PORTLAND, Ore. - Big changes could be in store for a northeast Portland golf course and the plans are not sitting well with some of the neighbors.

Colwood Golf Course is not the fanciest in town but for nearly 80 years it has been an affordable course to play. 

But that may soon be history.

You see, plans are in the works to rezone the golf course's 143 acres for industrial use. The front nine would be sold and the back nine would be slated for an airport expansion, which might include a third runway. An area in the middle would serve as a park.

Colwood's owners said they see the move as a preemptive strike, that the Port of Portland is going to try to get the land no matter what and they feel it is better to try to control the process.

"We have to think outside the box a little and what's going to be best for our investors," said Toby Tommaso.

Tony Fuentes is part of the Concordia Neighborhood Association and worries about the impact on his community - from the increase in noise and air pollution to the loss of wildlife, property values and much-needed open space in a neighborhood with very little.

"It could very possibly become a public park and losing that opportunity forever, in light of rezoning it to industrial, would be a pretty big blow," he said.

Neighbors believe the real motivation is money. As open space, the course is assessed at $2 million but rezone it to industrial and they say it's worth more like $25 million.

The city cannot comment until the recommendation from city staff later this month. If the rezoning moves forward, the course plans to stay open throughout the process, which could take several years.