Residents urge action as abandoned Silverado Golf Course creates safety and nuisance concerns

Several residents of the Silver Oaks neighborhood used the City Council public‑comment period on April 27 to press the city to force cleanup and secure the former Silverado Golf Course property.

Jerry Lutman said the property is abandoned and that court orders requiring removal of large piles of tree debris have not been fully carried out. "It's affecting the neighborhood negatively," Lutman said, and he reported state forestry officials had no record of a burn permit request for on‑site burning.

Other residents described dead and diseased trees close to yards, children and toddlers near a pond with an alligator, and people camping in outbuildings. Mary Hamill said the property’s condition has worsened and voiced concern about pests, fallen trees and weeds encroaching on private yards.

City staff said they have met repeatedly with the property owner and set a May 18 target to verify progress; code enforcement will perform sweeps of the CRA district beginning in May for routine violations. City staff acknowledged a prior court‑ordered deadline and said county attorneys had previously found the owner was making progress, which had delayed contempt actions, but staff said they will revisit enforcement if the owner does not demonstrate remediation.

Police Chief Derek Brewer explained that a trespass‑warning memorandum must be signed by the owner to allow officers to issue trespass warnings without first contacting the owner; residents were told the memorandum must be renewed if it was signed last May.