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Is Laguna Lake Golf Course in SLO on the chopping block?

February 3, 2026

By KAREN VELIE

The San Luis Obispo City Council is holding a study session on Tuesday to look into a councilwoman’s proposal to repurpose the Laguna Lake Golf Course to low-cost housing as a cost saving measure.

During a a discussion on the budget during the April 15 City Council meeting, Councilwoman Jan Marx asked for an analysis of the fiscal viability of the golf course. Marx felt the property could be used to meet other city goals, such as affordable housing, a community center or creek and habitat restoration.

The Laguna Lake Golf Course is a 26-acre, 10-hole, executive length golf course located at 11175 Los Osos Valley Road. It is owned and operated by the City of
San Luis Obispo.

In addition to golf operations, the property continues to be a community asset for non-golf related activities and events. Events include the popular September Scramble – a 1-mile obstacle course that attracts over 600 community participants from the SLO county community, SLO High School’s cross country championships, family movie nights, local musicians, weddings and private, non-profit events.

In support of her request, Marx said that the Laguna Lake Golf Course only serves a small group of primarily seniors. However, a staff report refutes Marx’s argument.

Laguna Lake Golf Course demographics for fiscal year 2024-2025:

  • Under 18 years old – 7,770
  • 18 years old to 55 years old – 11,272
  • 55 years old and above – 4,937

The city currently subsidizes the golf course at $450,000 a year, Sinsheimer Pool at over $1 million a year and the Damon-Garcia Sports Fields at over $300,000 a year.

Residents and golfers have emailed the city more than 120 letters opposed to closing the gold course and many questioning Marx’s “honesty and integrity.”

“The Laguna Lake Golf Course has been an essential part of this community for over 70 years, serving not only long-time residents but also students from Cal Poly and Cuesta College, families, and local schools like San Luis Obispo High School and Laguna Junior High who use it,” Jim Names wrote. “To tear it down for housing, when there are already other housing projects underway in the city, would be a huge loss.

“This is a matter of honesty and integrity,” Names added. “The public deserves transparency and representation that reflects the needs and desires of the community. What we’re witnessing, instead, is bad politics and a disregard for the public good.”

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Marx is living on stolen land, she should give up her house for high density housing.


36

Stolen?, but certainly fraudulently acquired since the development was suppose to be home plan restricted to affordable housing.


27

Which Jan Marx should not have qualified for……


24

She didn’t — she had just sold her home for over a million. But she said it’s OK that she took an affordable unit out of circulation because she “paid market value for it.”


9

Costs $450,000 for 23,979 people to use the place each year. Thats $18.77 per use. Why not increase the cost to each user by $20 and at least break even? A subsidy is a subsidy. If you are one of those getting someone else to pay for you… thats kinda leaching. For everyone paying you’re way, theres already too much tax.


-9

Governments are full of subsidizes, how about all the money spent for bicycle lanes and such? Cyclists pay nothing for them, no registration or yearly licenses so all costs are paid by every taxpayer, whether you use them or not.


57

One has to wonder why this hair-brained idea of closing the course is always brought up by ONE councilmember, Jan Marx. This is at least third or fourth time she has tried to close the course–each time getting huge pushback from the community. Maybe she thinks if she keeps trying it enough times and with new council members, she’ll finally get her way. Her persistence seems awfully suspicious. It’s a waste of staff and community members’ time and effort to have to fight this so much. If the city would fund the much-needed repairs that triggered this review by Marx, and fund some enhancements, this course could be a phenomenal example for other municipalities struggling with their golf courses as well as enhance golfing experience for current and future users!


70

Kinda of like Jimmy Paulding and his desire to close the Oceano Dunes to vehicles. He keeps trying over and over and has done so again just recently. Hopefully he will fail again and be replaced in the up coming election.


50

Jan should take off her front door and put a sign out saying “come on in and help yourself to anything.” Laguna is an asset. All my kids learned the game there. Jan needs to go away.


57

Vintage Marx, ignore the facts and will of the people to carry on with a merry-ass woke agenda!!


56

And the imaginary “housing crisis” strikes again. For the politicians, it’s the best excuse ever to allow development of every square foot of land so they can take in all those property taxes and for the developers, it’s a gold mine!! Build all you want and if it’s cheap crap, no problem.


45

grift, corruption, non-profit fraud not to mention state and federal grant corruption designed at the expense of the community, state and feds has went on too long.


Ask Ernie Dalido.


Another higher density of the San Luis Ranch Ghetto doesn’t belong in existing established neighborhoods muchness on a longstanding openspace and recreation property.


61

Golf is an elite white man sport — cancel it! :)


-63

Hey guys, that was said tongue in cheek.


7

Tell that to Tiger Woods…


5

How about the city buy all the property around Jan Marx’s residence and build affordable housing instead.


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