WOODLAND HILLS : Pierce College May Build Driving Range

Administrators searching for new sources of revenue for Pierce College are considering building a golf driving range on the northeast side of campus--a proposal sure to stir up another round of controversy between the school and some of its neighbors.

“The idea has been talked about for some time here at the college,” said Donald Love, vice president of administration at Pierce, on Wednesday. “But we’re starting to make some progress, and I’m developing the concept with bits and pieces of information.”

Love said the plans, which have not been completed, might include a commercial driving range and other golf-related facilities on 10 to 15 acres south of Victory Boulevard about halfway between Mason Street and Winnetka Avenue. The land, which is behind the women’s physical education building, is now used as a softball field and badminton courts.

Pierce President Lowell Erickson said the design of the facility, including the possible use of floodlights, would be determined later. “I like the idea because it’s not on the (campus) farm, and it would be an integrated part of our physical education program,” Erickson said.

Although the plan is still in its embryonic stage, the idea drew an early pledge of resistance from Woodland Hills Homeowners Organization President Bob Gross.

“Pierce is going to run into opposition for any commercial project they propose on that site,” Gross said. “The Woodland Hills homeowners will fight them tooth and nail. They’d better start looking at education, not ways to make a little money here and there.”

Local homeowners last week lost a hard-fought bid to block the dumping of 30,000 truckloads of dirt from the Warner Ridge development on the Pierce College farm.

So far, there have been no estimates of how much money the venture could bring to the school, which is suffering the worst fiscal crisis in its history. The nearest golf driving range is in Van Nuys, Love said.