LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Tuesday the Lakeport City Council gave its support to a concept that would place an 18-hole disc golf course at the city's Westside Community Park.
Public Works Superintendent Doug Grider took the proposal – put forward by the Lake County Disc Golf Club – to the council. His presentation begins at the 28:30 minute mark in the video above.
The concept proposes an 18-hole disc golf course, with the possibility of 27 holes, in the third phase of Westside Park.
Volunteers from the disc golf club would do the installation and be responsible for ongoing maintenance of the holes, and would work closely with the Westside Community Park Committee, according to Grider's written report, which – along with the proposal from the group – can be seen in the staff report below, pages 86 to 99.
“The installation would include the construction of tees and the installation of signs and baskets. With exception of a few low-growing tree limbs near the tees and baskets, no foliage would need to be planted or removed,” the report explained.
Grider said there would be no cost to the city, with the course to be funded by the Lake County Disc Golf Club and donations from local businesses.
The club also would provide upkeep such as emptying trash cans, would cover the cost of a portable restroom and provide liability insurance upon entering into a lease agreement with the city, Grider reported.
Grider said overall maintenance is expected to be minimal – it would mostly involve mowing the course once a year.
The group, Grider told the council Tuesday evening, also has an agreement with the county of Lake for the disc golf course facility at Highland Springs.
He pointed out that the sport has been in the Lake County area for many years. Grider said he went out and played it with his children. “It was great fun.”
That experience caused him to become interested in offering a course in Lakeport. “It's something that anyone can play – any age group,” plus it's good exercise, he said.
The disc golf course would open up opportunities for the general community, said Grider.
Grider said the disc golf club gave the Lakeport Parks And Recreation Commission a presentation on the proposed course on April 2. The commission voted at that same meeting to unanimously recommend that the city council pursue the disc golf course plan.
He was hoping for a vote from council so they can move forward on the plans.
With there being no cost to the city, and no fees for the public to play, “I think that's a win-win for everybody,” Grider said.
Councilman Kenny Parlet said he's also played and enjoyed the sport, and like Grider pointed out that the average person can play it.
His main concerns revolved around course design. Parlet said he's played bad courses, but pointed to the Highland Springs course as being a great one. The proposed Lakeport course's close proximity to restaurants and shopping also could benefit local businesses.
“It's a great sport for all ages,” Parlet said.
Councilman Marc Spillman pointed out that the Westside Community Park Committee has other plans for the area where the course would be located.
Grider said the course would have to shrink as the master plan develops, explaining that staff had told the disc golf club about those other plans in the future. “They fully understand that.”
Councilwoman Stacey Mattina asked when it could be ready. Members of the club who were on hand said they have tournaments coming up but believed that the course could be installed by the fall.
“This is a very important place for disc golf,” Jim Goetz, president of the Basket Cases, a local disc golf club, told the council.
He explained that Ed Headrick – known as the father of disc golf as well as the designer of the modern Frisbee – lived in Lakeport at one time and put in the Highland Springs course.
Goetz said another course has been put in at the Black Rock Golf Course – formerly known as Rob Roy on Cobb Mountain and now owned by the Moore family – with the disc course baskets also to be installed in an area at Buckingham Golf Course.
The course proposed at Westside Park will be designed for all skill levels, Goetz said. “We really want it to be a community course.”
He said they hold a lot of tournaments locally. “It just brings in a lot of people from out of town.”
Goetz claimed disc golf is the fastest growing sport in the country.
Mayor Martin Scheel said it was a great idea, and pointed out that the Lakeport Unified School District also has a small course set up for students.
Scheel suggested that with some creativity a limited course could remain at the park even after the future improvements in phase three take place.
“I definitely think we should work to keep it there,” Scheel said.
Parlet moved to approve the concept and directed staff to work on a contract with the Lake County Disc Golf Club. Spillman seconded and the council voted 5-0.
In other business on Tuesday night, the council held a brief public hearing after which it unanimously approved a negative declaration and zone change based on an initial study and environmental review plus a rezone from major retail to public and civic uses for the new Lakeport Police headquarters at 2025 S. Main St.
In order to participate in its third annual National Night Out event on Tuesday, Aug. 5 – which will be held at the new police headquarters – the council agreed to cancel its meeting that night.
City Manager Margaret Silveira said the previous two National Night Out events in Lakeport have been very successful.
The council received a presentation on making the Berryessa Snow Mountain Region and approved a resolution supporting making the region a national monument, and gave unanimous consent to the adoption of a proposed resolution opting to affirm an exemption from the requirements of AB 1826, which requires mandatory commercial organics recycling.
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