Heron Bay Golf Course {Google Images}
By Neil Bass
In the wake of blowback from the North Springs Improvement District’s (NSID’s) May 4 Board meeting, East Coast Builders and a local religious organization have been holding backroom discussions to plan a lobbying effort favoring a large commercial development to be built on the Heron Bay Golf Course.
As a result of closed-door deals between the parties, and the urging of a local spiritual leader, a large contingent of the religious organization’s members are expected to attend the upcoming June 1 NSID Board meeting and speak out in favor of East Coast Builders.
Evidently, East Coast is promising to build several structures for the religious organization, including a place of worship. The religious organization, which is now embroiled in political activity, is a 501(c)(3) charity and is exempt from paying taxes.
NSID’s selection of East Coast Builders to develop 70 acres of the Heron Bay Golf Course continues to be met with overwhelming opposition by Parkland residents. Opponents of East Coast’s plan packed the NSID assembly room on May 4 to speak out against a project that is estimated to include 725K square feet of commercial space.
Although a $32 million offer and proposal by Toll Bros./Konover South received overwhelming support from the community, NSID mysteriously selected a $21 million offer by East Coast at their April 27 meeting.
The $11 million difference will be borne by higher tax assessments for the 40,000 homes within the NSID district, which includes Parkland and Northern Coral Springs. Moreover, East Coast’s Medallion Mall would never receive approval from Heron Bays’ residents, which is necessary to lift the restrictive covenant allowing construction before 2028.
While NSID states that they are only awarding the right to negotiate, it makes no sense to begin negotiations with the lowest offer on a plan with no detail. The only obvious conclusion is that the decision was based on the well-documented, close relationship between NSID and East Coast Builders.
We need to stop this injustice and financial burden from happening and take action! Come to the NSID board meeting on Wednesday, June 1, 2022, at 9700 NW 52nd St., Coral Springs at 5:00 pm, in the NSID assembly room.
You can speak at the meeting or choose not to, but it is critical that we pack the house. Our numbers will show the NSID board that we do not accept the selection of East Coast Builders.
NSID and East Coast’s plan to redevelop the Heron Bay Golf Course into a major retail and dining destination would bring droves of people into our town. See www.stophbstores.com.
Some of us chose not to live next to the Boca Mall, including the members of Citizens Against Golf Course Redevelopment, Inc. (CAGCRI) who sued to prevent the development of the golf course.
With five and a half years remaining on the 30-year deed restriction on the Heron Bay Golf Course, NSID appears to be ignoring the restriction with its attempt to sell the 70-acre parcel to East Coast. The restrictive covenant, however, prevents any type of construction on the golf course until at least December 2027.
Have questions? Feel free to talk to CAGCRI’s lawyer to learn more about your rights and this case. Joe Garrity is available by phone at 954-331-1294 or by email at jgarrity@loriumlaw.com.
Neil Bass has lived in Heron Bay in Parkland since 2012. Neil is a certified public accountant and owns a corporate tax consulting firm called Bass Tax Group. Neil lives with his wife, Leslie, and two children.
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