What happens when a golf course closes and somebody wants to build houses on it? In Palm Springs, that question just got a whole lot more complicated.
The Palm Springs Planning Commission was expected to consider changing approximately 35 acres of the former Bel Air Greens golf course from open space to residential use. But the hearing was suddenly pulled after the city learned the Agua Caliente Tribe had acquired roughly half of the former golf course.
That portion of the property was placed into tribal trust status, putting it outside the city’s normal development approval process. The result is a potentially unusual situation: one former golf course, with different portions subject to different governments and rules.
The issue was discussed on the Roggin Report, where contributors Tammy Bleck, owner of Sherlock Homes Watch, and Chauncey Thompson, COO of Barton CPA, considered who should ultimately determine what happens to the property.
Bleck said ideally the city and tribe should work together.
“Ideally, if they could work together and in compliance with each other, that would be wonderful,” Bleck said. But she described the situation as “a quagmire,” pointing to the different authorities involved.
Thompson agreed that cooperation could be necessary. He suggested bringing in a third party to develop a master plan that could address the interests of both sides.
“The only way I can see this really truly working is either you bring a third party in that builds out a master plan that appeases both parties,” Thompson said.
The former golf course has already raised questions about what should happen to valuable open land after a course closes. Earlier in the discussion, Nick Collins said a property owner should be able to pursue housing as long as development guidelines are followed, including requirements involving open space.
He also said water, electrical infrastructure and other utility capacities should be considered before additional housing moves forward.
Now, with the Agua Caliente Tribe controlling roughly half the former Bel Air Greens property and Palm Springs controlling the other portion, the future of the land has become more complicated.
As the panel put it, the challenge is figuring out how one property can move forward when different portions may be governed by different sets of rules.
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