SDMGA affirms its position on Torrey Pines Projects financial issues and agrees to consult with City on golfing matters if there is a sincere interest by the City to do so.
The question of the financing of the projects is a live issue in no way mooted by the City Council’s actions imposing heavy fee increases on local golfers. SDMGA argues that the fee structure can be changed to lessen the burden on local golfers; particularly seniors.
SDMGA offers four issues about which a dialogue between the public and the City might be immediately productive.
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From: Paul Spiegelman
Sent: Sunday, January 21, 2007 10:53 PM
To: Kevin OliverCc: Ellen Lirley – Coastal Commission; Linda Colley - UCPG; Mark Marney;
Mark Woodward; John Beaver; Joe Burwell; Joanne Pearson
Subject: RE: Torrey Pines Projects
Thanks for your clarification, Kevin. As I understand your point, it is that the rejection of the construction projects by the Golf Advisory Council and the UCPG occurred, but they are “moot” because the City Council has already approved a Five-Year Plan (even though the Plan has had the effect of pricing almost all county residents and many city residents, particularly seniors, off Torrey Pines and created a privileged status for residents who can afford the advanced reservation fee).
We do not consider the financing issue moot for two reasons: First, The fee schedule can be changed either directly by the City Council if the Coastal Commission turns down the project or indirectly if the Coastal Commission conditions any construction on a roll back of greens fees for local residents. Second, even if the fee schedule were to remain the same, the future expenses of maintaining more grandiose facilities increases the costs to the Enterprise Fund and ultimately will have an impact on greens fees. Thus, the question of the financing of the projects is a live issue in no way mooted by the City Council’s actions imposing heavy fee increases on local golfers.
Moreover, as the email of January 20, 2007 from Linda Colley, UCPG Chair, points out, there are many additional reasons why the construction projects were rejected by the community:
§ they were imposed on the municipal golf community and ignored our legitimate concerns
§ they are out of touch with the Municipal character of the golf course
§ they block the scenic views from Torrey Pines Road
§ they favor private interests over the golfing public
§ they give permanent presence on Torrey Pines to a private organization with its own non-Torrey agenda (and which has shown itself to be openly hostile to the concerns of municipal golfers).
All that said, your email evinces a desire to gain more information about SDMGA “so we can be proactive on the various projects that we have in the works City wide.” If there is a sincere interest by the City in meaningful discussions with SDMGA about any golf matters of mutual interest, we would be happy to consult with you. With the construction projects on hold, here are four issues about which dialogue might be productive now:
1. reconstituting the Golf Advisory Committee to help in making sure the public view is taken into account;
2. scaling back the clubhouse project to a renovation of the existing clubhouse, preserving the current practice putting greens and the 18th green on the North;
3. restoring an affordable County rate;
4. getting the Century Club/Friends of Torrey Pines to give back to the City all or most of the US Open Revenue of the up to $3.5 million in corporate tent sales they will receive (to supplement the flat $500K payment that the City is getting).
Concerning your request for specific information about SDMGA; SDMGA is a “net roots” alliance. Our business is transacted on the internet and the information you are seeking should be available on our website: http://www.sdmga.com
I look forward to hearing further from you concerning the above issues or any others on which you believe an interchange of ideas might be productive.
Paul