It's birds vs. birdies at Bayfront Park

GOLF COURSE, FIELDS CONSIDERED FOR LAND

By HongDao Nguyen, Mercury News
Sunday, October 30, 2005

Each week, Eliza Thomas strolls through Bayfront Park singing Bob Marley tunes with her friends, surrounded by wide open land, Cooper's hawks, Canada geese and snowy egrets.

But on Tuesday the Menlo Park City Council will consider a pair of controversial proposals that have nature lovers, weekend athletes and city leaders grappling with plans to transform a part of the city's 160-acre property into putting greens and soccer fields.

The city's favored project, pitched by Highlands Golf of Buena Park, is to build an 18-hole executive golf course, two lighted soccer fields and a lighted baseball field on the property -- all on the developer's dime.

City officials and residents say Menlo Park desperately needs more playing space for soccer, Pop Warner football and lacrosse. Coupled with a golf facility, it could serve thousands of people instead of the hundreds the city counts nowadays.

Even though the golf industry is going through a downturn, developers said Bayfront is the perfect place to build a course.

But the parkland, at Marsh Road and Highway 84, is a haven for area residents to take in sweeping views of salt ponds, the Dumbarton and San Mateo bridges and the expansive bay from the hilltops. It's a serene getaway from the bustle of activity -- and dozens of parkgoers want it to stay that way.

Menlo Park 's bay shore hasn't always been a destination.

From 1957 to 1984, the property was used as a trash dump for Menlo Park , Belmont , Redwood City and Woodside. Two years before it closed, the city began developing the dump into a park.

It's costly to keep up a closed landfill: Although a garbage rate increase passed in 2003 covers the landfill maintenance costs, each year $187,000 is budgeted from a separate Bayfront Park fund to pay for expenses, including a ranger to patrol the property.

As of July 1, $1.6 million was left in the pool of money.

For years, the city has looked into other ways to cover maintenance costs. In 2004, it chose a developer to build soccer and baseball fields, but the two couldn't agree on how to pay for the project.

This year, the council parceled out $250,000 to look into other ventures.

What stood out was Highlands Golf's proposal -- to build a 75-acre, 18-hole executive golf course, driving range and sports fields.

A major selling point is that the company is offering to pay for consultants' fees, environmental reviews and construction costs of the course and sports fields, which would be built on wetland areas and require mitigation. What it will cost still isn't clear.

The other proposal, from Pate International of San Francisco, is for a 45-acre combination driving range and golf course, said Dwight Pate, the chief executive officer of the company.

The city would have to pay for half of the environmental review and sports fields aren't a part of that proposal.

Contact HongDao Nguyen at hnguyen@mercurynews.com or call (650) 688-7581.