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• - • A4 <br /> 41100` <br /> EUGENE <br /> Public Works <br /> Parks and Open Space Division <br /> City of Eugene <br /> 1820 Roosevelt Boulevard <br /> MEMORANDUM Eugene, Oregon 97402 <br /> . (541)682 -4800 <br /> (541) 682 -4882 FAX <br /> www.ci.eugene.or.us/parks <br /> Date: February 28, 2006 <br /> To: Johnny Medlin, Parks and Open Space Director <br /> From: Robin Hostick, Principal Landscape Architect <br /> Subject: Santa Clara Community Park Acquisition Update <br /> In preparation for an upcoming meeting to discuss the status of parks acquisitions in the Santa Clara area, <br /> the following summary highlights recent planning activity and some perspective on current issues. As the <br /> status of the Santa Clara School discussion is unchanged since the last update (December 2005), this <br /> memo will focus on factors affecting acquisition of property for Santa Clara Community Park. <br /> RE -CAP OF PREVIOUS WORK — ALTERNATIVE SITE RESEARCH AND PRIORITIZATION <br /> Since the decision to discontinue consideration of the McDougal proposal, staff have made significant <br /> progress on changing course and identifying alternative sites. The criteria used to identify the McDougal <br /> site was developed in 2000, prior to the first round of analysis for suitable properties. These criteria have <br /> been revised to include a broader range of sites, including smaller sites and sites composed of multiple <br /> properties. Additional criteria were added to reflect community input, and a revised scoring system was <br /> developed to help rank top candidates on the basis of suitability. <br /> Staff met with representatives of the community group Santa Clara Citizens for Sensible Parks and Open <br /> Space (SCCSPOS) to review these criteria. The group also proposed a number of possible park sites. <br /> These sites were included in a fresh analysis of suitable properties in the Santa Clara area using the <br /> revised criteria, including options around Madison Middle School. A total of 13 sites were scored against <br /> the criteria. Staff then met a second time with the SCCSPOS group to review the results of this analysis <br /> and discuss next steps. <br /> On November 23rd, a letter expressing the City's potential interest in purchasing land for a community <br /> park was sent to the owners of 11 top - ranking properties. <br /> RECENT ACTIVITY — WILLING SELLER STATUS <br /> Since that time, staff have followed up with personal contact to all but two of these owners. The two <br /> owners who have not been personally contacted do not have available phone contacts, and have thus far <br /> not responded to a second follow -up letter, send on December 22n soliciting feedback on the City's <br /> possible interest in a property purchase. <br /> Of the nine owners that were contacted, five declined outright, and four declined with possible future <br /> interest. None of the 11 top ranking property owners are willing sellers at this time. <br />