Minutes From The December 1999 TOPS Working Committee Meeting

To our total surprise, the Park and Recreation Staff required us to make a formal presentation of our appeal at the meeting.  We had been informed during the previous weekend that only a brief update on our activities was going to be allow and were only informed of the agenda change after the hearing had started..  So we had to move quick and get things presented in a manner that was acceptable to Staff.  In a rather unusual step, Staff interrupted the presentation and required us to restart the presentation.  During this time, enough members of the TOPS committee excused themselves that there was not a quorum to do any voting and we achieved our goal of having the project TABLED until January without actually needing the vote.

Park and Recreation Staff gave a brief statement on why they do not believe our project should proceed.  However, they have been working with Public Works on the 13 acre City Property and believe that a Conservation Easement can be put in place.  The property was cut off from the Hauck Estate when Union Blvd. was put in and is not an important City holding.  So Public Works and the City Land Department are willing to work with us to get the land protected under and organization such as The Palmer Foundation.  This is a huge step in the right direction.  However, the TOPS Working Committee approval is very important towards opening the doors for all the City Staff members to work on the preservation project.  In general, Conservation Easements require a $5,000 endowment be put up to cover the legal fees of setting them up and the ongoing maintenance of the area.

My presentation focused on the large number of people in the Garden Ranch and Vista Grande neighborhoods that are working to help preserve this park area.  At the encouragement of most of the Open Space insiders, we are formulating a plan to raise between $50,000 and $75,000 dollars in order to show that our group is indeed serious about our park.  One of the principle fundraisers of the 1.1 million dollar private donation for the Stratton property  has offered to teach us the tricks necessary to successful fundraising and we are very lucky to have his families assistance.   I also reaffirmed that we will do the project in four phases over a five year period.  I corrected the purchase price of the 9.5 acres of wooded land on the hillside from $95,000 to $29,000.

As many of you are aware, emotions ran pretty high at this meeting.  We managed to get what we needed and are making strong and steady progress.  Next, we need to get organized and meet with the Church members to discuss various options.  If you have suggestions regarding this upcoming negotiation or would like information about the December meeting, please feel free to give me a call at 598-6106.

Scot Hume