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City Manager Dennis Taylor indicated that Item (D) had been removed and placed on the agenda for July 26 <br />for further discussion. <br /> <br />Councilor Kelly submitted corrections to the minutes via email. Mayor Torrey deemed them, without <br />objection, approved. <br /> <br />Councilor Solomon pulled Item (E). Councilors Bettman and Taylor indicated their intention to pull that <br />item as well. <br /> <br />Councilor Bettman noted her submission of corrections to the minutes. Mayor Torrey deemed them <br />accepted as submitted. <br /> <br />Councilor Poling said he had previously submitted corrections to the minutes. Mayor Torrey deemed them, <br />without objection, approved. <br /> <br /> Roll call vote; the motion to approve the Consent Calendar with the exception of items (D) <br /> and (E) passed unanimously, 8:0. <br /> <br />Councilor Solomon sympathized with Mr. Dafoe. She opined that the City had run the horses out of town. <br />She asserted he was providing a great service. She supported the proposal for the land exchange but <br />advocated for building in language into any agreement that would address some of the concerns he had <br />expressed. <br /> <br />City Attorney Glenn Klein stated that the process had not passed the point at which it could not be revised. <br />He said the council was merely initiating a planning process, a process in which Mr. Dafoe could partici- <br />pate, and the process would include public hearings. He added that if, after the process, all concerns had not <br />been addressed the council could vote it down. <br /> <br /> Councilor Bettman, seconded by Councilor Kelly, moved to amend with a <br /> substitute motion to direct the City Manager to return to the council with a <br /> resolution to purchase the 77 acres, identified for a community park in <br /> Santa Clara, at fair market value and to include the provision of exercising <br /> eminent domain if necessary. <br /> <br />Speaking to the motion, Councilor Bettman said the one major criterion for purchasing the property was that <br />there was a willing seller. She asserted the process had moved far from having a willing seller. She felt <br />%ver-more resources" were being committed to the negotiation of an %xtraordinary, unprecedented deal <br />with one developer." She asserted that this move had not been a part of the initial directive to the Parks and <br />Open Space Division. <br /> <br />Councilor Kelly commented that he was aware of the imbalance in park facilities in the community. He <br />strongly wanted to see a community park developed in Santa Clara. He thought the proposed swap had <br />become more complex. He expressed concern that the City was negotiating from a position of a disadvan- <br />tage. He supported the amendment and recommended that the City make a straight offer for acquisition of <br />the 77 acres. He added that, given that it would benefit the community and that no one would lose their <br />home, he was not entirely opposed to exercising eminent domain. <br /> <br />Councilor Solomon disagreed that the issue was complex or that the City was disadvantaged in any way. <br />She could not imagine a better deal for the City as it was proposed that the City would swap land that was <br />not viable for housing for land that was viable and was also getting 77 acres for a park. She commented <br /> <br /> <br />