The city of Anaheim, Calif. is facing a lawsuit from residents of Casa Hermosa, a mobile home park next to Dad Miller Golf Course. The suit states the removal of trees between the course and the mobile home park and making alterations to a tee box on the 15th hole—led to a “dramatic increase” in errant golf balls being hit into the residential community. The balls have caused damage to the residents’ homes and properties, and also threatened their safety and well-being, causing them to “live in fear.”
Residents of Casa Hermosa, a mobile home park next to Dad Miller Golf Course in Anaheim, Calif., are suing the city over an increase of errant golf balls being hit into their community following changes at the course, The Sacramento Bee reported.
Changes in late 2020 and early 2021—including the removal of trees between the course and the mobile home park and making alterations to a tee box on the 15th hole—led to a “dramatic increase” in errant golf balls being hit into the residential community, The Bee reported. The balls have caused damage to the residents’ homes and properties, and also threatened their safety and well-being, causing them to “live in fear,” the lawsuit says.
Officials with the City of Anaheim told the residents that netting would be installed to protect the park from errant golf balls, The Bee reported, but no action has been taken, the lawsuit says.
A person who answered the phone at Dad Miller Golf Course declined to comment, The Bee reported.
Mike Lyster, a spokesman for the City of Anaheim, told The Bee the lawsuit was “disappointing and unnecessary.”
Lyster told McClatchy News that the city was open to seeking solutions that would help mitigate residents’ concerns but would need to find one that “works for everyone,” The Bee reported. He said he could not comment on the residents’ request to install netting because the city was evaluating the situation.
Lyster also said that the Dad Miller Golf Course holds special meaning for the Anaheim community, The Bee reported. Tiger Woods played there as a high schooler, he said. It also provides open green space for the neighborhood.
As for the changes made to the 15th hole, Lyster told The Bee the course at first was required to move the tee box so that crews could work on a county flood control channel. It later moved the tee box closer to the channel because some golfers were having trouble clearing the channel when teeing off.
“There is always some risk that comes with living next to a golf course,” he said, adding that the course was built in 1961 and the mobile home park was developed in 1970. “… We will always be a good neighbor, and we’re open to exploring options.”
But residents described their quality of life being significantly affected by the stray balls hit into their community, The Bee reported. “I am scared to death to sit on my own back patio,” one wrote in a testimonial included in the complaint.
Other residents said they have been finding multiple golf balls on their properties every day, and their homes have been damaged on numerous occasions, The Bee reported.
Gloria Reed, who said she has been living at Casa Hermosa since April 1, 2021, told The Bee golf balls from the course caused holes in her shed and window awnings, and dents to her home and car, according to the complaint.
“I am afraid that a guest, another resident or I may be hit and injured by the errant golf ball,” the complaint says. “I saw two occasions where errant golf balls almost hit my brother while he was smoking in my back yard.”
Another resident, Bobbie Crawford, who has been living at the park since 2009 and is also a resident manager, said she noticed an increase in errant golf balls on her property in late 2020 and early 2021—the same time the changes were being made to the course, The Bee reported. The balls hit her home and ricochet onto other properties and have caused divots to the side of her home, the complaint says.
“I frequently hear the sound of golf balls hitting my home,” the complaint says. “… On one occasion during 2021, I was outside on my back porch and an errant golf ball came close to hitting me.”
The lawsuit asks for an injunction requiring players at the course to stop using the 15th hole until the City of Anaheim installs netting, trees or other barriers to protect the mobile home park, or the course is redesigned so that balls are not being hit in the direction of the park, The Bee reported.
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