• Tweet
• Share
• Email
• Print

NORTH FORT MYERS - An abandoned North Fort Myers golf course is getting new life but it's what's coming out of the ground that's terrorizing some neighbors.

"I don't like snakes," said Lela Derish. "I'm scared of snakes."

Derish has lived on Orange Grove Boulevard for eight years. In that time, she's never seen a snake near her property until now.

"We've seen rattle snakes, baby rattle snakes," said Derish. "Five feet long."

Derish lives across from the former Lochmoor golf course. It was abandoned in 2005 and sold last year to the California-based Brandenburg Properties for $3 million.

With the overgrown weeds being cleaned up the snakes are losing their hiding spots, according to neighbors.

"Our neighbors next door their dog was bitten last week by a rattle snake," said Derish.

The last time Fox 4 was out here was in 2011 when the banks owned the property and the weeds owned the lot.

Jack Sturms lives on what was the 17th fairway. He hasn't seen any reptiles and is happy with the progress. But others say they've seen plenty of snakes.

"I've gotten some black snakes out of my swimming pool," said Glen Campbell. "We used to hunt black snakes and the rattle snakes so it doesn't bother me."

Fox 4 called the Brandenburg Properties several times throughout the day. Our phone calls were not returned leaving residents wondering what can be done to keep snakes from lurking on their property.

"I don't really want snakes in the neighborhood," said Derish.

Matt Grant
mgrant@fox4now.com