11th hour nears for land swap.

Byline: Edward Russo The Register-Guard

The controversial Santa Clara park-for-housing land swap has floated aimlessly for months, waiting for Eugene officials to survey public opinion and gather facts.

With that done, the City Council today will resume debate on the land deal, a hot topic in north Eugene.

Some residents worry that a large park and several hundred homes would worsen traffic congestion and clog already-crowded schools. Others don't like the idea of converting farmland into houses.

The council's deliberations could put the land swap back on track or permanently derail it. Time for a decision, however, appears to be running out.

The city's proposed land swap partners, landowners and developers Melvin and Norman McDougal, say they will let their swap agreement with the city lapse on July 1 "unless substantial progress can be made in the near future," according to a top city parks planner.

The deadline puts a spotlight on councilors to indicate if the city should push ahead with the swap, drop the idea or develop an alternative approach.

Councilor Andrea Ortiz, who represents part of the Santa Clara area, on Monday said she's undecided.

She is torn between the wishes of objecting residents and those of parks officials who say the deal makes financial sense for the city, especially if the long-term needs of the city are considered.

"I feel like I want to do what my constituents want me to do, but I also have a bigger constituency," Ortiz said. "So, at this point, I am gathering data and stepping back and looking at the bigger picture."

Mike Evans, the McDougals' land use consultant, has told city officials that the McDougals do not want to sell part of their 197-acre Santa Clara parcel for a park.

That raises the possibility that if the city abandons the land swap and still wants to develop a park near Northwest Expressway and Irvington Drive, it would have to use condemnation to acquire the land.

An appraisal for the city listed the price of a 40-acre McDougal parcel at $7,000 per acre, or $280,000, and a 77-acre parcel at $6,000 an acre, or $462,000.

However, Russ Royer, the city's senior real property officer, said the appraisal value is based on its present farmland zoning. A jury in a condemnation trial might conclude the property is worth more, Royer said, especially if it believes that the land would one day be brought into the urban growth boundary and used for houses.

Meanwhile, a recent survey of residents that attempted to gauge public opinion about the land swap produced mixed results for councilors to consider.

Forty percent of residents surveyed outside Santa Clara supported the deal, with 37 percent opposed and 23 percent undecided, according to the survey by Advanced Marketing Research Inc. of Eugene. In Santa Clara, 44 percent were opposed, 36 percent were in favor and 19 percent undecided, the survey showed.

"The arguments against the project seem to be based primarily on two fundamental issues: the desire to preserve agricultural land and a general disapproval of development and developers," the survey said.

Santa Clara residents who object to the swap have formed the Santa Clara Committee for Sensible Parks & Open Space.

In March, they presented city officials with a counterplan. Instead of a large community park, these residents favored several smaller parks throughout the area, including converting the former Santa Clara Elementary School into a community center. On Sunday, the group will gather to enlist support for its cause, in front of the old school at River Road and Hunsaker Lane.

Andrea Riner, the city's parks planning manager, told city councilors in a May 3 memo that many of the residents' ideas are sound, but they ultimately would scatter recreation sites throughout the area. A large park with many uses, however, can be operated more efficiently and is "aimed at bringing the community together," she said.

Converting the former Santa Clara Elementary doesn't make sense, Riner said, because the eight-acre property is "too small to fully serve the needs of this growing community."

The property could be used for a neighborhood park, she said, but the parks department has already acquired nearby land for that purpose.

The old school could be used for a community center, but renovation costs could exceed $3 million, which is more than what the city has left from a 1998 parks bond measure, Riner said.

"While the preservation of the school is understandably important to the community, the acquisition, maintenance and operation of a historic structure is not feasible given current budget limitations," she said.

DECISION NEARS

The Eugene City Council today will discuss a proposed land swap that has generated much debate in the Santa Clara area of north Eugene, but it also would affect the southeast part of the city.

The Santa Clara Deal : In return for the possibility of being allowed to put houses, apartments and businesses on 120 acres near Irvington Drive and Northwest Expressway, developers Melvin and Norman McDougal would give the city 77 acres of adjoining land for a community park. Present zoning on both parcels of the flat land allows only farming.

Southeast Eugene Proposal: The city would buy 100 acres of McDougal property in the Laurel Hill Valley for $950,000 and gain easements to use another 30 acres. The parks department would use the 130 acres to extend the Ridgeline Trail. Present zoning on the hilly, forested land allows houses. An appraisal done five years ago for the 100 acres under the present zoning listed the value at $2.15 million.

Boundary Changes: To accomplish the deal and allow development in north Eugene, the city would have to move the urban growth boundary to include the McDougals' Santa Clara property. In turn, the urban growth boundary in southeast Eugene would be moved so the McDougals' 130 southeast Eugene acres would fall outside of it, which would prevent development for housing.

What's Next: City Council is scheduled to discuss the land swap about 12:30 p.m. today in the McNutt Room, City Hall, 777 Pearl St. The meeting will be televised live on Metro TV, Comcast channel 21. It will be reshown at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday.