Item C: Ridgeline Acquisition Proposal from Arlie and Company

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October 11, 2010, Parks and Open Space Division staff presented information on annual operations and maintenance costs (O & M costs) and needs. As part of that presentation, the council was informed that, at present, the City is spending $111 per acre in maintaining natural area sites in the ridgeline system, which is insufficient to keep these areas from declining in quality. To sustain these sites over time, the City would need $325 per acre annually to keep these sites from declining. In the table below, these two figures are shown as applied to the proposed 315 acre acquisition area. Short-term Status of Site Annual O&M Acres Total Annual Cost per Acre O&M Cost 1. In the near term, site is land-banked $111 315 $34,965 and maintained at the current level 2. In the near term, site is land-banked $325 315 $102,375 and maintained at a sustainable level The highest ongoing maintenance costs would be associated with development of a fully developed community park, with typical community park features as described above. In order to calculate the ongoing O & M costs for the new park, the number, size and type of features within the developed park would need to be known. Since those details are unknown at this point, staff can only provide examples to illustrate the range of costs implied by different development options. Long-term Status of Site Estimated Total Annual O&M Cost Example #1: In the long run, site is rehabilitated $127,000/year and developed only with 2.5 miles of trails Example #2: In the long run, site is rehabilitated $183,000/year and developed as a Metropolitan Park with a system of 5 miles of trails, a 3-acre mountain bike skills facility and a 18-acre disc golf course Example #3: In the long run, 40 acres of site are $868,000/year developed as a Community Park with high intensity sports facilities, playground, etc., and the remainder is rehabilitated as natural area with 5 miles of trails, a 3-acre mountain bike skills facility, and an 18-acre disc golf course Cost of Park Development The total cost of developing a new 515-acre park would vary widely depending upon the specific features included within the park. As with calculating ongoing O & M costs, the number, type and size of all the developed features in the park would need to be known. Using the same three examples used for ongoing O & M costs above, the following table provides examples of potential development costs. Long-term Status of Site Estimated Park Development Cost Example #1: In the long run, site is rehabilitated $1,200,000 and developed only with 2.5 miles of trails Example #2: In the long run, site is rehabilitated $1,700,000 and developed as a Metropolitan Park with a system of 5 miles of trails, a 3-acre mountain bike skills facility and a 18-acre disc golf course. Z:\CMO\2010 Council Agendas\M101108\S101108C.doc