Commissioner urges study of Fairview land and golf courses for parks, housing and youth sports

Commissioner Dawn Parker asked the Parks and Community Services Commission on Jan. 8 to begin an advisory discussion about the city-owned Fairview Development Center and adjacent golf courses to evaluate whether part of the land could be reimagined for open space, youth sports and housing.

Parker said the city'owned Los Lagos and Mesa Linda golf courses currently favor 18-hole play and that there is a shortage of shorter, lower-cost nine-hole courses that make golf accessible to beginners and families. She asked staff to provide gross revenue figures, participant counts by course and fee category, and expense and net-revenue details that would allow commissioners to model the fiscal implications of removing nine holes at a course and dedicating that land to parks, fields or other community uses.

Parker emphasized demand for youth fields, saying local youth programs have waiting lists. She framed the request as an advisory agenda item: the commission cannot vote on land use changes, but she asked that the commission collect data and potentially recommend that City Council consider the options. Other commissioners generally supported putting the topic on a future agenda and gathering further information before any formal recommendation.

No formal action was taken; the item was raised during commissioner comments and the chair suggested agendizing a discussion for a future meeting.