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Public Works <br /> Maintenance <br /> September 21, 1994 1820 Roosevelt Boulevard <br /> Eugene, Oregon 97402 <br /> (503) 687 -5220 <br /> John Newsom <br /> 2999 Gilham Road <br /> Eugene, OR 97408 <br /> Dear John Newsom: <br /> You letter dated 9/7/94 was forwarded to me for response. I was <br /> a key staff person for the City's interest in the actions that <br /> lead to the exchange of Gilham Park. Providing an annotated <br /> chronology of events should serve to answer some of your <br /> questions. I'll add other comments as needed to complete the <br /> answers. <br /> 1976 - 6.67 park site purchased. One vision at the time was that <br /> some athletic fields could be developed in conjunction with 4 -J <br /> on school property. There was also a sense that the acreage <br /> should be acquired in advance of development while land values <br /> were lower, and that after development and street patterns became <br /> _ <br /> known, the actual locations could be refined. <br /> 1989 - A revised Eugene Park and Recreation Plan was adopted <br /> after a major public input process. Included in the Appendix <br /> were locational criteria for neighborhood parks which state that <br /> the be "located as close as possible to the neighborhood in which <br /> it serves. People, especially children, should be able to reach <br /> the park without crossing arterial streets, railroad tracks and <br /> various physical barriers." And "Proximity to an elementary <br /> school might reduce space requirements." <br /> 1980's and '90's - Awareness of the value of wetlands and <br /> riparian areas lead to a policy of not filling water courses. <br /> The drainage ditch that exists on School District 4 -J property <br /> would not be able to be filled in for a coordinated city park /4 -J <br /> development. The reduced potential for an integrated design with <br /> the school reduced the value of this site based on that <br /> criterion. <br /> 1991 - The City allowed the park to be used as an off -leash dog <br /> area on an interim basis (until park planning and development for <br /> the site occurred). <br /> 1992 -.The Willakenzie Area Plan was adopted after a major public <br /> input process. Based on the locational criteria above, a new <br /> locati5T nd size for the park was adopted east of the school, <br /> and central to the neighborhood that surrounds Gilham School. No <br /> concern over this change was raised by the public during the <br /> planning process. <br /> December, 1992 - Paradise Development, Inc. (developer) offered <br /> to trade property consistent with what is shown in the <br />