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By O.K. Putter
April 1, 2017 (La Mesa) – Last month, La Mesa City Council announced it would not be renewing a lease with Sun Valley Golf Course near the community center. The city asked for ideas for alternative uses of the site.
Today, the city announced that a wide variety of creative proposals have been submitted. They include:
- Aaron Dean, head of the La Mesa Village Merchants Association, wants an organic farm to supply La Mesa’s many new healthy dining restaurants.
- La Mesa Chamber President Mary England is seeking investors to build a Convention Center East on the site to boost the local economy.
- Accretive Development, which failed to gain voter approval for its sprawling Lilac Hills community in Valley Center, seeks a height variance to erect a 25-story residential and commercial structure, Lilac Tower.
- SDG&E wants to build a solar car charging facility.
- Jimmie Johnson is revved for a racetrack.
- Father Joe Carroll has asked to build a shelter for homeless families, with a garden to connect kids to nature.
- PETA and animal rights advocates are demanding that La Mesa build its own animal shelter on the site.
- Several top PGA and LPGA golfers sent in a letter of protest, which was copied to ESPN and other major media, asking that the site remain dedicated to golf. They’ve offered to host a charity benefit at the course to save it from destruction.
- Doug Manchester seeks to acquire the adjacent community swimming pool and recreation center to expand the 9-hole course into a full 18-hole championship course with adjacent luxury hotel.
- The company formerly known as Blackwater has offered to pay the city a princely sum to acquire the rolling hills and conduct paramilitary training operations on the site.
The city’s Planning Commission will set a public hearing to discuss these proposals and make staff recommendations to the City Council.
Mayor Mark Arapostathis , jumping out of his golf cart at a press conference held during the final tee-off at Sun Valley Golf course, promised, “We won’t putter around. I promise, the city will come out full-swing in support of the highest and best use of this site for our community.”
Happy April Fool’s Day!
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