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Renovation plan presented to Errol residents

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A new clubhouse. A small hotel. A water park with an Olympic-sized pool. A redesigned and renovated golf course. These were all part of a conceptual plan presented to about 120 residents of Errol Estate on Monday and Tuesday nights earlier this week.

Invitations had been sent to Errol residents living next to the driving range and on Holes 6, 7 and 9.

Helmut Wyzisk III opened the meetings by telling the assembled residents that the Errol Golf Course was now controlled by the Signature H Property Group, LLC. He went on to explain that the owners of the Errol Golf Course have two options:

  1. Do nothing and follow the path of Rock Springs Ridge, Sabel Point and so many other golf courses. Reference was made to Monday's article in the Orlando Sentinel which stated that 1,400 Florida golf courses have closed since 2000. Under this scenario the course would close and ultimately be developed.
  2. Save the course and restore Errol Estate by taking advantage of the developable land now.

To underscore the futility of Option #1 Wyzisk revealed that the course was losing $60,000 per month. This deficit has been covered for more than two years by the largess of Errol resident, Larry Klein. Since March Signature H has funded the monthly deficit.

Wyzisk also described Signature's four philosophical pillars:

  • Community -
  • Prestige
  • Value
  • Lifestyle

Wyzisk was then joined by Blake Drury, the Director of Planning and Urban Design for GAI Consultants and Planning and Anrdrew Sheppard, Urban Design Manager of GAI Consultants. Drury and Sheppard explained that their firm was engaged to prepare a plan that would make the Errol golf course and the Errol community better. He provided more details about the proposed conceptual plan and showed the residents conceptual drawings:

  • New clubhouse
  • New small hotel would be built next to the new clubhouse
  • New pool and water park
  • Town homes would be build on the current driving range
  • A new entrance from Vick Road would be built on the current 7th, 8th and 9th fairways
  • New homes would be built on the 6th, 7th and 9th fairways
  • The course would be rerouted into an 18-hole championship golf course utilizing the existing land inside the flood plain. Four new holes would be built.

The residents reaction to the proposed renovation plan was mixed. The audience consisted primarily of Errol residents whose backyards bordered the 6th hole, 7th hole, 9th hole and driving range. For the most part these residents did not like the idea of exchanging their golf course views for homes and roads.

Wyzisk asked the opponents to consider the alternative, "Would you prefer a defunct golf course with 24-inch grass?"

The conceptual plan presented by Signature H is large and complex. Next week The Apopka Voice publish a series of articles about the conceptual plan, the residents' reactions and the process that will be followed should the plan be pursued.

errol

Water Park Primary

Apopka Golf and Tennis, Errol Estate

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