Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Access Golf Course topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Mayor pledges broad public engagement on Mount Ogden Golf Course after residents raise liability and access concerns
Summary
Residents warned the council that opening Mount Ogden Golf Course to broader public use could create liability and encampment risks; the mayor said the city will hold a broad community engagement process and postponed gate installation while replacing fence posts.
Residents urged caution about any plan to open Mount Ogden Golf Course to more public access, raising concerns about liability, homelessness and parking; the mayor responded that no final decision would be made without broad public engagement.
Laura Lewis, an Ogden resident, told the council she opposed turning the golf course into a mixed-use public area and warned that golfers could face lawsuits if they struck people or property. "If someone is hit or there's property damage, they go to the golfer first," Lewis said, urging the city to check legal exposure before changing access.
Lewis and other commenters also said opening the course could attract people seeking places to camp, increase foot and vehicle traffic on nearby trails, and worsen parking near the park and pickleball courts. She noted roughly 2,200 people had signed a petition wanting to walk the area but said many current walkers regard crossing the golf course as trespassing.
Mayor (name not provided) responded at length, saying the city has received mixed public input and would pursue a "really robust community engagement process" before making decisions. The mayor said fence posts along the park boundary have been set, but gates that would close access were not hung after officials halted installation pending further public input. "We are repairing the fence along the park ... the post got set. Sorry about that," the mayor said, adding the city would not proceed with closures or openings until more public engagement occurs.
Council members volunteered to help recruit Ben Lomond High School students for youth programs and to assist with outreach in specific neighborhoods; the mayor said staff had been engaging alternative stakeholders and would continue refining proposals.
No formal action was taken; council and staff described this as an ongoing review and public-engagement process with repairs to the park fence ordered and gates withheld pending further study.
