PGA Village foes face referendum deadline

Golf Course News, Jun 2002 by Rice, Derek

SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Opponents of the proposed PGA Village here were disappointed by the City Council's 9-- 2 decision to approve a deal with Austin-based Lumbermen's Investment Corp. to build the resort on land that drains into the Edwards Aquifer, the city's sole source of water.

Hours after the April 5 decision, a coalition of groups that oppose the plan began scrambling to obtain the 68,023 signatures that would be necessary to put the issue to citywide referendum. Under the city's charter the groups had 40 days, or until May 13 to obtain those signatures, although the interpretation of the charter is open to debate.

"There are a number of different interpretations about what that date means," said Enrique Valdivia, a spokesman for the Smart Growth Coalition. "We've been assuming we need to have that threshold number at that time."

However, the groups could have as much as 65 days, or until June 7, to come up with the total number, provided some signatures are submitted by May 13. At press time, Valdivia said he was optimistic that the issue would be put to referendum.

"It's going to be tough, but I think it can be done," he said. "It's not impossible."

The groups' opposition is two-- fold. Because the proposed site sits atop the aquifer recharge zone, which is where additional water from sources like rain and runoff re-enters the aquifer, there is concern that chemicals from the golf course could find their way into the city's drinking water.

However, that hasn't been the main sticking point, Valdivia said. What has rankled a lot of people is the city's creation of a special tax district for the property. According to Valdivia, that makes public funds available to Lumbermen's for the project, to the tune of more than $50 million.

"That area of San Antonio is booming and has seen a lot of development over the last 20 years," Valdivia said. "The notion that you need to offer someone an incentive to build there is pretty counter-intuitive."

On the tax issue, the city's hands may be tied. Under state law, the city had to approve the special tax district that will allow Lumbermen's to recoup money for roads, water, sewer and other improvements to the land.

While some have argued that San Antonio doesn't have the demand to support another golf course (see story on page 14), Valdivia said his group doesn't think that argument is relevant.

"The PGA would be the creme de la creme of golf courses nationally," he said. "Before we reached this point, a number of us felt that we don't want to be put in a position to say we don't want the PGA. It's really a concern that we don't want the PGA over our recharge zone."

The planned resort will include three golf courses, two luxury hotels and more than 3,000 residential sites. A spokesperson for Lumbermen's was not available for comments.