I got word this morning from my neighbor that Bob Garrison has proceeded with a meeting to get the county to buy the golf course and all its amenities.
Residents..... this may be a viable option, but it could also be the decline of Wedgefield home values and our community if we don't speak up and let our concerns be heard loud and clear.
First of all, why does Mr. Garrison feel its' his right to go ahead with this move without notifying homeowners, getting their feedback, and taking a vote on the matter? Does Mr. Garrison feel this empowered to make a decision this major without our input? It appears as if he believes he knows better than any of us. Isn't the Wedgefield community a democracy?
Let's look at the county idea more closely:
The pool. Is it big enough to meet municipal regulations? If not, what size pool will the county be putting in to accommodate the number of visitors coming to swim? Added to this is the number of bathrooms required to accommodate the number of people using the pool. Would this mean the area will be expanded to meet the needs? Will children be required to have supervision or will this be an alternative and cheap daycare situation for some parents? Will they be installing a playground around the pool which typically comes with municipal pools? This brings to question the noise level and just how many people will be on ground on a daily basis.
The Manor House. Who or what is going to occupy this property? Will it be public offices? If not exactly what are they going to use this house for?
Parking. Certainly there's not enough parking for "municipal" golf, pool, manor house, and recreation areas to park their vehicles. Will the county be expanding parking, where, and how will it have an impact on our ability to get in and out of the plantation with ease? Will the parking areas be monitored? Will the county provide security at the main gate to control the amount of people coming into the plantation?
Privacy. Combining a private community with municipal facilities seems to me to be an uninvited invasion of privacy? What guarantees do we have that our privacy will be maintained and the streets outside our homes won't become public roadways? Most important, how will the houses located near the municipal areas be impacted? How much privacy will they lose with the activities just across from their homes?
Will non residents see this move as an invitation to use the boat launch as their own free while inconveniencing residents of Wedgefield?
Maintenance. How much will the county budget to maintain this municipal park? Exactly what will be maintained and how? How will trash control be addressed?
The PUD. Will the county being a government entity have the power to overrule Wedgefield residents and break the PUD? Will the future bring about more public buildings being constructed on the outskirts of the golf course?
Security. Will the county be providing patrol cars throughout the plantation to keep us safe and to help maintain our privacy or are we on our own?
Will the county be closing its' municipal areas at night, what are their hours of operation, and how can we be guaranteed that these public areas will not be utilized at night by trespassers and we can sleep at night knowing people aren't wandering the grounds?
It's difficult to know if the board has taken any of these concerns into account since they don't communicate with residents.
I know that some residents were willing to help Mitch fund his "dream of owning a golf course." Perhaps these same folks will join others to advocate for the HOA to purchase the course and maintain it as our own "private" park/green space? The upside, after a couple of years, we would own the course and will never have to worry about its' questionable future again. The long term maintenance shouldn't be an unreasonable expense, mowing and occasional tree removal, perhaps volunteers to clean up after storms. If we all pitch in and take pride in our community it will be better than not having control over the situation... which WILL be our future if the county purchases the course. Home values could certainly RISE if houses were surrounded by PRIVATE green areas where you can ride your bike, jog, walk, fish, etc........ Think about it and ask questions.
Okay folks..... let your voice be heard whether you agree with this message or not. If you email the HOA, I recommend you cc a copy to Madelyn's blog so she can post your attempt and we as residents can hold the board accountable for responding appropriately. If you prefer to be anonymous you can ask Madelyn to post your concerns on her blog. But the bottom line is..... your opinion counts. Speak up.
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