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? <br /> <br /> Development of two neighborhood park sites <br />? <br /> <br /> Development of a synthetic surface playing field <br /> <br />Ms. Weiss also noted that within the 20-year planning window were acquisition of an urban <br />plaza, development of the community park site, development of six additional neighborhood park <br />sites, implementation of the Rasor Park master plan, construction of an additional boat launch on <br />the Willamette River and access improvements to all park sites. <br /> <br />Mayor Piercy called for council questions and comments. <br /> <br />Mr. Papé said he asked for the work session because while most of the 52 projects in the 2003 <br />parks and open space measure had been completed or were in progress, the exception was a <br />community park in the Santa Clara area. He noted that staff had been working on the issue and <br />hoped that the council would provide additional impetus, perhaps through consideration of <br />eminent domain to assemble the parcels necessary for a park site if other approaches failed. He <br />was willing to consider eminent domain to assemble the necessary the 30 to 40 contiguous acres. <br />He said north Eugene was the only area still lacking a community park. He asked if sites outside <br />of the UGB could be used for parks and if that would require an expansion of the UGB to <br />incorporate that area. Ms. Weiss said that land outside the UGB could be purchased and <br />developed as long as the City followed the County’s land use regulations. She said that <br />permitting would be dependent on the type of facilities constructed and expansion of the UGB <br />would not be necessary. <br /> <br />Mr. Papé asked if Property C on the potential park sites map would meet the criteria for a <br />community park. Ms. Weiss said it would be a challenging site because of its long, narrow <br />character but the criteria for a park had been broadened because so few sites were still available <br />in the area. She said that the property did present some options. <br /> <br />Mayor Piercy said that neighbors in the area asked the City to “look outside the box” and <br />approach assemblage of park land in a different way. <br /> <br />Mr. Pryor thanked staff for their efforts to respond to Santa Clara residents. He noted that the <br />conversations around neighborhood and community parks were very distinct and the one of <br />greatest immediacy related to a community park because property suitable for a community park <br />was rapidly disappearing. He agreed that the many challenges of creating a community park in <br />the area required innovative thinking in order to meet the City’s obligation. <br /> <br />Mr. Kelly said he was not an advocate of the use of eminent domain but agreed with Mr. Papé <br />and Mr. Pryor’s comments about the need for a community park and the rapidly decreasing <br />availability of land for that project. He preferred a willing seller but the land would be used for a <br />public purpose and urged staff to bring eminent domain to the council if it was deemed necessary <br />to acquire a suitable site. He reminded the public that eminent domain did not mean the City <br />would take the property; a fair market value as determined through an appraisal would be paid. <br />He asked staff to inform the council about the extent to which sites outside the UGB were <br />currently exclusive farm use and not exception land. <br /> <br />Ms. Bettman asked if sites outside of the UGB would be outside of the two-mile community park <br />service area, as there would be population only along a portion of the park. Ms. Weiss replied <br />that the park would be on the edge of the service area for Santa Clara. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 19 Page <br />8 <br /> <br />