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July 21, 2008 <br />E U G E N E <br />Parks and <br />Open Spece <br />Neepiug Eure'Deen <br />A DIVISION OF PUBLIC WORKS <br />1820 ROOSEVELT BLVD <br />EUGENE, OREGON 97402 <br />(541) 6824800 <br />FAX (541) 682 -4882 <br />WWW.EUGEN E -0R.GOV /PARKS <br />PARKS AND OPEN SPACE PLANNING <br />PARK OPERATIONS <br />URBAN FORESTRY <br />NATURAL RESOURCES <br />EUGENE <br />Jim Cox <br />NEPA Coordinator <br />ODOT Office of Project Delivery <br />680 Cottage Street NE <br />Salem, OR 97301 <br />Subject: ODOT I -5 Bridge Project: proposed land transfer to mitigate <br />incompatible use of LWCF purchased properties <br />Dear Mr. Cox, <br />Over the past several months, you have discussed with my staff and me issues related <br />to ODOT's upcoming Interstate 5 bridge project over the Willamette River in <br />Eugene. Part of these discussions have included the concern that the project will <br />impact City of Eugene owned lands in Alton Baker Park that are encumbered by <br />Section 6(f) of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Act. The length of <br />the planned temporary occupancy of Alton Baker Park by ODOT is considered a <br />conversion under Section 6(f), and therefore requires ODOT to provide replacement <br />property of equal or greater appraised value and with reasonably equal recreation <br />value. <br />The purpose of this letter is to describe what the City believes is suitable replacement <br />property based on the direct and indirect impacts to lands in Alton Baker Park <br />(hereafter, Park). Please note that this letter does not describe any other form of <br />mitigation associated with the I -5 project; it is only focused on the issue of <br />mitigation required under Section 6(f) of LWCF. <br />Direct Impacts <br />The current ODOT proposal includes plans to utilize North Walnut Road through the <br />Park to move materials, supplies, equipment, and workers for the duration of the <br />project, which is estimated to be 3 years. During the use of this road it will be <br />unavailable to park users. This direct impact is estimated to be 3.43 acres. In <br />addition, ODOT expects to establish a staging area for materials and equipment for <br />the duration of the project. The staging area will be off limits to park users and the <br />habitat values of that area will be nullified through the placement of a gravel pad. <br />ODOT estimates that area to be approximately 2.0 acres. There are other direct <br />impacts such as the likely closing of the bike path along the Willamette River, <br />however, those additional areas are currently located on ODOT right -of -way and are <br />not located directly on LCWF purchased properties. Therefore, there are a total of <br />5.43 acres of direct impacts. <br />Page 1 <br />