The City of Sarasota and the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast have begun to discuss ways to preserve the 300-acre Bobby Jones Golf Club property in perpetuity for golf, recreation and as natural lands, exploring the possibility of placing a permanent conservation easement upon the property, to be monitored and enforced by the Foundation. This would ensure permanent conservation and allow compatible future uses, limited to golf, light recreation, natural resource restoration and protection as parkland or open space.

As the City has pursued the renovation of the historic golf course, it has become increasingly clear that the property plays a vital environmental role for the region, including filtering enormous volumes of stormwater runoff, serving as a habitat for more than 45 species of birds and other wildlife, and the hundreds of trees on the property play a critical air quality role by processing carbon from the atmosphere.

It is anticipated that the City Commission will be updated when the Bobby Jones Golf Club master plan is discussed at a July 9 special meeting, which will begin at 3pm at City Hall, at 1565 1st St.

Bobby Jones Golf Club