GOLF COURSE PLAN STILL HITTING SNAGS.

Byline: Laurence Darmiento Daily News Staff Writer

While the proposed Sand Canyon golf club development has won the recommendation of the Planning Commission, this week's unanimous vote masks still divisive issues the City Council will have to address.

Despite a developer's concession that will extend a water main to homeowners concerned over potential ground-water pollution, some residents near the proposed Oak Springs Golf Club say the developer has not gone far enough.

At the same time, developer Stan Fargeon is objecting to some restrictions placed on the project by the commission, and maintaining his concession on the water main was really a compromise that was not met half way.

"Our offer was a little bit misconstrued. There was a misunderstanding," said Fargeon, president of the Hunters Green Development Co. "We ended up giving them the water and lost our own water rights."

At issue is a longstanding demand by residents on Oak Springs Canyon Road to have an alternate supply of water in case their wells become polluted by pesticides and fertilizers used on the two 18-hole courses.

While maintenance of the course will be environmentally sensitive and require a minimum of chemicals, Fargeon agreed Tuesday night to build a water main that will supply water to the residents.

City planners estimate the main could cost the developer $500,000, but acknowledge it would not reach 14 homes at the eastern end of the canyon within the Angeles National Forest.

Barry Herman, an obstetrician who lives in the canyon, said it would be preferable if the main reached the homes, despite the developer's claims the underground water supply runs from east to west.

"In theory at least, they will not be affected by contamination, but I am not so sure how clearly they can say how it runs," Herman said.

Moreover, he maintained piping the water to those homes would be a necessity if the developers drill wells to water the course. Already, he said, some residents are having problems with a lower water table.

But water rights are exactly what Fargeon has in mind when he claims that his compromise was misconstrued.

He said the offer to extend the water main through the canyon was only made as part of a compromise that would allow the golf course project to draw some well water.

"We have no idea if we will take any water, but we maintain our rights to drill wells on our property," he said.

He said the matter "probably" would be appealed to the City Council, along with the two other commission decisions.

While the two golf courses will be open to the public, the adjacent residential development was to be gated - though it could be accessed on foot. The Planning Commission disallowed the gates.

Saying the gates would add to the value of the property, Fargeon said he would ask the council to reinstate them.

He added the gates are supported by the canyon community, because they will prevent golfers seeking a short cut to Placerita Canyon Road from driving through the south end of Sand Canyon.

Also to be appealed was a decision by the commission to reduce the number of homes to be built alongside the courses from 76 to 73. Fargeon said there was no legitimate reason for the reduction and claimed it was done at the "last minute" preventing any objections.