Residents of golf course should pay the premium for city’s ownership

In an effort to stop Yarrow Bay from purchasing and developing Lake Wilderness Golf Course, the city of Maple Valley purchased the course. Now the city is looking to bail out the golf course residents again by establishing the conservation easement which would prohibit any further development – forever (March 29, Reporter, “Whose green should pay for greenery?”). And they’re asking the residents of Lake Wilderness Golf Course to help pay for it. One resident exclaimed, “I didn’t buy a golf course, [Maple Valley] did.” She’s not alone. Other golf course residents are complaining that it’s not fair.

What’s not fair is that the city spent money to save their golf course with funds that had been earmarked for benefit of the greater good of the community.

Over 33 percent of our city’s population is under the age of 18. What’s not fair is that the city has no public ball parks (soccer, baseball, etc.).

What’s not fair is that there are plenty of other plots of land for sale within the city that will most likely be purchased and developed into even more homes ~ and you don’t see the city jumping in line to buy any of that land.

What’s not fair is that the city spent an absurd amount of public money to benefit such a small group of residents.

One of the golf course residents questioned the “value” of living on the golf course. I bet he won’t be questioning that “value” when he goes to sell his house.

I also live in a golf course community. And while finding golf balls in our lawns, and occasionally having balls bang into our home and cars, and even having a few errant balls whiz past our heads while we visit with neighbors, there is a value that we benefit from by living where we do. If they don’t like the golf course, they should move.

Seriously, should this even be up for debate? In our minds, the decision is a no-brainer: The residents of the Lake Wilderness Golf Course community should pay the premium. Period.