Well, the big news of course is the talk about the New Owners of San Ramon Golf Club, and any plans they might have that could affect our values. There have been rumors that they plan on launching an effort to develop some, or all, of the course by building homes and/or condos on the land.
Needless to say, this is private land, and they are private land owners, and like all of us, they may have ideas for their property that don’t always sit well with the neighbors.
Still, it’s one thing to build a tree house overlooking your neighbors previously private yard, and another to forever alter (there’s a PC word!) the beautiful views of scores of homes!
Are they really planning on doing this?!! More importantly, can they really do this?
Well, as they say, “The Devil is in the details”!
First. Let’s look at the players.
Player # One: The Golf Course Owners.
According to the County Tax records, the golf course property changed hands on December 18 of last year. The Buyer is an LLC (Limited Liability Corporation) by the name of “Tree City”.
Per the transfer tax recorded on the deed, they apparently paid just under $9,000,000 for the property.
I am trying to ascertain whether they financed some or all of this purchase, or if it was an all cash purchase, since financing for these types of properties is not easy to come by.
Player # Two: The San Ramon City Council
Mayor Bill Clarkson
E-mail: bclarkson@sanramon.ca.gov
Term Expires: 2016
Vice Mayor Scott Perkins
E-mail: sperkins@sanramon.ca.gov
Term Expires: 2016
David E. Hudson
E-mail: dhudson@sanramon.ca.gov
Term Expires: 2018
Philip G. O’Loane
E-mail: poloane@sanramon.ca.gov
Term Expires: 2016
Harry Sachs
E-mail: hsachs@sanramon.ca.gov
Term Expires: 2018
Player # Three: The San Ramon Planning Commission.
Jeanne Benedetti (term expires June 2018)
Rick Marks (term expires June 2018)
Donna Kerger (Term expires June 2016)
Eric Wallis (Term expires June 2016
Bilal Patel (term expires June 2016)
(Note. For some reason, the Planning Commission refuses to post their emails on the City website, unlike the City Council members. I will provide these emails shortly).
Player # Four (Because of course, it needs to be a Foursome, if we’re going to be talking “Golf”!
Us. The surrounding Homeowners.
Possibly the biggest stakeholders in this whole venture.
Current takeaway;
One thing to note, is that three Council Members and three Planning Commissioners terms expire this year! Could that have anything to do with the questions a lot of homeowners received last month from a telephone survey company asking things such as;
“How well do you think your City is being run?”
“Are you happy with your City Government, and its elected officials?”
Would you like to see the pool and clubhouse improved?”
“Do you think it would have an adverse effect on property values if the Golf Course were closed and the greens were allowed to be overgrown”?
These could all be indicators of an attempt to offer a slate of candidates in November that may be more favorable to a development of sorts. Since the course is currently zoned “Recreation/Open Space” it would require, I am told by numerous sources, a three-fifths majority of the Council AND the Planning Commission to rezone to something suitable for housing.
I will be attending the next Planning Commission meeting on Tuesday, May 3rd and will continue to post any and all new developments.