Sinaloa Park expansion gets OK from neighborhood councils

$19-MILLION PROJECT—An aerial view of the plans for the Sinaloa Park expansion. Courtesy Hogle-Ireland, Inc Not in my backyard.

That’s what residents who live closest to Sinaloa Golf Course on Madera Road are saying about the proposal to revamp and expand the course to include three 18-hole miniature golf courses modeled after national parks.

To them, the design may look good on paper, but it’s in a terrible location.

“I think it’s a great idea but not the right place to put it,” said Simi resident Mark Griffith. “If you drop it in somebody’s neighborhood, it is not going to be an enhancement.”

Starting early this month, the proposal—which has been met with stiff resistance since it was first unveiled in late 2006—was presented to each of the city’s four neighborhood councils for input that will be directed to the planning commission.

All four executive councils recommended that the commission approve the project as submitted.

While the proposal has slowly gained more citizen support over the past two years—especially after the most contentious elements were removed, including an arcade, water slides and a splash pad—those who live in the communities immediately surrounding the golf course are still not sold on the project.

“I’m going to be looking at Mt. Rushmore,” said Jason Dickson, who lives in the Laurelwood Vista Heights community of Wood Ranch. “I have a 2½-year-old. I want my peace and quiet. I live in Simi Valley for a reason. If I wanted this, I’d live over the hill. If I wanted this, I wouldn’t have paid so much for my upside-down home.”

The Feb. 4 presentation before Neighborhood Council No. 1, which represents the part of town where the golf course is located, had by far the largest turnout. The more than 20 residents who spoke at the meeting were evenly split for and against the project.

However, the neighborhood council’s vote taken at the end revealed lingering opposition, particularly from those who live in the unincorporated area just east of the project: Sinaloa Lake.

Residents are concerned about a number of issues, including traffic, parking, noise, views, safety, hours of operation and financing.

With a total cost estimated at $18.8 million, the first phase of the three-stage project would be paid for with cash through the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District’s Golf Enterprise Fund, which taps profits from the Simi Hills and Sinaloa golf courses.

Paul Ireland, president of Hogle-Ireland, Inc., the consulting firm hired by the park district, said several studies were conducted to address each issue brought up by the community and changes were made to minimize the project’s impacts.

Buildings were moved, landscape buffers were increased, additional security fencing and cameras were added, and some decorative materials were removed.

In addition, traffic improvements would be made on Madera Road, Irvine Road and Country Club Drive East to handle the additional traffic generated by the project, Ireland said. And there will be a “generous parking surplus.”

Still, Ireland knows that some will never be pleased with the project.

“We know at the end of the day there will be a few critics of the plan . . . but one of the principles of moving forward with this plan is we wanted everyone to have a say,” he told those at the Neighborhood Council No. 1 meeting.

One concern voiced many times by residents at the meeting is the availability of alcohol on site. Those against the project say alcohol doesn’t belong at a familyoriented establishment and they are worried young kids could get their hands on it.

But Ireland said that wouldn’t happen.

“I think there are enough eyes on miniature golf and enough provisions in place that the right folks will be the ones to have access to beer and wine.”

Alcohol would be offered in the clubhouse and on the outdoor patio as well as in the community room or the plaza square for special events, such as weddings.

Beer and wine would also be available on the nine-hole golf course and an alcohol permit could be acquired for the two reservable picnic pavilions.

No alcohol would be allowed in the miniature golf course area.

Ireland said alcohol is a necessary component of the project because there’s a cultural expectation that beer or wine will be served at a golf course or any special event on site. The park district also has a history of selling alcohol at its other facilities, including Simi Hills, he said.

A second concern, voiced by those who live in Sinaloa Lake, is that the project poses a liability to homeowners since the golf course is in a flood zone and the Sinaloa Lake Dam runs along the immediate eastern end of the project.

But Ireland said it’s a “non-issue,” that the project wouldn’t affect the safety of the area since it doesn’t change the fact that the golf course is in an inundation area.

“There aren’t safety issues lying out there that are going to come back and bite us. They’ve all been addressed,” he said.

The counterpoint to these concerns is that Sinaloa Park is something the community needs. Supporters say Simi’s youth need places to play that don’t require parents to drive out of the city.

“I applaud the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District for their goal to provide Simi Valley with new and exciting recreational venues, and I think it’s about time,” said Dan Gesell of Wood Ranch.

Resident Jeff Bay agreed.

“If you stop and ask a kid what is there to do in this city, they’ll say almost nothing . . . they really don’t have much to do here,” Bay said. “This seems to be the perfect solution.”

The proposal is tentatively scheduled to go before the planning commission at the end of April.

For more information on the project, visit www.sinaloapark .com or www.sinaloapark.info.