October 5, 2006

Country club receives development offer to build
adult living community on golf course

By Ali Abdollahi
Special to the Times

Members of the Almaden Golf and Country Club may soon be asked to vote on whether to accept an offer to develop part of the club’s golf course into an active adult community.

Groundskeepers work to maintain the golf course at the Almaden Golf and Country Club. The club recently received an offer from Standard Pacific Homes to develop 50 acres of the course into an adult living community. Photo by Ali Abdollahi

The offer, made recently by Standard Pacific Homes, proposes to develop approximately 50 of the club’s 126 acres into a new adult living community, according to Steve Delva, Standard Pacific Homes South Bay division president.

Though club members have received letters asking if they would like the board of directors to pursue the offer, there appears to be a split among the board itself on whether to pursue development options. “There seems to now be a broader question among the board members, triggered by the Standard Pacific offer, of whether or not they wish to develop part of the country club into homes,” said Jonathan Noble, chief of staff for San Jose Vice Mayor Cindy Chavez, who was asked to attend a recent board meeting.

Chavez’ office is representing the city in the development because Councilmember Nancy Pyle was recused by the city attorney from involvement in the matter based on a possible conflict of interest, since Pyle lives within 300 yards of the proposed development.

According to Delva, Standard Pacific has offered all 400 of the club’s full-equity members $200,000 for their memberships, though the current value of the memberships is approximately $50,000. Delva said he expects the club membership to vote on the matter in mid-October.

Community concern
Prior to being privatized by the Del Webb Corporation in 1968, the Almaden Golf and Country Club was developed during the 1950s and 1960s largely in an effort to attract property buyers to the area. The scenic golf course has remained virtually unchanged from its original design of over a half-century ago.

The recent proposal to develop housing on the longstanding course has raised concerns from some local residents regarding how the development may alter their property value and standard of living.

“I have serious reservations about this project, as I would about any project that seeks to take away public amenities,” said Chavez in response to resident’s concerns. “Though the golf course is privately owned, the proposal still seeks to remove open space from the community.”

In response to public concerns over the loss of open space, and how that may effect the standard of living for local residents, Delva said, “The development that would occur would be set back a minimum of 100 feet from all existing property. Also, beyond (the proposed 50-acre development), the balance of the course would be maintained in its current state.”

Despite assertions that the proposed development would leave the majority of the course intact, Chavez maintains that the substantial loss of open space may still be more than the community is willing to give up.

“I’m concerned about the residents of [the Almaden] area who bought homes there, and paid certain prices for those homes based on the area’s lifestyle and surroundings,” said Chavez. “The development of new homes in that open space would have a dramatic impact on the area, and could have a very negative effect on the quality of life for those residents.Quality of life issues are very important to the people of San Jose.”