Club Rio Rancho Golf Course Charrette Report
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CLUB RIO RANCHO GOLF COURSE CHARRETTE REPORT July, 2017 Prepared For: Prepared by: The City of Rio Rancho Consensus Planning, Inc. 3200 Civic Center Cir NE, 302 Eighth Street NW Rio Rancho, NM 87144 Albuquerque, NM 87102 Table of Contents Table of Contents 1 Scope and Purpose 3 Background 5 • Introduction 5 • Case Studies 6 • Site History 8 Methods 9 • Overview 9 • Introductory Meeting - April 21 9 • Charrette – May 5 10 • Charrette Results 11 • Charrette Follow Up – June 9 17 Next Steps 19 • Property Owner 19 • Stakeholders 19 • City of Rio Rancho 19 • Critical Elements of the Master Plan 20 • Final Notes 20 Appendix A: Meeting Sign-In 21 Sheets Appendix B: Meeting Notes 25 Page 1 Page 2 Scope and Purpose Once a hallmark of the City of Rio Rancho, Club Rio Rancho struggled financially in the 2000’s before finally closing in 2016. Degrading conditions and concern from local stakeholders caused the City to take an active roll facilitating a conversation and charrette in the Spring of 2017. Consensus Planning was hired to facilitate this dialogue among stakeholders in order to develop potential solutions for the site. Club Rio Rancho shut down its North 9 in land use alternatives. Following this 2013, eventually closing its doors entirely charrette, Consensus Planning was to in December of 2016. Since that time the explore these potential alternatives, future of the course’s roughly 260 acres combining them into land use plans, has been a topic of heated debate for and providing analysis regarding how the property’s owners, local residents, these alternatives might progress into city staff, and potential developers. In reality. While these results should by no the interest of facilitating a constructive means be considered complete land dialogue among community use plans, they provide the first steps in stakeholders and exploring potential identifying the potential outcomes that options for the course’s future, the City are most suitable to all those involved. of Rio Rancho contracted Consensus Planning in April of 2017. The primary venue for this dialogue was agreed to be a charrette, in which stakeholders would participate in designing future Page 3 Page 4 Background Introduction The decline of the golf course industry 300 is by no means a phenomenon unique Openings to Rio Rancho. Indeed, this is a trend 250 prevalent throughout the United States, where golf course closures have 200 outpaced openings each year since 150 2006, and where roughly 1,400 golf courses closed nationwide between 100 2001 and 2013. Closures 50 The challenge facing golf courses is one of both oversupply and declining 0 demand. Over the previous two 2001 02 03 04 05 06 decades, the number of golf courses has increased by roughly a third, despite U.S. Golf Course Closures vs Openings the number of rounds of golf played An oversupply of golf courses and declining per course per year dropping by 20% demand for these facilities has led to course over the same period, a decline due to closures out-pacing openings since 2006 (Source: National Golf Foundation). both shrinking leisure time and a shift to other activities. An expert on the topic recently suggested that balancing funding mechanism to support course supply and demand will require the maintenance and upkeep. As such, golf closure of between 1,500 and 2,000 courses without a long term, generated courses. funding source have become particularly vulnerable to closures. The emergence of new golf courses even in the face of declining demand is due in large part to the impact these courses have on surrounding property values. New homes constructed adjacent to golf courses sell for 10-25% more than similar homes located in non- golf course communities. This realization among developers led to the massive expansion of golf course communities, particularly in the 1990’s. Construction of these courses did not include adequate consideration of a long-term Page 5 Unit Count Townhomes: 300 Single Family: 51 The redevelopment plan for Marlborough Golf Club in Upper Marlborough, Maryland is noteworthy in its degree of stakeholder participation in the design process, leading to a plan high in recreational open space and natural habitat (Source: Soltesz). Case Studies Appropriate methods for re-purposing develop town houses and single family failing golf courses has become a dwellings while reserving the remaining fervently debated topic in recent acreage as open space to be utilized years. Proposed solutions have involved for recreation, reforestation, and habitat creating large open spaces, housing creation. developments, cemeteries, commercial In Orlando, Florida, The Marriott spaces, and hybrid approaches that Corporation took over the 170-acre combine one or more of these solutions Grande Pines Golf Course in 1997. with a reduced golf course, for example In 2014 Marriot sold the land to a shrinking an 18-hole course to a 9-hole development firm, believing the sale course. of the property would prove more The 131-acre Marlborough Golf Club in profitable than its continued use for Marlborough, Maryland closed in 2010 golf. The plan for the site involves a after operating for over 30 years. The 1,136 home development, including 260 property was foreclosed on the following single-family home lots, 176 townhome year. A 2013 land use plan, developed lots and 700 apartments. with heavy input from local residents, utilized roughly half the grounds to Turkey Creek in Alachua, Florida was built and marketed as a “Golf Course Page 6 The Ravenwood Heights Apartment Complex in Tempe, Arizona represents a rare golf course redevelopment project that has been carried through to construction. Community” in 1977. When the course due in large part to public push back closed in 2011, the residents and land by residents, reluctant to see the owners were left with a challenging courses developed. One of the rare decision regarding how to best utilize built example is the Ravenwood Heights the land. In his 2014 Landscape Apartment Complex in Tempe, Arizona. Architecture thesis, University of Florida The complex was constructed on the student Adam McCollister developed site of a former 9-hole golf course. The three separate land use plans for the site maintains a townhouse community course, each varying in intensity of as well as two and three bedroom development and in their continued apartments. A portion of the golf course use or removal of golf from the site. was left as recreational open space McCollister later assessed each plan within the site. based on its potential implications for In summary, golf course re-purposing the environment, economic returns, plans are a topic across the country, and the social benefits the land could but only a few of these efforts have provide to the community’s residents. been implemented. Club Rio Rancho While plans for re-purposing golf courses could be one of the first of its kind in the abound, built examples are scarce, nation. Page 7 Following months without irrigation, the majority of course vegetation has died. Site History Club Rio Rancho was built by AMREP Bob Gallagher in 2014. While all of these in 1969. The West 9 was designed by owners made substantial investments famous golf course architect Desmond in improving the course, each was Muirhead, and the East 9 was designed forced to sell. Some of the issues by professional golfer Gene Sarazen. affecting the course’s financial stability The North 9, added in 1988, was included decreasing membership, designed by golf champion Lee Trevino increased water costs, and increasing in partnership with William Graves. Over maintenance costs. In December of the site’s history the course hosted 2016 the course was closed and turned various celebrity tournaments and fund over to Southwest Capital Bank. In raisers, while the club house became a March of 2017 the property was bought social hub of Rio Rancho. by Josh Skarsgard of Skarsgard Firm. Skarsgard quickly began a listening The golf course began changing hands tour, meeting with local residents and quickly in the late 1990’s, being sold to agreeing to hear proposals for the land Golf Co. of Nevada in 1997, Diversified until May 1, 2017. Partners in 2002, Harry Apodaca soon thereafter, and finally Jhett Brown and Page 8 Methods a aa a a a a a a a a a a a a a a Opportunities Constraints Adjacent Multi-Family a Potential Access Points Narrow Areas (<250') Opportunities and Constraints Adjacent Vacant Land Lakes Steep Slope > 20% 0 250 500 1,000 Club House Feet NORTH Overview In order to better incorporate Rancho City Hall on Friday, April 21. The stakeholders’ knowledge, concerns, primary purpose of this meeting was and hopes for the future of the property, to introduce the scope and purpose of a participatory approach was taken the project to stakeholders. The meeting to this process. The main vehicle for began with a brief introduction from this approach was a charrette, which city staff. Following this, stakeholders occurred with community leaders and introduced themselves and explained stakeholders representing residents of who they were representing. When the North, East, and West 9 on May 5, introductions had concluded, 2017. A follow-up meeting occurred on Consensus Planning staff explained June 9 in order to present the results of their role in the project, explained the the charrette and subsequent analysis. purpose and structure of the charrette, and laid some ground rules for the Introductory Meeting - April 21 charrette. Participants discussed the An initial meeting took place between best date for the charrette, and Friday, Rio Rancho staff, Consensus Planning May 5 was chosen. staff, and local stakeholders at Rio Page 9 Charrette – May 5 Consensus Planning met with stakeholders and representatives of local residents’ groups on May 5, 2017 to carry out a design charrette.