Homes approved for golf course
Crystal Lake Golf Course, home to raccoons and other native species, is about to become Estates at Crystal Lake, a 109-acre community of at least 275 single-family homes.
Resident cooperation was finessed after months of community meetings with people who bought units with a golf course view and lifestyle — and now will find themselves surrounded by homes.
But the company pledged that at least 275 of the 425 units will be single-family homes and offered a new, four-acre park open to Estates as well as to Crystal Lake residents.
Faced with the economic realities of the contracting golf industry — one nearby golf course converted to a cemetery and one to an industrial park — the offer of proved persuasive.
Pam Picarrullo, a member of the Crystal Lake Golf Course, spoke in opposition to the project.
“First Tam O’Shanter, then Deerfield Country Club and then Deerfield Pines. Now this?” she said. “When is enough cement enough cement?”
But city commissioners were not persuaded.
“This is a premier real estate company saying we need housing. Economics dictates golf isn’t viable - what happens if we decide not to do this?” City Commissioner Joe Miller said. “It will turn into Jurassic Park with iguanas, rats, raccoons.
“This is an opportunity for this community to be revitalized and if you really don’t like it - you can get more money for your house and move somewhere else.”
“I was a member of the Deerfield Beach Country Club, but the empiracle data is clear,” said City Commissioner Todd Drosky. “Boca Raton just spent $24 million to save theirs as a municipal golf course. This is not an easy decision, but we all see what has happened here.”