The Tamarac City Commission voted 4–1 on April 23 to adopt a restrictive covenant that requires the Colony West Golf Courses property at 6850 NW 80th Avenue to remain an 18‑hole golf course, open space or recreational use in perpetuity.

The covenant’s terms, as adopted, state the restriction may be released or amended only by a unanimous vote of the city commission and with the written consent of 100% of property owners within 400 feet of the course boundary. City staff and the city attorney were authorized to do what is necessary to record the instrument.

Public commenters at the meeting included multiple residents who live adjacent to or within neighborhoods near the golf course. Several speakers asked that protections be stronger and urged a permanent preservation; others asked for a citywide process or a time-limited restriction rather than a perpetual restraint. Commissioner Michelle J. Gomez recorded a public and on-the-record objection, citing concerns about binding future commissions and the difficulty of obtaining 100% consent from property owners; Gomez voted no. Commissioners Bolton, Wright, Patterson and Vice Mayor Keisha Daniel voted to adopt the covenant.

Why it matters: The recorded covenant limits future municipal options for the 200+-acre site (as described in staff materials) by creating a high legal threshold for any change in use. That affects the city’s ability to convert, redevelop or sell the property without meeting the specified release conditions.

Key clarifications from the meeting
- The covenant applies to the property commonly referred to as Colony West Golf Courses (address 6850 NW 80th Ave). The staff report and resolution reference the acreage and map prepared for the agenda packet.
- The 400‑foot notice area is measured from property lines and follows city practice for notice distances in land-use contexts.
- The covenant’s release language requires both unanimous commission action and written consent from all property owners within the 400‑foot boundary; several commissioners and residents cautioned that the 100% owner-consent threshold is effectively near-impossible, which residents said makes the restriction function as effectively perpetual.

What happens next: The city attorney and community development staff will execute and record the covenant. Residents and property owners affected by the covenant will be notified as required by law. The commission did not direct staff to pursue any alternative reuse options for the site.