In July, the grounds of the Ahwatukee Lakes Golf Course were suffering after the water was turned off, resulting in brown and dying grass.
A proposed ordinance that would impose new rules on owners of blighted golf courses will be discussed at a public meeting at Phoenix city hall Tuesday. The measure comes up as a neighborhood group tries to save a golf course in Ahwatukee.
The proposal aims to prevent eyesores and among other things it would require golf course owners who close their property to water the grass, maintain the course and install fencing for no more than one year.
It was introduced after a neighborhood group formed to keep Ahwatukee Lakes golf course open when it closed about a year ago. Spokesman Ben Holt said the course’s owner sent him a letter that says he plans to remove his fencing and drain the lakes.
“There are a lot of people who have some feelings about the wildlife that use these ponds…ducks, egrets, and of course turtles and fish and all the other things” Holt said.
The owner of Ahwatukee Lakes said in the letter he’s losing money on the golf course and he’s working with Pulte Homes for future development at the site.