Protesting Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez’s proposal to shut down a portion of a golf course as part of his proposed budget cuts, a massive crowd of Country Club of Miami residents gathered to try and save the land that keeps their property values intact and growing.
During a meeting last week called by Miami-Dade Commissioner Barbara Jordan at the Country Club of Miami Golf Course and Clubhouse, more than 300 residents scoffed at a plan to convert one of the two 18-hole golf courses to a leisure area for foot golf and soccer to save the county about $400,000 a year in maintenance costs.
Residents fear the proposal is the initial step of bringing down their property values with conceivable plans to build homes on the west portion of the golf course in the future, further attenuating their real estate values.
“They fear the soccer and foot golf plan is the first step and opportunity to eventually sell the land and build homes,” Jordan told The Miami Laker during an exclusive interview. “Building homes is something drastic to them.”
Jordan, whose district includes the golf course, said residents purchased their homes, now valued between $300,000 to $400,000, because of the golf course and even paid additional taxes to maintain it and keep it operating through a special taxing district.
“They have been paying for it initially in the special taxing district for 13 years,” Jordan said. “The residents are lovers of golf and wanted to be on the golf course.”
The residents are determined to fight to take the golf course off of Gimenez’s chopping block, including forming a task force and the possibility of creating another special taxing district to help offset the county’s budget shortfall.
“I am glad the residents raised their concerns,” Jordan said. “Not only did they voice their concerns but they proposed some solutions to save the golf course.”
For her part, Jordan said she will seek additional resources during the county’s budget hearings to keep the 18-hole golf course open.
She said closing the golf course would leave a lot of people out of work and the venue couldn’t operate efficiently.
Barbara Hagan, president of the Country Club of Miami Civic Association, said she was initially shocked when she learned about the county’s proposal for the land without golf.
She said county officials were unaware of the homeowners’ covenant to pay additional taxes to refurbish and maintain the golf course.
Hagan said creating another special taxing district to keep the golf course open for golf only is a positive step but it will take some time.
“I’m not against an additional taxing district but it would take a lot of time maybe a couple of years,” she said.
In the meantime, Hagan said the group’s next step is to meet with Miami-Dade Parks and Recreation Director Jack Kardys and John Miller, PGA head golf professional of the Country Club of Miami, to determine if the county’s proposal would benefit homeowners.
“I wouldn’t mind foot golf because it comes with a lot of regulations and if it will create profits and keep our property values growing,” she said.