The City Planning Commission, as expected , is against a proposed zone change for the Clubhouse and parking lot at the Ives Hill CC.
Jake Johnson wants the Restaurant to be able to operate independently of the golf course...It is now a non conforming used allowed as an appurtenance to the links.
Council will surely follow suit when the matter comes before them shortly. Going against staff and the Commission would be a bridge too far for the five lawmakers.
I'd like a carve-.out for my property since Council foolishly rezoned where I am......
What is better is to find a way to get the course back to 18 holes, but likely that ship has sailed.
24 comments:
Jake doesn’t own the land for the other nine holes.
You have the trio of former council fools to thank for the impending demise of the Ives golf course. The deed restriction did nothing to help the park course but definitely damaged Ives.
Separating the clubhouse from the course would most certainly be the next step in ending golf entirely on the course.
He should turn it into a year-round virtually reality golf location then the restaurant can stay open all year. Give people more reason to drink and drive during the Winter months.
People who see our natural resources as expendable, or purely as commodities, are the most despicable people on earth. Truly soulless.
Not a chance. Jake’s is all set with this.The Council will throw the planners and the commission under the bus.
Until Jacob pays his back taxes he should be denied. If not, he can shut his damn mouth.
Virtual golf is gay.
There is a way to return to 18 holes. Give back the $1.7million that was squandered on this crooked deal.
Bring back the 18. It was the best in the north country
It’s pretty much at the end anyway. Why do you think he wants a zone change?
Last time Jake got screwed over by city codes it was when Mayor Jeff Graham refused to change zoning code to allow Jake’s beautiful fence to remain. Accommodating Jake in that case would not been a problem for the city, because the point of the zone and Code was to have fences that were attractive and Jake’s fence was attractive.
But in this case rezoning, the golf club restaurant is not good for the city and is also illegal - known as spot zoning”.
8:30 AM - The deed restriction was part of a negotiated agreement, not something three council members arbitrarily imposed.
Simao was compensated for agreeing to it, and its purpose was to protect the city's investment in an 18-hole public golf course at Thompson Park.
That doesn't mean Jake Johnson shouldn't be allowed to make reasonable use of his property. I support allowing the existing Ives Hill restaurant to operate independently, with appropriate restrictions protecting the neighborhood.
Residential development alongside the course also deserves consideration. The Planning Commission makes recommendations. The City Council makes decisions.
Rather than automatically rejecting the proposal, Council should explore a reasonable solution that protects the neighborhood, encourages investment, and expands the tax base.
It's easy to blame the previous Council. The real challenge is making something successful out of the opportunities Watertown was left and already has. I hope they allow Jake to develop it and keep the neighborhood restaurant.
Cliff Olney
Thank you Cliff. Thank you for enriching a developer with $1.7million of taxpayer money.
PS- nobody but you cares what you think.
8:30am it should be left just as it is because that might give it a chance to return to the premier course it was at one time. Jake only cares about himself but he wants people to think it is about the community. I hope the council doesn’t allow him to destroy Ives that’s been there since pre 1900.
That fence looked rather chintzy, 5:19. I'm glad he was forced to tear it down and put up a legal one.
No one cares what you support or don't support, Cliff.
Go the fuck away!
4:18, I think he wants a zoning change so he can develop the property commercially. Fast food, dollar store, strip mall, Walgreens …that sort of thing.
Cliff you are lying as usual. You three dunces claimed it was as a “take it or leave it offer”. No negotiation was done other than your secret text messages to the developers as you fed them confidential information as you negotiated with the other two dummies to join you in accepting the offer.
You also pretended that the deed restriction was between the two who colluded to inflate the price the city paid, and that the city was not involved in the restriction . You also claimed that this payment was in part to make lawsuits go away including the ones that would be against you and your fellow dumbass counselors.
This is just another example of why smoking pot every day is bad for what’s left of your brain.
Cliff's post is a compendium of bullshit.
If the pro shop remains open as in available to take reservations and sell apparel and equipment wouldn’t that alone qualify as the course being open?
No good reason to separate the clubhouse and course unless the motive is to shut down the course.
6:59am that must be the plan to shut it down
9:58 AM so is working out in your garage.
8:04, it certainly wasn’t a top tier fence but it looked good enough that it should meet code in a shitty city like Watertown. You are lucky Jake still invests in Watertown because most people would have the self respect to take their talents and investments to a more appreciative community.
2:32pm Jake takes the credit for many partners who are investing with him. Jake wants all the glory and cries when he doesn’t get his way.
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