Meadowbrook Golf Course proposal upsets neighbors

Neighbors of the Meadowbrook Golf Course sent an unequivocal message to Salt Lake County leaders Thursday night — don't rip up our golf course to pay off your debts.

While no county officials have signed off on a plan to build roughly 300 townhomes and houses on a portion of the 50-year-old Taylorsville course, developers and county leaders presented a conceptual plan to residents Thursday night that has neighbors riled.

"There's a lot of prestige that goes with Meadowbrook. They all have a lot of pride in this neighborhood," resident Rochelle Montoya said after the hearing.

The crowd erupted into boos as Chief Administrative Officer Doug Willmore explained that the county's golf fund has a $1.7 million deficit this year because of bond debts for South Mountain Golf Course, the Old Mill course and Riverbend. Pursuing the Meadowbrook development, Willmore said, could help pay off that debt.

"We know South Mountain sucks. Why do you operate on the hand that fixes your foot?" resident Gary Stevenson said. "Get rid of it."

Community Services Director Christ Crowley told residents that the solution to the golf funding could not just come from one golf course, but had to come from all six of the county-owned facilities.

"We do not have the ability to just sell off South Mountain. We can't just plow under a golf course and sell it off wholesale," Crowley said. "We're looking at an opportunity to solve a larger problem."

But residents at the evening meeting at Meadowbrook said that's not their problem. Attempts by county leaders to reassure residents the plan was only in the concept phase were met with outcries of "Sell South Mountain" from the audience. One man hollered out, "That's a blatant lie," when Crowley said the primary goal is to make sure the needs of the golfers are met.

The design by Boardwalk Industries would cut the golf course with a four-lane road and would force the course to be restructured to allow for about 30-acres of homes. The course at 4197 S. 1300 West would likely be closed for a year and half during construction.

"We don't want to see these plans. We're already against it," one man said from the back of the packed meeting room. "Our minds are made up."

Willmore reminded residents that Mayor Peter Corroon's mind is not made up about the project and Thursday's hearing was an attempt to get input from residents. Although Corroon gave Boardwalk the go-ahead to draw up a design, he has not yet decided if the project will be pursued.

"He is not even close to reaching a decision like that, "Willmore said.

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