Council Teed Off, Wants College’s Golf Driving Range Closed

Officials continued to take swings at a controversial golf driving range at Los Angeles City College that has peppered campus facilities with errant balls.

The Los Angeles City Council urged trustees of the Los Angeles Community College District on Friday to “immediately and permanently” close the newly built, $6-million practice facility.

College district administrators ordered the range temporarily closed two weeks ago, citing safety issues. Three golf balls were discovered on the grounds of the campus children’s day-care center next to the range and others were found elsewhere; one ball broke a window in a college lunch truck. “A precious piece of land was given to probably the wrong use,” said Councilman Eric Garcetti, whose district includes the campus.

Garcetti, who introduced a motion calling for the shutdown, described the 250-yard range with its soaring, 16-story fence as “a bit unbearable to see” in the neighborhood near the intersection of Vermont and Melrose avenues.

Councilman Tom LaBonge recommended that the college district “buy out the contract and turn it back for educational needs.”

College officials confirmed that they were studying that option. Last week, board of trustees President Mona Field said leaders had met in private to discuss their legal options.

Range owner Hee Cho said he had not yet been approached about terminating the 10-year lease, which is renewable for 35 years. He said he was installing extra netting to stop balls from flying out of the range and hoped to reopen soon.

“I have no mind to sell. I haven’t even thought about it,” Cho said Friday. “Not for $10 million, not $30 million. It’s not for sale.”

Cho denied that the range was unsightly or unsafe. He said its fencing is among the highest in the United States. That means that balls hit over it would “lose velocity and power” and “wouldn’t seriously hurt people” if they hit anyone outside the range. “Most people say it’s beautiful,” Cho said of the range. “I’ve gotten compliments from the neighbors.”

On Friday, college district Chancellor Peter Landsberger said “a thorough study” of a potential lease buy-back is being done. He said terms of the lease, which pays the district $120,000 annually, give the district the right to order the range closed for safety reasons.

“We will do everything that is necessary to insist that balls are not flying out of the driving range. Longer term, there are fairly complex legal and contractual issues. We don’t have the ability to unilaterally say it’s closed permanently,” he said. “Buying the guy out is one possibility.”

Landsberger said the city had the power to close the range if it was found to be operating in violation of a municipal conditional-use permit issued to allow its construction. “If they’re not complying with the permit, the city has the authority to shut them down,” he said.