City commission eyes South Albany property for more park land | Govt-and-politics

With a lot more residential construction under consideration for South Albany, the fee would like a nod from the Town Council to annex 26.61 acres off of Lochner Road and Ellingson Street, in accordance to personnel reviews.

Originally meant as a soccer field intricate, the assets has remained in the arms of Linn County given that the prepare fell by means of because of to city price range constraints about 15 yrs in the past.

The South Albany home neighbors a 226-good deal subdivision annexed to the town in 2005, Henshaw Farm, west of Columbus Avenue and north of Ellingson Road.

Associates of the Parks and Recreation Commission had been in settlement on Wednesday, April 6 that now’s the time to provide the assets into the city boundaries.

Albany Parks and Recreation Director Kim Lyddane explained on Wednesday annexation would give the metropolis flexibility if long run developers will need to negotiate highway improvements with the city. It also could streamline the land use assessment procedure need to the city manage the property, she explained.

“We really are not able to do any of that at this position if it stays with the county,” Lyddane claimed. “You will find no authentic downside for us to do this.”

Significantly of the home, Lyddane explained, could be created accessible for other advancement moreover neighborhood parks.

Based mostly on its 2021 Parks Master System, Albany maintains 24 parks spanning far more than 900 acres and plans to add two citywide parks above the subsequent decade. The city’s backlog of park jobs quantities to around $5 million.

Annexing the South Albany property, according to Albany Transportation Devices Analyst Ron Irish, would occur with zero expenditures to the metropolis. The city would spend for the park itself, need to a person be crafted, he said.

The town is considering a proposal to actual additional costs from developers with proposals to build housing, precisely concentrating on those people cash for new park features. 

Bringing the residence into the city restrictions could save the metropolis dollars down the road with a upcoming developer, Irish explained, envisioning one particular feasible negotiation:

“At some issue in the long term, the parks division would annex, establish and be liable for setting up their aspect of the avenue and reimbursing a developer for their drinking water and sewer fees,” Irish mentioned. “The parks department may possibly keep away from some of individuals prices of street development since they were being ready to accommodate some of the developers’ need.”

On Wednesday, the parks fee voted to convey the annexation of the house to the Albany Town Council for further more dialogue.

The council is scheduled to maintain a combination digital and in-man or woman get the job done session to talk about the South Albany annexation at 4 p.m. Monday, April 11, amongst other subjects. A community listening to on the new calculations of costs residence builders would pay to enable fund new parks is scheduled for Could 25.