University of Florida golf course plan moves forward after vote

Commissioner Marihelen Wheeler asked Deacon what would happen to the Mark Bostick Golf Course. Deacon said the program would keep the course and continue to use it, noting UF would be able to utilize both facilities.

Earlier in the discussion, Wheeler said there had been concern that the new UF golf course would not be open to the public and asked whether the Mark Bostick Golf Course could be opened to non-university golfers.

Deacon said golfers can play at the course as long as they have “ties to the University of Florida.”

Representing the planners and engineers for the project, England-Thims & Miller Inc. CEO Tyler Matthews said in a presentation the proposed course would include stormwater ponds designed to protect karst areas, avoid fertilizer and irrigation use, and establish areas of avoidance and caution to reduce nutrient and animal movement, control erosion and improve water quality.

League of Women Voters President Janice Garry voiced her disagreement with the dais, asking for a plan to address how animals would be affected by disturbances to the golf course area.

Another commenter emailed the commission, saying the project may seem like a great idea for Realtors and land speculators but questioned the logic of destroying “good farmland for 18 students” when UF already has a golf course and several Gainesville courses need new ownership.

Thanking UF and county staff, Commission Chair Ken Cornell said the decision followed two and a half years of discussion.

“I think this is a great opportunity for us to show the community what we can do together,” Cornell said. “We have an 800-pound gorilla in the University of Florida, and when they lean in on things, we get a better result.”

The County Commission is expected to vote on the proposal June 23.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Florida Gators golf course plan moves forward after county vote