TITUSVILLE FL – Residents in North Brevard County, around the now defunct Sherwood Golf Course, are fighting to prevent the construction of 800 new homes on this property.
Residents of the neighborhood off Carpenter Road, near Mims, have expressed concerns about traffic and environmental issues. They also cite the home value as a reason to prevent the golf course being rezoned.
Plans show that 800 new homes including apartments and townhomes would be built on the site. This has caused further concern over the property value based on its proximity to the course.
Sherwood Golf Course was opened in 1960 and faced bankruptcy in five decades. It has since fallen into disuse. The 100-acre course, located at 4335 London Town Road in a non-incorporated area west Titusville and situated in an area of unincorporated land, was sold last for $1 million in 2018. The course was being renovated at the time before it closed.
Sherwood Golf Course is not the only one in the county that has faced financial difficulties over the past few years. In 2016, a Cocoa course was converted into a subdivision of 224 homes.
Tom Erdman is a local resident who has lived in the area for more than 30 years. He is one of those who are leading the fight against the development.
He has held multiple community meetings in the last year to try and stop the rezoning, or at least reduce the scope of hundreds of homes planned on the golf course.
Residents are concerned about the impact of flooding on the local infrastructure. This is especially true after Hurricane Ian flooded many streets around the golf club.
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Erdman asked. These guys will make millions, and we’ll be screwed,” Erdman said.
Erdman estimates that a majority of homeowners living in the surrounding neighborhoods are opposed to the project. He was able, earlier this year to collect 600 signatures against the project in its current form. He said that community meetings about the issue are regularly attended by more than 100 people.
The Ballarena Group – the company hoping to develop this land – did not respond to a comment request. Rita Pritchett of District 1, County Commissioner, who represents this area, did not respond to a comment request.
The county planning staff has said that they are still reviewing “the latest submittal” of the developer.
Tad Calkins, Director of Planning and Development, wrote an email saying that the application was not scheduled to be heard in public at this time.
Erdman and other residents are still concerned about traffic, despite the fact that no final decision has been made. According to plans provided by the developer the new housing would nearly double the traffic in the region, increasing the estimated 7,000 daily trips from 7,000 to 13,000, if new homes were added. Erdman warned that Carpenter Road, a two-lane road connecting the neighborhood to State Road 46 will quickly become congested.
Erdman said, “This neighborhood wasn’t designed for that type of traffic.”
He said that homeowners are researching their options. “We are looking at options for homeowners to possibly buy some of the land.” Or, some houses could be constructed while still maintaining green space.
Tyler Vazquez, a reporter for FLORIDA TODAY’s government watchdog team in North Brevard County and Brevard County, is the North Brevard County reporter. Contact Vazquez at 321-480-0854 or [email protected]
