Here's what developers want to do with Ormond's old Tomoka Oaks golf course
The Ormond Beach Planning Board is meeting Thursday evening to review developers' plans to convert the former Tomoka Oaks Golf Course into a new 276-home residential subdivision called Tomoka Reserve.
Here are things to know if you plan to go:
Large crowd expected
Instead of City Hall, the Planning Board will meet at Calvary Christian Center, 1687 W. Granada Blvd., starting at 6 p.m.
The City Commission chambers at City Hall only seats 170 people, according to Ormond Beach Planning Director Steven Spraker. Calvary Christian can accommodate over 2,000.
"Staff wants to ensure anyone interested has the ability to attend," said Spraker of the decision to meet at a bigger venue.
What the developers are proposing
The developers submitted a site plan to the city calling for the 147.9-acre former golf course to be redeveloped into 276 house lots. The proposed Tomoka Reserve subdivision would be a gated community within the larger 547-home, 545-acre Tomoka Oaks community along Nova Road one mile north of The Trails Shopping Center.
The site plan includes a 50-foot-wide "vegetation buffer" on the periphery to separate the new subdivision from existing Tomoka Oaks homes along the former golf course. A total of 78 acres would be set aside for landscape buffers, open space, storm water retention ponds and recreational areas.
An advisory committee recommends rejecting it
The city's Site Plan Review Committee is recommending denial of the site plan approval application. "Key issues include lot sizes, density, compatibility, planting of the 50-foot natural buffer, project setbacks," according to Spraker. Traffic is also a concern.
Developers say they have a Plan B
If the Planning Board rejects the site plan, the developers can still take the matter directly to the City Commission, which has final say.
Even if the Commission votes no, Tomoka Reserves could still be developed under the property's current "low density residential" land-use designation and "planned residential development" zoning. The LDR designation allows up to 4.3 homes per acre, which theoretically adds up to 636 homes.
Some land, however, would need to be set aside for roads, buffers, natural preservation and storm water drainage ponds, said Spraker.
Tomoka Oaks resident Jim Rose chairs the golf course committee for his community's voluntary homeowners association. He guesses 60% of the Tomoka Reserves property is buildable, which works out to about 379 homes. That's still more than what the developers are proposing.
Developers paid quite of bit to acquire the property
One thing is certain: the developers ― South Florida real estate investor Sheldon Rubin and Ormond Beach partners Ray Barshay and Carl Velie ― are unlikely to bow out. Doing business as "Triumph Oaks of Ormond Beach I LLC," they paid $2.6 million in 2021 to buy the former golf course, according to Volusia County property records.
Golf course served area for over a half-century
The 18-hole Sam Snead signature golf course at Tomoka Oaks began operations in 1962, according to a Daytona Beach Evening News article. Several national golf publications including Golf Digest and Golf Week state the golf course officially opened in 1964.
The clubhouse closed in 2018 which was also when the golf course stopped being staffed.
But the golf course never officially closed, said Davis, who added some residents still use it.
Two citizens groups to weigh in
Resident Carolyn Davis leads a citizens group aiming to block any homes from being built on the former golf course. Her group includes residents from neighboring communities, including The Trails, Talaquah, Escondido at Tomoka Condos and Tomoka Oakwood North Condos. Davis said her group wants the property to either remain open space, become a park or reopen as a golf course.
Rose said the Tomoka Oaks HOA advocates allowing the project but with more measures to limit negative impacts.
The Planning Board is in no rush to make a decision
Planning Board Chair Doug Thomas expects Thursday's meeting to be a long one that could require a second meeting before making a decision.
Thomas lives in Tomoka Oaks, but said he believes in keeping an open mind. "I don't want to make a recommendation until we're absolutely sure of the facts. There's no sense in rushing into anything."
The developers expect hostilities, but want a 'fair hearing'
Velie, speaking on behalf of his partners, said, "Our Tomoka Reserve property has attracted a lot of attention and discussion for several years now, and we’re ready to present our (Planned Residential Development) application proposal for consideration. We are not surprised by our neighbors’ wanting to keep this now defunct golf course property undeveloped. ... We have made many good-faith concessions to ensure Tomoka Reserve is on par with Ormond Beach’s future.
“We believe the PRD provides for a much better development than any straight zoning would permit. We also have rights as property owners, and we hope that our application is given a fair hearing despite the expected hostilities.
"The bottom line is Tomoka Reserve has a land use for residential development, and we look forward to working with the city to balance out our rights as property owners with the city’s vision for the future.”
COURSE CORRECTION: Area keeps losing golf courses as industry faces mounting headwinds
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Meeting set for Thursday on Ormond Beach's old Tomoka Oaks golf course
