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Independence, MO —
The Independence School District had negotiated possibly buying the former Rockwood Golf Course property for use toward a future elementary school and as practice space for high school golf teams, City Council members said Monday night.
That information came as news to a group of Rockwood’s neighbors who gathered for a town hall meeting last Thursday night at Korte Elementary School and who also attended Monday’s council meeting.
“(The school district) was in serious negotiations for this property, and when this process came forward, the owners of the property withdrew,” At-Large Council Member Jim Schultz said, based on his conversations with Independence School District Superintendent Jim Hinson. “I’m telling you that’s true – I know that for a fact. I’m hoping you didn’t know that before all of this started. They’ve withdrawn their offer, and the city is in a position now where it looks like we’re doing the wrong thing, but it’s just not true.”
About 200 people attended that meeting last week, and District 4 Council Member Eileen Weir said she appreciates those residents – many of whom have lived in the western Independence neighborhood for decades – who took the time to share their ideas.
“I don’t think this process is to be blamed for a deal, maybe, getting off track,” said Weir, whose represented area includes Rockwood. “Citizens who want to get together to discuss the future of their neighborhood have every right to do so. ...When these decisions come before this body or another body, then it’s your right to contact those people, come to public meetings and state your own opinion and influence those decisions that are made.”
In late May, Independence attorney and Rockwood neighbor Patrick Cierpiot distributed fliers and organized a town hall meeting about the 91-acre, 18-hole golf course’s current state and its future. The course at Hardy Avenue and Westport Road has a listing price of $900,000, but Cierpiot said he’s been told the price has dropped to $575,000 most recently.
District 1 Council Marcie Gragg served on the Planning Commission in 2005 when a proposal came forward to turn the golf course into hundreds of homes. The Planning Commission ultimately rejected the proposal, and Rockwood continued operating as a golf course for several years. Earlier this spring, neighbors began noticing that the property wasn’t in use and that its maintenance was starting to slip.
The Independence School District had negotiated possibly buying the former Rockwood Golf Course property for use toward a future elementary school and as practice space for high school golf teams, City Council members said Monday night.
That information came as news to a group of Rockwood’s neighbors who gathered for a town hall meeting last Thursday night at Korte Elementary School and who also attended Monday’s council meeting.
“(The school district) was in serious negotiations for this property, and when this process came forward, the owners of the property withdrew,” At-Large Council Member Jim Schultz said, based on his conversations with Independence School District Superintendent Jim Hinson. “I’m telling you that’s true – I know that for a fact. I’m hoping you didn’t know that before all of this started. They’ve withdrawn their offer, and the city is in a position now where it looks like we’re doing the wrong thing, but it’s just not true.”
About 200 people attended that meeting last week, and District 4 Council Member Eileen Weir said she appreciates those residents – many of whom have lived in the western Independence neighborhood for decades – who took the time to share their ideas.
“I don’t think this process is to be blamed for a deal, maybe, getting off track,” said Weir, whose represented area includes Rockwood. “Citizens who want to get together to discuss the future of their neighborhood have every right to do so. ...When these decisions come before this body or another body, then it’s your right to contact those people, come to public meetings and state your own opinion and influence those decisions that are made.”
In late May, Independence attorney and Rockwood neighbor Patrick Cierpiot distributed fliers and organized a town hall meeting about the 91-acre, 18-hole golf course’s current state and its future. The course at Hardy Avenue and Westport Road has a listing price of $900,000, but Cierpiot said he’s been told the price has dropped to $575,000 most recently.
District 1 Council Marcie Gragg served on the Planning Commission in 2005 when a proposal came forward to turn the golf course into hundreds of homes. The Planning Commission ultimately rejected the proposal, and Rockwood continued operating as a golf course for several years. Earlier this spring, neighbors began noticing that the property wasn’t in use and that its maintenance was starting to slip.
The same planning and zoning conditions are in place now, Gragg said, as then, to keep the property from becoming high-density residential overnight.
“There isn’t a sense of urgency to do anything right away,” she said. “The zoning that is in place on that property protects the integrity of it.”
Gragg also said she had talked with Hinson about the school district possibly buying Rockwood, as the school district will still need additional space after the new eastern and western Independence elementary schools open. The school district had looked a price lower than $575,000 for the property, Gragg said.
To her knowledge, she said, those negotiations aren’t in jeopardy because of the town hall discussions. Conversations like the one about the school district possibly purchasing Rockwood don’t come out to the public, Gragg explained, because real estate talks by public bodies can take place in executive session under the Missouri Sunshine Law.
“I certainly hope that we can get that back on track,” Gragg said. “... I think that seems to be a wonderful piece of property to put another elementary school.”
Attempts to reach the course’s last manager/operator – KemperSports Management – or The Land Source (the property’s real estate brokerage company) for comment have been unsuccessful. KemperSports’ website still lists Rockwood among its golf courses on its website.
District 2 Curt Dougherty, concerned with the low sale price of Rockwood, made a motion Monday evening for the council to approve a resolution for the city to “make every effort” to negotiate and secure the Rockwood property “at the best possible price,” seeking public-private partnerships to retain it as a public golf course. That motion failed, with Dougherty and Weir in favor and Schultz, Gragg and Mayor Don Reimal opposed. District 3 Council Member Myron Paris and At-Large Council Member Lucy Young were absent.
“It has a piece of history, and I don’t want that lost,” Dougherty said in reference to Harry Truman’s membership to Rockwood in its heyday. “… It’s the jewel over there.”
Dougherty made another motion for the council to meet in executive session to discuss the leasing, purchase or sale of real estate, and that received unanimous support. The closed session will take place prior to next Monday’s study session.
Until the future of Rockwood is settled, Weir said the property remains among her top concerns as a council member.
“I’ll reiterate what I said on Thursday night: This is a top priority for me, to preserve this space for beneficial use in the neighborhood and to uphold the quality of neighborhood,” Weir said. “… I don’t think that there is a developer waiting in the wings, but I do think that it is a threat to the neighborhood the way it stands and that we should discuss this land, potentially secure it and protect it from its vulnerable state that it’s in right now.”
