Municipal golf in California survived a frontal attack last spring from those who would rather see public courses converted to affordable housing. Rather than surrender after such a resounding defeat, however, detractors of public golf in the nation's most populous state have deftly planned a flanking move that might be difficult for the golf industry to repel.
Assembly Bill 672, introduced in February by Cristina Garcia, who represents California's 58th district in Los Angeles County, targets municipal golf courses as potential sites for affordable housing units and open space, died in committee in April. However, the bill has been amended as of September 1 with changes, including an influx of public assistance and the elimination of certain zoning requirements. In a state starved for affordable housing, these changes likely will have mass appeal in California when the proposed legislation reappears in session in January as a two-year bill.
Initially, the bill proposed removing the state's municipal golf courses from the protections provided by the Park Preservation Act, Surplus Land Act, California Environmental Quality Control Act, and local zoning prerogatives – all for the purpose of redeveloping them into housing tracts.
The newest version of AB 672 makes available $50 million from the state's general fund "to provide grants to cities, counties, and cities and counties to incentivize making publicly owned golf courses in densely populated areas available for housing and publicly accessible open space," the bill states. The most recent iteration of the bill also removed zoning requirements and the need for an environmental impact statement in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act.
The newest version of AB 672 makes available $50 million from the state's general fund to provide grants to cities, counties, and cities and counties to incentivize making publicly owned golf courses in densely populated areas available for housing and publicly accessible open space.
Initially, AB 672 was referred to the Assembly's Housing and Community Development Committee and Local Government Committee, but did not meet the April 30 deadline to pass through both, and thus died an instant death.
In its current form, AB 672 likely will get much more attention than it did the first time around. Although the bill would make it easier for communities to keep their publicly owned golf courses if they so choose, it also paves the way plow up many others.
The Southern California Golf Association, which has been proactive in tracking the progress of and changes associated with AB 672, says that the state's golf industry should, in response, align itself with other public recreational outlets, including parks and athletic fields, rather than an elitist recreational pursuit, which so often is perceived as synonymous with golf.
To be eligible for state grant money to convert land currently utilized by public golf into affordable housing, municipalities must meet a host of requirements, including:
> The agreement ensures that at least 25 percent of all new dwelling units developed on the former golf course are affordable to, and occupied by, low-income households.
> At least 15 percent of the development is publicly accessible open space.
> No more than one-third of the square footage of the development, excluding the portion reserved for open space, is dedicated to nonresidential uses.
