Proposal would partially redevelop Morgan Creek golf course in Placer County with housing

The plan calls for the redevelopment of about half of Placer County's golf course as housing. But nearby homeowners are not happy.

Morgan Crossing would turn 40 acres of land at the Morgan Creek Golf Club near Roseville into 67 residential parcels in a new project. This was revealed by a recent listing on Placer County’s website.

A 2021 initial proposal stated that the site was currently a 18-hole golf club surrounded by housing. The golf industry is on the decline. Golf courses continue to close. "This golf course will be closed if no changes are made."

Travis Brooks, of Miller Starr Regalia in Walnut Creek, listed as the representative for the project, stated Wednesday that he could not discuss the project with his client without their permission.

According to the proposal for 2021, new homes would be built in the place of the existing sixth, seventh and eighth holes as well as the 14th, 15th, 16th, and 14th. The 2021 proposal also included the filling of a small wetland and drainage areas, as well as a manmade pond.

The average home size is 4,600 square foot, with garages for two and three cars and parking offsite.

In a 1995 environmental impact study for the development known then as Chamonix it was studied the impacts of a development with up to 649 units of residential housing, which is four less than the total number of homes that were already built and those proposed.

The 2021 proposal claimed that the environmental impact difference between the two proposals was not significant. However, the entry of the county for Morgan Creek indicates that the applicant is aware a new supplemental environmental report will be required.

According to the proposal, areas of the existing course that are not affected would be redesigned into an executive nine-hole course using many of same holes and cart routes.

The existing restaurant and event space on the course will continue to be operated as usual. The initial proposal for 2021 states that "despite continued pressure on operating costs these businesses will continue to operate" despite the rising costs.

A website called Save Morgan Creek has been created to rally opposition against the project. The website questions the reasoning behind redeveloping a part of the golf course. It also notes that adding more homes will impact the property values of existing homes.

The site says that "golf course owners continue repeating an outdated claim, that golf is dying business." "Unverified financial instabilities by golf course owners are not valid reasons to allow the course to be destroyed or turned into housing."

On the website, the Morgan Creek homeowners association board is identified as the group that opposes the project and was behind the creation of the site. The message that was left on the Morgan Creek HOA website by a Bay Area group overseeing the Morgan Creek HOA, which is located in the Bay Area, did not get returned.