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Time for dialogue on golf course

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StoneRidge Country Club owner Michael Schlesinger seems to be keeping his cards close to his chest regarding the future the Poway golf course and its related facilities.

Does he plan to keep the course open? Does he want to sell all or part of it to the city? Is his ultimate goal to close the course on build homes on it?

He’s not talking, and that’s upsetting to both club members and owners of homes and condos that border the course. A group of them have organized into “Save StoneRidge” and will be holding a Sunday, June 5 public forum on what do to about the situation.

Based on his track record with several other golf courses he owns, including the now-closed Escondido Country Club, it’s a good guess that Schlesinger’s main focus is to figure out a way to build homes. But to do so, he’ll need to overcome a significant obstacle: Poway’s Proposition FF. The golf course is zoned for open space-recreational use. Voter approval would be needed to build homes there. He would also need a General Plan amendment and zoning change — both somewhat time-consuming processes requiring City Council approval.

Save StoneRidge’s stated initial purpose is to help Schlesinger find ways to keep the course open. Its spokesman this week said that he knew of two serious efforts by investment groups to purchase the course, but that Schlesinger failed to respond to either try. Club members say they think there’s a way to make the operation profitable and want to speak directly to Schlesinger about the future. If only he would respond.

The June 5 forum could be a start. We would encourage Schlesinger to drive down from Beverly Hills and make an appearance. We would also encourage him to be forthcoming about his vision for the property, even if means saying he’s not sure. For club members and homeowners, hearing directly from him is far preferable to depending on rumors that are flying around faster than a solid tee shot.

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