RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — Lone Pine was a course for hackers and beginners, looking to play a round of low-cost golf.
But when a proposal to build homes on this land surfaced in 2021, neighbors fought to save their fairway views.
"I see paradise," said Rochelle Baker-Hughes, whose home overlooks the 15th fairway. "And I would hate to see paradise lost."
Two years ago, D.H. Horton Homes, the nation's largest home builder, proposed to pay for the land and build a 262-unit subdivision of houses and townhomes.
The family that owned Lone Pine said the golf course was no longer profitable.
When Riviera Beach council members said the city needed to add to its tax base, members gave preliminary approval last year to create a zoning change.
It would re-categorize the land from recreational to residential and clear the way for the subdivision.
Neighbors fought back, saying it wasn't just about their fairway views.
"Everybody was worried about what it would do to the property values, or to the area, with traffic and crime and things like that," said Rico Kahn, who owns a home near the golf course.
With a strong argument that a subdivision would cause rush-hour traffic jams on Military Trail, council members last week did an about-face and voted down a zoning change.
In the meantime, golf at Lone Pine stopped in April.
The greens and fairways are no longer manicured.
What happens to the 63 acres that were once a par 62 golf course?
"What we're going to focus on is not letting it dilapidated, overgrown and not be occupied," said City Council President Doug Lawson. "But to actually have a conversation with our residents and the owner and see what we can do moving forward."
Some neighbors wanted the city to buy the land and run a municipal golf course.
Riviera Beach officials said the city doesn't have the money.
