Dear Editor:
During the last master association board meeting May 18, our new president, Robert Hunter, and four other board members made a decision to have the Walden Lake Community Association join a small group that has filed a lawsuit against the golf course, Visions Golf, regarding rezoning part of the golf course.
By joining this lawsuit, it puts every Walden Lake resident in a potential financial obligation. When Visions Golf countersues, the Walden Lake Community Association will be included in that suit, which will impact every homeowner. The total cost to support this lawsuit is not known, but our dues will most likely go up to cover the lawyer expenses. The lawsuit could take years to resolve at each homeowner’s expense.
The master association does not have any right to join this lawsuit without first getting the majority vote from all 2,241 homeowners in Walden Lake and letting us know the impact it will have on us. They do not have authority to make that decision on their own. The master association board’s only responsibility is to maintain the common areas — nothing else. The common areas include the entrance of each local association, the majority of the walking paths, medians, some bridges, parks and docks. They do not have any responsibility for the golf course because it is a private business.
The Association’s lawyer has been telling the board for a long time that they need to remain neutral in the rezoning effort that Visions Golf is pursuing. They should not and cannot get involved with the rezoning lawsuit because the golf course is not part of the common areas.
However, for some reason, these five board members feel they know what is best for every homeowner without getting any input from us.
I, for one, do not support the lawsuit and do not want the money I pay for the maintenance of the common areas to be used for something that will not resolve the golf course issue.
The only thing the rezoning lawsuit will accomplish is that all 36 holes will be weeds — not just the current 18 holes. Once all 36 holes are weeds, I feel Walden Lake will never have a golf course again, which will impact every home owner’s home value.
Let’s leave the rezoning issue with our city commissioners to decide what is best for Plant City and Walden Lake, not these five board members. These five board members can join the lawsuit as individuals, but they should not force all 2,241 homeowners within Walden Lake to do the same.
Bill Griffin
Walden Lake resident for over 25 years