As the sun sets on the once-bustling Shalimar Golf Club in Tempe, a local neighborhood grapples with the uncertainty and upheaval following the golf course’s closure at the end of April. The site, which has become an eyesore according to residents, may soon undergo a transformation into a housing development if the proposal receives city council approval. According to FOX 10 Phoenix, nearby residents are experiencing “brown, smelly, sad” conditions, with problems like a dried-up pond and the demise of its aquatic life.
Neighbors who once enjoyed the green vistas offered by the 9-hole course are now faced with the decay of the environment at their doorsteps. “It’s dying,” Kathleen Ross, a resident affected by the situation, told FOX 10, referring to the course and its wildlife. The stretch of once-pristine turf has turned into a source of odor so repugnant that families like the Rosses can no longer enjoy their outdoor spaces. Allan Ross noted, “The pond is completely dried up,” corroborating the distress the community feels.
The future of the property is a contended topic among residents and the developers looking to repurpose the space. A developer is actively seeking to rezone the land to construct 244 homes over an estimated span of two to three years, as reported by FOX 10 Phoenix. This development plan promises to bring in significant tax revenue annually. However, residents like Trudy Mussigman are concerned about the impact this development will have on their community. “It’s going to destroy the neighborhood,” Mussigman said, expressing a preference for the golf course or at the very least, less dense housing options. In an emotional appeal, she added, “I get it you’re trying to get the most money out of your investment, but you also have to think about the 106 homes that are surrounding your land.”…