IN NEED OF REPAIR— Simi Hills Golf Course Fairway 11 shows the ravages of the 2003 fire and the two relentless rainy seasons that followed. Storm erosion prompted further damage by broken sprinkler systems on many fairways throughout the course. The Park District’s goal is to have the course repaired and pristine by midsummer 2006. The Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District recently approved sending out to bid a $421,000 repair project for the Simi Hills Golf Course.

Charred hillsides from the 2003 fire set the stage for the storms that soaked the area from January 2004 to February 2005. The one-two punch of nature eroded landscaping and damaged the sprinkler systems.

For example, storm water eroded a meandering creek in fairways 11 and 12 into a 4-footdeep, 60-foot-wide gully.

“That’s what I consider an additional hazard to the fairways,” said Wayne Nakaoka, development supervisor for the park district. “(Golfers) just have to play around that gully, which makes it a little tougher.”

The storms didn’t cause large structural damage, and golfers can play a complete round on the course, Nakaoka said.

The repair project also will incorporate measures to prevent similar damage from occurring in the future. The project is expected to go out to bid on Jan. 9; work should begin in early March and take about five months to complete, Nakaoka said.

Part of the $420,860 repair tab is covered by a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

In related news, the owner of Lost Canyons Golf Club wants to close one of its two public golf courses to allow the construction of 364 homes and turn the entire club private.

Hillwood Capital submitted an application earlier this month to city hall to convert the 18-hole Shadow Course into property available for home development.

John McClure, the company’s vice president, said the city’s specific plan, with some adjustment, allows for home development at Lost Canyons. By making the prescreening application to the city, the company is asking for the city council’s input on the plan.

“What we don’t want to do is propose a plan the city doesn’t want,” said McClure.

Hillwood proposes having a gated community of 312 custombuilt homes and 54 smaller detached homes, called casitas, constructed on Shadow Course.

Sky Course would remain open but would become a membership-only club.

McClure said individual sites would be sold, and homeowners would select the architect, builder and style within predetermined guidelines set for the community.

City Councilmember Steve Sojka has already heard from some residents on the proposal. While some people are excited about it, others say it’s “taking an amenity from the community and giving it to the rich,” Sojka said.

He wants more input from residents, including non-golfers, the neighborhood council and the planning commission before making up his mind.

“I’d like to weigh the pros and cons,” Sojka said.

Earlier, Nakaoka said that Lost Canyons’ conversion into a membership-only club would benefit the park district, which owns Simi Hills and Sinaloa golf courses—the only other public golf courses.

“All the golfers that play there would have to find some where else to go,” he said.