Item 6 - Ratif.IGR Comm.Actions - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

· Rivers to Ridges Bicycle and Pedestrian Paths: Delta Ponds Path In response to a question from Councilor Bettman regarding whether the bike path projects had a public input process, Mr. Heuser said the projects were part of TransPlan and had gone through that public process. · Rivers to Ridges Bicycle and Pedestrian Paths: South Park Trail Extension In response to a question from Councilor Taylor regarding Rivers to Ridges and whether the headwaters of Amazon Creek would be a natural resource item in the United Front Lobby, Scott Duckett said he had not heard it discussed as a natural resource item for United Front. He said there had been some success in acquiring some property near the ridgeline. He noted that this had been blocked at the State level and remarked that staff was working on that program in Salem in the current year. He said land acquisition was not viewed favorably in Washington D.C. at the current time and said efforts were being focused on the final remaining parcel for the West Eugene Wetlands. He said even that request was being met with resistance at the national level. He said the Oregon Watershed enhancement Board had a land acquisition program and said the best chance for land acquisition in the next few years would be through grant funding. He said there had recently been a small grant awarded to acquire the Green property and said the grant funding was to be returned because the price had been raised and the grant funding was parcel specific. In response to a question from Councilor Papd regarding why the grant funds were parcel specific, Mr. Duckett said it was the way that the grant was set up. He said a state committee had reviewed all of the the grant proposals which had to be parcel specific with a high likelihood that the local government could complete the proposed transaction. He explained that the owner of the property had demanded a price significantly above the appraised value. He said the funding had not yet been returned but noted that a letter had been sent to say that it would not be used for that specific parcel. He said there was a request to redirect the funds to another parcel but noted that he had not yet heard an answer. In response to a question from Councilor Papd regarding which parcel was the highest priority between the Beverly, Green and McDougal properties, Mr. Duckett said he wanted to see all of the properties acquired but said that all of the properties mentioned had potential for being top priority. In response to a question from Councilor Taylor regarding whether the funding available could still be used if the City was willing to use condemnation procedures, Mr. Duckett said the money would have to be spent by June 30, of the current year. He reiterated that Johnny Medlin had sent a letter back to the grant committee saying that the transaction was not going to be made. · Water Resources Projects · West Eugene Wetland Education Center · Southern Willamette Rivers and Ridges National Heritage Area Study In response to a question from Councilor Papd regarding funding for a study for the onramps on Interstate Five, Mr. Heuser said Oregon Department of Transportation had announced that that study would be included in its administrative plans. MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 25, 2005 Page 5 Committee on Intergovernmental Relations