County Sued for OKing Golf Plan

An environmental group has sued Orange County for approving a golf course on environmentally sensitive land, some of which is part of a preserve for imperiled species such as the coastal California gnatcatcher.

Friends of the Arroyo alleges that the county illegally gave a subsidiary of Rancho Mission Viejo Co. permission to build a 230-acre golf course without adequately evaluating and minimizing environmental harm.

Under the agreement approved by the county in August, the golf-course developers would set aside 91 acres of open land to get 50 acres of a preserve created in 1998, according to the suit, which was filed Thursday in Orange County Superior Court. As favorable a deal as that looks for the county, the suit contends, the land is less valuable for preserving the county’s wildlife.

“The county is conducting a shell game consisting of critical habitat exchanges,” the suit says.

Friends attorney Stephen Miles said the group is not trying to derail the project. “It’s not one of those things where we’re 100% opposed to the project and want to defeat it. We really want to look at improving it.”

Brian Murphy, a spokesman for the county planning department, declined comment Monday. The developer could not be reached for comment.

The open space exchange is a primary concern to the group because the land to be developed is part of 1,600 acres of contiguous open space.

Environmentalists and wildlife experts consider it crucial to have large, contiguous pieces of land as habitat that will give wildlife the best chance of surviving, rather than open land divided by developed areas.

The suit also faults other aspects of the plan, which was approved in August. Development and usage plans fail to properly address the impact on Trabuco Creek, drainage, flooding and local wildlife, according to the suit, and does not protect endangered species from errant golf shots as well as toxic pesticides.

“Clearly it can be a more environmentally sensitive golf course,” Miles said. Because of its sensitive location, “we should be looking hard at creating an environmentally superior golf course.”

Miles said he hopes issues can be resolved at a required settlement conference this month.