An Alachua County special magistrate doubled the fine amount issued against Meadowbrook Golf Course to $1,000 per day and authorized the county to enter the property to fix three code issues.
Last week’s decision is the latest in a code enforcement timeline that stretches back to at least 2023. In September 2024, Alachua County issued a lien against the property and started additional fines, and the property owner began fixing the problems.
The property had a potential buyer, and a draft development was circulated in the community next to the golf course. But that sale fell through, according to residents.
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Alachua County listed three code violations at a Sept. 4 meeting: nuisance overgrowth, hazardous materials and discharges. Because these are repeat violations, code enforcement officers said no time has been given for the owner to fix the problem.
Alachua County’s Office of Code Administration asked and received permission to enter the property and remediate the issues. The cost associated will be passed to the property owner.
A nearby resident showed pictures to the special magistrate of graffiti on the inside and outside of buildings on the property. He said the property isn’t appealing to any potential home buyers and is impacting the 277 homes in the neighborhood that intertwine with the golf course.
The course closed in 2021, following Hurricane Elsa, and Christopher Marcum, the owner, went through Alachua County for development approval of a two-story driving range to provide an additional source of income.
The project was approved with conditions, but never moved forward. Marcum told the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) that the property, located in flood-prone areas, isn’t viable without additional streams of income.
