Boulder City voters reject land sale

Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2004 | 8:24 a.m.

Boulder City voters on Tuesday rejected a proposed sale of city land that would have freed up millions of dollars to help pay off debt taken to build a city golf course.

Now, the city might be faced with dipping into its general fund to help pay off the loans taken to build the $22 million Boulder Creek Golf Club.

The proposed sale of about 45 acres on the northeast side of the golf course was opposed by 4,384 voters and supported by 3,928.

Mayor Bob Ferraro, who supported the sale, has warned that without the sale the city voters would be resigning themselves to annual city subsidies on the golf course loans.

Those opposed to the sale said they feared a large and dense development would be built on the land, and questioned whether the money from the land sale would be used for something other than the golf course debt.

The proposed land sale went to the voters because the City Charter requires that any sale of 1 acre or more of city-owned land be approved by the voters.

The written argument for passage of the ballot question said money from the sale would be used to help pay off $10 million in revenue bonds, which helped pay for the construction of the golf course, plus a $3.25 million loan used to purchase equipment. Any remaining money would be used to help pay off the $8 million loan from the city Utility Fund that went toward construction of the golf course.

City-commissioned studies of a sale show the city could expect $15 million to $17 million for the land, City Attorney Dave Olsen said.