History of Eagle Point Golf Course—the catalyst for change
By Nancy Leonard,
Of the Independent
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Note: This was a brief history of the beginning of the Eagle Point Golf Club as I wrote it 10 years ago. Headlines on page one of the Upper Rogue Independent, Jan. 7, 1992 read: “18 -hole golf course & upscale development planned in EP.”
Initial forecasts indicated construction would begin in April 1992 and open in the summer of 1994. That didn’t happen. But as projects of such proportion go, this was an easy one as far as the community was concerned. Delays occurred as permits, state reports and analyses loomed at every turn. The Oregon Department of Transportation waited until the last approvals were ready for the city council approval to toss in their complaints. This managed to delay plans for some time.
The property where the golfing community sits was known as the Naumes property or Melrose Orchard. It had not been an orchard for many years. Dalton Strauss, one of the valley’s better known ranchers, hayed the valley for many years. Over the years a number commented how perfect the valley would be for a golf course. It took the vision and knowhow of Gregg Adams and Dan Bunn to lay the ground work to make that vision a reality. They announced in early January 1992 that they had signed an agreement with Robert Trent Jones II Golf Course Design and Construction Co., of Palo Alto, CA. for development of the course. Later, Jones decided this would be his first course to own and operate.
Eagle Point’s assessed value in 1990-91 was just over $49 million. In 1992 it was estimated by the time the development is complete, it would add $10-$15 million to the city’s valuation (Editor’s note- The 2004- 05 assessed value of the city of Eagle Point stands at $311,627,359 and city staff projects by 2005-06 that value will be $368 million.)
Following are excerpts from the Feb. 18, 1992 Independent article regarding to the public hearing held prior to the annexation of the property: “Sixty, or more, people filled all the seats and left many standing... It promised to be ‘the’ event. Three TV stations were on a near collision course for space, each poised for “just the right shot.” The Tribune brought its photographer. The stage was set. Eagle Point was ready to perform. And it does have a history of being able to put on quire a performance for the media.”
“It was not to be. There was no performance. It was a quiet, orderly, interested group of people...”
“It is only the beginning of a long process and many more stories and public meetings will be held. But for last week and for the initial ‘coming out’ of Eagle Point and Alta Vista Development, their meeting was a gracious event.”
The annexation was delayed in February 1992 while the city asked for some tighter control over the development, but by mid-March the issues had been resolved to the satisfaction of the developer and the city. But it was many months before annexation was approved.
August 11, 1992, ODOT sent a fax at 3:45 p.m. on the day of the city council meeting saying, “The Oregon Department of Transportation feels additional investigation and resolution of possible traffic impacts should take place before the proposal is approved.”
It was described by the city as an “11th hour maneuver” and it angered the city council. The city maintained they had advised ODOT during the public process and had received no statement from them until the afternoon of the day the city expected to approve the development. ODOT was concerned about the Alta Vista intersection, saying the development would generate an additional 4-6,000 trips per day. They said the Alta Vista intersection (at Hwy. 62) was due for modification in 1996 as part of the Dutton to Linn Road highway project but they were concerned it would need some modification prior to that time.
Adams maintained the golf course and development in the area wouldn’t have an effect on Alta Vista until ODOT was ready to make modifications in 1996.
On Sept. 22, 1992, the city again received a last minute letter from ODOT. This one arrived at 4:50 p.m. The city attorney advised the city council he did not believe they were obligated to address the issue since ODOT did not submit evidence within seven days of the previous city council meeting. While the letter from ODOT was a matter of public record, it was not read into the record. Had it been, it would have opened discussion again on the development. The council went ahead to approve the development on Sept. 22, 1992.
ODOT appealed the decision in October. On Nov. 27, ODOT advised Adams they had withdrawn their appeal. Adams announced that the delays meant it would be summer 1993 before ground could be broken on the 18-hole course.
By March 1993, the Lucas property on So. Shasta, along with additional land, had been purchased. This allowed major revisions in the layout of the 18-holes, added several hundred lots to the overall plan and set aside nearly 10 acres for a public park.
It was to be the summer of 1994 before ground would be broken.
In mid-February 1994, plans called for an April 15 groundbreaking. That, too, was optimistic. But in the Feb. 22 issue of the Independent, designer Richard Elmore of San Francisco, released a drawing of the proposed club house and golf barn. At that time he said the club house would be 6000 sq. ft. and the cart barn would be 4000 sq. ft. They expected to use stone and timbers and old barn boards. Some would come from area barns and the old reservoir on Riley road.
Groundbreaking took place on July 15, 1994 with nearly 200 area residents on hand. Robert Trent Jones II, Sen. Len Hannon and Eagle Point Mayor Walter Barker were featured in a photograph as they broke ground with a ‘gold’ shovel. Hannon donated his shovel to the Eagle Point Museum while Barker gave his to the Eagle Point Community Association to be auctioned at their annual Bridge Festival. Wayne and Linda Brown of Eagle Point outbid the Independent to obtain the shovel during the August Bridge Festival.
Two months after the groundbreaking, Adams took this reporter on a four-wheel tour “of the 18-hole golf course.” We entered on what is now Eagle Point Drive. We saw the five lakes being dug, one reported to be 30 ft. deep. In one area it appeared they may have been digging through volcanic matter. Every few feet there were small stakes. Each stake had writing on it that told a grader operator to fill to a certain depth, perhaps to a depth of two feet, or to cut an area a few hundred feet away by half a foot. And today, we see the rolling, sloping results.
Harvey and Inter Lundershasum, owners of Continental Golf, spent about seven weeks or so in charge of moving earth– 11,000 yards a day, six days a week. Some 19 people, many of them from the area, were working six scrapers, two D8, one D9, one D7 and two D6 caterpillars as well as a loader, grading tractor and water truck, 10 hours a day.
A year later millions of yards of dirt had been moved and about a million dollars had been spent on special sand. The greens look as smooth as glass, just waiting to live up to their name. the first of the five miles of concrete cart paths were poured. Concrete was used instead of asphalt to reduce future maintenance, according to Blake Stafford, partner and legal counsel for Robert Trent Jones II. And one day, as if by magic, the Eagle Point Golf Course became a sea of green. The miracle of hydroseeding was at its best.
A new drawing was being considered for a 7500 sq. ft. club house that would feature a room the community could use for meetings.
New Year’s Day 1996 was a perfectly beautiful Sunday. Some 50 or so Eagle Point area residents were invited to be among the first to play the back nine. It was a memorable experience.
Shortly after the first of the year some 1,200 trees were planted.
The weekend of Mar. 22-25 marked the grand opening of the residential area. By that time, the first section of lots we saw as dirt and rocks the day we went four-wheeling was sold out and homes were under EP golf continued from page A10 construction. Lots in Pine Lakes, the second section, featuring 35 lots was formally opened. An equestrian center is being readied across Alta Vista. The old Bigham Brown barn will be the focal point of the center. (According to that article of 10 years ago.)
Robert Trent Jones II was at the golf course April 22, 1996 for a preopening inspection. “I’m exceedingly proud of it,” said Jones as it passed his inspection.
And Jones was back at his course May 10, 11 and 12. The media and golf pros from other courses played 18 on Friday, May 10. Over the weekend celebrities ranged from the president of the Philippines to county commissioners. Public play began May 15 with a ‘soft’ grand opening May 24.
Used by permission.