A plan for empty land

Old golf course could get townhomes, park

It’s but a paragraph in the plans laid out for Deerfield Beach in 2018, but it could resolve a dilemma that has derailed any attempt to turn what has become 80 acres of weeds into something else.

“Toll Brothers is preparing to submit an application to convert the land use of the former Century Village Golf Course to residential along the Military Trail frontage,” according to the city’s budget. “They will donate the rest of the land to the Century Village Master Management.”

District 3 Commissioner Bernie Parness, who represents the 13,000 residents of Century Village, said approval by the city’s Planning and Zoning Board and City Commission could resolve what has halted previous attempts to turn the defunct golf course into anything but a weedy expanse.

“These are two-story townhouses and they won’t interfere with anything,” Parness said of a plan that calls for approximately 200 to be built along Military Trail on 20 acres of the golf course. “It will be a totally separate gated community with [its] own entrance.”

The inability to assure Century Village residents that access to their gated community could be controlled was what prevented Randy Bast, who bought the golf course in 2006, from building houses. The Toll Brothers community, by contrast, will be autonomous.

Parness predicts city approval is likely because in addition to an estimated $500,000 in impact fees, plus fire service fees, the city will get the long-discussed new fire station near Century Village, and a park.

The park would consist of 60 acres. Toll Brothers would prepare the land to make it a passive park, and retain it as vacant land within Century Village.

Parness also said he expects the City Commission to consider the plan by next spring.