Heron Bay community in Parkland and Coral Springs {Parkland Talk}
By Bryan Boggiano
The Parkland commission recently approved a term sheet between the city and the Heron Bay Community Association, which allows for the development of the former Heron Bay Golf Course.
The term sheet waives the current restrictive covenant, establishes a new covenant, and sets terms for developing the former Heron Bay Golf Course.
This development comes as the 90-day investigative period ends on Dec. 22 at 4 p.m. as the city gets ready to close on the property.
When the city commission voted to purchase the land on Sept. 21, North Springs Independent District (NSID) granted the city 90 days to terminate the purchase for any reason.
Despite the purchase, one barrier to development on the former Heron Bay Golf Course is a restrictive covenant that bars any development through 2027.
The Heron Bay HOA will waive enforcing the current restrictive covenant with the new agreement. However, there will be a new restrictive covenant that outlines landscape buffering requirements, conditions for development approval, and approval of new homes in the community.
This covenant will last for 30 years.
In the same contract, landscape buffers will be required for any commercial property visible from a residential property.
The specific requirements include a minimum perimeter landscape buffer of 50 feet in depth, a minimum shrub height of four feet, a minimum tree height ranging from six to 20 feet, and a minimum berm height of four feet, among other requirements.
For development approval, the city will vet any proposals within the Parkland boundaries against the land development code for requirements such as applicable land use, platting, and site plans.
Homes constructed within the city limits of Parkland will also become part of the Heron Bay Community Association and be subject to the same rate assessments.
The commission previously discussed developing residential property on portions of the 65 acres purchased from NSID at their Dec. 7 strategic planning meeting.
The commission discussed selling the northernmost 22 acres of the purchased land to residential developers and voiced approval for city manager Nancy Morando to explore the process further.
Mayor Rich Walker stated this would allow the city to recuperate funds and expand development options that would help them develop commercial and retail space.
“It’s important for us to take that step, get that moving, and then we can really sit down and focus on what we’re going do at this new community town center, whatever it ends up being,” he said.
The contract will also allow the city to construct a maximum of two non-exclusive pedestrian and vehicular access easements along Nob Hill Road and one on the western end of Trails End.
While the Heron Bay Community Association was not required to do so, they presented to residents of the Heron Bay community the term sheet the city ultimately voted on. The association asked residents from all 3,025 homes to vote on it and received votes representing 1,037 homes.
Of the responses, 995 homes — or about 96 percent —supported Heron Bay entering into the term sheet with the city. Ultimately, Vice Mayor Simeon Brier moved to approve the term sheet. Commissioner Jordan Isrow seconded it.
The commission approved the contract 4-1, with Bob Mayersohn opposing.
With the approval between the city and HOA approved, Walker said the city would close on the property in January.
“I am looking forward to our next steps and working with our residents, planning, zoning, and our commission to develop this piece of land into something we can all be proud of,” said Walker.
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Author Profile
- A University of Florida journalism graduate, Bryan plans to pursue geosciences at Florida International University for his master's. He has a strong interest in weather, entertainment, and journalism.
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