Douglas County approves Twin Oaks site plan after public debate over floodplain and chemical runoff

The Board of Douglas County Commissioners approved site plan SP 25 19 for improvements to the Twin Oaks Golf Facility, 1326 East 1900 Road, by a 5-0 vote on July 9, 2025. The application proposes a larger clubhouse with covered driving tee boxes, a restaurant, and additional parking on the west side of the property. Mary Miller, city-county planner, told the commission the project had been rezoned to “rural tourism” in a prior action and that the applicant provided a FEMA letter of map revision moving the building footprint out of the mapped floodplain.

Why it matters: The golf course sits inside the Wakarusa River Valley corridor, an area the county is studying as part of its open-space planning. Residents and environmental advocates said expanding facilities and parking near the oxbow and river could increase risk to water quality and flood resilience. Supporters said the upgraded facility will serve local schools and youth golf programs and preserve recreational use of the parcel.

Miller summarized staff findings and the project history, saying, “they did do a rezoning a few years ago to the rural tourism,” and that the applicant “did a letter of map revision with FEMA, so they moved…out of the floodplain.” Developer Brandon Yates said the work will replace dilapidated buildings, expand parking, and create an all-weather covered driving area. “I think what we're trying to do is take a place that I think had really great bones and…make it something really special,” Yates said.

Public commenters split between support and opposition. James F. Burey Jr., the long-time owner-operator of Twin Oaks, said he “wholeheartedly endorse[s] this program this plan,” noting decades of local use by school and community teams. Local junior-golf organizer Matthew Vogt said programs in Eudora, Baldwin City and elsewhere rely on the site and supported keeping the facility in Douglas County.

Opponents raised two principal concerns: flood risk and chemical runoff from turf management. Melinda Ball, of Save the Wakarusa River Valley, said the map revision and development “is really the concern here” and warned that “removing… the doing the map revision is really the concern.” Michael Hallman, also with Save the Wakarusa River Valley, told commissioners that “per acre golf courses use more nitrate fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides than does intensive agriculture” and urged denial of the site plan. Adam Lang said expanding parking and buildings could set a precedent for further development near the river.

Responding to those comments, Yates said the application is limited to “expanding the parking lot to the north, and… tearing down 3 dilapidated buildings and building 1 new 1,” and that the golf course operations would remain as they have been for 35 years. Miller said staff do not challenge an approved FEMA letter of map revision: “If they give us a letter of map revision that FEMA has approved, we don't challenge that.” County staff also said zoning and codes has certified floodplain managers who review permits for floodplain development.

Commissioners and staff noted that the property is zoned rural tourism, which constrains allowable future uses. After discussion and public comment, a commissioner moved to approve the site plan “based on the findings presented in the staff report subject to the following conditions, 1, 2, 3 a through 3 d.” The motion was seconded and carried 5-0.

The vote approves the site plan as presented subject to the conditions cited in the motion; the transcript does not list the full text of those conditions. County officials said the project will move forward under the approved site plan and that further oversight or complaints about chemical use and water quality fall under state pesticide regulations and other agencies' purview. Commissioners encouraged continued public engagement as the county continues its broader Wakarusa River Valley study.

Court reporters/transcript: the commission opened discussion of Twin Oaks as part of the consent agenda pull and concluded with the 5-0 approval of SP 25 19.