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Miniature golf, no; offices, maybe

Having dropped his unpopular plans for a miniature golf course, the club owner is entertaining offers for the 1-acre lot.

By EMILY NIPPS
Published September 22, 2006

PEBBLE CREEK - Pebble Creek homeowners no longer have to worry about seeing a miniature golf course in their community. Golf club owner Bill Place is finished battling residents over his plans.

"You know, I really tried to work with them," said Place, who owns Ace Golf Centers in Carrollwood, Brandon and Riverview, and purchased Pebble Creek's golf course and country club last fall. "There wasn't anything I wasn't willing to do."

In the end, though, Pebble Creek homeowners association president Tanya Heires and others in New Tampa's oldest community made it clear they would not support the zoning process or construction of a miniature golf course. Place finally decided to scrap the plans and canceled the zoning hearing, which was scheduled for December.

However, new plans might already be in the works for the 1-acre lot near the community's Regents Park Drive entrance. Place listed it for sale at $699,000 this month and said he has already received a "very attractive" offer from two men who would like to build a business office complex on the property.

"It's an offer I'm pretty happy with," said Place, who said he and the men are in the process of settling on a contract. "Now I'm in a situation where I can actually make more money by selling the land and not have to deal with the homeowners association opposing the miniature golf."

Place thinks it's a win-win situation for everyone, since the money he makes from the land sale will go back into the main golf course facility, on which he has already spent $500,000 for improvements and plans to spend another $500,000 or more over the next year. The improved golf course and clubhouse should raise everyone's property values, he said, plus a business office complex will not attract the same kind of night and weekend traffic as a miniature golf attraction.

However, if the homeowners association could have its way, the grass, trees and view of the creek on the property would be left alone. Attorney Pamela Hatley, a Pebble Creek resident who is representing the association, said the HOA board is looking into making an offer on the property.

"We like it the way it is," Hatley said. "It's peaceful, it has trees and a walkway through it, people can jog through it, it's next to the pool and community parks. We want it to stay that way."

But getting the community's approval to purchase the property is a slow-going process, Hatley said, so plans to buy are still "very preliminary."

In the meantime, Place hopes to settle quickly on the best offer and the most agreeable plans for the property.

"I've gotten offers from people who wanted to put carwashes there or mini-storage units," he said. "I had to say, 'Thank you, but that's just not an appropriate use for that site.' "

Place realizes the homeowners association prefers to see the site untouched, but he doesn't want to pay taxes and maintain the property, nor does he want to see his investment wasted. He hopes homeowners will be happier with office buildings or some other low-impact use.

"It doesn't do me any good to make any enemies," Place said. "Never asked for it, never wanted it. I just wanted to build a miniature golf course."

Emily Nipps can be reached at 813 269-5313 or nipps@sptimes.com.

[Last modified September 20, 2006, 13:13:37]