IRVINE – Some members of the City Council are having second thoughts about creating an 18-hole golf course at the Orange County Great Park, a plan that is part of a deal worth more than $200 million struck with a developer three years ago.
On Tuesday, Mayor Steven Choi proposed reducing the planned 188-acre golf course into half the size, featuring nine holes instead of 18, and using the rest of the land for other recreation such as jogging, picnics and a proposed water park. That would allow a wider range of people to enjoy the Great Park, he said.
“Since it’s a huge area, we can do so many things,” Choi said.
He made the proposal when the City Council, acting as the Great Park Board of Directors, was discussing a staff request to hire a consultant to review golf course design and study if the plan is financially viable.
The golf course is part of the 688 acres at the Great Park that FivePoint agreed to develop for the city in 2013. The developer offered to spend more than $260 million on the project, which also includes a 175-acre sports park, trails, agricultural fields, playgrounds, open space and wildlife corridor.
In exchange, FivePoint was given the go-ahead to build more than 4,600 homes on its land adjacent to the park.
Choi said he was worried the golf course may compete with other local private golf clubs, which he says are struggling.
Councilwoman Beth Krom suggested halting the golf course plan until the city figures out what to do.
However, the city is obligated to move forward with the project and must get FivePoint’s consent to makes changes to the plan, City Attorney Jeff Melching told the council.
Mayor Pro Tem Lynn Schott made a motion to approve issuing the request for proposals to hire a golf course consultant while asking FivePoint if the developer is willing to change or remove the golf course.
“There’s a lot of unanswered questions in my mind as to what the public really wants to see at the Great Park,” said Schott, the only member who wasn’t on the council in 2013. “But I don’t want to cut short what staff needs as far as gathering information to help us be better informed about our votes and our policies.”
The council voted in favor of the motion 4-1. Councilwoman Christina Shea opposed it, saying the proposal to make changes to the golf course wasn’t on the agenda.
“I just had no clue this was coming up,” Shea said. “I honestly think it’s unfair this is just being thrown out there in a matter of 15 minutes.”
The city, she said, should first research if the golf course is viable before talking to FivePoint.
“There were many, many people … that had a huge interest in a golf course,” Shea said. “If it doesn’t work out, and it’s not feasible, I’m fine; I think that we should sit down with our partner and consider this. But this is an official agreement that we put together.”
FivePoint spokesman Steve Churm said the company learned about suggestions to change the golf course for the first time at Tuesday’s meeting.
“Until the city formally approaches us with specifics about what they are proposing, we can’t make any further comments,” Churm said.
Contact the writer: tshimura@scng.com
