A few members of our Rancho San Joaquin Golf Course Coalition met recently with a representative from KB Homes on their interest in potentially purchasing the RCI property for a proposed residential development.
Part of the meeting was spent discussing the expected community opposition to any application to change the city’s General Plan and zoning to allow residential development on the RCI property. Toward the end of the meeting, as part of KB Homes' due diligence they indicated that they found it unsuitable to move forward with the acquisition of the RCI property.
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Based on monitoring the title record for the Rancho San Joaquin golf course property, our RSJ golf course coalition confirms that the RSJ golf course, so far, continues to be owned by Drive Shack Inc.
A developer from 4G Ventures was in escrow to purchase RSJ golf course since about July. But agreement could not be reached for purchase. Currently there appears to be no activity on the sale of the RSJ golf course. Also, we reported earlier that Drive Shack replaced its executive staff late last year. Their new CEO is Ken May who was previously CEO of Topgolf, a direct competitor to Drive Shack. And their new CFO is David Hammarley. And we also reported this past fall that the Irvine City Council adopted a legal resolution which reaffirms the current General Plan and zoning for the RSJ golf course in order to protect the property from redevelopment Our coalition will continue to monitor the sale and provide an update should the status change. Questions? Contact us through our Contact Us form on our website. A letter written by the owner of Racquet Club of Irvine (RCI), a tennis club near the corner of Culver and Michelson, was recently posted by a resident on Nextdoor.com. Read the RCI letter The letter, written and signed by Cecil Spearman, CEO of Spearman Clubs states that RCI "will continue to operate as a club for at least 18 months." But he has a consultant who is studying to see if a "change of entitlement" could be approved for the RCI property (which is about 11 acres) for another purpose other than a tennis club. Mr. Spearman states that since the deed restriction on the property has expired several years ago, several developers have approached him and "would make a significant offer [to purchase RCI] if I would change the entitlements." He also states "If the change to the highest and best use [zoning] is made and a significant offer is made, I MIGHT CONSIDER SELLING THE LAND." RCI has been in existence for 45 years and is currently zoned by the City of Irvine for "Commercial Recreation" use. Consisting of 28 tennis courts including 6 clay courts, RCI is known as one of the most affordable tennis clubs in Orange County. RCI has approximately 500-600 members and is also home to a tennis academy which attracts young players from around the world as well as an afterschool children's tennis program and a swim school. The letter does not state a developer's intent for the property. But it's reasonable to assume that if the Irvine City Council were to approve a General Plan amendment and zoning change for RCI for medium- or high-density residential development, the RCI property could fetch a much higher sale price. But Irvine residents who drive on Culver and/or Michelson may question whether these streets can handle more traffic from a new residential development at RCI, especially during peak traffic times. What Can I Do? Though it's unknown if a developer will buy RCI and develop the property, it's not too early to voice your opinion. If you would like to voice your opinion on the possible zoning change for the RCI property, below are the email addresses for our Mayor and Irvine City Council:
Our RSJ golf course coalition now confirms that negotiations has stalled between the owner, Drive Shack Inc., and the current buyer, a developer from 4G Ventures in Laguna Beach, on the sale of the Rancho San Joaquin Golf Course. Negotiations on the sale have been ongoing since approximately July but the two parties have not yet reached final agreement. Our RSJ golf course coalition have, and will continue, to closely monitor the sale and will provide an update to the Irvine and wider Orange County communities on when the sales status changes. Be sure to sign up on our email list or join our Facebook group to keep posted on future updates. Questions? Contact us on our Contact Us form. Drive Shack Shakes Up Its Executive ManagementThe corporate owner of the RSJ golf course, Drive Shack Inc., recently announced it replaced its CEO by hiring Ken May who was previously the CEO of Topgolf, a direct competitor to Drive Shack. Drive Shack also replaced its CFO with a new outside hire, David Hammarley.
Both May and Hammarley started work at Drive Shack on November 12. Sarah Watterson who was previously CEO of Drive Shack, will transition to Drive Shack's board of directors. Read the Drive Shack press release annoucing the management change Our RSJ golf course coalition confirms that negotiations continue between the owner, Drive Shack Inc., and the current buyer, a developer from 4G Ventures in Laguna Beach, on the sale of the Rancho San Joaquin Golf Course.
The escrow period into which 4G Ventures entered with Drive Shack back in July has been extended. Drive Shack continues to negotiate the details of the RSJ golf course sale with the buyer. Our RSJ golf course coalition have, and will continue, to closely monitor the sale and will provide an update to the Irvine and wider Orange County communities on when the sales status changes. Be sure to sign up on our email list or join our Facebook group to keep posted on future updates. Questions? Contact us on our Contact Us form. At the Wednesday, September 12th Irvine City Council meeting, the City Councilmembers voted unanimously 3-0* to adopt a legally binding resolution that reaffirms the current General Plan and zoning for the Rancho San Joaquin golf course in order to protect it from redevelopment of the property. * Mayor Don Wagner, Mayor Pro Tem Christina Shea and Councilmember Lynn Shott voted in favor; Councilmembers Melissa Fox and Jeff Lalloway were absent at the September 12th meeting. This City Council vote is significant. That is, the adopted legal resolution states: The City Council finds and determines that the current General Plan and Zoning Code designations for the Golf Course property accurately and appropriately reflect the values of the community and City Council’s vision and intent for the development of that property. As such, the City Council has no intent to amend the General Plan and/or Zoning Code to allow for a change in allowable uses on or development of the Golf Course property. The resolution notes that in addition to the original City Council 5-0 vote on August 28th, the Irvine Planning Commission also voted unanimously 5-0 on August 16th to reaffirm the General Plan and zoning for the RSJ golf course. View the adopted City Council legal resolution (pdf) Nicknamed "Gloria's Resolution" by Mayor Don Wagner at the City Council meeting, six-year-old Gloria He, who's already an avid golfer, appeared once again at the Council meeting to speak passionately in favor of protecting the RSJ golf course. Watch a video clip of Gloria's speech at the City Council meeting: Thank you Gloria! And thank you everyone for your continued support on protecting the RSJ golf course and to keep it as an open space amenity for ALL Irvine residents!
Our coalition hosted a small outdoor "garden" party next to the RSJ golf course to thank some of our supporters. Special guests included Mayor Pro Tem Christina Shea and Planning Commissioner Anthony Kuo who were behind the effort to add the City Council and Planning Commission agenda item to reaffirm the General Plan and zoning for the RSJ golf course, and Transportation Commissioner Carrie O'Malley who spoke in support for the agenda item at last week's City Council meeting. Also attending was our "star" City Council meeting speaker, six-year-old Gloria!
Our RSJ golf course coalition and supporters who attended the City Council meeting on August 28th were encouraged by the public comments made by our City Councilmembers and other officials, which were made in support of protecting the RSJ golf course from development. We thought you'd like to watch & read what they had to say. Councilmember Melissa Fox"...I do want to thank everyone who's come out today [to the City Council meeting]...I am so grateful that you're here today to take the time out of your lives to protect your neighborhood, and our community. Planning Commissioner Anthony Kuo"...as a matter of urgency, I worked with Greg Smith, who is our chairman of the Planning Commission, to get this on our agenda in really, really short order to show the community that we are leading by supporting them and we're leading by supporting them by reaffirming the current zoning, the current standards,and current and perhaps improved quality of life. Councilmember Jeff Lalloway"Of course I'm in favor of this {the RSJ golf course resolution]...I spoke to some of the residents before...and as I indicated then, I'm very supportive of this for two reasons: Transportation Commissioner Carrie O'Malley"...When open space such as the Rancho San Joaquin golf course is compromised we are exasperating the traffic issues in our City, not trying to alleviate them. Our open space, villages and neighborhoods were essential reasons why my husband and I chose to move to Irvine two decades ago. We have raised our two teenage children here since their births. Mayor Pro Tem Christina Shea"...the reason we are reaffirming the General Plan and making it very clear that our intent is not to rezone this [golf course] property for any kind of entitlement. Councilmember Lynn Shott"...I have to come on the side of the residents on this one, and I'll tell you why. The reason that I will vote in favor of the motion -- in the face of being a fierce private property rights advocate -- is on balancing two sets of private property and I'm looking at trying to balance them on the way out, which is: Which does the greatest harm? Which does the greatest good? Mayor Don Wagner"Some of the [Cushman & Wakefield] sales material which was what first got our attention when this was brought to us by community members, stating things like the Council '...is examining other possible land use designations, which creates an opportunity to create value through further densification of [this] Site.' Note: View the Cushman & Wakefield sales brochure on the RSJ golf course. Also see Why Is It For Sale? for more information. Thanks to your support, at last night's City Council meeting, Councilmembers voted unanimously 5-0 to direct City staff come back with a legal resolution to reaffirm the existing General Plan and zoning for the RSJ golf course.
This is in addition to last week's Planning Commission unanimous 5-0 vote to also uphold the current General Plan and zoning for the RSJ golf course. Once this legal resolution is passed by City Council at their next meeting on September 12th, it will mean that if a developer submits an application to change the General Plan and zoning for the RSJ golf course to allow new development on the property, the City will deny the application. We thank Mayor Don Wagner and Mayor Pro Tem Christina Shea for including tonight's agenda item to discuss the RSJ golf course. We also thank Planning Commissioner Anthony Kuo and Transportation Commissioner Carrie O'Malley for speaking in favor of the resolution to uphold the General Plan and zoning for the RSJ golf course. And we would like to thank all of the City Councilmembers for their support on protecting and preserving the RSJ golf course for all the Irvine residents:
And lastly, we thank ALL of our supporters for staying very late (past 10pm!) and attending and speaking at tonight's City Council meeting! We couldn't have done this without all of you!! More news and updates to come tomorrow! Make sure you've signed up on our email list to get the latest news on the RSJ golf course! If you take a drive or walk around the Rancho San Joaquin golf course, you'll see that the green "Save Rancho San Joaquin Golf Course" banners are popping up everywhere along the golf course and along University Drive! You can still place an order for a 6' by 3' vinyl banner on our website.
Thanks to all of our supporters who want to protect RSJ golf course from development and keep it as an open space amenity for all Irvine residents! |
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Coalition To Protect Rancho San Joaquin Golf Course • P.O. Box 5475, Irvine, CA 92616 protectrsjgolfcourse@gmail.com • Tel 949-237-2807 Copyright © 2024 Coalition To Protect Rancho San Joaquin Golf Course. All rights reserved. |