CITRUS COUNTY, FL (352today.com) – As a strong line of storms moved through Citrus County Tuesday evening, a group opposed to development on the Pine Ridge Golf Course arrived early for a hearing deciding its fate.

They were dressed in black t-shirts emblazoned with “vote no” directed at Citrus County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) to not allow a development within their residential community.

Many homeowners in the Pine Ridge Golf Course community banded together to fight proposed development. Many showed up to the Citrus County Board of County Commissioners meeting sporting “Vote No” t-shirts to reinforce their position. Courtesy: Save the Golf Course Property

Dix Developments says it purchased the property, knowing that it needed upgrades. Dix says fixing the course would be cost prohibitive estimating a price tag of of 2.5 to 3 million dollars to bring it up to playable standards. So, Dix proposed subdividing the land to build a development within the development.

A group calling themselves Save the Golf Course Property argued the development would hurt their property values.

The development application says it would amend the Pine Ridge master plan to re-develop the more than 200-acre defunct golf course into approximately 85 single-family homes. Courtesy: Bill Cummings/352today

The homeowners organized rallies and practice sessions to rehearse speeches they planned to deliver before the BOCC public hearing. Those efforts paid off for them.

In a 5-0 decision late Tuesday night, the BOCC voted to reject the developer’s plans.

The Board of County Commissioners voted Tuesday night in favor of the homeowners’ group opposing the development. Courtesy: Citrus County BOCC

The development application submitted would have amended the Pine Ridge master plan to redevelop the more than 200-acre golf course into approximately 85 single-family homes.

Ron Walser, the chairman of the Save the Golf Course Property group, says that this is the first time he and his group have felt relief in more than seven months. “We believed God would bless our efforts and we were really facing a David versus Goliath challenge against the powerful developer,” Walser said.

Walser said they had 33 representatives from their group signed up to speak and all were there – despite the severe weather. He says they had a strategy ensuring each speaker’s argument built on the one before, presenting a strong case to the commissioners. He commended the BOCC for listening and taking what they had to say into account.

WHAT’S NEXT?
Walser says he hopes developer James Dicks finds someone interested in investing in the golf course and will return it to the amenity they know it can be, not only for the 1,100 people who live in Pine Ridge, but for the entire area.

352today contacted Dix Developments to get their reaction to the ruling and discover what steps they might take next. But as of publication time, we have heard back from them.