10/13/1975 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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Ms. Heath said the Willakenzie group recommended amendment-of the proposal to allow a portion of the funds allocated to south hills acquisition up to $500,000 for acquisition of a large parcel in the Willakenzie area. ' Ms. Munkres reported that the ABC group suppo.rted the proposed change in develop- -- ment from Bethel to Peterson Park. She said that group preferred one good well- developed park in the area rather than two partially developed parks. Larry Offen, 1070 Snell Street, thought removing additional land from private ownership in the south hills would increase land costs and make living in that area even more difficult. Also, he said, there should be adequate police and fire patrol if preservation was desired, and construction of a trail system would make such protection difficult. He cited average costs of $6000 to $7000 per acre according to timber, development, and real estate interests in the area. Mr. Offen thought that if the land was purchased over a period of five to ten years and funded through a serial levy, land costs experienced because of inflation would amount to much more than the 7 to 8% increase due to accrued interest costs under a bond issue. Whereas, if the land was developed, he said, assuming it would be annexed to the city, there would be the potential for adding $6.5 million dollars annually to the city's tax base. He said he was not particularly opposed to the proposal but he thought much additional research was needed before any action was taken. He was in favor of site acquisition proposed in other parts of the city but thought the south hills acquisition should be separated to give the people an opportunity to vote on that proposal separate from the park development issue. The voters should not be forced to buy a thousand acres of land in the south hills, he ,said, to get tennis courts in already developed park areas. Mrs. Robert Lemmon, 1280 Mill Street, noted there were no parks in the West University neighborhood and asked for acquisition of a site there as soon as possible, saying that a meeting place for the neighborhood in connection with a e park would be desirable. Mrs. Lemmon also pointed out the advantages of greenery if land was going to be developed as parking lots. She said the West University Neighbors had take no vote on the bond and serial levy issue but she reiterated the urgent need for park development in that neighborhood. \ Ms. Posner read a prepared statement and pointed out that the south hills ridge I-A-4 line acquisition was seen as a vital step in the urban service boundary concept. Also, that the compact urban growth concept would keep costs of city services down. Protection from urban development of farm land was also necessary, she said, and it could be accomplished by preventing development beyond the ridge line. She urged the Council to give the public a chance to vote on the proposal. Mr. Eber thought timing was important because of the tremendous development pressure; delay would jeopardize the entire thrust of the south hills study - preservation of that area. He entered into the record the original correspondence from the coalition of ten organizations submitted to the Joint Parks Committee strongly supporting the outcome of the study. Mr. Emge read a prepared statement on behalf of the Friendly Area Neighbors sup- porting south hills acquisition, but also noting extreme pressure for development of park sites in the Friendly area. Acquisition of "block parks" was needed now, he said, and voters asked to support a $7 million park issue should be able to see some specific benefit to individual neighborhoods. Also recommended was in- stallation of a restroom at Westmoreland and improvements in Washington Park. He asked addition of $100,000 for acquisition in areas other than the south hills e and presented a detailed statement of that recommendation. In addition, con- sideration of tennis courts on the west side reservoir was requested. Mr. Emge recognized the need for a facility for the handicapped but thought Washington Park 10/13/75 - 2 0-530,: