Status of Application - Alachua County.us Application Review Process

An amendment to the Alachua County Comprehensive Land Use Plan and rezoning from Recreational to Residential is necessary for the development of the West End Golf Course Property.   

1.  A neighborhood workshop is held prior to the submittal for rezoning.  

July 23, 2020 - A Zoom workshop was held with more than 100 people voicing their opposition.

2.  A complete application is submitted to Department of Growth Management.

3. The application is assigned to a planner.  If sufficient, the application is scheduled for a Planning Board hearing.

4.  A sign is posted on the property.  

October 9, 2020 - A deferral was requested by the developer; application is on hold.  

5.  When/if the application is resubmitted, 15 days before the scheduled hearing before the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners a mailed notice is sent to the surrounding property owners.

YOUR donations are crucial to our success.  An attorney, Planner, Traffic Engineer, Environmental Engineer and expert witnesses are expensive and necessary for our success in defeating the amendment and rezoning. 

Please donate to GoFundMe WECARE (see link in the footer below) or mail a check to WECARE: West End Community Alliance for Recreation and Education (WECARE) 14260 W Newberry Rd., #129, Newberry, FL  32669.

Interconnectivity

The Alachua County Comprehensive Plan 2019-2040 REQUIRES connectivity between developments where possible. The developer is proposing roadway connections to the East, North, and West of the West End Golf Course property for neighborhood connectivity. The roads in the communities surrounding the golf course property are private and maintained by the residents. They do not want up to 800 or more cars using their roadways. If the developer can NOT get the approval for a connecting roadway (additional proposed roadway shown in black in the picture), then the application is Dead On Arrival. Make it clear to your Home Owner Association that you do NOT approve of these roadway connections.

See what people in the golf industry are saying about the sport’s popularity

Interviews by Sharon Dombek                                                       

Scott Hampton, Director of Golf at the Mark Bostick Golf Course at the University of Florida.

I have been here, at the UF Golf Course, for 22 1/2 years and have been in the golf business for 28 years.

We have not seen a drop off of golfers at all, we have seen a huge increase in golf, especially since

Covid hit. We closed for 6 weeks and kind of reset everything. Since then, we have been unbelievably

busy. We used to do no tee times during the week and only tee times on the weekend. Because we are

so busy now, we have tee times 7 days a week from 7:30 am to 4:00 prn, our twilight rate, and they are

packed every single day. Financially, over the last 4 months, we are $70,000 over what we did last year already.

Memberships, which have historically run with semester and yearly have been between 175 and 200, now

are between 250 and 300. Part of that is due to the fact that there is not a lot you can do sports wise that is

no contact.

Golf has become a great sport because you can social distance, you can ride in your own cart, and you

can walk. I don't see that changing. With the way things are going, this is a sport that will continue to grow

because you have the ability to do this and stay away from people and do it on your own.

Based on our financials, rounds are up. On Tuesdays, our ladies league, over the past 5 years, has gone

from 10-12, 18 hole players and maybe 4-6, 9 hole players to 25-30, 18 hole players and 16-24, 9 hole

players that we see every week, which is great. Our senior men's league, which plays on Thursdays, has

gone from 10-15 players to 28-30 weekly. Our Men's Association has increased over the last 5 years

exponentially over what we used to have. I don't see it going backwards.

I teach golf courses through UF, although due to Covid they are not going on now. The plan is to start

back next semester. We do some junior camps. I'm working with Gainesville Junior Golf Association.

We're trying to get that back over here again, we had it in the spring before we closed. We're going to

do that again. Just around town,

Eric Thomas, Teaching Professional, Ironwood Golf Course.

Eric grew up in Alachua County and reminisced about the fun he had as a child hitting balls on the

driving range and playing golf with his dad at West End Golf Course. Eric participated many years in

an annual golf tournament known as the Tom's Tournament sponsored by the Tom’s Food Company.

This tournament hosted as many as 100 children ages 5-18 from all over North Florida.

Now, as an adult, Eric has been instructing golf lessons, clinics, and hosting golf tournaments at Ironwood

for almost 8 years. He was passionate about the value golf brings to young people teaching them responsibility,

honesty, and integrity. Sadly, many young people are only exposed to these values through golf. Ironwood

Golf Course is a strong supporter of a program known as The 1st Tee. This program instills these important

values as well as teaching golf fundamentals.

Currently Eric is teaching 2 golf courses offered through Santa Fe Community Ed.  Interest in golf has skyrocketed

in part due to the pandemic and Eric plans to add a 3rd class to the curriculum.  Ironwood hosts many

tournaments and Eric believes these tournaments are an excellent way to raise awareness for many causes

such as cancer, Alzheimer's disease, etc. With private lessons, classes, tournaments and people looking for

outside activity, Ironwood Golf Course is a very busy place.

Potential West End Developer Meets with WECARE

A meeting was called by the developer and his representatives to present their revised plan for the West End Golf Course property to representatives of involved HOAs, Friends of West End (FOWE), and West End Community Alliance for Recreation and Education, Inc.  (WECARE)

The plan presented, which has been on hold for nearly 6 months for revision, took out the hotel and showed a red line around the perimeter of the property depicting a trail that they said they would widen to 8 feet and let the surrounding communities’ use.  Since the property would be private (like the pools, playgrounds, tennis courts in most all developments), the 8-foot trail would not be open to the general public.  Their plan has no pool, playground or green space for more than 1400 residents.  When asked about community open space, their response was “We are not in the business of recreation.”

The developer insists that golf is dead.  Go to our website westendcare.org and read the letters from Sean Warner, Founder and Executive Director Gator Jr. Golf Association, interviews by Sharon Dombek of Scott Hampton, Director of Golf, Mark Bostic Golf Course at the University of Florida, and Eric Thomas, Teaching Pro at Ironwood Golf Course.  Young Professionals of Gainesville YoPro with 70 members also has a golf group.  Golf is NOT dead and our plan for a driving range and 9-hole course is just what is needed in Gainesville and surrounding communities for training new golfers and a place where golfers of all ages and abilities could play.

I am calling on the 130 members from 25 communities in the area who are members of Nextdoor Friends of West End Newberry, the 115 people of GoFundMe Stop West End Golf Course Rezoning and the 57 people who have donated in cash or checks (some donations of from $1,000 to $2,000), and the supporters who post regularly on Facebook to 1) go to the Westendcare.org website, keep up with the news, make a comment on the Blog or email the BOD WECARE,  2) sign the petition, 3) write the Commissioners cc: Jerry Brewington, Sr. Planner,  4) donate, 5) offer to distribute brochure to family, friends and neighbors. STAY the COURSE.

Can high-density housing and high quality-of-life coexist?

The villages of west end were developed as a Planned Unit Development (PUD) surrounding the West End Golf Course zoned Recreational.  In order for the developer, Mr. Sayed Moukhtara, to build up to 750 homes on the property, the 2019-2040 Comprehensive Land Use Plan and the zoning must be changed from Recreational to Residential.  The developer received a 60-day deferral which can last up to one year (September 2021) at which time he can resubmit the plan or withdraw.

When the developer resubmits his revised plan to Alachua County Planning and Zoning, we are hopeful the planning commission will take into consideration the welfare of the people and communities affected by changing the Comprehensive Plan and zoning. The Comprehensive Land Use Plan purports to ensure many quality-of-life benefits for higher density developments such as reduced infrastructure costs, public transportation, health benefits of walking, easy access to parks and recreation, areas for community gatherings and events. Moreover, the goal of land use planning according to the American Planning Association is to create convenient, equitable, healthful, efficient and attractive environments for present and future generations.  It is abundantly clear that the developer’s plan will not achieve any of these local or national goals for higher density developments. 

A sample of what is being built are the barracks-like structures of Tara West End, with front doors opening onto the street and garages with access directly behind curbs and drainage systems.  At WECARE, we look at these structures and are surprised that building codes would allow for such haphazard designs. We wonder why it is typically so easy for developers to change zoning ordinances that have existed for decades and so difficult for locals to maintain the integrity of their communities. We believe the that high-density developments surrounding the West End Golf Course were designed to and must continue to coexist with access to recreation spaces, community gathering centers, and other healthy environments that provide a high quality-of-life.

If you share these concerns and beliefs please help.  Write to county commissioners, sign the petition, donate, inform your family, friends and neighbors.  

Tell us why you would like to keep West End green.

Do you have young children that need a playground for socializing and physical health?  Do you want an after-school program?  Do you want a quick 9-holes of golf for all ages and abilities?  Do you want to hone your golf skills at a covered driving range?  What about a place where families, youth, and seniors can watch sports, get a bite to eat from the grill and socialize?  Do you want a safe place to run, walk, bike and enjoy the wildlife and beauty of nature away from the noise and traffic from Newberry Road?   Help us defeat the rezoning of the golf course property. Join the conversation!

Creating green space for the general public.

Most of the developments in the west end have their own pools, playgrounds, bike riding (on the streets) and green areas. These facilities are private and not for use by the general public. Not everyone who lives in the west end lives in a development. The facilities proposed for the West End Golf Course property 9-hole lighted golf course, covered driving range, playground, grill/sports bar, education/event center would be for use by the general public.