Golf Course Advisory Board Agenda and Packet 2016 09 19

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"No one knows the future for sure, golf is on the decline, but what else do we do with that property?" Coombs said. "If we say we don't want a golf course, we still have to maintain that property as a park somehow with no income." Coombs, who has xeriscaped his own lawn, said the city could save money in the long-term by pulling out all the bluegrass at the hypothetical golf course -turned -park and replacing it with natural grasses that require less water, but it would still be an expense. When asked if three municipal golf courses are the best use of land within city limits when there are significant affordable housing issues, Coombs demurred. "If push came to shove and the city is running out of money and needed other things more badly, we could always consider selling some of that property, but boy you'd get so much citizen pushback," Coombs said. "It's not a charge I want to lead in my last term but it is something to think about. Who knows, if golf declines at the rate it has been declining, at some point we maybe need to reconsider whether it's the best use of the property." Councilwoman Bonnie Finley said that the golf courses do provide benefits to Longmonters, even those who don't golf and the city needs to maintain them. "It's just like any other upkeep of an asset in your home. If we're going to have them, we have to keep them in good shape or they're not worth very much," Finley said. "As far as green spaces, everyone likes to see green courses in their community, but we may have to continue to have discussions on how to repurpose one of them ... perhaps in the winter, we could add some other attraction on those golf courses." Coombs said he doesn't golf, but he and his neighbors do use the golf courses during the winter when there is fresh snow on the ground. "I don't golf. I think it's a waste of time and money and you don't get a lot of exercise from it," Coombs said. "But I do enjoy driving by the golf courses and having open spaces and trees and the environment. There is some benefit to our having internal open spaces. And you know, in big snowstorms, our whole neighborhood goes down there and cross-country skis." 'Tough position to be in' Councilman Jeff Moore said he had a concern with the possible bond issue because the golf fund is called an enterprise fund, meaning it should be largely self-sustaining. The golf fund became an enterprise fund in 1985, after Sunset and Twin Peaks were built, but before Ute Creek. The golf fund is making enough revenues in order to do regular upkeep and maintenance but it doesn't have the millions for large capital improvement projects, Mills said. Moore said he's also concerned that if this would be a 20 -year bond and irrigation systems only last about 20 years, it's going to be a constant expense for the city. 10