November 13, 2019 550 PM
MARFA – The future of the Marfa disc golf course was in jeopardy this August, when the city cancelled the contract with the course after accusations by neighbors of property damage, boundary disputes and excessive noise. But at a city meeting on Halloween night, Stephen Boulter presented his defense of the course –– and a plan to revive it as its new operator.
Concerned neighbors provided a signed petition against the revival of the course, which sits on a former illegal dumping ground owned by the city on North Austin St, south of the Dixon Water Foundation.
Neighbors also spoke out at the meeting, but in a 3-2 vote, council voted to authorize a trial lease for three months, where Boulter can operate the course, and he and neighbors will provide reports at the end of the term. The city also agreed to post signage on the land and the motion asked Boulter to put a porta-potty on the property.
Councilmember Irma Salgado made the motion to authorize a contract with Boulter, and Councilmembers Natalie Melendez and Yoseff Ben-Yehuda supported it, while Councilmembers Buck Johnston and Raul Lara voted against it.
Seven neighbors submitted the petition against the course, stating they opposed the Marfa Disc Golf Club being next to their homes, and that they feel nothing will change “with the same people being there.”
The course was created by a group of enthusiasts in 2018, working with former City Manager Terry Brechtel to add an attraction to the vacant city property. The city site was historically used as an illegal dump and was at times a spot for partying and drinking according to neighbors.
When first installed, the course offered nine baskets, or “holes,” where disc golf players aim their frisbees while standing on a “tee pad” similar to a traditional golf tee off.
Volunteers from the community who played the sport offered their free time, hauling the mountains of trash out of the illegal dump, clearing out brush and debris, and trimming dead foliage from the site’s many trees.
But an ill-placed hole nine ignited trouble for the course from the start. Because of its placement along an embankment, players’ poorly thrown frisbees were ending up in neighbors’ private yards or on their roofs.
Neighbors, including Alfredo Mediano who spoke up at last Thursday’s meeting, made allegations of partying, vehicles doing donuts, discs on private property and even an incident of public urination. But council continually asked for a paper trail for these incidents.
City Attorney Teresa Todd advised the neighbors to “call 911, and in the meantime get out your phone and record what’s happening,” in order to have proof of the allegations. Mayor Manny Baeza concurred, saying it was difficult to consider the allegations since law enforcement hadn’t been involved.
“If there’s people continually causing problems, the city can ask for a criminal trespass against them. Then they’re banned from city property, and if you go back, you get arrested and charged with criminal trespass,” attorney Todd explained.
Boulter’s presentation instead highlighted the positives. He said the land had been beautified, there was a new public space for residents and visitors, and that disc golf was an all ages sport that could keep local kids from getting into trouble.
Councilmember Johnston sought a middle ground between the course and its neighbors, asking Mediano if there was “any coming to a compromise?”
Mediano replied, “Close it.”
Todd finally asserted that whether or not there was a disc golf course on that land, it’s “a problem property.”
“It’s not going to make or break the usage of that space,” Councilmember Melendez said, suggesting that the partying and dumping could continue occur whether or not there was an active course.
Todd even suggested the course could have a positive impact on the issues neighbors were decrying. “People dump there, they party there. One great thing about having the disc golf is it is eyes and ears,” she said. And, “it doesn’t look like a dump anymore. I think it’d be great to work it out, and it provides the kids something to do.”
Boulter hoped to make amends and create a park that neighbors could enjoy, telling Mediano, “The best I can do is give you my phone number. Call me and I will follow through.” Boulter had already spearheaded an effort to uninstall hole nine so that discs were no longer heading in the direction of residences.
The mayor said, “We need to have controls in place to get rid of the few [causing problems],” but believed help from Marfa Police Department could help ameliorate the concerns.
Even though he’s only received a trial period, Boulter has visions that stretch into the long term. The park is not far from Marfa schools, and he hopes to work with them so students can enjoy the sport. There’s no fee to play at the park, and discs are affordable, starting around $10 a piece.
The course manager wants to add benches so that even those who don’t play can enjoy the area, which faces out to the Davis Mountains. And in the long term, he would like to host tournaments, drawing in players from across Texas and beyond to compete on the course.
But with his first three months, Boulter simply hopes to rebuild the fragmented relationship with neighbors and keep the park clean.
