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MEMORANDUM November 12, 1992 TO: City Council FROM: Christine Andersen, Director of Public Works SUBJECT: Disposition of Fox Hollow house and property in Ridgeline Park The City owns a house on four acres located at 32275 Fox Hollow Road. This parcel was acquired in 1983 to settle a property dispute arising from an encroachment by the ridgeline trail. This property has been managed since its acquisition as a rental homesite and is currently vacant. Staff has determined most of this site could be declared surplus property and sold. HISTORY: After the Fox Hollow -to- Willamette portion of the ridgeline trail was constructed staff was notified by the owner of the parcel that the trail had encroached on their property. The options at the time were to relocate the trail, purchase just the land needed to include the trail or purchase the entire parcel. With the owner being unwilling to sell only a portion but willing to sell the entire parcel, purchase of the entire parcel was made. Funding for the purchase was from 1978 bond election proceeds. One of the objectives of the bond measure was to add to the Ridgeline Park and construct trails. In considering the purchase of a property which included structures, thought was given as to what new opportunities this purchase might present. The notion of a nature interpretive center was subsequently included in the Parks and Recreation Plan. Funding has not yet been available to implement this plan. In light of the recent Eugene Decision funding reductions for park maintenance it is unlikely the City will be able to establish this use of the property in the foreseeable future. Louise Schimmel of Cascade Raptor Care Center has approached staff inquiring about the availability of a facility suitable for her operation. She has submitted a written proposal to rent the facility for her program which would include educational opportunities for school programs, day camps, and the general public. Two options are available for consideration as described below. SELL SCENARIO: This removes most of a parcel that is not considered essen- tial to the Ridgeline Trail. It gets the city out of a landlord situation and the problems of keeping up structures with numerous shortcomings. It generates revenue (estimated to be about $80,000) which could then be used for other park purposes. For example this funding could be used to cover a differential in the trade values involving the Gillespie Butte acquisition from EWE177`Ur it could be applied toward additional ridgeline trail acquisi- tion, each of which would have been eligible under the conditions of the bond issue that originally funded the acquisition.