City Hall’s Golf Course Spoof

Isn’t it a bit late to celebrate April Fools’ Day? City Manager Dennis Wilberg released his usual weekly summary, “The Week That Was” (a/k/a “TW2”), on Fri., May 1.

“Buried” in the middle of three very short paragraphs, Wilberg claims the Casta del Sol Golf Course isn’t for sale. Is his purpose to antagonize informed residents or a laughable attempt to throw Councilman Lance MacLean a lifeline? The Casta course owner, American Golf, has made no secret of wanting to sell the property. The owner nearly succeeded in 2008 when Sunrise Assisted Living proposed building a housing project on the southern portion of the course.

Despite the obvious – that the golf course owner currently has no buyer or any prospect – Wilberg purports that no one should be worried about a housing project on the course. Did Wilberg forget that residents recently put a land-use initiative on the ballot to prevent such rezoning of the golf course (or any other major parcel) without a popular vote?

Many residents are still hopping mad that MacLean in 2008 was ready to rezone the golf course in favor of housing. Wilberg made a production last week with two announcements saying the golf course is no longer for sale, but more accurately it is merely not listed in a market that’s deader than disco.

Wilberg also proclaims the property is going to remain a golf course. The owner has no choice for a variety of reasons, but residents remember well that the council majority members (MUK – MacLean, Ury, Kelley) were lined up to rezone it to housing. Sunrise had placed stakes to mark off the assisted-living project – first at the south end off Casta Drive and then adjacent to Marguerite Pkwy. Does anyone think the developer hadn’t lined up three votes by meeting separately with council members out of public view? The MUK majority members had already accepted campaign donations from the developer’s PR agent.

Several things got in the way of the proposed housing on the golf course. First, Dale Tyler in August 2008 launched the signature drive to put the Right To Vote on the ballot. By November 2008, Sunrise was in financial trouble and not building anything. If American Golf were to court another housing developer, it would have to disclose the pending Right-To-Vote Initiative, which qualified for the next General Election, June 2010. If voters are able to preserve the property as a golf course, it will be a defeat for city hall and the three MUKsters who support housing.

Residents don’t need to speculate on what MacLean might do if he a chance to rezone the golf course to housing. He showed his hand in 2008. Those who were passionate about saving the golf course are now signing the recall petition to dump MacLean. They get it.

Had it been up to MacLean, the golf course would be gone. It is now up to voters, and MacLean will be gone.