Item 5: Land Transfer to Bureau of Land Management

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ECC UGENE ITY OUNCIL AIS GENDA TEM UMMARY Action: Land Transfer to Bureau of Land Management (Environmental Education Center) Meeting Date: November 28, 2005 Agenda Item Number: 5 Department: Public Works Staff Contact: Sarah Medary www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 682-4842 ISSUE STATEMENT City and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) staff is working with federal congressional representatives to facilitate a proposed legislative transfer of 12 acres of federally-owned West Eugene land into local government ownership for the purpose of becoming the home for the West Eugene Environmental Education Center. The federally owned land was acquired using funds generated from Oregon and California Railroad grant lands (commonly called the “O&C lands”). While not objecting to the transfer, the Association of O&C Counties has flagged that such a transfer would violate the “no net loss” policy for O&C lands with BLM. They have requested that BLM honor this “no net loss” policy for O&C lands by identifying what other lands would be designated as O&C land after this transfer occurs. Congressional support for this transfer may be jeopardized if the Association of O&C Counties’ request can not be honored. In the spirit of cooperation, a City-owned West Eugene parcel having an underlying conservation easement already owned by the BLM has been identified that would meet this need. BACKGROUND The Environmental Education Center partnership is continuing to move forward with the planning and implementation of this visionary education center in West Eugene. The site targeted for the center is the federally-owned BLM property that is commonly known as the “Red House” property at 751 S. Danebo Street. This property was chosen as the desired location for the education center for several important reasons: a) its location in the heart of the West Eugene Wetlands; b) it is already in public ownership; c) th it is easily accessible off of West 11 Avenue and the Fern Ridge bike path; and d) it has served as the hub of activity in the wetlands area since the original West Eugene Wetlands partnership was formed in 1994. In exploring the feasibility of this site it became apparent that the multi-partner development of the education center would be greatly facilitated if the land ownership could shift to local control. The process that was identified to accomplish this is a legislative action by Congress to transfer the federal property to a local government agency. The City of Eugene offered to accept ownership of the property in order to facilitate the development of the center. In exploring the potential for honoring the Association of O&C Counties’ no net loss policy, the City and BLM have identified a parcel that the City could give to BLM for designation as O&C Lands. This L:\CMO\2005 Council Agendas\M051128\S0511285.doc