Dream's still alive.

Byline: The Register-Guard

The Arlie-Musumeci Family Foundation's sudden exit from the stage shouldn't halt efforts to make the Wildish Land Co.'s 1,400 acres along the Middle Fork of the Willamette River part of the popular Howard Buford Recreation Area.

The foundation announced Tuesday that it is relinquishing its lead role in negotiating an acquisition, citing Wildish's refusal to name either an asking price for the land or the date it plans to provide one.

The unexpected development dims hopes for a quick deal between Wildish and the foundation, which had indicated a willingness to buy the land so it could be preserved for public use.

But the prospects for a swift or easy transaction never seemed promising from the moment Wildish filed a Measure 37 claim in June. While Wildish officials have said they were willing to consider selling the land to the public, they also made it clear they intended to consider development options as well.

That's a negotiations framework that requires time and patience. Arlie was not prepared to give either without some assurance that Wildish was willing to negotiate in earnest.

Arlie's position was not unreasonable. Before investing time and resources, it's prudent to know if there will be a return on that investment. As a successful development firm, Arlie & Co. understands something about returns on investments.

Neither is Wildish's position unreasonable. The family-owned business apparently wants to delay negotiations until after Lane County rules on its Measure 37 claim by a December deadline. If the county rules in favor of Wildish, then it will almost certainly waive existing zoning restrictions rather than pay the requested $15 million in compensation. That, in turn, could make the riverfront property a prime target for development, raising new possibilities and lucrative offers for the company to consider.

But the best-laid plans of mice and men - and developers - often go awry. Land-use watchdogs have been preparing for an all-out fight against Wildish's claim, perhaps even making it a test case to challenge the methods that claimants across the state use to determine damages. There may also be reason to question whether the Wildish claim takes into account potential development complications, including transportation and sewer system requirements, as well as state and federal water-quality restrictions.

None of the key players so far has closed the door on future negotiations. Wildish spokesman Randy Hledik says he sees "no reason to terminate any conversations" and says the company remains "mindful of the community's interest in this property." Chris Orsinger, executive director of the Friends of Buford Park & Mount Pisgah, the nonprofit group that helps run the county-owned park, plans to meet with Wildish. The Lane County Board of Commissioners has appointed Commissioner Faye Stewart to help facilitate an agreement. Even the Arlie foundation says it may be willing to help participate in a future deal.

For decades, state and community leaders and organizations have nurtured the idea of adding the Wildish property to Buford Park, creating a nearly 5,000-acre park and nature preserve that would extend from Mount Pisgah to the confluence of the Coast Fork and the Middle Fork of the Willamette River.

Wildish's Measure 37 claim has threatened that dream. But it also infused it with new focus and urgency. Further, it has provided the Wildish family with an extraordinary opportunity to bolster its already impressive legacy by making certain its property is preserved as part of an unrivaled public park for future generations.