Windermere residents worried about development

WINDERMERE, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - When George Huxhold moved to the Windermere Club four years ago, he says his dream of retiring on a golf course came true.  "To live out my life on this piece of property."  However, that dream turned into a nightmare, after the owner closed the Windermere Country Club and Golf Course.

While you can still see the sand traps, George says there's plenty of obstacles to keep golfers away, like an ugly wire fence. George is also Vice President of the Windermere Club HOA. "He closed the course on April 4,  and a week after that, he started putting in stakes for his boundaries and the fence went in after that. He's run the course down, taken out the equipment, filled the pool, everything he can to make it difficult for someone to come in and buy the course and make it a golf course."

According to an Orange County spokesperson, the owner of the course, Bryan DeCunha, wants approval to build 95 single family homes on the property.

"I don't like that. I bought this house 4-and-a-half years ago. I knew the owner didn't have development rights when I bought the house so I thought this will be a course forever. The open space is absolutely beautiful."

We asked DeCunha to talk to us, but he says he was advised by his attorney not to comment.

Residents like George are worried the values of their homes will decrease, if more development takes place, they're willing to buy the land and turn this into a wildlife conservation area. "I don't want to see a trampoline in my backyard from the house behind me."

Neighbors created a group called Save Windermere Country Club hoping to take a swing, at trying to convince commissioners to keep development off their property. "We'll show up in mass at the county commission meeting and tell our story."

The planning and zoning committee will consider the issue on July 21st.