A view of The Bath Golf Club, which was established in 1932. Courtesy of The Bath Golf Club

The Bath Planning Board on Tuesday recommended the City Council support a citizen petition that would stop The Bath Golf Club’s plan to cut the course in half and build a housing development.

The seven-member board unanimously voted to recommend the council approve the petition, which would change the city’s land-use code to ban multi-family housing and cluster developments on the golf club’s 120-acre property. The council will hold a public hearing on the petition at its next meeting Wednesday, Jan. 17, then vote whether to adopt the changes or have voters decide it in November.

The golf club wants to shrink the course from 18 holes to nine and build housing to return the operation to profitability. The club, built in 1932 as a nine-hole course, has been in the red since it expanded to 18 holes in 1994, according to managing member Sean McCarthy. Current city code allows cluster developments on the golf club’s land and the club’s legal counsel during a public hearing Monday pointed to the city’s 2023 Comprehensive Plan, which identifies affordable housing as a priority.

Planning Board members on Tuesday, however, said the Comprehensive Plan also discourages development in rural areas like the golf club, located in the northern part of the city.

“I’ve come to the conclusion that historically, the Bath golf course was never intended to have housing built upon it,” board member Clarence Stilphen said. “Nothing I see says specifically that housing should be developed on the course itself.”

The golf course is in its own zoning district that the Comprehensive Plan says is “designed to maintain the Bath Country Club Golf Course operation. It will protect the golf course from incompatible neighboring land uses and protect the surrounding Low-density Residential District from encroachment by incompatible uses at the golf course. This district allows the golf course to expand and allows accessory facilities at the golf course. Cluster Subdivisions are also allowed in this district.”

The plan also says development in rural areas is “generally” discouraged to “preserve rural landscape, scenic views, and natural resources.”

“These are places where there is likely to be a limited amount of change or no change at all in the future,” the plan reads. “Future land use in these areas should be limited. Only low-impact uses that maintain the integrity of land and habitat should be allowed. Residential development should be clustered, with conservation subdivisions required and habitat blocks preserved.”

Board Vice Chairperson James Hopkinson said a housing development at the golf course “could only occur if the development did not interfere with maintaining the (golf course) operation.”

Member Andrew Omo added, “I don’t find anything with (the petition) that is in any way conflicting with our Comprehensive Plan.”

Club member and neighbor Alicia Romac organized the petition effort and founded a nonprofit seeking to purchase the club to preserve its status as an 18-hole course. A total of 777 people signed the petition.