Posted: 1/11/05
Commissioners view golf course, proposed development
By David Heiller
Argus News Editor
The snow-covered Valley High Golf Course in rural Houston saw a lot of action last Saturday morning.
The visitors were not golfers, but rather county officials and citizens concerned about a proposed 16-lot development there. Each lot would be about a half acre in size.
Members of the Houston County Planning Commission and Board of Adjustment were there to visualize the layout of the development by Coulee Region Management. It has met strong opposition by neighboring residents.
Board and commission members and two county commissioners asked questions of zoning administrator Bob Scanlan and environmental services director Rick Frank. They paced off lots, two of which seemed to encroach on greens in the front nine of the 18-hole course. And they heard a steady murmur of complaints from the group of about 30 citizens.
People first voiced opposition to the plan at a hearing before the planning commission to rezone the land from agricultural to residential on December 16. That rezoning is the first step in the building of the development. Preliminary and final plats would also need to be approved. Commissioners tabled the matter so that they could see it first-hand. It will come before them again on January 27.
The three member board of adjustment also tabled acting on a request to granted a feedlot variance for the development.
The golf course, which was built in about 1970, is located between Hokah and Houston on Highway 16. It already has dozens of houses to the north and east in a development known as Valley High Estates. Several homeowners on Saturday said they bought their homes assuming the golf course would remain as-is.
Larry Pupp said that he and others had aesthetic concerns about building houses along the course. He said their deeds referred to the land as residential/recreational. They also worried that additional homes would put a strain on their roads and wells.
Richard Carr said that the new houses would limit the playability of the golf course, and that they would lead to his ultimate fear of the course disappearing and filling with houses. ìThereís a lot of unknowns out here,î he said.
Jeff Norman, who sold the course last October to the three current owners, said he didnít discuss the courseís usage with them. Norman is opposed to the development because of how it would change the neighborhood. He feels it would not be possible for the course to remain a course with the proposed development because the houses would be too close to the greens and fairways. Norman bought the course from Mickey Meyer in 1999.
Jack Edwards, La Crosse, one of the owners of the property, told The Argus said he felt the development would be an asset and improvement to the area, and would make better use of the land. He felt it would increase the value of the neighboring homes, and said the new houses could be staggered so that they donít block anyone elseís view.
Jean Moen, who lives nearby, heard Edwardsí comments. She told him that she bought her home in 1990 seeking peace and solitude. She said she does not want a lot traffic.
Moen echoed the concerns expressed by Richard Carr that the entire front nine could become a housing development.
ìAt this time we have no intention of doing this, at this point in time,î Edwards said.
Edwards said he likes the area, and houses wouldnít sell without the course. But the owners want to capitalize on their investment, he told Moen several times.
The other two developers are Paul Schams of La Crosse and Bob Hemker of Winona.
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