Titusville neighbors worried about flooding if abandoned golf course gets developed into new homes
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - FOX 35 is investigating flooding fears in north Brevard County.
Neighbors are worried about a potential new development at an abandoned golf course. The Sherwood Golf Club is just off I-95 on London Town Road.
It’s been vacant for decades, but people who live nearby are concerned that could change after a developer held a community meeting with homeowners proposing hundreds of new single-family, apartments and condos on the 18-hole course.
"Our fears were realized when we saw that coverage in DeLand with homes having to be completely abandoned," said Kelly Wineland who reached out to FOX 35 after Amanda McKenzie investigated how flooding forced homeowners to abandon their properties in Volusia County.
Wineland doesn’t want to see the same thing happen to her and her neighbors.
They love Sherwood and don’t want to leave but say hundreds of new homes could force them out.
"You are going to have nowhere for that flooding to go but into the homes," said Wineland.
"Flooding is the number one issue," said "Save Sherwood" organizer Tom Erdman.
Nearly a thousand homes surround the abandoned golf course just outside Titusville, and the infrastructure already needs work.
Titusville Fire Department building mobile fire station to expand coverage as city booms with growth
"They’re talking about using existing drainage, which is already a problem to begin with," added Wineland.
In photos and videos shared with FOX 35, the community is already dealing with severe flooding during downpours and hurricanes.
"Let’s put a pause, and let’s get our infrastructure, so we can build for the future," Erdman said.
FOX 35 took these concerns to the county.
"The county is very aware that this is of great concern," said Don Walker, the county communications director.
He says, even though there was a meeting with a potential developer, there’s been no new development approved.
He also says, a flooding fix would have to be in place before any construction starts.
"They would have to do flood mitigation on the front end," Walker said.
Neighbors are still asking to be part of the conversation when it comes to what’s built in their backyards.
"Let’s have an open and honest discussion as to what makes sense for this whole community," Erdman concluded.
Moving forward, smart, responsible development is what current homeowners are asking for.
At this time, the county has not re-zoned the golf course, and the developer who originally reached out has to make a significant amount of updates before the county would consider that proposal.