City continues discussion on Bobby Jones improvements

On Tuesday, the city will discuss hiring a golf course architect to help plan improvements for Bobby Jones Golf Club, continuing a conversation surrounding the future of the municipal facility.

In 2015, a citizen committee examined the state of Bobby Jones after officials expressed concerns about the club's ability to generate revenue for the city. In December, that committee recommended a series of major improvements to draw more golfers to the course.

Those improvements included renovations to the existing courses, a new 15,000-square-foot clubhouse and a new player development center. The aging drainage and irrigation infrastructure presents a major challenge for Bobby Jones, the committee found, and its members recommended a significant investment from the city to address it.

In total, the estimated budget for the recommended improvements totaled $14.5 million. Now, at Tuesday’s City Commission meeting, the board will consider hiring a consultant to help draft a master plan for Bobby Jones going forward.

According to backup documents for Tuesday’s meeting, the city has $1.15 million available in tourist tax funds to support the project.

Also at Tuesday's meeting, the board will vote on reinstating water and sewer impact fees on new developments. The city suspended those fees in 2011, but the commission voted unanimously to consider restoring them at a January meeting.

The full agenda for Tuesday’s meeting can be found on the city website.