CEDAR FALLS - The City Council Monday will consider permanently closing the flood-prone Washington Park golf course.

Earlier this month, the city's Park and Recreation Commission unanimously recommended discontinuing golf at the park. The nine-hole course has been closed because of Cedar River flooding since June. City officials have been discussing whether to abandon the course or spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to repair it.

In a memo to the council, commission chairman Fred Abraham said an analysis "indicates there is more than sufficient playing capacity at our other two (city) courses and a high ratio of available golf holes/per capita in the Cedar Valley area." Other factors he cited include a decline in golf course usage, continued susceptibility to flood damage and an obligation to fiscal responsibility.

The commission directed staff to develop concepts for the area as a future riverfront park. Staff also was directed to evaluate improvements to the city's other two golf courses, using some of the resources that would have been invested in Washington Park.

In other business, the council will consider submitting a notice of interest for possible flood buyouts to the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division. The notice would be reviewed by the agency, which will invite selected communities to submit full applications for the program. A council memo said 193 property owners have expressed an interest in the voluntary buyout program after a survey was mailed to flood-damaged properties.

Estimates submitted by affected homeowners indicate 128 of those properties meet the agency's guideline of being "substantially damaged." City staff recommend the notice of interest include those properties because they represent the best chance of receiving both state and federal emergency management funding.

The City Council will meet at 7 p.m. at City Hall, Second and Clay streets.

Contact Andrew Wind

at (319) 291-1507 or

andrew.wind@wcfcourier.com.