Council Communication

Title:	Consider Granting the State of Oregon a Permanent Slope Easement
Dept:	Public Works Department
Date:	September 16, 2002
Submitted By:	Paula Brown
Reviewed By: ........................	Greg Scoles, City Administrator

Synopsis:	On June 5, 2001, the City granted approximately 17,200 SF of the City owned "Impreatrice Property" as a permanent slope easement to the State. The State of Oregon, Department of Transportation, offered the City $750.00 for assignment of a permanent Slope Easement on a portion of the City owned land so that the State could widen and pave a deceleration lane from I-5 to the Port of Entry below the City owned "Impreatrice Property". The State is requesting additional permanent slope easement space to construct and maintain a drainage swale along the easement area so that the irrigation and all other natural drainage will not run off onto the highway. The State is offering the City $3,200.00 for assignment of a permanent Slope Easement on a portion of City owned land. Approximately 43,777 SF of additional area along the same line of the initial easement will be provided as a permanent slope easement to the State. The City owns the "Imperatrice Property" originally purchased for the effluent reuse program. The property is dedicated as EFU land and is currently leased for cattle grazing.
Recommendation:	It is recommend that Council accept the State's proposal of $3,200.00, in exchange for granting a permanent slope easement above the Port of Entry and authorize the Mayor and City Recorder's signature on the attached agreement.
Fiscal Impact:	The City will be given $3,200 for this easement. The impacts to the land and to the grazing property are negligible and should not impact future property values or grazing use.
Background:	The City purchased the 840 acre "Imperatrice Property" for effluent and biosolids reuse purposes. The property is within the County, not within City Limits nor is it within the City's Urban Growth Boundary. The property is currently being leased to a farmer for cattle grazing. For safety reasons, the State intends to construct a deceleration ramp leading off I-5 to the Port of Entry. The topography requires that the land surrounding the proposed deceleration lane be cut back into the hillside to provide the necessary space - hence a slope easement on the City's property is necessary. In total, the State needs a strip of land that is roughly 215 feet wide by 203 feet deep encompassing 43,777 SF or just over an acre of land (1.0 acres = 43,560 sf), the description of which is attached and minimally impacts two of the City's "Imperatrice Property" parcels. The State has used similar comparative prices for pastureland, and the valuation is fair. The State will provide new fencing along the easement and will seed the cut bank to prevent erosion.

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