Douglas County commissioners approve Twin Oaks Golf expansion despite floodplain and pesticide concerns

The Board of Douglas County Commissioners on July 9 approved site plan SP 25-19 for improvements to Twin Oaks Golf Facility at 1326 East 1900 Road, voting 5-0 to accept staff findings and impose conditions listed in the staff report.

The application authorizes demolition of three deteriorated structures, construction of a new clubhouse with under-roof driving tee boxes and an on-site restaurant, and expansion of parking along the west side of the property. County planner Mary Miller told commissioners the applicant obtained a FEMA letter of map revision that removed the proposed clubhouse location from the regulated floodplain.

The site drew sustained public comment at the meeting from nearby residents and local environmental groups who raised two main concerns: (1) that removing land from a mapped floodplain could reduce a river corridor—s ability to absorb high flows, and (2) that routine golf-course pesticide and fertilizer use could degrade water quality in the Wakarusa River and on-site oxbow wetlands. Melinda Ball of the Save the Wakarusa River Valley said encroaching into floodplains is ‘‘not a good idea’’ and urged stronger protections. Michael Hallman, representing a group with similar concerns, described the site as connected to multiple sub-watersheds and said chemicals from turf maintenance ‘‘routinely leach into the shallow groundwater.’’

The applicant and property owner responded that the project is primarily a facilities upgrade and parking expansion. Developer Brandon Yates said the plan is meant to preserve and improve the existing golf operation and argued the course—s day-to-day use will not change. During public reply he said, "nothing with respect to the golf courses is changing," and described the work as tearing down dilapidated buildings and replacing them with a single rebuilt clubhouse and expanded parking. Owner-operator James F. Burey Jr. (who goes by Jeff) and program leaders including Matthew Vogt, president of the Cobb Valley Junior Golf Program, spoke in favor of the project and its value to local school and youth programs.

Staff explained technical steps taken on floodplain issues: the applicant submitted a FEMA letter of map revision as part of the permit materials; zoning and codes staff, who include certified floodplain managers, review floodplain development permits. Planner Mary Miller said the letter was provided by FEMA and accepted as part of the county—s application review.

Commissioners noted the property is zoned rural tourism, a zoning designation the county said places limits on future uses and is intended to reduce the risk of larger commercial rezoning. Commissioner Dorsey pulled the consent item for discussion, asked staff and the applicant questions about the scope of changes and the FEMA map revision, and ultimately supported the motion. The motion to approve was moved and seconded on the record and passed unanimously, 5-0, with the chair calling for conditions 1, 2 and 3 (including parts a—d) from the staff report.

The approval is limited to the site-plan modifications described in the staff packet; staff and the applicant said the county—s open-space plan is a voluntary program for willing landowners and does not automatically restrict activity on parcels already zoned and permitted for the proposed use.

The commission did not specify further mitigation measures for pesticide use in the staff motion; several public commenters asked the county to require or study specific chemical-use practices and off-site runoff controls prior to construction. Ellen Johnson suggested the county request details from the party that will maintain the turf about what chemicals would be used and how much could reach the drinking water supply. Those measures were not listed in the motion recorded at the meeting.

The Twin Oaks project will proceed under the conditions attached to site plan SP 25-19 and any additional county permitting requirements; the staff report and permit conditions provide the next steps for the applicant and county reviewers. Public commenters and local youth program leaders said they expect the upgraded facility to be used by area schools and junior golf programs if construction proceeds as planned.