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Refuge homeowners leery about RV park

By JAYNE HANSON
Today's News-Herald
Published Sunday, November 1, 2009 8:25 PM MST

Although supportive of other proposed changes, many homeowner association members at The Refuge Golf & Country Club remain leery of an upscale RV park coming to their development.


“My front yard is going to be turned into a campground,” said Refuge homeowner Lori Charlebois. The California sunbird, who travels by plane to her Lake Havasu City home, was unable to attend Saturday’s presentation at the golf course clubhouse.

Jerry and Cindy Aldridge, of Civic Center Executive Plaza, disclosed the plans for the golf course to the HOA members during a 90-minute presentation Saturday.

The presentation was a courtesy to the homeowners in the area — who have no say or vote in the process, said Rodger Delk, president of The Refuge HOA and five-year resident.

One homeowner disagrees, saying the housing development residents do have a voice.

“I think it is evident that families and investors were sold a plan that encompassed an Arnold Palmer signature golf course and an exclusive, beautiful environment,” said Lori Perry (Sejka), a California woman who purchased her Refuge home in January.

Perry said a number of homeowners plan to get together and explore legal options that would give the Refuge residents a say in the matter.

“Just because Mr. Aldridge said so, doesn’t make it so … there has got to be a happy medium,” Perry said.

The presentation included details of altering and shortening the golf course. Although the course will remain an 18-hole venue, it will lose its Arnold Palmer signature golf course status, Delk said. The loss of the course’s exclusive status and the location of 275 RV park sites dominated homeowners’ concerns.

“Nobody likes the idea of having motor homes in there,” Delk said. He said the motor home sites are “very, very high-end and upscale” areas and include landscaping, lakes and colored concrete.

The RV resort park location is set for the southeast portion of the property just inside the south gated entrance of the development. Homeowners’ concerns are that they will enter the development and see RVs on the right and on the left, Delk said.

According to county documents, the south RV area is about 24.72 acres and the east RV area is 17.26 acres. The sites will not be rented or sold and are an amenity to be used by club members. Spaces adjacent to an existing lake will be 85-by-40 feet with the remainder of the spaces measuring 75-by-40-feet.

A Mohave County Development Services representative said the RV park plan is currently undergoing staff review and will require a discretionary approval, according to an e-mail.

Developers are not required to mail notification letters to surrounding property owners but only post notification to the general public of the proposed plan adoption, according to the e-mail.

About 120 homeowners were at Saturday’s presentation representing 147 lots. There were roughly 25 in attendance with concerns, the HOA president said.

“It went well,” Delk said of the meeting. “By a show of hands, more than half were supportive.”

The Refuge’s $25 million, five-year re-development plan encompasses a ballroom, patio villas, three resort pools, fitness center, spa and tennis courts. It also would include a 300-seat, state-of-the-art live entertainment theater and private membership.

The country club will remain closed for redevelopment and will re-open Jan. 2, 2010, as a private club.

Calls to Jerry Aldridge were not returned Sunday.

You may contact the reporter at jhanson@havasunews.com.

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Comments (14 comment(s))

    kevin100 wrote on Sep 6, 2010 3:12 AM:

    " Think about this, the same forces behind the zoning changes around the bridge are behind this decimation of The Refuge.

    *********
    Kevin smith ping

    caravans for sale "

    BLAZO wrote on Nov 8, 2009 8:33 PM:

    " Hopefully only the "higher end" level of motorhomes will be allowed within. I'm talking the Prevost and Dynasty lines. Heaven help us if a Winnebago or Road Queen is allowed on Refuge property. "

    D BARLOW wrote on Nov 8, 2009 7:43 PM:

    " Oh who cares thats Desert Hills (rif-raf) "

    resident wrote on Nov 6, 2009 8:06 PM:

    " havasu should be the best rv stop in az. This is very smart. I hope this project shines. Good Luck. "

    ! wrote on Nov 6, 2009 8:23 AM:

    " spider20, They are making the spaces available to members of the golf club. No one other than them. So say your a snowbird and you like golf but you don't want to purchase a home on a golf course. You could buy a membership to the Refuge Golf Club and your membership includes the use of a RV space. "

    spider20 wrote on Nov 3, 2009 10:54 AM:

    " I-"not rented or sold" I don't understand the model I guess. Enlighten me. "

    ! wrote on Nov 2, 2009 5:02 PM:

    " You pedestrians don't read. QUOTE: "The sites (RV) will not be rented or sold and are an amenity to be used by club members." Henceforth exclusive, no pedestrian type! So I think it shall do splendidly! "

    hereallyear wrote on Nov 2, 2009 1:01 PM:

    " Why would only high end RV's be allowed? Once this goes public anyone will be able to park there. And what would the price be on Holiday weekends during the summer? Forty a night, close to the boat ramp!!
    A bunch of drunks in an RV, sounds like trailer trash to me. "

    spider20 wrote on Nov 2, 2009 10:57 AM:

    " Hearallyear - Desert Hills trailer trash driving 300-500K RV's? Crazy Horse seems to be a going concern for people with high end RV's-why not golfer's in high end RV's.I don't see how the place can remain "private " unless they sell some mickey mouse club membership like a slot club to those folks. I guess the home owners should have read the fine print before they bought in, It will be interesting to see how it all shacks out. "

    law wrote on Nov 2, 2009 8:52 AM:

    " Private Golf Course?? The place was empty when it was public!

    All I have to say is good luck and I am sure glad I do not have a place in the Refuge which never did live it to the all the sales HIPE. Sounds like more drama to come! "

    ! wrote on Nov 2, 2009 8:30 AM:

    " The free market and entrepreneurship at it's best! Hopefully the Aldridge's development aren't stymied by the county like the city has done to the developers in the city. Folks like the Aldridge could bring this area into the 21st century. Without government stimulus! "

    hereallyear wrote on Nov 2, 2009 7:11 AM:

    " Ha Ha Ha. The rich, I want to be left alone in my gated, you stay out, community, are being invaded by desert hills trailer trash!!!! "

    WATCHING HAVASU DIE wrote on Nov 2, 2009 12:44 AM:

    " I love it,,The Former city/civic leaders selling their friends down the river!! They said they were gonna bring class?culture to Lake Havasu,,,,, "

    Had it with Havasu wrote on Nov 1, 2009 8:55 PM:

    " Think about this, the same forces behind the zoning changes around the bridge are behind this decimation of The Refuge.

    I hope they will be unable to attempt this. It will not work. It will only lead to a dilapidated shadow of what was almost a decent place to live. The Refuge will become a ghost town, just like the English Village did. "

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