Homeowners angry after San Ramon golf course threatens to close

SAN RAMON, Calif. (KGO) -- Neighbors in the East Bay are fuming after learning the beautiful golf course they live on may close if new owners of the green don't get what they want from the city of San Ramon.

Many neighbors living on the fairway of the San Ramon Golf Club are worried their view could vanish, along with their investment.

Hundreds of neighbors came to a meeting Thursday night to strategize. New owners of the 126-acre golf club say they will close the course if the city doesn't grant them the right to develop a section of the green for new housing.

"All I want I to do is preserve what we have," said homeowner Scott Holder. "It's imperative that we do something before it closes. Once it closes. It's going to die."

Ronald Richards is the Beverly Hills attorney managing the course for the new owners, although there's no specific plans right now.

"Yeah, it would just sit there and be a closed course with a fence around it," Richards said. "We hope to work out a collaborative development with the community around the course."

Building homes there would require the city rezone the property. Councilman Dave Hudson lives near the golf course and he said he does not support building homes on the golf course.

Grass roots opponent group Stay the Course say new owners have used similar tactics before, closing golf courses in Calif. and Nevada.

"Go to Escondido, go to Rancho Mirage and Las Vegas, see what golf courses look like there," Holder said.

Homeowners hope to meet with new owners of the course to work out a solution.