Major changes considered at BBR

This is a possible site for a new Family Recreation Center at Black Butte Ranch. Photo by Tom Chace

Some major changes are in the works at Black Butte Ranch. Plans include a new recreational center, new tennis courts, a new indoor pool and more.

Ranch property owners discussed these plans at their annual meeting last Saturday morning, June 28, followed by a barbecue at the sports field.

Bruce Vaughn, chairman of the Facilities Development Project committee, emphasized several times that the present master plan is only in the developmental stage and will have full input from property owners and a specific vote before any action is taken.

The plan, as published on Black Butte Ranch's web site, envisions four specific, major areas of change or improvement. First is relocating the maintenance and access buildings, garbage dumpsters and RV/boat storage area, now at or near the main gate off Highway 20, to new locations.

On this vacated property, the Ranch plans to "build a new year-round Black Butte Ranch Recreation Center. It would incorporate a multi-purpose gymnasium, open exercise areas, cardio-vascular and strength training equipment, spa facilities for massage and related therapies, restrooms, showers for day-use lockers, plus a reception and user registration with a refreshment bar.

"Additional facilities could include two covered tennis courts and an indoor pool area consisting of a standard size pool with adjacent children's wading pool and whirlpool area."

The report addressed "our most important weakness: Most of our homes and all Ranch facilities are fully (or frequently) utilized for only one-third of the year."

The report, sent to all ranch property owners, continued, "Like it or not, economically, Black Butte Ranch is a summer resort open year-round. This impacts the value of your home and the revenues from Ranch operations."

Adding new recreational facilities would give the Ranch the ability to offer more activites during the "off season.'

It was reported that several years ago, "the ranch acquired and succeeded in re-zoning acreage on McAllister Road, which is now the key to the solution of these problems and helps make Black Butte Ranch more of a truly year-round resort community."

McAllister Road runs along the western boundary of Black Butte Ranch connecting with Highway 20 directly opposite the road into Camp Sherman. It has a "back gate" at Fiddleneck where the McAllister Road pavement ends. This was the area of the devastating Cache Mountain fire last summer.

The plan suggests that on this piece of new property, the Ranch could "build a facility for storage and repair of all Ranch equipment (except golf)... grade and fence new areas for our garbage and recycling stations and RV, boat and trailer storage, moving these necessarily odorous and unsightly activities from their present location near our main entrance."

One of the other provisions would be "to demolish the old firehouse replacing it with a new Welcome Center housing a single facility for all access registration and reservation activities (including those now handled by the Lodge), an expanded post office, a real estate office and in an adjacent building, Police Services."

The Ranch could then "utilize the vacated space in the Lodge and present real estate office to provide appropriately designed facilities for such homeowner activities as the bridge club, art guild, computer club and historical society."

A questionnaire addressed to the home owners was included with the report, to "help guide us in the development of a proposal to be submitted to property owners of Black Butte Ranch for their vote."

See www.blackbutteranch.com/owners/facdevelop6_03.pdf for information.