Countryside Tree Grab

[Click Pictures to Enrage]

Over the past couple of weeks, Countryside Golf Course has lost a large amount of tree cover. The Roanoke Airport Commission has decided to clear their property of woody green vegetation. Sadly, the course has now been stripped.

The following nine pictures document the damage to the area adjacent to Lewiston Rd. I was disappointed the the family of Mallard ducks weren't hanging out in the acidic sawdust pond that was created after logging ended.

The following four pictures chronicle the view from the cul-de-sac of Cheraw Lake Rd.

The wooded areas adjacent to Frontage Road have taken the greatest hit. The whole stretch has been wiped out. Some of my favorite blackberry, raspberry, and cherry trees have been destroyed. In addition, no protection appears to have been given to the stream that runs through the cut zone.

Instead of topping or selectively clearing some of the larger trees from the area, the Airport Commission chose to clear all woody vegetation. The timing of this job is interesting.

~Newt

The Roanoker Magazine Article on Countryside

In the November/December issue of The Roanoker Elizabeth Parsons wrote an article "Countryside: A Bad Deal Gone Worse?" Parsons spent many hours, days, months compiling my FOIA information and interviewing developers and appraisers. None of which thought the city's grandiose idea of upscale development in good times or bad time was a good idea. Upscale housing in a fly zone. How in the world could anyone think that is a good idea? I will be posting soon on my website The Roanoke Free Press with the "Queen Darlene COMPLETE article as furnished courtesy of The Roanoker Magazine. They talk about Countryside in it.

Shifting Gears

Time marches on. I can't really remember when I began this blog. I think it was in April of 2007. However, my interest in Countryside Golf Course dates back 40 years. I've been writing about the course ever since I can remember. As the events of 2005 unfolded, I found myself becoming more vocal and pointed in my written thoughts. Those thoughts and feelings were the genesis of this blog. Over the past couple of years, this blog has been instrumental in focusing positive attention on the golf course and marshaling forces devoted to saving it.

Along the way, Valerie Garner became an integral part of this blog. She worked tirelessly as an advocate, watchdog, and director of this blog. Now she has electronically moved on to her new site:

The Roanoke Free Press

This site will feature the same detailed Countryside coverage as well as fascinating community oriented topics. I encourage all readers to mark down The Roanoke Free Press as the source of information regarding Countryside.

This blog will continue to operate as an archive. In addition, I may add my own content from time to time relating to the course and the efforts by some to dismantle it.

Countryside Golf Course is safe for now, but insecurity is only one budget battle away.

Thom Ryder

March 2 - Request For Proposal

According to Brian Townsend a RFP will come before Council that will offer a 10-year lease for the Countryside property. According to Friday's budget work session the money to fix up Countryside can come from the Parks & Recreation Master Plan that was adopted by Council for funding at $7 million a year for 5 years. The amount suggested was $3 million for Countryside. To balance the budget, however, the City Manager, Darlene Burcham and Sherman Stovall, Dir. of Management and Budget had the $7 million as an option to postpone one year as a way to cut this year. So it will be interesting to see what happens on March 2. Also deferred to out year(s) is funding planned for the new super library.

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The three Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) that were not in the pipeline were Countryside (funding suggested above), the Market building (funding potential from Economic & Community Development Reserve for a portion) - question: is this where the amphitheatre money sits?

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The third item is the potential Conference (Hotel Roanoke) Center expansion (part can come from Conference Center Commission Reserves).

A 60 Degree Day At Countryside!

What a day - the golfers came out of the woodwork or wherever they hibernate in the Winter.

Lone Golfer in 20 Degree Weather

Only Golfer Playing at Countryside

Stopped by to visit the lonely Countryside Manager and found one car and one die hard golfer. He must have received new clubs for Christmas to be so anxious to get out on the course in 20 degree weather.

On another note - Brian Townsend, Assistant Manager for Community Development said the request for proposal (RFP) for 10 years of operation would go out the end of February or first of March. I asked since the city is maxed out debt wise how would the City pay for the desparately needed maintenance. Townsend wavered but indicated that they would look for someone responding to the RFP to offer to pay for the immediate maintenance needed for the golf course. I remarked that it would take longer then 10 years to recoup 1.2 million dollars. Townsend just shrugged.

Airport Land Lease Costs City More - MUCH MORE

The previous lease of Roanoke Airport Authority land used for Countryside Golf Club fairways cost the previous owners and now the City of Roanoke $4800 a year. This was attached to the 40 year lease that originated in 1967 when the golf course was built. It actually increased slightly from an original $1000.

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As part of the deal to swap land with the airport to widen the Runway Protection Zone for runway 6 the Airport Commission agreed to a new 10-year lease AT THE COST OF $18,000 a year - a 375% increase!

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According to Brian Townsend, Assistant City Manager, the land was assessed by a rental appraiser. This is more than the City gets from the Meadowbrook Golf lease of $17,500 a year. So not only are they paying on the $4 million debt and losing real estate tax they are now losing $500 a year in this poorly negotiated transaction.

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Even at that Granger MacFarlane, Roanoke City's representative on the Airport Commission voted "NO" on the 10-year lease. MacFarlane said "that he felt that the Commission would rue the day when the decision was made to go from a 5 year lease to a 10 year lease on the golf course property and that he thinks the Commission's negotiation position was given up." Taken from the ROA Commission minutes of November 11th.