By Russ Wiles | The Republic
A lingering dispute over construction and non-golf entertainment activities in one of Arizona’s wealthiest neighborhoods has turned increasingly sour,with roughly two dozen homeowners and related entities such as family trusts now facing a lawsuit by the owners of two golf courses near the Arizona Biltmore resort.
JDM Golf, which owns the Adobe and Links courses that wind among multimillion-dollar homes near the Biltmore in Phoenix, in April sued the homeowners and related family trusts and limited liability companies. The suit details seven allegations, ranging from breach of contract to invasion of privacy and defamation, though not all defendants were sued on each count.
The homeowners claim their criticism of JDM’s plans to expand non-golf activities, such as weddings, corporate conferences, kickball tournaments and drone light shows, is protected by the First Amendment. They also hope to find support from an Arizona law that aims to expedite dismissal of legal actions brought by developers and other deep-pocket interests against homeowners and others who exercise their right to air grievances.
