Twin Lakes: This is a good deal | Federal Way letters

For months I have read letters in this section (and the subsequent comments online) regarding the Twin Lakes Homeowners Association and Twin Lakes Country Club. I’ve attended all the meetings and diligently read the “literature” that arrives almost daily, taped to my door and in my mailbox, both pro and con. For the record, I am a homeowner in Twin Lakes, don’t live on the course, and am not a member of the club. I am voting yes.

To deny the very real likelihood that the country club land would be sold to the highest bidder and developed, should the club become non-viable, is like burying your head in the sand. Those that claim there are other options haven’t offered up other ideas that are workable. Some say it should be a park. Who’s to pony up for that one? Others suggest it should become a public course — but there are no buyers. They say that they too do not want the course to go away, but can offer no other options to the amenities agreement they talk about with such disdain.

Here are the facts. The land has always been (since the inception of Twin Lakes in 1965), and is currently, platted and zoned RS 7.2, which allows for single family homes and zero lot line town homes. This makes our situation very different from the North Shore development, where a land use zoning change was required and is the crux of the current legal battle homeowners there have had to undertake. Three years of legal battles and over $300,000 of fees, while valiant, has only won those homeowners a hearing examiner’s favorable decision. This decision has no more weight than a suggestion to the Tacoma City Council. The council, which has final say, can still vote to allow the development. I don’t find this a “worst case scenario.” I believe this to be the most likely scenario should the club become inoperable. Rather than face bankruptcy, the club owners will sell the property.

As for the much ballyhooed 1976 State Supreme Court decision regarding taxation of the nonprofit country club and its open-space land designation: It does not apply to land use. The decision with regards to taxation very clearly states: “The country club cannot alter the present recreational use of the open space,” (as in “The country club cannot plop a mall or other business down on the third fairway and keep its low tax status, as while it operates as a golf course, it should remain a golf course.”) It makes no restrictions whatsoever on any other entity buying the land, deciding not a keep it as a golf course, and putting buildings or any other structure in the “open space.” I find it interesting that the same people that tout the “open space” portions of this taxation (not land use) decision fail to mention that the justices recognized the high value of the course to the development: “The golf course was constructed and essentially has been operated as an integral part of the Twin Lakes development...”

I take the word “integral” to mean that its loss would have profound effects for the development, which I take to mean my home value. Further affecting my home value is the fact that the new development would not be part of the Twin Lake HOA, and as such would not be held to any covenants that have kept our neighborhoods’ homes of like design and upkeep. This was testified to by expert legal counsel, the Federal Way Planning Commission, and even a planner for a private developer.

There has also been quite a bit of recent discussion about the approximately 200 homeowners whose homes abut the course being refunded their dues increase by the club. I believe that this is only fair. They have mandatorily paid $64 a month as required by our covenants to be associate members. If not for the refund, they would have their combined dues go up to $90, and still get only the same access to the club that homeowners across the street from them would get for only $25. Under the amenities agreement, all homeowners would be charged the $25 and have equal access to the club. The members that have been required to pay dues for being associated with the club will still have to pay more than the rest of us, just slightly less than they did all these years. I am OK with that. We all benefit.

As for the statements that the TLHOA has been deceptive and one-sided in its closed-door bargaining with the country club: The TLHOA is legally responsible to maintain and increase the home values of its constituents. A very real situation has developed that could profoundly affect my home value: The loss of the country club. Both boards recognized this mutually dangerous situation and worked together to forge an agreement that will be mutually beneficial. This is what executive boards do! Just as Boeing didn’t invite me into their meetings with labor officials, and the Federal Way City Council did not invite me into their meetings to discuss the new mayor’s salary — we have elected representatives, as does the club, to speak, bargain and negotiate for us.

Does the HOA board stand behind its product, defend it and present you with its case? Of course. It has fought for a fair and balanced product and is only required to present it to us as favorably as it can and bring it to us for a vote. It is not required to invite 1,300 homeowners into the negotiations — and this does not make it “closed door.” It’s effective representation by our elected officials. And despite what the “no side” has been saying over and over again recently, the nonprofit club has provided us with a detailed five-year financial plan to get back into solvency after suffering membership losses due to the recent financial downturn, and CPA’s on both sides have agreed that the plan can work, with our involvement.

I am a believer in the adage “A rising tide floats all ships.” And I firmly believe that it is high time that homeowners in Twin Lakes, no matter how far you live away from the course, recognize that for 45 years the golf and country club has buoyed your home values. By helping the course survive this downturn, we can preserve, and improve, the relationship that has kept Twin Lakes one of nicest areas in Federal Way all these years, and at the same time get unprecedented access to the country club. Even if you never set foot on the club property (for whatever your reasons), at least you can rest assured that if or when you go to sell your home you will likely recoup your investment, and more.

A young man stood up at the last of the HOA informational meetings and (much more eloquently than I could) summed up the situation when he said: “I am new in the neighborhood and can already see that there is a lot of history here. But I am part of the future of this neighborhood, and I hope the club stays part of it.”

Don’t sit by and let people tell you your American freedoms are being taken away or that you are being ramrodded into a shoddy deal orchestrated by some fat cats trying to line their pockets. Get informed on your own and get past the theatre and histrionics. I believe that you will see that this is a good deal, mutually beneficial for all parties involved. Keeping the club afloat is the right thing to do for all the homes in Twin Lakes, and I believe that we are getting a fair price for it.

Karl Zapf, Twin Lakes

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