Farmington holds off on razing clubhouse

FARMINGTON — The Valley View Property Owners Association on Aug. 14 asked Farmington City Council members to hold off on passing an ordinance to demolish the clubhouse and other buildings at the former golf course to allow time to come up with a better resolution with the property owners.

The council complied, placing the ordinance on its first reading by a vote of 7-1, which means the ordinance will be considered for second reading at the council’s Sept. 11 meeting. Council member Diane Bryant voted against the motion.

The council’s agenda included an ordinance ordering the owners — Joseph and Jennifer Stewart and Kenneth and Melissa Lipsmeyer — to raze the structures at 11520 Clubhouse Parkway in Valley View Estates. The ordinance says work has to begin within 10 days and be completed within 30 days.

The ordinance describes the structures as “unfit for human uses,” dangerous and a hazard to safety or health because of abandonment, inadequate maintenance and dilapidation’s in violation of city ordinances.

If the owners did not proceed with demolition, the ordinance gives the mayor authority to direct that the structures will be razed and a lien for the city’s costs attached to the property to be redeemed if the property is sold.

City Attorney Jay Moore explained how the city got to the point in recommending an ordinance to demolish the former golf structures, which would include the club house, pool and pool house.

The city has received numerous complaints about the buildings and pool for a long time, Moore said.

In a May 10 letter to the Lipsmeyers and the Stewarts, city building official Rick Bramall said the property had fallen into disrepair and become unsanitary and substandard according to the city’s municipal code.

Specifically, Bramall wrote, the windows are broken and boarded; glass is on the ground in common areas where children could be present; the outdoor pool is stagnant and not been tended to for years, creating foul odors and becoming a breeding place for mosquitoes.

“The entire area is an attractive nuisance which needs attention,” Bramall said.

This letter was a formal notice to the property owners about the issues and gave them 30 days to seek a building permit from the city to make necessary repairs and improvements or to demolish and remove the buildings.

If the owners failed to abide by the order, they would be guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to penalties and the council would have the right to deem the property unsafe and enact an ordinance ordering for it to be razed.

Moore sent the owners a second letter, dated July 17, telling them their property at 11529 Parkway had been declared illegal and would be abated either through repairs or demolition.

“It has become clear to the city of Farmington that you have no intention to restore the property to a level bringing it out of disrepair,” Moore said in the letter.

He informed the owners that an ordinance to move forward with demolishing the structures would be presented at the council’s Aug. 14 meeting.

Moore told council members there had not been any “back and forth” between the city and the property owners until the day of the Aug. 14 council meeting. The pool was drained that day, and Kenneth Lipsmeyer showed up at the council meeting.

Kenneth Lipsmeyer, who lives in Bentonville, asked the council to table the ordinance to give him time to address the issues. He said he hopes to find a buyer for the property but admitted he did not have any offers on the table. He said he was working on a few options.

“I believe working hand in hand with the city and the community, we can find a way to make this situation go away so the citizens can enjoy this area once again,” Lipsmeyer told council members.

In answer to a question, Lipsmeyer said the golf course has been closed since covid, around March 2020.

“Where have you been all these years, Mr. Lipsmeyer?” council member Linda Bell pointedly asked Lipsmeyer.

Lipsmeyer responded that he was a “silent partner” with the property.

Bell quickly responded, “You’re not silent. We all know who you are.”

She said the problems at Valley View have been one of the city’s most disturbing issues that is never ending.

Council member Bobby Morgan added, “And now we are going to raze the property, and you show up. We sent all these letters out about mowing the golf courses, trying to keep it presentable for people who live out there. You haven’t been around.”

Bryant asked Lipsmeyer what he considered a reasonable amount of time.

Lipsmeyer said he would like to get it settled as soon as possible, adding he would prefer for the land to be returned to its use as a golf course but that would depend on an appropriate buyer. He said the front nine holes of the former golf course are still intact and none of that land has been sold off.

“As soon as I can get it done or not get it done, we can make a decision on whether the city razes the clubhouse,” he told Bryant.

If a sale does not work out, Lipsmeyer said the only other choice for him would be to demolish the buildings.

He offered to sell it to the city of Farmington, and Mayor Ernie Penn pointed out the city looked at purchasing the entire golf course years ago and determined the cost then would have been about $45,000 per month for debt service and operating costs.

“I think if you go back and look at the history of municipalities that own golf courses, they haven’t been very successful lately. I think there have been two or three that have closed,” Penn said in reply to Lipsmeyer’s offer.

Penn said it’s unfortunate the city has not had any communication from the property owners until an ordinance was introduced to raze the structures.

Penn opened up the floor for public comment, and three residents in Valley View addressed the council.

Melissa Braddy, Property Owners Association vice president, is the person who asked the council to delay approving the ordinance by another month to allow the association to discuss a vision for the clubhouse and golf course.

“We’d like to work with Mr. Lipsmeyer and see what we can do,” Braddy said.

She agreed the clubhouse and property are unsightly and dangerous but said the association believes the structures and former golf course could be repurposed. If this did not happen, she said the association supports demolishing the buildings.

Another resident, Ty Fawley, encouraged the council to place a time limit on information provided to the city about any future plans. He also recommended the property should be immediately secured with a fence because it is dangerous, especially to children in the subdivision.

Farmington police reports and call logs from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office show where law enforcement has been called to the property because of criminal mischief complaints.

In a July 19 police report, Sgt. Jason Cooper with Farmington police said the instances of mischief and vandalism had been increasing. On this day, Cooper conducted an extra patrol because of breakins and found plywood had been removed from doors, windows broken and doors spray-painted with vulgar drawings.

“The Clubhouse at Valley View has been a problem area for officers,” Cooper reported, saying the building has been ransacked and there has been evidence of individuals sleeping in the building.

Prior to the council voting to leave the ordinance on first reading, Bell introduced a motion to suspend the rules for three separate readings and adopt the ordinance in one night. This failed 3-5. Bell, Bryant and council member Hunter Carnahan voted in favor of the motion. Council members Brenda Cunningham, Kara Gardenhire, Sherry Mathews, Keith Lipford and Morgan voted against the motion.