The West Neck Community in Virginia Beach is an over 55 community comprised of eight villages with 936 single family homes and condominiums. The villages were constructed in phases during the years 2000 to 2005 and surround an 18 hole Arnold Palmer Signature golf course which closed in September 2019 due to poor management despite robust demand.

This picturesque championship golf course, the centerpiece of the West Neck Community, was purchased in a foreclosure auction by an out of town speculator who chose to neglect the land resulting in what is now ten foot tall weeds and saplings. The City of Virginia Beach (“City”) sued the land speculator, JBWK, to compel maintenance of the former golf course property to city-wide standards but settled to allow less than 10% of such land to be properly maintained. This was an early example of the litigation, retribution and harassment to follow by JBWK, including a consolidated case of seven different matters that started in mediation, moved to local court, was remanded to federal court and ultimately ruled on by the US Court of Appeal, 4th Circuit.

Along the way, JBWK has erected spite fences, sent threatening legal letters to residents, hired armed security guards to patrol for trespassers, and along with JBWK’s development partner, Harrison and Lear, presented false and misleading plans to build 143 single family housing units, along with access roads, sewer lines and additional retention pond areas, on 86 acres of the former golf course property, essentially former holes 10 through 18. Over half of the new housing units will be constructed along the former 16th and 17th fairways, where once panoramic views and nature’s tranquility, will be replaced by cookie-cutter units that require only 5 foot side yards and 20 foot back yards.

This Harrison and Lear plan, having been submitted to the City in November 2025, was approved by the Virginia Beach City Council on March 24, 2026 despite community opposition as well as recommendations for disapproval by Virginia Beach city staff, and the standing Citizen Advisory Committee which is appointed by the City Council itself.

The Commonwealth of Virginia provides that City Council zoning decisions can be appealed to a Circuit Court within 30 days of the City Council vote. Becoming aware of this limited timeframe, the board of directors of the Browningstone Village in West Neck, (“Browningstone”), retained a law firm experienced in the zoning appeals process to advise principally on what steps to take in anticipation of the possible need to appeal (the Virginia Beach Mayor and City Council have been blindly pro-development in recent times which have resulted in some unfortunate decisions that are taking away years of accumulated open space that puts at risk our quality of life, flooding, overdevelopment, increased traffic and the City’s compliance with the 2005 BRAC commitments).

While the majority of the West Neck Community board of directors voted to file an appeal of the City’s zoning decision, due to a technicality which may have been wrongly applied, the West Neck Community Association decided not to file an appeal. With the 30 day window closing, this left it to Browningstone, an aggrieved party based on its immediate proximity to the additional planned housing units, among other things, to make such appeal by filing, on April 23, 2026 with the Circuit Court of Virginia Beach, a Complaint for Declaratory Judgement.

Browningstone is a collection of 18 buildings totaling 108 condominium units. We are a beautiful, well maintained community with adequate reserves, however this legal matter was not included in our 2026 budget. For now, the Browningstone board has agreed to defer certain maintenance in order to fund the approximate $18,000 of legal fees incurred to date. We expect an additional $30,000 to fully see through the appeal process. Any funds received from this GoFundMe effort above actual third-party legal fees, will be donated to charity as determined by the Browningstone board of directors.

Thank you all for your consideration and support.