Plans to develop a new 9-hole golf course northeast of Sun Valley Village swung through the Sun Valley City Council last week. The City Council approved the Sun Valley Co.'s master plan development application, calling for residential uses and a new golf course, on the property located along the east and west sides of Trail Creek Road.
"You have before you our best effort, as to what we would do in the Gun Club Land Use Planning Area," Sun Valley Co. General Manager Wally Huffman said. The Gun Club master plan outlines mixed land uses for the 344-acre property, including the 9-hole golf course, Nordic skiing, and low- to medium-density residential housing.
The council voted 3-1 Thursday, May 18, to approve the master plan, which provides a general framework for development of Sun Valley Co.'s Gun Club property. Councilman Nils Ribi dissented. The council's approval of the master plan allows the approval of the golf course design to move forward.
"It's important to get the golf course going, but it's also important for the community...to do it right," Ribi said.
In 2004, the company presented a master plan for its Sun Valley property holdings after former Sun Valley Mayor David Wilson indicated he would like to know the company's plans before the city updated its comprehensive plan. In 2005, the city adopted the Comprehensive Plan Update, the city's guiding land-use document, which identifies the Gun Club area as a key land parcel subject to the city's Master Plan Development Ordinance. The ordinance requires an applicant to set forth land uses and address transportation, sewer, water and open-space issues for the area.
The Gun Club master plan is the first application the council has considered under the new ordinance.
In April, the P&Z approved two associated Sun Valley Co. applications, the Gun Club master plan and a design-review application for the golf course. The golf course called the Gun Club Nine, calls for a 9-hole golf course starting on the west side of Trail Creek Road and climbing onto the Gun Club site's ridgelines before descending back toward the road.
At the meeting, the company presented a digital simulation of the golf course to illustrate visual impacts from various valley locations. The council also visited the site earlier in the day to evaluate the project.
"I will tell you that in the construction phase, you will see a lot of activity up there," Huffman said. "But visually this golf course is seen from the golf course holes, and not really from the valley floor."
Huffman said construction would commence in June, with significant earthwork to take place during the first six months of construction. Landscapes Unlimited, a Nebraska-based company was hired as the contractors for the project. The golf course is scheduled to open in the spring of 2008.
Ribi said he had no issues with golf course design, but had concerns with the master plan. He encouraged the council to clarify public play on the golf course, water use, housing distribution, workforce housing, amenities, trails, public infrastructure, open space designations and the interrelationships between the Gun Club and other land use planning areas.
"We are guiding all future development in that entire LUPA," Ribi said.
Specifically, Ribi requested that a policy for public play on golf course be clarified in the master plan. A condition of approval of the master plan requires a recordation of public play consistent with the priority system in place for the existing golf course. The council required that conditions of public play must be acceptable to city council before occupancy and use.
"I trust you will accept the current system," Huffman said. Under the existing system hotel guests and some Sun Valley property owners have priority on the company's golf courses. Privileges, to some Sun Valley residents, include reduced rates and advance tee times. Anyone else pays an extra fee and is restricted to make tee times with shorter lead times.
"I have a little concern we are discriminating against certain citizens," Ribi said.
The use of water to irrigate the greens and fairway also drew the council's attention.
After assurance the company would not let Trail Creek run dry, Agnew pursued Ribi's question regarding the feasibility of using "gray water" or partially treated wastewater to irrigate the course in the future.
"We have water rights sufficient to irrigate this golf course," Huffman said. The company will irrigate the greens with water supplied by the company's existing surface water rights along Trail Creek. Huffman said that because there are no cost estimates associated with bringing recycled water to the area, it would be impossible to make it a condition of approval. In the future, he said the water system that will service the golf course could pump and distribute gray water.
In response to Ribi's concerns, other council members agreed that certain conditions of approval should be required prior to a subdivision application, design review of residential development, or golf course play, rather than in the master plan process.
Council President Lud Renick made the motion to approve the master plan. Ribi made motions to add amendments to the motion. The first proposed amendment required the company to present a trail plan to the P&Z to show connectivity, infrastructure, and configuration around golf course, prior to golf course play. The second proposed amendment was to encourage the company to consider the use of gray water, when it becomes available, and to create a plan for its eventual use.
Renick did not accept the amendments. Renick, Agnew and Boand voted in favor, Ribi dissented.
Wally Huffman
