Earlier this week we reported on the settlement Palm Coast government and the owners of the Matanzas Golf Course reached in their long-running dispute, including a suit and a counter-suit, over the state of maintenance at the course and unpaid fines and liens. The city agreed to reduce the amounts owed but set deadlines for certain conditions to be met. If the conditions were met, the suits would be dropped, and Palm Coast would not seek to foreclose on the property.
Group Golf of Palm Coast, as the company that owns the golf course calls itself, had made some installment payments, fulfilling its obligation in so far as its utility debts were concerned. But on Feb. 28, another deadline passed, and the obligation tied to that date was not met: Group Golf had been required either to demolish a cart barn on the periphery of the course, or to repair it and obtain a certificate of occupation. It did not do so.
Debra Babb-Nutcher, one of the city’s attorneys, had contacted Michael Yokan, one of the two Jacksonville-based owners of the course, to get a status report on compliance with the settlement. (Stephen Richardson is the other owner.) She did not get a reply.
No plans have been submitted to the city to date regarding the cart barn, and no certificate of occupancy has been issued, according to a letter the attorney wrote Yokan Thursday.
“Therefore,” Babb-Nutcher wrote Yokan, “Group Golf has failed to comply with one of the conditions of the settlement agreement and I have been instructed to move forward with having final judgment of foreclosure entered in favor of the City of Palm Coast.” The attorney had not yet drafted a final judgment, but told Yokan he would be provided with a copy before it goes to Circuit Judge R. Lee Smith–perhaps a final attempt at compelling a response from Group Golf.
Golfers loved the course. But it closed in 2007. Jim Cullis of Grand Haven Reality had come close to buying it but did not. It sold in 2014 for $267,000 to the Jacksonville individuals, raising hopes among the hundreds of homeowners who surround the course in north Palm Coast that the grounds would be well tended again and the course itself might open again as such.
A non-jury trial had been scheduled before Judge Smith for Jan. 17. That was cancelled, but only on the assumption that the settlement agreement’s terms would be fulfilled. The agreement also stipulates that in the event of default the city would move ahead not only with foreclosure, but with recovery of $168,553 instead of the $118,500 agreed to in the settlement. Group Golf has already paid $58,500 of that.
Click to access group-golf-palm-coast-1.pdf
Really says
Make it a park move on
RayD says
Ah well, such is life. Hey, this is one weird situation. I mean why not just sell it as is, make some money and move on. The impression they have left is that the owners do not want it for a golf course.
Layla says
Is there a chance that given a little more time, they can comply? If that is the case, then for the sake of the community, I would urge you to work with them.
This may sound stupid at first.... says
Why not make an atv/ dirtbike track out of it? People would pople would pay to ride there.
nomorepitbulls says
I own a lot over in the L section…bought it last year. I know that many people who bought years ago in that area have suffered declines in property values – but the Golf Course land was one of the reasons I bought the lot.
Alot of that land still has natural beauty and acts as a privacy buffer. Id be happy if they did nothing with it except mow it.
The view down Lakeview Dr is still beautiful.
palmcoastpioneers says
Palm Coasts’ Heritage and History for the Newer Palm Coasters. ( It was the largest Federally ORDERED Redress Compensation ever ordered up to that time of issuance).
To: [email protected] ; [email protected] ; [email protected] ; [email protected] ; [email protected] ; [email protected] ; [email protected] ; [email protected] ; [email protected] ; [email protected] ; [email protected] ; [email protected] ; [email protected] ; [email protected] ; [email protected]
Sent: Thursday, March 01, 2018 1:44 AM
Subject: Federal Consent Agreement F.T.C. Docket C-2851 & Federally ORDERED ’15 Year Compliance Report ‘ c Exhibits ; Integrity of Official Records; FL 000931; Community Protectors Historic MARKERS
Good Morning.
This communique to you is generated by what FlaglerLive has published this date at
this URL address: https://flaglerlive.com/118544/matanzas-golf-settlement/
From a Historical Perspective this is to inform you that fmeeker and netts ,john et.al. were regularly informed, by this mechanical device, that any and all of the Federally ORDERED Public Recreation Acreage, as Federally ORDERED Redress Compensation,
was indeed encumbered by F.T.C. Docket C-2854 and the Federally ORDERED ‘ 15 Year Compliance Report’.
As a courtesy I share some of F.T.C. C-2854 along with ‘ 15 Year Compliance Report ‘ . http://palmcoastcorehomes.tripod.com/id56.html
http://palmcoastcorehomes.tripod.com/id20.html
Therein you will hopefully take special note of the Exhibits included in these Offical Records. In this specific
instance the ‘ Matanzas Woods Golf Club ‘ is clearly named and identified obviously to ensure that the Federally ORDERED Public Recreation is adherred to.
Hopefully also the Integrity of all Official Records
have not nor will be compromised. regarding F.T.C. Docket C-2854 and Federally ORDERED ‘ 15 Year Compliance Report ‘ c Exhibits.
Additionally, the Matanzas Woods Golf Club most probably would be eligible for a Historic Heritage MARKER since it was one of the many public recreation Amenities / acreage that was offered to many prospective buyers by the ‘Father of Suburbia’ Levitt and I.T.T. To us; it was often part of the Golf Clubs referred to as ‘ The Four Sisters ‘ Golf Clubs.
Hopefully you will pursue the appropriate Historic MARKERS and if approved network with the State of Florida Historic Golf Trail. Again, I ask, would you please consider Historic MARKER(S) for
areas associated with our ‘ Community Protectors’.
I hope you understand the rational of this communique to you since
so many of the Homesites / Residents
living in / around the Matanzas Woods Golf Club have been devalued and are suffering and worldwide Community Protectors need all the support and recognition possible.
Thank you very much.
Reply
woodchuck says
AH hell, just donate a million dollars of tax payers money to the cause and get it over with.It will cost us that much anyhow.Look at the bath we took with the Palm Coast Data deal.For those you don’t get sarcasm that was it.
RJS says
You provided some interesting background information here.
But I did not follow if you also suggest that those Federal ordered constatints are still in effect or have expired?
Are you suggsting that the Matanzas Golf Course property is still encumbered by Federal Orders? Or are you suggesting that the past history is a basis for a new Historical designation that would require a new approval?
RayD says
I’m interested in what RJS asked. I think it was directed at pioneer. A while back I researched the property in question and I didn’t spot any federal encumberances or constraints. I contacted every federal, state, county, municipal and private agency that might be able to assist and no one showed any interest in saving this property or even converting it to a nature preserve let alone a golf course. Only, the late Frank Meeker showed any real interest. Anyway, yes, what of these encumberances and constraints? Are these limitations currently in effect? Could be a game changer.
RJS says
Making it a dirtbike track even sounds stupid after first thought. Layout of the property is too close to hundreds of people’s backyards and would be about as bad as use of the property as I can imagine. Fortunately I doubt we ever have to worry about this happening.