The initiative, which needs a majority vote to pass, seeks to rezone a portion of the Poway, Calif., property to allow 180 high-end condominiums. Property owner Michael Schlesinger said it would not be financially possible to keep the club open without the housing.
The StoneRidge Country Club will be closed and surrounded by a fence if Poway, Calif., voters do not approve Measure A on November 7, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported.
“It would be done in short order,” if the initiative, asking that a portion of the property be rezoned to allow 180 high-end condominiums, does not receive a majority vote, said Sara Ellis, a public relations consultant retained by property owner Michael Schlesinger.
The club, including an 18-hole golf course, tennis courts, swimming pool and clubhouse, has lost an estimated $500,000 so far this year, Ellis said. Keeping it open without being able to use the southern 25 acres for housing makes continued operation of the club impossible, the Union-Tribune reported.
If the property is closed, it will be minimally maintained to meet city codes but, according to Ellis, would “pretty much revert back” to pre-development conditions. Adjoining property owners would be contacted to confirm easements so that Schlesinger’s fences would not impede, she said.
Schlesinger would not entertain post-election offers to purchase the property, Ellis said. “Maybe his kids would do something with it,” she added.
Ellis stressed during the Monday interview that Schlesinger does not want to close the club, but financially will have no choice if he cannot proceed with building the condominiums, the Union-Tribune reported.
Ellis has outlined Schlesinger’s stance in private meetings with Poway Open Space, Inc., a group of golf club members and property owners who are running the campaign in support of Measure A. She said she also brought it up during a September 5 meeting with tennis and swim members of the club, the Union-Tribune reported.
Measure A, the “Poway Open Space and Recreation Preservation Initiative,” qualified for the ballot following a successful signature-collection effort. It proposes the southern 25 acres of the 117-acre country club property be rezoned from “open space – recreation” to “residential condominiums,” the same zoning as in place for existing condos in the area. In addition, a special “StoneRidge overlay” is to be added, allowing for golf and for the units to be for age 55-plus owners. Fifteen of the acres would contain 180 condos, while another 10 acres would be designated for roads, ponds, storm drainage and an HOA clubhouse, the Union-Tribune reported.
Voter approval is required under the city’s Proposition FF because the initiative would increase the land use density of a portion of the property. If the measure passes with a simple majority vote, the City Council will later review specific development plans, which will require public hearings and final council approval, the Union-Tribune reported.
Poway Open Space, Inc. and Schlesinger have signed a draft agreement assuring that if Measure A passes, the portion of the property not used for condos will be placed in a deed restriction preserving the acreage as open space, the Union-Tribune reported.
Condo construction would eliminate the club’s swimming pool (closed since May due to a crack) and its nine tennis courts. A signed draft agreement between Poway Open Space and Schlesinger says that StoneRidge tennis and swim members would be invited to join the Rancho Arbolitos club, about six miles away. After joining, the StoneRidge members would also be given free use and membership of the StoneRidge courts and pool until construction of the condos began. Once construction is completed, those joining Rancho Arbolitos would be provided social memberships at StoneRidge, the Union-Tribune reported.
Schlesinger is now prepared to contribute $100,000 to Rancho Arbolitos toward costs associated with StoneRidge members being added there, the Union-Tribune reported.
Tennis club treasurer Mike Hegstad said last week’s meeting with Ellis drew only about 40 of the estimated 140 tennis and swim family members. Reactions to Rancho Arbolitos relocation were mixed, he said Monday. Several of the tennis club’s leaders will be meeting with the management of the other club in the near future, he said.
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