Proposed Covenant Club Leaves Some Community Members Unsettled

Author: RSF Post

Date: November 19, 2015

As the Covenant Club’s feasibility phase is nearing its end, some members of the community remain unsettled with its progress. The RSF Homeowners Group, convened last June, stated it will oppose the Club if it does not meet the Group’s stated objectives.

The independent group has been monitoring the Covenant Club Design Subcommittee’s meetings for the past few months and will soon take a direct stance either for or against the Club.

The final design concept of the fitness center, located on the Golf and Tennis Club campus, is roughly 12,200 square feet with a combined resort and lap pool, approximately 300 parking spaces, and will be phased in to maintain 12 tennis courts.

“Most members of the RSF Homeowners Group agree that the Covenant Club, as proposed, does not meet the Group’s objectives set forth on its website,” RSF Homeowners Group Chairman, Tom Ault, told the RSF Post.

While the Golf and Tennis Clubs have provided input since the beginning of the process, some members have concerns with the final location and design.

Supporters of the Club argue a fitness/pool center will raise home values and encourage new families to move to the Ranch. Also, a new club might offset declining Golf and Tennis Club memberships.

Covenant Club Committee Chair and RSF Association Board member, Heather Slosar, told Coast News Group, “[w]e don’t live in such a utopia where we are going to make everybody happy, but what we are doing is what we believe is best for the community.”

Opponents of the Club claim that two previous attempts to install a pool have failed. Furthermore, the Group questions the decision by the Committee to wait on conducting an Environmental Impact Report, an important part of any feasibility study, they argue.

Currently, an EIR is too expensive and will be conducted only after the community-wide vote, Design Subcommittee Chair Jerry Yahr, explained.

In the end, if the RSF Homeowners Group decides to oppose the Club, they will launch a campaign to ask residents to vote against the proposed fitness center.

The community-wide vote on whether or not to continue developing the Covenant Club will take place in March or April of 2016.