Golf Course Meeting Notes from May 13, 2013

Proposed Sale of Dreamland Villa Golf Course-Notes from meeting May 13, 2013
By Gene Tuttle (resident attendee)

Monday evening, May 13, 2013 an informational meeting was held to a standing-room-only crowd of concerned residents regarding the proposed sale of the Dreamland Villa Golf Course. This proposal is by William Lyon Homes and the property is in escrow, but the purchase is not complete. It is proposed that 240 units would be built on 30 acres, which is presently the Dreamland Villa Golf Course. (The golf course is privately owned and is not officially part of Dreamland Villa.) If this proposal is approved by the Mesa City Counsel, the property would be converted into two story homes surrounded by a 6 to 8 foot masonry wall. Those in attendance at the meeting were told that the property was annexed to Mesa in 2009 and zoned as residential. The project will be at least two years in the planning stage. Those at the meeting were told that if this current project was not approved that other developers would be bidding to build in the area.
The current proposal would be a family subdivision, not age restricted. The developers are planning to build three bedroom homes with access off Albany Street with eight housing units per acre at a price of at least $200,000 per home. It would have a grass “tot lot”, swimming pool complex in the center. The developer said it would be like the Lyon’s Gate subdivision presently located at Ray and Higley Roads, however that land area is not a good comparison as it is a much larger land area situated on two sides of Higley Road. The proposed homes in this thirty acre site would be approximately between 1600 an 1800 square feet with a two car garages. There would be  one  access  street running in a loop through the project. Cars that park on the streets would hinder the traffic flow considerably.

The 240 units would have a potential of 1440 residents if each is a family with four children. Two cars to a home would mean 480 cars in and out each day, but if 100 of the home owners have a teenager with a car, as well, it would be nearly 600 cars a day in and out of the subdivision using Albany Street.  School busses would be in and out of the area, as well. Those in attendance asked if there could be fewer units constructed and were told that the developer needed the higher revenues.

Individuals are encouraged to attend informational meetings which will be held in the future, including the Mesa Planning and Zoning Committee meeting which will have power to grant approval for the project. It is a concern that the current residents are in the county, and by having this property annexed into the city of Mesa, the residents may be denied the power of their influence on this proposal. Those in attendance at the meeting Monday evening expressed the feeling that the land should be developed as an age-restricted property much like the properties surrounding it. The developer said that would not happen because they plan to sell to young families.