD Vulnerability: However, the amendments also expanded the Act to cover portions of Planned Unit Developments (PUDs) if they are permitted for commercial or mixed-use, creating a potential opening for developers if a golf course was originally part of a mixed-use PUD.

Bypassing Local Hearings: House Bill 299 being considered during this legislative session would allow massive developments (10,000+ acres) to bypass all local development rules and public hearings if they meet certain state criteria, such as setting aside 60% for conservation.

Summary Table of Impacts

Law	Primary Impact on Development	Current Status
SB 180	Blocks cities from making development rules “more restrictive.”	Active (under multiple lawsuits)
Live Local (2025)	Denies “mixed-use” status to golf courses in residential zones.	Active (favoring homeowners)
SB 80	Bans golf courses in state parks.	Active (protects state land only)
HB 299	Could allow massive projects to bypass all local hearings.	Pending (under 2026 consideration)

Residents can track these fast-moving changes through advocacy groups like 1000 Friends of Florida or by monitoring Florida Senate Bill Summaries.

In Hillsborough County, officials are actively moving to reclaim local control through both direct litigation and defensive zoning changes. The county’s approach is a primary example of the “home rule” resistance against state preemption.

Direct Legal Challenge to Live Local

On December 17, 2025, the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously to challenge the constitutionality of Florida’s Live Local Act.

The Argument: Commissioners argue the law strips them of the ability to regulate growth responsibly and forces them into making decisions “with a gun against [their] temple” regarding high-density projects on commercial or industrial lands.

Scale of Impact: As of late 2025, nearly 3,100 units have been applied for in Hillsborough under this Act, many of which bypass traditional public hearings.

Strategic Rezoning for PUD Districts

In September 2024, the commission took a defensive step by amending the County’s Land Development Code to specifically remove Live Local eligibility from many Planned Development (PD) districts.

This move was intended to prevent developers from using the Act’s “commercial” loophole to build high-density housing on open lands, such as hay fields or former recreation areas, that were part of a master-planned community.

Impact of SB 180 (The “Freeze” Law)

Despite their efforts, Hillsborough County has felt the “quicksand” of SB 180 (the law preventing “more restrictive” development rules).

Halted Protections: In August 2025, commissioners were forced to reject a proposed ordinance that would have restricted the construction of loud sports courts (like pickleball) near homes because the county attorney warned it would be a “clear violation” of SB 180’s ban on new restrictive rules.

Monitoring Litigation: Hillsborough is currently researching and monitoring the consolidated statewide lawsuit filed by a coalition of Florida local governments to overturn SB 180 on the grounds that it violates the constitutional right to home rule.

Golf Course Victories

Outside of state preemption laws, Hillsborough has successfully used traditional land-use laws to protect golf courses.

Pebble Creek: In July 2025, an appellate court upheld the county’s decision to deny rezoning for the Pebble Creek Golf Course, preventing a developer from building 250 single-family homes. The court found the county was within its rights to maintain the area’s existing character.

Hillsborough County Action	Target Law / Issue	Current Status
Constitutional Lawsuit	Live Local Act	Active; filed Dec 2025
Zoning Amendment	PD/PUD Protections	Adopted Sept 2024
SB 180 Compliance	New Noise/Building Rules	Paused due to legal risk
Pebble Creek Appeal	Golf Course Rezoning	Won; development blocked

And most recently we also have the recent win at Walden Lakes with the Plant City Planning Commission denying approval of redevelopment.

Legislation Impacting Developers and Communities

SB 544 & HB 495 (Golf Course Management Certification): These companion bills create the “Golf Course Best Management Practices Certification Act” and transfer the program from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (DACS). Although this is not a direct development bill, it changes the regulatory framework for existing golf course operations, which indirectly impacts the operational costs and compliance burden for any golf course owner, including a developer considering a course’s future.

HB 927 (Local Land Planning and Development): This bill aims to expedite the permit process for residential subdivisions and Planned Unit Developments (PUDs). It requires local governments to create a program to expedite the process and authorizes applicants to use private providers for necessary approvals. This is a significant advantage for developers, potentially allowing them to bypass local government slowdowns and accelerate the redevelopment of former golf course land that is already zoned for development.

Proposed Amendments to the Live Local Act: Following a court ruling that the Live Local Act cannot override existing PUD contracts, new discussions and potential legislative changes are expected to clarify or potentially “bolster” the Act’s provisions to prevent communities from using roadblocks to delay or reject developments. This area of legislation is highly contentious and will be a key battleground between pro-development forces and communities seeking to preserve local zoning control.

Bills Restoring Local Control (Details Pending): In response to previous legislation (like 2025’s SB 180) that limited home rule, new bills are expected to be filed in the 2026 session to partially restore local officials’ ability to create rules and limits on development. These could give communities a stronger legal footing to oppose high-density residential development on former golf courses if they can establish valid environmental protections or development boundaries.

Recent & Standing Legislation (Signed into Law in 2025)

“State Park Preservation Act” (SB 80 / HB 209): Signed into law by Gov. DeSantis in May 2025, this legislation explicitly prohibits the construction of golf courses, large lodges, and similar resort-style amenities within Florida’s state parks. This law responds to public backlash against a previous initiative and removes public land as an option for golf course development.

SB 1080 (Permitting Process Streamlining): Effective October 1, 2025, this law significantly changes the local government permitting process, creating strict deadlines for application review and imposing refunds if deadlines are missed. This benefits developers by providing greater predictability and discouraging local governments from indefinitely delaying projects.

So what is the moral of the story?  We all must remain engaged and vigilant in this community effort to protect our golf courses from development by ClubLink. They will not relent, they will not give up, they have time and money for the fight, they are well motivated, and they are waiting for the opportune circumstances to proceed.

We must be ready and that can only happen with your help, and investment of our collective time, money and collective power as engaged stewards of our legacy and future.

Several bills on the Florida legislative horizon for the 2026 session are poised to impact developers and communities involved in golf course redevelopment, primarily by focusing on local control, permitting processes, and a specific certification program for golf courses.

Here is to the very best in 2026! I wish us all good health. Let’s enjoy our wonderful lives and community to the fullest. We are truly blessed to be here! I think it is going to be a very interesting and challenging year. Let’s get prepared for what is to come!

Best regards always,

Ellie Anderson

andersonellie@mac.com

President- SaveSCC

312-282-7337

A Heartfelt Thanksgiving Tribute to Our SAVE Sun City Volunteers, Donors, and Supporters

As the Thanksgiving season dawns, bringing with it a time for reflection and gratitude, I and the other leaders and key players in Save Sun City Center extend our deepest and most sincere thanks to the heart and soul of our organization: our incredible team of volunteers.

You are the lifeblood of our mission—a steadfast, all-volunteer force dedicated to protecting the vital green, recreating spaces of our community from development by ClubLink. The success we share is not the result of a few, but a powerful, collective achievement made possible by the unique and invaluable contribution of every single person who has answered the call.

• To those who have participated in Work Groups and tackled individual projects: Your countless hours – spent organizing, researching complex zoning issues and laws, stormwater management, golf operations, ClubLink, other courses fighting similar development, managing our technology, and executing critical tasks, have provided the meticulous foundation upon which our legal and advocacy efforts stand.
• To those who have been our voice in the community and beyond: Your presence at countless meetings, town halls, community gatherings, Hi Neighbor, Fun Fest and Zoom meetings, and your persistent networking with concerned citizens, have ensured that our cause is heard loud and clear in every relevant forum.
• To our supporters like Sun Radio and other organizations within the community: You know who you are and while some of you prefer to remain anonymous, your collaboration with us has been of enormous help is allowing us to inform our residents, collect signatures, and remain heard, visible and accessible.
• To our generous donors: Your financial contributions, large and small, fuel the engine of our advocacy, covering essential costs and allowing us to remain agile in a challenging fight.
• And to our “Boots on the Street”: You are the visible, tireless champions who walk the neighborhoods, gather the support, and demonstrate the sheer power of community solidarity.

We understand that you have given the most precious resource of all: your time, your passion, your resources, and your belief in a shared future.

Our achievements—the milestones reached, the legislative success, the awareness raised, and the vital ground securing political support in this ongoing effort—are wholly and truly a shared success. Each step forward is a testament to your dedication and collaborative spirit.

Please accept our heartfelt thanks from me and the entire leadership team. We are deeply grateful for your service, your commitment, and the extraordinary efforts you make every day to preserve our cherished golf courses. We would not be the same beautiful community without those 1,137 acres of undeveloped land.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Ellie Anderson

President – Save Sun City Center

312-282-7337

Ellie’s Notes –November 4, 2025

Hello all and welcome back to the snowbirds that have arrived. It is good to have some lower temperatures.  Now, if we could only get some rain.

“Hi Neighbor”, a Sun City Center tradition which I would describe as an open house opportunity, is being held at the SCC Community Hall at 1910 S Pebble Beach Blvd this Thursday, November 6th from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. One of the goals of the “Hi, Neighbor!” is to showcase the many clubs and organizations available to provide residents, especially our newcomers, with the opportunity to become familiar with these community assets and potentially particpate. I and Save Sun City Center will be there at table 78 just inside the main door to the left as you enter. I hope to see you there.

ClubLink has been busy fighting legal battles to proceed with their development of Kanata Golf and Country Club in Ottawa, Canada. For details, click to see this Canadian news article.

ClubLink’s efforts to develop the Kanata Golf and Country Club in Ottawa, Canada, bear strong similarities to the company’s actions here in Sun City Center, Florida, including a strategy of purchasing struggling courses for redevelopment and subsequent intense community opposition. All the communities have faced significant setbacks in their fight to preserve local green space.

The Kanata golf course development saga

 Acquisition and initial redevelopment proposal

• ClubLink acquires Kanata Golf and Country Club: ClubLink, a Canadian corporation, acquired the Kanata Golf and Country Club in 1996. The club, opened in 1968 and redesigned in 1990, was considered a classic parkland course and one of the best maintained in the Ottawa area, later hosting events such as the 2001 Nations’ Cup. ClubLink, a large and successful operator of premium golf properties, acquired the course as part of its business operations. The primary reason for the later controversy surrounding the course was ClubLink’s desire to redevelop the land for housing, which was a business decision related to real estate value, not the club’s financial state.
• Kanata Greenspace Community corporation: A community organization, the Kanata Greenspace Protection Coalition, was formed to oppose the redevelopment of the land and protect it as green space.

The Kanata Greenspace Protection Coalition (KGPC) was formed in 2018

organically by local residents, with its initial momentum driven by individuals like Barbara Ramsay, who became the founding and current president .

Other residents quickly mobilized after news broke of ClubLink’s intent to redevelop the Kanata Golf and Country Club land for housing.

The formation process involved community meetings, social media outreach, and grassroots organizing to quickly gather support and establish a formal entity.

The primary purpose of the Kanata Greenspace Protection Coalition is to:

• Oppose the redevelopment of the former Kanata Golf and Country Club land.
• Preserve the land as permanent green space for the community
• Uphold the 40% open space requirement of the original 1981 agreement that governed the development of the area.
• Protect the existing greenspace, trees, and natural habitat from being replaced by a housing development.
• Advocate for the City of Ottawa to use all available legal and political means to prevent development and ensure the area remains an ecological and recreational asset for current and future residents.

The Kanata Greenspace Protection Coalition was formed as a not-for-profit corporation in July 2019.

The coalition was formed by concerned community residents in response to ClubLink’s 2018 announcement of its plan to close the golf course and build a 4,800-unit housing development on the land.

The coalition has worked closely with local elected representatives, such as Ward 4 – Kanata North Councillor Cathy Curry and former Councillor Jenna Sudds, to fight the development plans.

 The coalition’s specific goals include:

o   Raising public awareness about the importance of green space preservation.

o   Gathering public support and funds to aid the City of Ottawa in its legal efforts.

o   Advocating for the enforcement of a 1981 “40% Agreement” between the pre-amalgamation City of Kanata and the original developer, Campeau Corporation, which stipulated that 40% of the area should remain as open space.

The coalition has been actively involved in the ongoing legal battles to block the housing project and ensure the land remains a community green space

Initial redevelopment plan: In 2018, ClubLink and its partners, Minto Communities and Richcraft Homes, filed an application with the city of Ottawa to redevelop the golf course into a residential subdivision of 1,544 homes.

Legal battles and the “40% agreement”

The 40% agreement: The saga largely revolves around a 1981 agreement between the former city of Kanata and developer Campeau Corp. The agreement stipulated that 40% of the land in the Kanata Lakes area, which included the golf course, must be preserved as natural space. If the owner no longer wanted to operate the golf course, they had to offer the land to the municipality.

City of Ottawa files a lawsuit: The city of Ottawa took ClubLink to court to enforce the 40% agreement and prevent the development.

Superior Court victory for Kanata residents: In 2021, an Ontario Superior Court judge sided with the city, upholding the agreement and preventing the development. The court found the agreement valid and ruled that if ClubLink wanted to abandon the golf course, it had to offer the land to the city.

Appeals and reversals: ClubLink appealed the Superior Court decision. In early 2025, the Ontario Court of Appeal overturned the lower court’s decision, ruling the 40% agreement was no longer valid. This decision effectively cleared the way for the development.

Supreme Court refuses to hear appeal: In September 2025, the Supreme Court of Canada refused to hear the city of Ottawa’s appeal of the Ontario Court of Appeal ruling. This final decision extinguished the legal protections for the Kanata green space, leaving the community with a major setback.

Provincial government declines to intervene: In late September 2025, the Ontario provincial government, led by Premier Doug Ford, announced it would not intervene in the Kanata dispute. This dashed hopes for a last-minute political rescue.

Similarities to Sun City Center and shared setbacks

Aspect	Kanata, Canada	Florida
Developer strategy	ClubLink partnered with developers like Minto and Richcraft to acquire and redevelop the golf course.	ClubLink pursued a business model of acquiring distressed golf courses in Canada and Florida for redevelopment into residential projects.
Community opposition	Residents formed the Kanata Greenspace Protection Coalition to fight the development, rallying opposition and participating in legal battles.	The “Save Sun City Center ” and other groups were organized to protect the green spaces and oppose ClubLink’s plans to rezone and develop the golf courses.
Legal challenges and setbacks	Kanata residents and the city initially won a Superior Court decision based on the 1981 “40% agreement,” but this was overturned on appeal. The final blow came when the Supreme Court of Canada refused to hear the city’s appeal in September 2025.	In early 2024, ClubLink again sought to leverage state-level legislation (the Live Local Act) to potentially bypass local zoning and public hearings. Residents in Sun City Center influenced the amendment of Florida Senate Bill 1730 to protect their recreational space.
Loss of legal protection	The Supreme Court’s decision essentially removed the key legal tool used by the city and community to protect the green space, leaving residents with few options.	The threat of ClubLink using state laws to override local protections represents a similar erosion of legal and planning defenses for the Sun City Center community.
Corporate tactics	ClubLink and its partners launched a promotional website (“Kanata Possibilities”) showcasing the proposed new development, effectively marketing the outcome as inevitable.	ClubLink has utilized similar tactics in Florida, including presenting plans to bypass public oversight and pursuing projects piecemeal, as highlighted by the SaveSCC with respect to Palm Aire Golf Club

Lessons and outlook

For Sun City Center, the Kanata saga serves as a cautionary tale highlighting the significant hurdles involved in fighting corporate developers. While legal battles may offer temporary victories, they can be reversed on appeal, and higher courts may not provide a remedy. The struggle also demonstrates the need for sustained community action and political engagement to combat developers who leverage legal loopholes to their advantage.

We continue to depend on the support of the entire community. Your support is key in this prolonged fight for the green spaces in our community – all 1,137 acres. We cannot allow an interloper to destroy the character, beauty and economics of our homes and community for your profit!

Come see us at “Hi Neighbor” and get involved as a volunteer, donor, email blast member, or sponsor. It takes a village to protect a village and its green spaces! We need you!

Please forward this email to your friends and neighbors to keep them in the loop and encourage them to sign up for my email blasts at our website.

Best regards,

Ellie Anderson

President

Save Sun City Center

312-282-7337

Ellie’s Notes  September 7, 2025

[Important TOWN HALL MEETING: Tuesday, September 9, 2025,  Community Hall 5:00PM Pebble Beach Blvd

Zoom:https://us02webzoom.us/j/85140081000?pwd=AFawQb2ZC99NXrm5JEQngNtaOMIfOH.1

Meeting ID: 851 4008 1000,     Passcode: 529692]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Last time I wrote about The Pebble Creek saga serving as a cautionary tale for developers and suburban communities alike.

I always like to say, each course, each situation, each community, each zoning authority, each course’s restrictions and covenants, and community organizations are all unique like snowflakes. But there are lessons to be gleaned from these situations and the more comprehensive our collective understanding, the better conceived and prepared our collective response will be.

So with that in mind, I’d like us to take a look at ClubLink in Florida. There is one property that is currently operating that I will leave for another day is specifically TPC Eagle Trace in Coral Springs, Florida, which was sold to ClubLink Enterprises in 2014 by Heritage Golf Group. Eagle Trace is operating a single 18-hole championship course. The other operating ClubLink courses in Florida are course Palm Aire in Pompano Beach operating two 18-hole championship courses – Cypress and Palms, and Club Renaissance an 18-hole championship course and Scepter a 27-holes championship course including Ibis, Osprey and Falcon.

I’d like share the tale about ClubLink operations in Florida. ClubLink has pursued the acquisition of a number of distressed golf courses in Florida as well as Canada where they ultimately closed the courses and pursued huge profits while eliminating golf and greens spaces. Sounds more like golf course raiding and redevelopment than golf course operations.

ClubLink is known for pursuing a golf course redevelopment business model, using its acquired golf courses as land holdings for future residential projects.

Much like the Pebble Creek struggle, the Clublink golf course sagas in Florida are a tale of golf course decline, dereliction, closure, contentious redevelopment, and determined homeowner resistance.

Canadian golf operator ClubLink has faced intense community opposition and legal challenges as it attempts to sell portions of its land holdings in golf courses for residential construction, pitting corporate interests against residents who want to preserve their green space and property values.

ClubLink buys golf courses in Florida

As golf course finances became challenging, golf properties changed hands. In 2010 and 2011, several Florida golf clubs were acquired by ClubLink as they saw an opportunity to acquire distressed properties at bargain prices for future development.

In 2010 and 2011, ClubLink made its initial acquisitions in Florida, establishing a multi-club presence. The courses acquired during that time included:

Sun City Center – 7 courses acquired by ClubLink- November, 2010 for $ 8.7 M

ClubLink first entered the Florida market by acquiring a portfolio of golf courses in the Sun City Center area, south of Tampa. These properties were purchased from homebuilder WCI Communities. In 2010, ClubLink US Corp. purchased seven golf courses and an undeveloped parcel in Sun City Center from WCI Communities for $8.7 million in an all-cash transaction following WCI filing for bankruptcy protection after the 2008 financial and real estate meltdown and Chinese drywall debacle. The land was zoned for golf course and recreational use except for the North Lakes course which is zoned RSC-6.

The portfolio included:

• Club Renaissance: A championship course.
• Sandpiper Golf Course: A championship course.
• Falcon Watch Golf Club: A championship course.
• Scepter Golf Club: A championship course.
• Kings Point Golf Club An executive-length course.
• Caloosa Greens Golf Club: An executive-length course.
• North Lakes Golf Club: A course that was already closed at the time of the sale.

Coral Springs – Heron Bay Golf Club – Acquired by ClubLink – October, 2010 for $ 3M, Sold for $32 million in 2021

Heron Bay Golf Club was a championship course in Coral Springs, which was the former site of the PGA Tour’s Honda Classic.

ClubLink acquired the Heron Bay Golf Club in Coral Springs for approximately US $3 million in 2010 from an ownership group known as BH Partners. At the time of the purchase, the course was operating, but it had faced foreclosure earlier in the year.

Details of the purchase:

o   In May 2010, Wells Fargo filed a foreclosure lawsuit against Heron Bay’s then-owners, BH Partners.

o   ClubLink purchased the course for $3.0 million.

o   The acquisition was announced in October 2010, though the specifics of the transaction timing may have spanned several weeks.

o   The course was still operating when ClubLink purchased it. ClubLink executives and new management assured employees and members that the course would continue to operate.

o   The course was permanently closed in 2019.

o   ClubLink sold the Heron Bay property in 2021 to the North Springs Improvement District (NSID) for $32 million.

Tamarac – Woodlands Country Club – Acquired April 2011 for $ 5M, sold in 2024 to 13^th Floor for $14 million for residential development

Woodlands Country Club: A 36-hole facility in Tamarac, located northwest of Fort Lauderdale.

ClubLink purchased the 36-hole Woodlands Country Club in Tamarac, Florida, from its equity members for US $5 million in April 2011, saving the financially troubled club from imminent closure. The sale included two 18-hole golf courses and the club’s facilities, with the selling members receiving a cash payment and a ClubLink Gold-level membership. While the initial purchase aimed to make the golf operation viable, no permanent restrictions prohibited future residential development, and ClubLink eventually placed the property on the market for redevelopment.

The developer for the Woodlands redevelopment project in Tamarac is 13th Floor Homes. After years of negotiation and revisions, the company’s plan received final approval from Tamarac city commissioners in 2024.

Project specifics

• Residential homes: The plan calls for 335 new, single-family homes on the site of the former golf courses.
• Pricing: The homes are expected to be high-end, with prices ranging from the $700,000s to over $1 million.
• Open space: Over 160 acres of the property will be preserved as open space.
• Amenities: Plans include new community amenities, such as a five-mile recreation trail, a modernized clubhouse, and a new gated entrance.

History of the Woodlands redevelopment

• Prior attempts: The current plan is a scaled-back version of an earlier proposal, which was met with strong community opposition.

13th Floor initially sought to build a higher density of homes, including townhouses and apartments, but revised its plan multiple times to address and overcome resident concerns.

• Final approval: In 2024, the Tamarac city commissioners voted 3-2 to approve the current proposal.
• Construction status: Construction is expected to begin in late 2025, with the first homes projected for completion in late 2026.

This ended the long-standing debate over the Woodland property’s future.

Pompano Beach – Palm Aire Country Club Acquired by ClubLink – November, 2011 for $ 7.2 M

ClubLink Corporation purchased the Palm-Aire Country Club’s 54-hole golf facility, including the Palms, Oaks, and Cypress 18-hole championship courses, from Palm-Aire Associates Limited Partnership for US $7.2 million in cash on November 18, 2011. The transaction was brokered by Steven Ekovich of Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services. Information on the specific acreage sold to ClubLink in 2011 is not publicly detailed in the company’s acquisition announcement, which only states it purchased the “54-hole golf facility”.

Ultimately, a combination of financial distress, operational issues, and the broader economic problems facing the golf industry led to the foreclosure and ClubLink’s subsequent acquisition of the property. Rather than going through a public auction, the foreclosure was resolved when ClubLink stepped in. It was a strategic acquisition for ClubLink, which purchased the loan from Wells Fargo and then took over the property in a “deed in lieu of foreclosure” arrangement in October 2010, effectively releasing the previous owner from the debt. The purchase price was approximately $3 million.

However, the sale did not include all of the land at Palm-Aire.

The Palm Aire community in Pompano Beach, developed on a former country club site, was once one of the largest master-planned communities in the state. Starting in 1959 with the Palms Golf Course, the area was designed as a sports and leisure-oriented community. At its height, the 1,500-acre development featured multiple golf courses, tennis courts, pools, and a renowned spa and hotel. The golf courses and open spaces were central to the community’s tranquil appeal and were built with consideration for human-scale architecture and aesthetics.

The surrounding residential areas of Palm-Aire, which encompass approximately 850 acres, were not part of the sale to ClubLink.

Most critically for residents, the purchase was subject to a pre-existing 1985 Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) that capped the number of total residential units in the Palm-Aire community. The 1985 MSA is the most significant and long-standing restriction on the Palm Aire golf course land. This agreement, originally made with the community’s first developer, capped the total number of residential units in Palm-Aire at 10,631. This agreement and its cap on development are the central arguments used by residents in their ongoing legal challenges to ClubLink’s development plans.

2015 Agreement

In 2015, ClubLink signed another agreement with the City of Pompano Beach. This additional agreement:

• • Extended the deed restrictions on the golf course land.
  • Stipulated that the golf course land must be maintained as “open space”.
  • Limited new construction to “golf course related structures”.

The decline of Palm-Aire Country Club’s 54-hole golf facility, including the Palms, Oaks, and Cypress courses and community mobilization

 Following ClubLink’s acquisition, signs of neglect began to concern residents. In the years after ClubLink bought the property, promised multi-million-dollar restorations did not materialize.

• Failed restoration and potential redevelopment: ClubLink closed the Oaks in 2021 and began to pursue residential developments on the properties. The company proposed building 270 rental units on the Oaks course and selling an adjacent property to developer PulteGroup for 186 owner occupied townhomes. In December 2023, ClubLink and its representatives presented initial plans to the city’s Development Review Committee. The proposal included a new, smaller clubhouse and the construction of 270 rental apartments on the site of the former clubhouse and parking lot. By May 2024, the adjacent land was under contract with developer PulteGroup, which planned to build 186 owner-occupied townhomes.
• Grassroots opposition: Residents formed the “Save Palm Aire” movement. They rallied community members through social media and organized residents to speak out at city meetings. Their opposition centered on the community’s founding principles of low density and ample green space, as well as the potential for increased traffic and decreased property values.

The legal roller coaster and the current status

The conflict escalated into a lengthy legal and political struggle, defined by key agreements and community resistance.

• Master settlement agreement: The core of the residents’ legal argument is a 1985 Master Settlement Agreement with the city, which capped the total number of housing units in Palm Aire. The Save Palm Aire group argues that the proposed developments violate this cap. ClubLink also signed a 2015 agreement restricting the golf course land to golf-related structures and open space, which the new plans would violate.
• Political pressure: Residents exerted significant pressure on city officials, with public meetings becoming standing-room-only affairs. The community’s campaign highlighted the contrast between ClubLink’s profit-driven motives and the interests of long-time Pompano Beach residents.
• The Save Palm Aire group filed a lawsuit against both the city and ClubLink to enforce the master settlement agreement and challenge the proposed rezonings.
• As of mid-2025, the Palm Aire redevelopment saga continues. Residents remain engaged, attending city hearings and coordinating efforts to preserve the community’s character and open spaces.

The road ahead

This case at Palm Aire again illustrates the same core issues as the Pebble Creek situation: the rights of a property owner versus the established character of a residential community.

• A developer’s dilemma: For ClubLink, navigating the legal agreements and overcoming community resistance has proven difficult. The company may have to revise its plans to attempt to find a balance that satisfies both its financial goals and the community’s concerns.
• Community perseverance: The  resistance organizations and their movements like Save Palm Aire, Save the Woodlands, Save Sun City Center demonstrate how organized and persistent community action groups can effectively halt or delay development.
• A broader trend: The saga is a microcosm of a national trend where declining suburban golf courses are targeted for development, forcing communities to confront the financial realities of obsolete amenities and fight for the character of their neighborhoods.

 Lessons from ClubLink’s development strategy

• Developers will exploit weaknesses in land-use rules. ClubLink and its partners, like PulteGroup, seek out properties with weak or ambiguous master plans and zoning ordinances that don’t explicitly protect open space in perpetuity.
• The playbook includes leveraging state laws. Developers may use state-level legislation like the Live Local Act, SB 1730 and SB 180 to bypass local zoning protections.
• In Sun City Center, ClubLink submitted Notices of Intent in February 2024 and failed to advise anyone in Sun City Center’s leadership of their action to potentially use the Live Local Act to their advantage for development on Sandpiper, the North Course and Caloosa Green bypassing public hearing and zoning oversight. Our community groups and leaders must understand these laws and advocate for them to be amended or litigated against as we did with Senate Bill 1730 which through our efforts was amended at the 11^th hour to exclude recreation space including golf courses in planned developments like ours. A similar effort is needed with respect to Florida’s SB 180 that precludes the imposition of any more “restrictive or burdensome” land use regulations. More on that at a  later date.
• Community opposition is expected. ClubLink has a history of facing resident resistance and lawsuits over development plans. They are prepared to weather public pressure, so a reactive approach is insufficient. SaveSCC must prepare for a long and expensive legal battle.
• Development can proceed in a piecemeal fashion just as ClubLink has announced potential development forSun City Center but not Kings Point. But it only a matter of time if they succeed in Sun City Center. At Palm Aire, ClubLink and Pulte Group each proposed separate developments for different parts of the same golf course property. This shows that ClubLink and their developers may target smaller sections of a course or courses to make their projects seem less impactful individually.

Lessons for effective community resistance

• Organize early, actively, and with legal expertise. As seen in communities like Palm Aire and Heron Bay, successful resistance requires proactive organization, constant vigilance for filings, and professional legal counsel from the outset. Waiting until development plans are already underway puts the community at a disadvantage. Our Community Association must take a stand and prepare.  Our SaveSCC efforts are jeopardized without their support and participation.
• Leverage deed restrictions and covenants. If the golf courses are part of a planned community, especially a 55+ community like Sun City Center or Kings Point, the original deed restrictions and covenants may offer the strongest protection. Legal precedents have affirmed that if a course was promised as a permanent amenity, redeveloping it can be extremely difficult. The 1984 Agreement needs to be reviewed in this context as well as any other agreements or documents including purchase agreements with home owners and other developers from the beginning of the community and its subsequent developers like WG, First National Bank, Florida Designs, WCI and Minto.
• Frame the fight in legal and emotional terms. Beyond legal arguments, campaigns must be framed around quality of life, preserving the community’s character, and avoiding overburdened infrastructure, which resonates with residents and local officials.
• We must use public opinion and media effectively. Rallying a “groundswell of coordinated activity” and a unified voice has been crucial in other ClubLink sagas. SaveSCC must continue to use its website, pamphlets, and media outreach to raise public awareness and put pressure on local officials.
• Understand the political landscape. As seen in Broward County, developers try to work with supportive city commissions. An effective counter-strategy involves informing voters and electing officials who are sympathetic to residents’ interests and having consistent attendance by SaveSCC members at BOCC meetings, Planning Commission meetings and other important County forums.
• Seek out “birds of a feather.” SaveSCC must coordinate with other communities, that are fighting ClubLink to share information, legal strategies, and resources. Learning from each other’s legal briefs, like the one from Hillsborough County, can provide valuable insights.
• Highlight successful precedents. Pointing to victories in other cases, such as the Canadian court ruling that blocked ClubLink’s development of Glen Abbey Golf Course, can offer a powerful model and boost community morale.
• Plan for all outcomes. SaveSCC must prepare for every possible scenario. As SaveSCC organizers noted, a contingency plan is needed for both victory and defeat to ensure the community can continue to organize and defend its interests over the long term.

I hope this reinforces and illustrates for you all how important this SaveSCC work is to preserve this community we all love.

We are called as the blessed inheritors of this outstanding senior community to see to its protection and preservation for ourselves and future generations. There will not be a community like ours built in the future. Yes there are new Del Webb communities using the Del Webb name but it is a different animal.

Pulte Homes acquired the Del Webb Corporation in July 2001. While both the original and modern communities cater to active adults, there are key differences related to location, size, and amenities.

Pulte Homes acquired Del Webb for $800 million in a stock-for-stock merger to become the nation’s largest homebuilder. The acquisition was driven by Pulte’s “Homeowner for Life” strategy to serve homebuyers at all stages of life, from first-time buyers to retirees.

Differences in Del Webb communities

 

Feature	The original Del Webb communities	Pulte’s Del Webb communities
Location and size	The first three Del Webb communities— Sun City Arizona (1960), 26,000 homes Sun City Florida (1961), 6,250 homes Sun City California (1962) 4,752 homes	Pulte has expanded the Del Webb brand to more than 100 communities nationwide, including locations outside the Sun Belt. Many of these are smaller and more intimate, catering to buyers who prefer to stay closer to family and friends.
Amenities	The amenities in early communities were designed for the retirees of that era and included classic features like large clubhouses, shuffleboard courts, golf courses and extensive club spaces.	Amenities have evolved to reflect the interests of modern active adults, with a wider and more resort-like selection. Contemporary amenities often include state-of-the-art fitness centers, pickleball courts, continuing education centers, and even wellness centers and day spas. Very few have golf course and certainly seven.
Home design	Homes in the original communities reflected the mid-century design and building practices of their time. But the buildouts occurred over large time frames and style changed with the times.	Pulte builds “consumer-inspired” homes for modern 55+ living. Floor plans are more open and flexible, with features like spa-like bathrooms, widened hallways, smart home technology, and zero-entry showers.
Target demographic	The original concept catered almost exclusively to retirees.	While Del Webb remains a leader in the 55+ market, Pulte has diversified its offerings to include different buyer segments. For example, in 2025, it introduced the “Del Webb Explore” brand, which offers a similar resort-style experience but without age restrictions, in response to demand from Gen X and other buyers.

Newer communities have multipurpose facilities while the original Del Webb communities have extensive, dedicated club spaces for everything from billiards, to pottery, stained glass, weaving, sewing, art, games, computer clubs, ceramics, dance, exercise, indoor and outdoor pools, golf courses, archery, softball, volleyball, etc. The amenities are less and often, not dedicated in the newer Del Webb communities.

 

So we must work together to get the job done. We at SaveSCC appreciate everything that you all do from being part of our work groups, to bringing information to our attention, to sending your hard earned dollars, and volunteering. Thank you! We really appreciate your support and help.

We work had to make everything go as far as possible to get the best outcome and results.

I hope you will participate in the upcoming CA meeting on Tuesday, September 9^th at the Community Hall from 5 pm to 8 pm.

TOWN HALL MEETING! – Tuesday, September 9, 2025

Community Hall – 5:00 pm

1910 S Pebble Beach Blvd

Zoom:https://us02webzoom.us/j/85140081000?pwd=AFawQb2ZC99NXrm5JEQngNtaOMIfOH.1

Meeting ID: 851 4008 1000

Passcode: 529692

Join the CA Board for an update about the ongoing construction of the Central Campus Upgrade Phase 1A (Applied Arts Building), including the cost/timing/financial alternatives for Phase 1B. (New

Restaurant/Bar & Pool). Refreshments will be served.

Well I think that’s more than enough for today. It’s been an all-day effort but I think it is important for us all.

We can stop ClubLink but we need to do the work and prepare now.

Please share this communiqué with your friends and neighbors. Encourage them to sign up for our SaveSCC email blast.  Or, if you want, click the hyperlink to donate time or dollars via our website.

PS I did try to shrink this down but I really couldn’t decide what to cut. It all seemed too relevant to everyone’s education and enlightenment.

Hope to see you soon!  Keep up the good work!

Best regards,

Ellie Anderson

President – Save Sun City Center

312-282-7337

Ellie’s Notes – August 25, 2025

Hope this note and the summer rains find you happy, healthy and enjoying your summer. Time at the pool has been awesome but hot.  The water aerobics classes and the pool at Club Renaissance are my happy place where I get out some of my frustrations, get some exercise, recuperate, relax and find out the local news and events.

I’d like to share with you the saga of Pebble Creek which I think offers inspiration and food for thought. I consider them birds of feather.  Another Hillsborough County community dealing with potential golf course redevelopment like us.

The Tale of Pebble Creek’s Redevelopment Saga

The story of the Pebble Creek Golf Course redevelopment reflects changing suburban economies and the conflict between private property rights and community character. The saga, which saw a once-thriving golf course become a flashpoint for grassroots opposition and legal appeals, offers insight for residential communities like ours with an obsolete golf amenity that has been laid to waste.

The Founding and the Flaws

To understand the conflict, one must look back to Pebble Creek’s origins. Opened in 1967, the golf course was designed by Bill Amick. The championship course was known for its player-friendly traditional design, and was both scenic and challenging with water on 16 of 18 holes. The 150 acre property was zoned specifically as a golf course.

The surrounding Pebble Creek neighborhood was zoned and developed as a mixed use community in 1972, five years after the golf course opened. The golf course served as the green centerpiece of the development that sprung up around it five years later. The course was not merely a recreational facility; it was the aesthetic foundation of the neighborhood. The promise of greens, water hazards, and the tranquil life of a golf course community were the main selling points for many homeowners. Property values were tied to the course’s existence, a dependence that would later become the central argument for its preservation. For decades, this model worked. As the surrounding area grew, so too did Pebble Creek, but as time wore on, the financial footing of suburban golf courses across the country began to erode with declining participation, increasing costs, deferred maintenance and lack of capital investment further contributing to deteriorating conditions and less play.

The Ace Purchase and the Turning Point

In 2005, Bill Place of Ace Golf purchased the course for $ 2.1 million from The Fairways Group. Place tried to keep the course profitable, but trends were against him. He attempted to find a buyer to continue operating the course but was unsuccessful.

The closure was the beginning of the battle. The first confrontation came in late 2020 when Place sought a brownfield designation for the property. A brownfield designation would classify the property as contaminated, allowing for tax credits and grants to aid clean up prior to possible redevelopment. The neighborhood saw this as an attempt to stigmatize their community and pave the way for development. Residents organized rapidly, sending emails and letters and gathering signatures on a petition. The community responded swiftly. Leslie Green helped form the “Save Pebble Creek” group, which became the center of the opposition. They launched a campaign, leveraging neighborhood news articles, social media, and petitions to rally their neighbors. Their arguments focused on preserving the neighborhood’s original character, the potential decrease in property values, and the removal of crucial open space.

At the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) meeting in December 2020, the pushback was overwhelming. The BOCC voted against the brownfield designation, an early victory for the grassroots opposition.

GL Acquisition and the Community’s Mobilization

After the brownfield attempt failed, the situation continued to decline. By 2021, facing dwindling membership—reportedly only 73 members remaining at one point—and rising maintenance costs, Place closed the course permanently on July 31, 2021. Place approached local residents about buying the course but the HOA never made a formal offer. Place continued working to find a buyer or developer. Two potential development buyers walked away from potential development deals due to resident resistance – Pulte and KB Homes.  Finally, GL Acquisition Group entered the scene, filing a rezoning application (PD 23-0132) in January 2023. Their proposal called for replacing the 150-acre golf course with over 250 single-family homes.

The Hearings and the Stalemate

The rezoning application proceeded through the county’s process, starting with the noticed Land Use Hearing(LUH). The LUH Master as well as the Planning Commission and Development Services all recommended approval, with conditions, after considering the developer’s proposal. The real test was at the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) hearing July 18, 2023. The grassroots opposition presented a unified front. Resident testimony, coupled with public pressure—including over 1,800 letters sent to Commissioner Ken Hagan and the BOCC swayed the commissioners. The BOCC denied GL Acquisition’s rezoning request by a 5-2 vote. The board’s reasoning was that the development was inconsistent with the county’s comprehensive plan and would negatively impact the neighborhood’s character. New Tampa and the Pebble Creek Community did not have a community plan like the BOCC adopted Greater Sun City Center Area  Community Plan.

The Legal Roller Coaster and Final Outcome

This LUH zoning decision against development by the BOCC was a major win for the community, but the legal battle continued. GL Acquisition, believing the denial lacked “competent, substantial evidence,” filed an appeal – a writ of certiorari on October 11, 2023 in the 13^th Circuit Court to challenge the BOCC’s decision.

The legal process became complex.

• Circuit Court(Case No. 23-CA-015824): On June 19, 2024, the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Court judge agreed with the developer – GL Acquisitions, ruling that the BOCC’s denial was not supported by sufficient evidence and set aside the board’s decision stating is was not supported by “competent, substantial evidence”. The judge criticized the BOCC for citing the property’s future potential as a golf course when it had been unkempt and closed since 2021. He noted that the GLA proposal had received approval from the county planning and development staff and the zoning hearing master.
• County Rehearing and Appeal: Hillsborough County, under the guidance of its legal counsel, stood by its initial denial. They requested a rehearing before the circuit court. It was denied.
• Appellate Court and Final Verdict:  The county then filed a second-tier certiorari review with the Second District Court of Appeals, appealing the circuit court’s decision.  An appellate court sided with the county. The court concluded that the circuit court had mischaracterized the basis for the BOCC’s ruling, overturning its decision. This reinstated the BOCC’s original denial of the rezoning application, stopping the development plan.

The Road Ahead

The appeals court ruling on July 9, 2025 was a victory for the Save Pebble Creek movement. It solidified the community’s right to protect its established character against redevelopment. For GL Acquisition, the ruling was a setback that forced them back to the drawing board.

So, what are the next steps?

GL Acquisition could revise its plan, potentially offering a less dense proposal, though residents are likely to remain vigilant. They could continue to pursue legal options and appeal to a higher court. On the community side, options like the county purchasing the land have been considered, but Place’s asking price would need to be lower. The property also remains a possible purchase target for a different operator, though the profitability concerns that led to the initial closure persist and costs to restore the course to playing condition would be substantial.

The Pebble Creek saga serves as a cautionary tale for developers and suburban communities. For residents, it underscores the importance of organization and total community involvement and support in protecting local interests. For developers, it highlights the increasing risk of acquiring defunct golf courses without securing community buy-in. The resolution of Pebble Creek’s fate will define the legacy of this battle fought over property and the community’s involvement.

What can we conclude from Pebble Creeks Saga?

Each golf course redevelopment situation is unique like a snowflake. How many courses, holes and acres are involved – one course or more, maybe seven like us. Who built the course golf  – a specialized commercial golf enterprise, a developer as part of a planned community?  How was it zoned? Who owns it now and what is its status? What are the owner’s intentions? Who is the planning and development authority – the town or city, the county? Is there a community plan that provides future guidance on land use or development? What are the owner’s intentions? Would the community be open to acquiring the property and do they have will and funding to do so? Are there any restrictive covenants or other legal impediments to new land uses?

I believe that our position and arguments to preserve our golf courses, community character and open spaces are stronger but that can only potentially prevail if we collectively have the commitment, resources, support and resolve for a protracted fight.

There are two major strategies SaveSCC is pursuing to address the challenge:

• Protective Golf Preservation Overlay District
• A comprehensive case against rezoning and residential development for the Land Use Hearing after ClubLink and their developer file their application for rezoning

We, the residents of Sun City Center and Kings Point,  must remain steadfast and vigilant in our efforts to preserve and protect our golf courses in Sun City Center and Kings Point.  While I would not say it is the optimum time for ClubLink to proceed, there are a number of ClubLink leases expiring shortly and there have been no indications that they will be renewed even though some of the existing lease holders have sought renewals. These leases include the Toro lease, the Security Patrol lease and the Kings Point Master Association leases for their closed courses – Falcon Watch, Kings Point Executive and the Falcon Watch Clubhouse.

A number of our SaveSCC work groups have also been diligently at work including – Technology, Zoning, Protective Overlay, Flood Management, Golf, Win – Lose, and Communications. We hope to ramp up more in the fall as the snowbirds return.

SaveSCC has been exploring and vetting attorneys lately to assist in aspects of our legal endeavors and representation as we prepare our cases to preserve our community character, lifestyle and open spaces.

On a personal note, I’m spread way thin too and a few things have been less than perfect.  However, progress is being made on a number of important fronts thanks to the entire team. It takes a village to protect a village. Resources are the key – time, money, and human capital.  We need them all and our only source is you. Please do what you can – donate via our website or volunteer for one of our teams by emailing us at getinvolved@savescc.org.

Hope to hear from you or see you soon.

Also please be sure to attend the upcoming CA meeting on September 9th at 5 pm at the Community Hall about the Pool and Rollins Theatre projects and related finances.

Enjoy and be safe and healthy!

Ellie Anderson

President – SaveSCC

312-282-7337

Ellie’s Notes  –  Calling SaveSCC Volunteers to  May 28, 2025 Volunteer Organizing Session

Please share this communique with your neighbors, friends and associates who may not be receiving our SaveSCC email blast. Help them to sign up on our website so they are in loop and receiving the most up to date information.  Thank you!

Save Sun City Center Volunteer Forum

SCC Community Hall
910 S Pebble Beach Blvd

Wednesday, May 28, 2025
1:00 pm to 3:00 pm

This meeting is for volunteers only. It  is not a public meeting.

Tee shirts, window clings, signs and banners will also be available for a donation in the lobby during the meeting.  This is a great opportunity to stop by for a tee shirt or item even if you are not interested in volunteering.

Volunteers are the life-bread of any organization but this is particularly true in a long term community effort such as Save Sun City Center effort to thwart ClubLink’s development goals.  Our efforts have already spanned three years and prospects are they may last for many more years to come until we have once and for all successfully put the threat of development on our golf courses to bed. And only ClubLink knows what constitutes their right combination of factors (housing demand, financing, labor availability, supply chain availability, supply costs, incentives, political climate, changing codes and laws, their project capacity, finding the right development partner, etc.) to proceed with development plans and file their application with Hillsborough County.

I have been and remain steadfast in my resolve to lead us to victory in this endeavor and we have seen some excellent progress including the recent win in the legislature amending the Live Local Act for affordable rental housing to exclude recreation areas including golf courses, swimming  pools, tennis courts, etc.  We also have the continued support of our Hillsborough County resources including Adam Gormly – Director of Development Services who was at our Information Session on April 16^th and my face-to-face on May 19 with our Hillsborough County Commissioner Christine Miller and her aide Casaundra Marion at the Public Engagement Meeting on Storm Water Management at Lennard High School. Commissioner Miller and her aide again reiterated their support against any development on the golf courses in Sun City Center.  While this forum was an excellent opportunity, I say less than about 12 area residents attended and only 2 were from Sun City Center. The turnout was  abysmal and the Commissioner was clearly disappointed and very perturbed by the lack of engagement when she personally worked in the community restoration effort on Shell Point Rd after the flooding from the hurricanes and saw the devastation first hand and the public didn’t show to advance their cause.

We in SCC and SaveSCC collectively have serious work to do to advance our agenda against development of our recreating areas and human capital and money are both necessary for our success. There is no getting around it. 

For the first time, I, as the President of SaveSCC, have engaged attorneys to consult with us on a legal issue. It does not come cheap. While our initial foray will be done on a specific issue on a time and materials basis to do something on a shoestring, retainers will be required down the road and significant money will be required for Land Use, Zoning and other specialties. We also need residents with expertise in these areas to help in planning these engagements to ensure the best use of any resources and the best bang for our investment. 

My hope was the Information Sessions would inspire more of you to come forward and join us as donors and volunteers to pursue the work at hand. From a donation perspective we have received about $ 3,400 through monetary gifts and contributions for SaveSCC materials – tee shirts, signs, window slicks, and banners during and since the Information Sessions. Thank you very much to those who contributed. We promised to use it wisely and prudently.  We appreciate your support. More financial assistance is needed.

With respect to volunteers we’ve received less than 10 volunteer forms and a few emails and offers via our web sign up.  This is not nearly enough to support our efforts with reasonable progress. It takes a village.  I am asking each of you to reconsider what you can do to help.  I view our effort like the Midas commercial, you can pay now, or you can pay later but either way it costs. We will either protect the community we love and preserve our golf courses, greens spaces and community amenities or we will see losses or less appreciation in the value of our homes as our community becomes less desirable. I’d rather make an investment in our future prosperity. It’s up to each of us.

So here are the Volunteer Kick Off Meeting Details.

Whether you have submitted a SaveSCC Volunteer Form or not, we are asking if you would become a SaveSCC volunteer. Our community and SaveSCC  needs leaders and workers in twenty different areas to properly and successfully do the work at hand.  I have personally worked in all these areas but there is not enough of me to go around. We’ve greatly exceeded my capacity. Others must also be integral in our work and share the load leading the charge. It’s that simple folks.  So let’s identify and assemble the teams and get our game plans and objectives clearly defined and move forward to prepare for the road ahead. I remain confident we have a lot going for us.  Our success  requires a wider investment and participation from our community residents to guarantee success. Please, your help and commitment is really needed. I can’t do it without you.

The work is essential and the rewards include making a substantial contribution to our community, making new friends, learning new skills and keeping yourself vital and engaged, being part of something unique, and really connecting with your neighbors, fellow residents, others engaged in similar work, the County staff and our public servants, government leaders and key decision makers. Together we can shape the future of our community and its future growth and evolution for better or worse by what we do or do not do. So join us now!

Linked is the Save Sun City Center Volunteer Form for you to review and email back with your info and area(s) of interest if you have not already done so, so we can hook you up. It is important you reply before the meeting so each team has their volunteer sheets in hand.

While background in the subject area is helpful, any of us can come up to speed with effort and your teammates can help.  So we can use anyone with time, commitment and a little talent, whether you are leader, catalyst, subject matter expert or team contributor, we need you and can put you to work for the good of our entire community and its future.

Here are the work groups we hope to resource properly:

• Zoning & Planning
• Transportation/Roads
• Water, Flood Management, Waste Treatment
• Fire Rescue
• Preemptive Strike – Special overlay, Restrictive Covenant, Community Plan Amendment?
• Communications
• Birds of a Feather – ClubLink, local HC, State of Florida
• Golf Operations & Management
• Emergency Readiness Plan
• We won – Now What?
• We lost – Now What?
• Community Analysis – what makes us special
• Environmental
• Legal
• Communications
• SaveSCC Board
• Technology – Zoom, Web services and email list servers
• SaveSCC Website
• SaveSCC Facebook
• CA governance & management
• Kings Point governance & management
• ClubLink
• Minto

The Volunteer Forum is being held on Wednesday, May 28, 2025 in the SCC Community Hall at 901 S Pebble Beach Blvd from 1 pm to 3 pm to assemble together all prospective volunteers and assess each work group’s membership, scope, objectives and game plan. It’s best if you can make it but it is equally important to cast your hat into the ring even if you can’t make the kickoff so we get you looped in as the real work commences. Do that by sending your Volunteer Form to me at GetInvolved@SaveSCC or snail mail to my home at 1357 Emerald Dunes Drive.

Here is the Agenda:

• • Introductions
  • Overall Game Plan
  • Brief Overview of the 20 Teams, their scope of work and subject area, deliverables, and objectives
  • Breakout into teams to brainstorm and organize
  • Team readouts back to the group
  • Adjourn

Thanks for your consideration and support – you are the engine for progress! It won’t happen without you.

I also hope to receive more donations via mail or the SaveSCC website and to receive your SaveSCC Volunteer Form if you haven’t already sent one.

I look forward to seeing you next week.

Thank you!

Ellie Anderson

President SaveSCC

SaveSCC.org

312-282-7337