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

Ellie’s Note’s – May 4, 2025

It has been a very busy, productive and successful week as related to our efforts to change the courses of Florida Legislative bills SB 1730 and HB 943 that clarify the Live Local Act.

The Live Local Act provides significant benefits and incentives for developers.  The Live Local Act, formally known as Senate Bill 102, is a Florida law that aims to increase affordable housing opportunities, particularly for the state’s workforce. It achieves this by offering incentives, land use changes, and tax exemptions to developers building affordable multifamily and mixed-use rental housing. The act became effective on July 1, 2023, and has been amended by Senate Bill 328, which became effective on May 16, 2024.

Here’s a more detailed breakdown:

Key Features of the Live Local Act:

Preemptive Local Zoning

The act allows for administrative approval of certain affordable housing projects, preempting local zoning and land use regulations for density, height, and allowable uses.

Affordability Requirements

At least 40% of residential units in eligible projects must be affordable to income-eligible households for a period of at least 30 years.

Land Use Flexibility

The act encourages multifamily and mixed-use rental developments in commercial, industrial, or mixed-use areas.

Financial Incentives

The Live Local Act provides various financial incentives, including tax credits and exemptions, to encourage the development of affordable housing.

SAIL Funding

It includes funding through the State Apartment Incentive Loan (SAIL) program to support affordable housing projects.

Donation Program

A new tax donation program allows businesses to donate to the Florida Housing Finance Corporation (FHFC) in exchange for tax credits.

Statewide Strategy

The Live Local Act represents a comprehensive, statewide effort to address the state’s affordable housing needs.

Who is Eligible for the Live Local Act?

• Developers of multifamily and mixed-use rental developments.
• Projects that meet the affordability requirements and other criteria outlined in the act.

How does the Live Local Act impact local governments?

• Local governments are required to allow multifamily and mixed-use residential developments in certain areas if they meet the Live Local Act criteria.
• They cannot restrict the density or height of eligible projects below the highest currently allowed density or height for commercial or residential development within their jurisdiction.
• Local governments are required to maintain information about the Live Local Act on their websites.

Important Considerations:

• The Live Local Act is a complex piece of legislation with various provisions and requirements.
• Local governments may have specific regulations or procedures for implementing the Live Local Act.
• Developers should consult with local government officials and legal counsel to ensure compliance with all applicable rules and regulations.

SaveSCC has been very busy with a Call to Action to Amend SB 1730 and HB 943 because as they were drafted, they would have allowed development for affordable rental housing in planned developments on golf courses and recreation spaces in communities including ours.

I am very pleased to share that our combined efforts were successful and at the last hour of the legislative session, SB 1730 was amended to exclude recreational uses. Special thanks in this endeavor go to our SaveSCC leadership team, Adam Gormly for his comments at the SaveSCC Informational meeting on 4/16, Ron Clark and CA’s effort via the Email Public Service Announcement and their letter to legislature, and our Republican and Democrat groups and organizers  and all of you called and wrote. This coalition was successful moving members of the Florida Senate and House to amend SB 1730 such that it “Clarifies that recreational uses, such as golf courses, tennis courts, swimming pools, and

clubhouses, are not considered commercial, industrial, or mixed-use for purposes of the Act

and removes a related provision for development on recreational land.”

This is a significant accomplishment that was only possible due to the swift and overwhelming action by members and organizations in our community. We turned the tide!  We did it with the help of our legislators.

Special thanks goes to Adam Gormly who attended our Save Sun City Center Informational Meeting on April 16^th and we really appreciated his brief comments. They were the reinforcing factor that helped galvanize our efforts. We had over 600 folks attend our two information sessions. 

Since the meeting  on April 16^th we have engaged in an active grassroots campaign in our community to motivate residents and local organizations to reach out to the senate and house members to have Bills SB 1730 and HB 943 amended to exclude development of recreational space including golf courses, etc.  This effort included members of SaveSCC in the Call to Action, the Sun City Center Community Association Public Service Announcement and letters to the legislative leaders by Ron Clark, CA Board President, and the Democratic and Republican organizations asking their constituents to support this non-partisan effort.  We did our part. Thank you to all who called, wrote, and lobbied their friends to do so. It worked!

And a very special thanks goes to Senator Boyd (Senate Majority Leader), Senator Calatayud (bill sponsor), and Senator Jones (bill amender). Literally at the last moment, they worked to amend the bill a second time to address our specific concerns to protect recreation spaces including our golf courses from development  under the Live Local Act.

We are very pleased and thankful that the final version, 2^nd Engrossed, of SB 1730 that has been forwarded to the Governor and Secretary of State includes the language “ Recreational uses, such as golf courses, tennis courts, swimming pools and clubhouses, within an area designated for residential use are not “commercial, industrial or mixed use,” irrespective of how they are used”.  We could not ask for more than this.  This bill when hopefully enacted into law and effective on July 1, 2025 will be state wide and will help many other communities beyond ours. The companion bill HB 943 has been tabled. 

This action only precludes development of the courses under the Live Local Act. ClubLink can and will still pursue residential housing development by submitting a development application to the Count. ClubLink’s development application would trigger a major modification of existing planned development and general site plan.  This would require public noticing, a Land Use Hearing, and a BOCC Land Use Hearing.  Our SaveSCC response with a ground swell of coordinated activity  public awareness and support, and competent and substantial evidence and expert testimony that any development would not be consistent with the Hillsborough County Development Code (LDC) or our Greater Sun City Center Community Plan and therefore should be denied will happen with your help. We need volunteers, human capital, and money to pursue the course. HELP!

As those of you who know me well know, I think outside the box and have two very special initiatives that I am concentrating on that would be preemptive actions that might stop ClubLink in their tracks. Both require legal support and specialized knowledge that I’d first like to find amongst us here as residents before we are paying professionals. I really need anyone out there with knowledge about restrictive covenants to raise their hand and work directly with me.  If you have the expertise, your community needs you now.  Maybe you know someone?

Again, many thanks to all who contributed to our win on SB 1730. 

That’s it for now!

Ellie Anderson

312-282-7337

Ellie’s Notes  April 27, 2025

It has been a very busy and productive couple of weeks here in Sun City Center, and we’ve seen progress on a number of fronts.

Please be sure to forward these communiques to your friends and associates to get the word out.  Hopefully, everyone not receiving our communications will go to our website and sign up to receive our communications directly.

Recent SaveSCC Informational Sessions

I consider both of our recent Save Sun City Center (SaveSCC) Informational Sessions — March 26^th at the Rollins Theater, and April 16^th at the Community Hall — good successes. Between the two meetings, we had attendance of well over 600 folks, who were educated and informed about the many issues we face, as well as our plans to protect the green spaces and golf courses. We had some volunteers step up for our work groups, received donations and provided tee shirts, window clings, signs and banners to promote our cause.  

We were especially grateful for the attendance of Adam Gormly, Department Director – Development Services, who briefly spoke about the pending bills that would allow development under the Live Local Act in Planned Developments like ours. We also appreciated Ron Clark’s attendance and brief words as well.

Thank you all for your support to all who attended the session.  This is a community effort that can only be accomplished by our SaveSCC army working together.

Call to Action for Work Group Volunteers

A critical measure of our success in inspiring you is to get you working with us. There are a multitude of areas where human capital is required.

Click here for the Volunteer Form, outlining some of the areas where help is needed, so you can reply indicating your areas of interest or expertise. Then, we can get you involved in the right area. Please review the opportunities and tell us where you’d like to work with us.

We have a comprehensive game plan, but we need help to execute the work necessary and need committed folks. Please review and return the form to me at getinvolved@savescc.org or snail mail it to me at 1357 Emerald Dunes Dr, Sun City Center, FL 33573 so we can harness your gifts most effectively to protect our community, lifestyle, golf courses and green spaces.

We will be bringing all the volunteers together on May 28^th at 1:30 in the Community Hall for a kickoff volunteer / work group meeting to discuss the opportunities and to construct and add to the existing and new teams. This meeting will be for volunteers only and not on Zoom.  We really need you if we are to prevail. If you can’t attend the meeting we can still loop you in when the teams are formed.

Call to Action Regarding SB 1730  and HB 943

Both of these bills would explicitly designate existing Planned Developments or Planned Unit Development as applicable land uses or zoning for development of affordable rental housing under the Live Local Act.  

Both can easily be tracked by bill number via the web:

SB 1730 –  https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2025/1730

Approved in Senate  36 to 0 on 4/16/2025. Now in the House of Representatives.

HB 943 –  https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2025/943

Still in the House of Representatives.

I know a number of you have already written to our legislators – Representative Mike Owen (michael.owen@flhouse.gov) and Senator Jim Boyd (boyd.jim.web@flsenate.gov). Thank you!  

After further reflection and discussion with our political advisors, I suggest that you send your email to all our legislators. Below this paragraph, you will find the links to the excel spreadsheets with their email addresses, which you can cut and paste into the BCC field in your email message to email them all – senators and representatives and put yourself in the TO field. 

List of Senators

List of Representatives

You might also want to send a copy to our county commissioners at https://hcflgov.formstack.com/forms/contact_commissioner?field152422872=1%0A2%0A3%0A4%0A5%0A6%0A7 to let them know we are out here watching, advocating and voting.

If you need a draft to stimulate your thinking, here are three options for your consideration from SaveSCC members:

Option A

I urge you to please amend bills SB 1730 and HB 943 so they WILL NOT APPLY to Planned Developments, especially in 55+ communities, including Sun City Center.

Option B

I am writing to request that you amend FL Senate Bill 1730 and House Bill 943 to include language stating that the Live Local Act Law will not apply to Planned Developments or Planned Unit Developments. Specifically, I encourage you to state that Planned Development, especially in 55+ communities, are exempt from development on previously approved and built planned developments in areas designated and built as green spaces, conservation areas, recreation areas, and/or golf courses for the purpose of future building.

Sun City Center is a Planned Development zoned community. Green spaces and golf courses are the heart and soul of our community. Building on golf courses and green spaces would destroy the character of our community and neighborhoods, increase traffic, noise and, most importantly, harm humans and negatively impact their welfare, safety, health and financial well-being. It would also increase flooding, wipe out the remaining wildlife habitat, and basically destroy all that makes Sun City Center a magical place to live.

Thank you for listening to the people you represent. Please vote to preserve and protect the green spaces desperately needed and designed into our beautiful community.  Further development would be sheer madness.

Option C

I am writing concerning bills SB 1730 and HB 943 seeking to clarify what land uses are applicable for development under the Live Local Act. Please do not allow PDs and PUDs to be included in the land designations applicable for development.

Planned Development or Planned Unit Developments like ours in Sun City Center allow more community-focused designs, incorporating residential housing, golf courses and recreating areas in harmonious and unique designs that maximize the community design and attractiveness. Sun City Center remains unique among all senior living communities in Florida, as the community was designed to be all-inclusive with residential, recreational, and commercial areas for shopping and services, places of worship, a post office and medical services. These were the intentions when our community was built from the onset in 1961 as one of Del Webb’s original, totally contained towns for active senior living.

Planned developments with their unique and thoughtful designs should not be promoted as the next target for infill development by developers and local officials as solutions are sought for affordable rental housing. Owners in the communities bought the community concept with its higher prices, mandatory dues and premiums, because they were buying not only a home, but a lifestyle and community that should not be thrown asunder.

Please, I urge you and your colleagues to eliminate Planned Development or at least those that are 55+ as a protected and vulnerable group from consideration for development under Live Local or any other sweeping legislation targeting our communities. There are still many areas available for development that would not destroy existing communities. Target underdeveloped areas, not established communities that were well planned and loved by their owner-occupiers.

Thank you for your consideration and support to protect your constituents in these times where corporate greed and politics trump citizen’s investment and commitment to their communities.

The current legislative session ends this week so please do not delay. Make your voice count!

Legislative Process for a New Bill to be Signed into Law

In Florida, for a bill to be sent to the governor for signature into law, it must be passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate. For those of you who would appreciate an overview, here is the process:

Introduction: A bill can be introduced in either the Florida House of Representatives or the Senate. It is then assigned to one or more committees for review.

Committee Review and Debate: The bill is discussed, and revisions may be made in committee meetings. If the committee approves the bill, it is sent back to the floor of the respective chamber.

Chamber Vote: The full chamber (either the House or the Senate) debates the bill and may make further amendments. If a majority of the members vote in favor, the bill passes that chamber.

Second Chamber: The bill is then sent to the other chamber (House if it started in the Senate, or Senate if it started in the House) where it goes through a similar process: committee review, debate, and a chamber vote.

Reconciliation: If the second chamber makes amendments, the bill returns to the originating chamber for agreement. If both chambers cannot agree on the final form of the bill, a conference committee may be established to reconcile differences.

Final Approval: Once both chambers agree on the final text, the bill is sent to the governor.

Governor’s Action: The governor can sign the bill into law, allow it to become law without a signature, or veto it. If vetoed, the legislature can override the veto with a two-thirds majority vote in both chambers.

This process ensures that both legislative bodies have input and agreement on proposed laws before they are enacted.

Side Note

I see everything about protecting our golf courses as a non-partisan issue. We need the support of all of our community members and organizations to pursue the protection of our community and others from misguided, unchecked growth and improper development without sufficient infrastructure negating community designs and adopted community plans. To that end, we are working to establish further liaisons with our local Democratic and Republican Clubs to ask them to enlist folks on a statewide basis to energize and resist any legislative bill that advocates development in existing Planned Developments. We also seek to leverage their help in our local fight as ClubLink proceeds with definitive action.

I’d also like to thank Ron Clark and the CA board for their recent Public Service Announcement concerning SB 1730 and HB 943. Thank you!

TWC Enterprises Limited 2024 Annual Report – ClubLink

https://www.twcenterprises.ca/TWC/Assets/Documents/Annual_Quarterly_Reports/TWC%202024%20Annual%20Report.pdf

Here are a few Florida and Sun City Center relevant highlights from ClubLink’s 2024 Annual Report:

 

We need your help to stop them in their tracks!

We need you to:

• Read our communications and share them with others.
• Engage your friends in the discussion and effort.
• Wear your SaveSCC tee shirt around town and in meetings, clubs and activities in our community.
• Do volunteer work for SaveSCC.
• Donate $’s.
• Donate your time.
• Send emails to our legislators and county commissioners.

Please do your part. I and others are working our butts off and need your help!  We can’t do it alone. Thanks!

Ellie Anderson

312-282-7337

andersonellie@mac.com

getinvolved@savescc.org

Call for Action

Attend County Meeting Monday, 4/21/25 at Sun City Center North Campus Atrium and to Establish Transportation Working Group under SaveSCC community group Leadership

We, who are willing to participate in a transportation working group for SaveSCC and the Greater Sun City Center Community, need to attend the following meeting – Hillsborough County  Public Engagement Opportunity – Cypress Village Boulevard Safety Improvements, Monday, April 21st, 4 pm , Sun City Center North Campus, Atrium Building

This would be an excellent opportunity to recruit fellow interested citizens to engage in a transportation work group.  This is also the opportunity  to meet some of the county representatives involved in the transportation to make connections and build bridges with the County to pursue further action to improve transportation services and infrastructure in our community.

A critical area impacting our Sun City Center Community way of life, welfare and safety is transportation. Under that umbrella I see several matters of the utmost concern:

• • Traffic issues on 674 and the number of serious accidents and fatalities including golf carts, bicycles, and other modes of transportation
  • Keeping Sun City Center a golf cart community with SAFE crossings at 674 and 301
  • Methods of traffic calming and diversion to make 674 safer and usage intensive.
  • Investigating Level of Service (LOS) reports on 301 and 674 and determine whether established level of Service standards and upcoming capital improvements to  correct deficiencies.
  • Pursuit of overhead flyover bridge for safe crossing of 674.

We ( SaveSCC and the Greater Sun City Center community) need volunteers to take on this challenge and get involved and pursue actions that could improve the situation for us all.  We need you now!

Please raise your hand and engage with me to build a team to address this critical infrastructure essential to us all. It is also a key element of our case against further significant development on golf and the surrounding communities under infrastructure issues. Email me at GetInvolved@SaveSCC.org and I’ll add you to our working group list and hope to meet you before the meeting. If you have a SaveSCC tee shirt, please wear it and seek me out.

This is too good an opportunity to pass up! Join me and let’s make something happen!  Let’s get doing, not talking or complaining! Take Action!

Thanks and I hope to hear from you and see you Monday!

Ellie Anderson

312-282-7337

Urgent Call to Action 

We Need Everyone To Immediately Contact Your Florida House and Senate Representatives Concerning Pending Changes To “Live Local Act” That Would Affect…..

                   Golf Properties In Sun City Center 

There are two bills currently working their way through the Florida House and Senate that explicitly would allow the development of affordable, rental housing on Planned Development (PD) zoned land, including in Sun City Center. These bills were drafted to address concerns raised by local governments and stakeholders during the initial implementation of the “Live Local Act.”

As some of you may be aware, ClubLink filed a Notice of Intent (NOI) with Hillsborough County for potential development projects under the Live Local Act on Sandpiper, the North Lakes and Caloosa Greens golf courses in February of 2024.

Under the current Live Local Act law as interpreted by Hillsborough County, Planned Development zoned land is ineligible for development under the Live Local Act.

However, Senate Bill SB 1730 and House Bill HB 943 would change that and explicitly make land currently designated as Planned Development or Planned Unit Development eligible for development under the Live Local Act.

Six of the seven ClubLink-owned golf courses are zoned PD, the exception is the North Lakes course, which is designated as RSC-6.

We believe ClubLink’s filing of NOIs was taken to allow ClubLink more flexibility and to keep their options open in regard to future development actions. However, no applications for development have been filed by ClubLink at this time.

These pending bills before the state legislature are of particular importance to us, because they would allow ClubLink and developers to build on golf course properties in Sun City Center under the Live Local Act. Needless to say, this could dramatically impact our community!

We must do what we can to advocate so this does not happen! 

We urge you to contact your representatives by calling, writing or emailing them. 

Make sure you identify the specific legislation – Senate Bill 1730 and House Bill HB 943 – and “kindly” urge them to amend these bills so they WILL NOT APPLY to Planned Developments, especially in 55+ communities.

Thank you in advance for this important advocacy for Sun City Center and all Planned Development communities.

Here are the representatives to contact in our area:

Michael Owen – State Representative – District 70

District Office

PMB 432
235 Apollo Beach Boulevard
Apollo Beach, FL 33572-2251
Phone: (656) 333-9530

Email: michael.owen@flhouse.gov

Capitol Office

1302 The Capitol
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 717-5070

Jim Boyd – State Senator – District 20, Majority Leader

District Office

717 Manatee Avenue West
Suite 100
Bradenton FL 34205
Phone: (941)-742-6445

Email: boyd.jim.web@flsenate.gov

Capital Office

318 Senate Building
404 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1100
Phone: (850)-487-5020

Ellie’s Notes – April 16th Informational Seminar SCC Community Hall

Hello Fellow Sun City Center and Kings Point residents and other interested folk,

Hope this brief communiqué finds you enjoying our fabulous weather. It doesn’t get much better than this.

Please forward this email to your neighbors and friends who have not signed up to receive them yet. We hope to cast a large net!

Tomorrow we are holding what I believe will be our last Save Sun City Center Informational Meeting for some time unless we exceed the capacity in the SCC Community Hall.  This is your opportunity to get clued in on the most comprehensive and updated information available regarding ClubLink’s announced plans and actions and where things stand relative to golf course development ins-and-outs here in the Greater Sun City Center area.

The meeting is at 5 pm at the SCC Community Hall, 1910 S Pebble Beach Blvd, Sun City Center.

I hope you will join us for this informative session where we hope to educate and inspire you to commit to serving your community by joining us as promoter, donor and/or volunteer. We can’t do it without your participation and support. Please join us.

A critical measure of our success in inspiring you is to get you working with us. There are a multitude of areas where human capital is required. Attached you will find our Volunteer Form outlining some of the areas where help is needed so you can reply indicating your areas of interest or expertise so we can get you involved in the right area. Please review the opportunities and tell us where you’d like to work with us. We have a comprehensive game plan but need help to execute the work necessary and need committed folks. Please review and return the form tomorrow so we can harness your gifts most effectively to protect our community, lifestyle, golf courses and green spaces. If you have questions, I’ll be available to answer them, particularly if you come early. We will be bringing all the volunteers together in May for a kickoff meeting to discuss the opportunities and construct and add to the existing and new teams. We really need you if we are to prevail.

We hope to have everyone wearing SaveSCC tee shirts at the meeting and around town to bring more visibility to our cause and efforts. If you don’t have one, or need more, tomorrow is a great opportunity to get a tee shirt, window cling, yard sign, hanging sign or banner for a nominal donation. A Reservation Form is attached that you can print and complete to expedite your transaction tomorrow. Please print and bring it with you. We’ll be set up to handle transactions at 4 pm or after the meeting.

I suggest you arrive early for any questions or special business.

Hope to see you tomorrow!

Ellie Anderson

312-282-7337

Ellie’s Notes – April 9, 2025

Hello All,

Hope this brief note finds you well.

The April 10^th  SaveSCC Informational meeting has been moved to April 16^th , 2025 at 5 pm at SCC Community Center at 1910 S Pebble Beach to allow for more attendees. Please be there and bring your neighbors and friends who were unable to attend the session on March 26^th.  Getting everyone informed, up to speed and participating is critical to our success and the future of our community. See the attached postcard.

I had an excellent speaking engagement at the Kings Point Concerns Citizen’s Group meeting Monday at the Banquet Room in the Community Hall. I gave a 30 minute talk about SaveSCC and our efforts to protect our golf courses and green spaces.  Augie from the Wimauma Community Planning Advisory Council (WCPAC) also spoke about things happening in Wimauma. Click here if you are interested in viewing his slides.

Please continue to share our email and keep others informed. Spreading the work and having people sign up on our web site SaveSCC.org under the Take Action Tab to receive our communication is vital to our cause and success and just the act of passing on information or wearing a tee shirt can bring the uninformed on board.

We’ll have tee shirts in more sizes – 2xl, 3xl, and 4xl, yard signs, posters with grommets, window clings and banners depending on your preference available for a small donation before or after the meeting on the 16^th.

Hope to see next Wednesday!

Ellie Anderson

SaveSCC.org

312-282-7337

Ellie’s Notes – April 2, 2025

SaveSCC Informational Meeting – April 16, 2026, 5:00 pm, Sun City Center Community Hall, 1901 S Pebble Beach Blvd.

Hallelujah   We will be holding a second Save Sun City Center Informational Meeting on April 16, 2025 in the Community Hall.  This most likely will be your last, “must be there” opportunity to get fully informed and in the know about what’s happening with ClubLink’s Notice of Intent, their intentions, what that means to all of us, and most importantly, how you can help stop them and protect our golf courses and green spaces.  The future of our community lies in our hands and the strength and depth of our engagement to resist is critical. We need everyone onboard and working to accomplish this noble fight for the future welfare of our community and green spaces as we know them. The depth of contribution will have an enormous impact on the outcome.  I need you and your community needs you! We’re in it, to win it!  Without you, we’re done.

If you were at the March 26^th meeting, you know we mean business and have our act together. If you weren’t, then you owe it to yourself and us, to come find out.   Bring your friends, your neighbors! Make it happen. We might have press there and we need to show we are really serious and you are essential in doing that.

I again apologize for the venue issues and capacity but as I’ve said, we have been working to address that and are grateful to the Community Association for their help in adding us to the approved 501 (c) (3) organization list for facility use for the larger venues. Thank you CA President Clark and the CA Board members! We really appreciate your help.  And again, my sincere apologies to those who came last week and were turned away. We are doing our best with what we have and appreciate your understanding.

We will be setting up and available for anyone wishing to obtain SAVESCC tee shirts, yard signs, and window slicks and are ordering more tee shirts in the larger sizes ( 2XL, 3XL, and 4 XL ) to accommodate everyone.  These tee shirts allow us to demonstrate support and will be essential “must wear” clothing to easily engage others and support the cause personally and financially. We all need several to wear around town and at public gatherings and meetings to promote our efforts and engage everyone! It is a small thing that opens doors and engages and enlists others. People are curious and ask about it, building the hype and bringing others into the fold! And we’ll provide you with postcards to have with you to give out so that new folks can easily connect with SaveSCC.

Speaking of postcards, click here for the postcard and click here for the Press Release. We also will have a piece in the Observer promoting the meeting and informing folks.

Please spread the word and post the information where you can. You are part of our “green tsunami.”

If you are not on our members email list, go to our website at SaveSCC.org under the Take Action tab and click on Join Us as A Member and complete the form so you get our communications.

I really hope to see you on April 16^th with all your buds!

Thanks for your support!

Ellie Anderson

312-282-7337