Alachua County has issued a secondary lien and daily $500 fine on Meadowbrook Golf Course after a special magistrate hearing for code violations.   

The code violation, for nuisance overgrowth, creates a public nuisance declaration for the unkept golf course. County staff said the business now has 30 days to comply with maintenance codes or Alachua County may hire a vender to clean up the land, charging the cost to the land’s property taxes. The 30 days started Sept. 12.  

The business has been closed for several years, even after receiving the green light to build a two-story driving range on the property. Christopher Marcum, owner of the property, told Mainstreet that the golf course is permanently closed. 

Marcum also said he hadn’t heard about the special magistrate meeting and would reach out to the county. He said the property is also under contract for purchase.  

Scott Krajewski, director of Code Administration, said a special magistrate issued a $100 per day fine in October 2023 for junk, trash, debris, roof and drainage. Alachua County placed a lien on the property in February before the most recent violation.  

With the nuisance overgrowth violation, the special magistrate issued a $500 per day fine because it is a repeat violation. Marcum didn’t show up for the Sept. 5 hearing and told Mainstreet that he hadn’t heard from the county on the issue.    

Krajewski said the county sends out certified mail to the property owner and posts a notice at the property for the magistrate hearing, including another mailing with the finding of facts.  

He added that the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) will need to sign off at a meeting before the county enters the property to clear the code issues—assuming the property owner hasn’t resolved it.    

The property, now accruing $600 in daily fines, already has over $30,000 in fines from the October 2023 violation. Krajewski said a secondary lien has been placed on the property because of the violation.  

In 2022, the former owner of West End Golf Course also dealt with over $30,000 in fines and a lien placed against the property. The owner had to settle the issue with a special magistrate before he could move toward selling the property.  

Marcum closed the golf course after Hurricane Elsa in 2021 because of flooding. He told the county that the property isn’t viable without another stream of revenue to support it when flooding occurs in the low-lying areas.