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Board weighs purchase of Port Charlotte Golf Course after contaminants found; remediation costs uncertain
Summary
County staff presented Phase 2 environmental results for the Port Charlotte Golf Course showing arsenic and dieldrin in soil and arsenic in groundwater; consultants said a clean residential closure may be infeasible and recommended conditional closure options tied to recreational reuse while the board discussed due-diligence extensions, remediation timing and funding.
Tommy Scott, Community Services director, opened the Port Charlotte Golf Course segment by describing the site tour and the county's due diligence work. He told commissioners that a Phase 2 investigation had been completed and that risk-management staff and consultants were reviewing findings.
John Herman of AMRC presented the Phase 2 results to the board: "We did find arsenic and dieldrin in the soil and arsenic in groundwater," he said, and added that groundwater impacts make a full residential "clean closure" unlikely. Herman described standard regulatory options, saying a conditional closure with institutional controls or restrictive covenants would likely be the feasible path for a recreational or park reuse: "We would monitor it ... until a certain period of time where FDEP feels comfortable that it's not going to migrate," he said.
Staff reviewed cost estimates presented in briefing materials. The presentation lists a broad remediation cost range ($500 to $5,000,000), demolition at roughly $160,000 and a planning-phase master-planning estimate of about $250,000. Herman said an order-of-magnitude cost for remediation consistent with recreational reuse could be on the order of $1,000,000, but cautioned further field delineation and FDEP review are required before a reliable price can be set. He also noted the timeline to secure FDEP agreement on alternative cleanup target levels and a site work plan could be protracted, estimating "probably 9 months" to get through initial regulatory steps once FDEP is engaged.
Commissioners debated options for the April 27 due-diligence deadline and whether to seek a 45–60 day extension to allow additional assessment and negotiation with the seller. Several commissioners said they wanted a realistic mitigation estimate before negotiating price; one commissioner said that without a better cost picture the county's negotiating position would be to offer a nominal amount. Commissioners also asked staff to identify funding sources if the county were to acquire the site; staff noted no funding had been identified for remediation, ongoing maintenance or capital development.
Staff discussed interim site management options, including limited mowing cycles or perimeter maintenance to prevent nuisance conditions while due diligence proceeds. Estimated per-mow-cycle costs ranged from about $50,000 (perimeter) to $100,000 (full property). Several commissioners suggested designing the site's future program (sports complex, parks, or other public uses) to align remediation strategy and lower long-term costs.
Ending: Staff said they will return on the next scheduled meeting with options for the board (approve the resolution to proceed, approve termination of negotiations, or seek an extension), and will try to negotiate time with the seller if the board directs it. The board did not vote to purchase and took no final action at the workshop.
