Prescott Preserve temporarily halted by HOA lawsuit

A local land conservation group is facing a major roadblock.

A judge last week temporarily blocked the efforts by Oswit Land Trust to restore the former Mesquite Golf and Country Club into a nature preserve in response to a lawsuit from a nearby homeowners association.

The envisioned 180-acre wildlife sanctuary is being planned on the former Mesquite Golf and Country Club in Palm Springs.

Oswit Land Trust purchased the land to build the preserve in July after a generous donation by Palm Springs philanthropist Brad Prescott.

The neighboring Mesquite Country Club Condominium HOA claims in a lawsuit filed in August that an agreement with the land's previous owner prevents changes to the course without HOA approval.

"This lawsuit will slow us down," said Jane Garrison, founder and executive director of Oswit Land Trust. "It was a dying golf course, and that's why it was for sale... We purchased this golf course property fair and square."

Garrison said the land trust bought the property while it was for sale for development. She has concerns about the HOA board's discussion with developers.

"We just don't know how far those relationships had gone with the HOA board and the developers. But there's a reason that they are trying to stop us from creating a beautiful preserve on this property," Garrison said.

With plans halted until a hearing in March, Garrison said among other impacts, a massive donation of mature, native trees worth about $700,000 cannot yet be planted.

"Right now we are hand watering 218 trees. It's a lot of work for us and our volunteers," Garrison said.

She added the lawsuit is a speed bump the preserve will pass, but for now called it an unfortunate delay for something the community overwhelmingly supports.