Homeowners bordering three closed Sun City Center golf courses now have a price tag on their fight: Save Sun City Center Inc. is launching a legal defense fund targeting at least $100,000 and hosting a public Town Hall on Saturday, Aug. 8, to rally volunteers and donors against ClubLink's plans to build more than 1,000 homes on the properties.

The event at Community Hall, 1910 S. Pebble Beach Blvd., Sun City Center, opens its doors at 9 a.m. with a formal program at 10 a.m. Vern Hendricks will emcee.

Save SCC President Ellie Anderson framed the fundraising goal against what she called the cost of inaction. The three courses — North Lakes, Sandpiper and Caloosa Greens — border a combined 1,049 homes. Anderson estimates a conservative $10,000-per-home loss in property value if development proceeds, putting the collective hit at $10.49 million.

"Once ClubLink gets approval, there is no going back," Anderson wrote in an Aug. 2 post on the group's website. "I think these loss estimates are way too low but you decide."

Matching donations and a deadline

Existing supporters have pledged to match dollar-for-dollar all donations of $500 or more. Save SCC is seeking additional donors willing to contribute $1,000-plus to raise the matching cap, which will be announced at the Saturday event. The deadline to join the matching challenge as a major donor is Friday, Aug. 7. Pledges payable by Sunday, Nov. 1, are accepted in lieu of immediate cash.

What kind of volunteers Save SCC needs

The group is recruiting three categories of residents: former WCI Communities employees who can speak to WCI's prior assessment of the courses; hydrology and environmental experts to support regulatory challenges at the Southwest Florida Water Management District and potentially Hillsborough County's Environmental Protection Commission; and WordPress developers to build web tools for volunteer management.

Residents attending the Town Hall are asked to bring photos of flooding or protected species observed on the courses, along with any marketing materials showing how their homes were sold — brochures highlighting golf course views or premium lot pricing.

Regulatory backdrop

The Town Hall follows ClubLink's joint filing with Miami-based 13th Floor Homes for a wetlands determination at SWFWMD on the 180-acre North Lakes property. Save SCC filed a formal objection on July 8. Anderson told the Observer News on July 31 that the filing was "the first regulatory step toward determining where on the 180 acres homes can be built."

Canada-based ClubLink owns seven golf course properties in Sun City Center and Kings Point; five are closed and two remain open. North Lakes is zoned RSC-6, which permits up to six single-family homes per acre on lots no smaller than 7,000 square feet. No rezoning is required. ClubLink and 13th Floor plan to build up to 1,080 single-family homes on North Lakes alone.

ClubLink first announced development intentions for North Lakes, Caloosa Greens and Sandpiper on March 22, 2022. Its 2025 annual report reaffirms plans to explore options for developing what it calls "underutilized land at Sun City."

Neither ClubLink nor 13th Floor Homes has commented publicly on the opposition effort.

Save SCC's next regular Second Saturday meeting after the Town Hall is Saturday, Sept. 12, at the Armstrong Room, 953 North Course Lane, Sun City Center. Residents can reach the group at [email protected] or 312-282-7337.