Homeowners Teed Off About Golf Course Development
Darcy Pohland, WCCO News
Published, December 28, 2005
(WCCO) Eagan, Minn. Hundreds of people are teed off about the number of golf courses turning into housing developments in the metro area.
"The citizens of Eagan have a lot to lose," said Dan Bailey, an Eagan, Minn. homeowner. "One hundred and twenty acres of green space they're losing."
Carriage Hills Golf Course in Eagan has been closed for a year, awaiting redevelopment.
"We've been trying to save the golf course and trying to save the open space," said Bailey.
When Bailey bought his house two years ago, he checked to make sure the Carriage Hills Golf Course the house overlooks was zoned parkland.
"That was the primary reason for us to buy this house," Bailey said.
Now, the golf course owner has a purchase agreement with a developer who wants to build a 480-unit housing development. They have asked the city to rezone the property.
The city refused, so the owner and the developer sued and won.
"We were very surprised and we feel I think unequivocally, on behalf of the city that we don't think that's right," said Thomas Hedges, the city administrator.
Instead of risking an appeal they may lose, city leaders chose to make a compromise settlement.
"Limit the housing to the 480 units with 30 acres being set aside for golf," said Hedges.
Angry homeowners said the new plan is almost the same as the first. Both include 480 housing units and the compromise plan reduced the size of the golf course area.
"I just don't see where the compromise is, in the spirit of what a compromise should be," Bailey said.
Before anything is built on the Carriage Hills Golf Course, the full Eagan City Council must approve the plan, which could take months.
