The city of Garland recently hired a consulting team to evaluate the potential uses of the Eastern Hills Country Club site and to work with the stakeholders to find a suitable use for the property. The consultants reported their progress at the August 17 Garland City Council work session.
Don Plunk, president of Henry S. Miller Development, who wishes to purchase the property from current owner Victor Ballas, has been involved in the process which has included meetings, interviews and other fact-finding activities.
The 178-acre country club and golf course opened in 1954 and closed in 2013. The Dallas County Appraisal District valuation is $4.05 million.
There have been code compliance issues at the property since its closure and a 2014 evaluation showed that the clubhouse and outbuildings were in poor condition. The pool also needs repair to meet code requirements and there are Americans with Disabilities Act compliance issues.
Meetings between the consultant team and stakeholders revealed that Eastern Hills neighborhood property owners are concerned about how development would impact property values, safety, traffic, preservation of natural areas and the preservation of the current Eastern Hills “brand.”
Three development scenarios have been suggested: Use the property for up to 80 homes with large lots; a development including 550 homes; and development of “The Preserve at Eastern Hills” which would include no homes, but would offer community venues such as an event center, a restaurant, workshop space, farmers market and a small golf course.
The consultants do not feel that there would be sufficient interest in homes on large lots.
The “Preserve at Eastern Hills” proposal meets many of the objectives set forth by the consultants, but there are concerns about the economic feasibility.
The proposal for adding 550 homes met profitability concerns, but not other objectives set by the consultants, including community compatibility and creating something that would enhance the identity of South Garland.
The consultants told council that all of the scenarios include negatives and positives and that none of them “took advantage of the unique opportunity that exists by virtue of the property’s location and history.”
Friends of South Garland, who presented the idea of the “Preserve at Eastern Hills,” said that they can make it profitable.
Jerry Reynolds, a member of the friends organization, said that it is more important than making a profit.
“It’s about preserving the most beautiful piece of property that is left in Dallas County. It’s about saving our home values,” he said. “It’s about not putting an additional 5,400 cars a day on Country Club Drive. Primarily, we want Eastern Hills to be Eastern Hills, not 550 substandard homes.”
Reynolds also said that a good destination like the preserve would revive South Garland by bringing in more good businesses.
“Our hope all along was that the city council would back the citizens of Eastern Hills and South Garland by not changing the zoning” he said.
Plunk pointed out that when the country club filed for bankruptcy and was listed with a trustee, there were eight offers to buy it and none were from the Friends of South Garland.
He said that Henry S. Miller Development had engaged a property analysis firm that concluded that people want small lots and smaller houses, which is what he is proposing with the 550 house development.
Plunk also told council that the development being proposed by Friends of South Garland would not succeed because numerous golf courses nationwide are closing.
Meetings to find a compromise have not worked to date, but all interested groups are open to try again.