East Fork Amazon Headwaters Parcel Purchased
The City of Eugene has negotiated the purchase of 39.9 acres of land in south Eugene, commonly referred to as the Green property, for $1.6 million.
The owner of the property, Green Valley Glen, previously offered the property to the City for $3.8 million. The City declined to exercise an option to purchase the land at that price and renegotiated the transaction for $1.6 million.
The City will use three funding sources for the purchase: the parks system development charge (SDC) fund, the stormwater fund, and funds from the 2006 Parks and Open Space Bond Measure. Each fund will cover roughly one-third of the cost, with a maximum of $500,000 to come from the parks bond fund.
“My two objectives all along have been to preserve this piece of the Amazon Creek headwaters property for future generations, and to do so while honoring the voters’ intent for all the uses of the Parks Bond funds,” said Mayor Kitty Piercy. “This acquisition achieves both of those purposes. I greatly appreciate the ad hoc advisory committee for helping to clarify the issues, and also the staff’s work as good stewards of public resources in successfully negotiating this purchase.”
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City of Eugene Purchases 200 Acres of Parkland from Arlie & Company to Extend Ridgeline Trail
The City of Eugene has purchased 200 acres of land in South Eugene from Arlie & Company to extend the Ridgeline Trail by over two miles. The acquisition will enable the City to extend the existing Ridgeline Trail from Mt. Baldy, located between Dillard Rd. and Spring Blvd., to Lane Community College. The purchase price for the 200 acres was $3 million. City funding for the purchase came from a combination of Park System Development funds and from the 2006 Parks and Open Space bond measure.
The 200 acres along the topographic ridgeline is part of a 1,200 acre tract owned by Arlie & Company and divides the property, separating Lane Community College to the north from rural land to the south. The land consists of a mix of Douglas fir forest and high quality prairie and oak habitat and affords views of Spencer Butte, Mt. Pisgah, and the surrounding lands to the south and east.
New small dog area at Candlelight Park
In response to many requests for an off-leash area that is safer and more enjoyable for small dogs and their owners, beginning on May 7, 2008, the west meadow of Candlelight Park will be reserved for dogs that weigh less than 25 pounds on Wednesdays and Sundays during park hours from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Dogs that weigh 25 pounds or more will still have access to the meadow closer to Throne Drive (the east meadow) on those two days as well as to the other three off-leash areas in the park system. If you have questions or comments, please call 682-4833.