Item 9: Resolution Approving PROS Project and Priority Plan

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v Public Testimony Re: Eugene City Council meeting of April 10, 2006 Agenda item 5. Public Hearing: Resolution 4863 Approving the Parks, Recreation and Open Space Project and Priority Plan Dear Eugene Mayor and City Councilors, Please direct staff to gather more public input on the revised PROS "Project List" Plan as it was only posted on the internet and was made available in the public library on April 6, 2006. The general public has not had a chance to comprehend the changes made since City Council's decision to adopt one half of the plan by administrative order andlor resolution and claiming the decision was not a land use decision. I would like to advocate for the $1.8 million riverfront land acquisitions in the Willakenzie area to complete the 1970's Willamette Greenway Plan that would provide safe bicycle access to Armitage State Park and potentially future River Delta Triad Hospital. The current priority one land acquisitions slated for the Willakenzie area are mostly neighborhood parks that do not provide natural or inner-connected natural habitat. This could be seen as a citywide community asset and become part of that area's priority one allocation projects. Make as much sense as land acquisition for completion of the ridgeline system don't you think? One of the priority one land acquisition's, "Gillespie butte access and natural areas" is not needed as it is called out in the Willakenzie Area Refinement plan, that future development shall make allowances for such a connection. Therefore $212,500 could be reallocated towards natural riverfront habitat land acquisition. Please ask staffto remove the Stricker Field sports complex in the Willakenzie area, as this proposed project is not supported by the data received during public comment on the draft PROS Plan when it when to the separate project district areas. I am applauded by the fact that without public notice the Parks Department staff can re-designate a neighborhood park to a community park without due public process! This would create three Sports Park Facilities within a 2 mile radius. That is excessive, particularity when the Belt1ine and Coburg Road is already a congestion nightmare! How many 1989 PRCP projects have yet been built that are still viable projects. Should not those projects that have been on the waiting list for 16 years go to the top of the new list? I would ask staff to try to balance active recreation based land acquisitions with passive habitat based land acquisition in particular in the Willakenzie area and Citywide. Since it is well known that active recreation land acquisition costs and operations and Page 1 of2