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Approving Yahara Hills Golf Course Conceptual Master Plan (District 16)
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The Task Force on Municipal Golf in Madison Parks was formed in 2019 to provide recommendations to the City related to the Golf Enterprise Program and the land that it currently uses. The Task Force’s FINAL REPORT PDF <https://www.cityofmadison.com/parks/about/documents/TFMGFinalReport2020.pdf> was accepted by the Common Council in January 2021. The report offered ten recommendations, including that the City should continue providing golf services and that it should reduce 18 holes of golf at Yahara Hills. Though the Task Force did recommend against selling of park land to generate reinvestment funding, it did not have the specific proposal related to a sale to Dane County to consider.
In February 2023 the City of Madison closed on the sale of roughly 200 acres of Yahara Hills Golf Course to Dane County, for purposes of expanding the county’s landfill and creating a sustainability campus. The proceeds from the sale were applied directly to the Golf Revenue Reserves and will be used to improve the Madison Parks Golf Courses for a future 54 hole operation.
Since the sale of the land, Staff have worked to develop an 18 hole reconfiguration of the Yahara Hills Golf Course. Staff have conducted public engagement through focus group sessions, two listening sessions and a public information meeting, along with having plans displayed at the Yahara Hills Clubhouse, with opportunity to provide feedback through written or emailed comments through the project website.
The proposed Conceptual Master Plan adopted by the Board of Park Commissioners, shall guide development of Yahara Hills Golf Course.