SPRINGDALE : Five toss pitches on land for park
Posted on Friday, October 10, 2008
SPRINGDALE — The five competing landowners trying to sell property to the city for a baseball and soccer park made their cases Thursday, but instead of choosing a proposal, aldermen set a public hearing so taxpayers can view the offerings.
At stake is a $ 1. 8 million purchase of 70-100 acres for trails, five soccer fields and four youth baseball diamonds on the east side, a priority identified in the Comprehensive Master Plan for Parks and Recreation. The City Council, meeting jointly at City Hall as the parks and capital committees on Oct. 21 at 5: 30 p. m., will present park plans to the public and perhaps set a final vote.
It is the first time the city has had this many offers for park land as owners try to offload parcels in a down real estate market. The abundance of choices makes the final decision more difficult, Mayor Jerre Van Hoose said Thursday.
“This is not apples-to-apples information because the land is different,” he said, referring to the fact that one piece is in a flood plain while another is on top of a mountain.
The base offers are from: Legacy National Bank: 101 acres, $ 2. 6 million, with a donation of 26 acres Mark Courdin and Graham and Campbell families: 143. 1 acres, $ 5 million Harold Parsons: 120 acres, $ 4. 2 million, with a donation of 40 acres Seth Mims and Glenn Parsons: 35 acres, $ 1 million, plus a $ 50, 000 grant to Springdale School District, donation of 25 acres, trail easement and option for remainder of Webber Mountain (140 acres ) and offer of additional 47. 1 acres Phil Taldo: 86. 9 acres, $ 2. 8 million, with an option for 20 additional acres Gary George, chairman of Legacy Bank and chief executive officer of George’s Inc., made a heartened pitch for his offer.
“When you put it all together, you have it all,” he said, referring to his land at the east end of the Don Tyson Parkway. He touted his property’s proximity to neighborhoods, roads and utilities, and also said his land offers space for a retention pond, which could reduce flooding in the Clear Creek Basin.
But George’s presentation didn’t appear to convince Alderman Jeff Watson. He questioned the value of the land donation and asked chief city engineer Ben Peters if the retention pond would truly benefit Clear Creek.
“Will that retention pond relieve flooding in the basin ? No,” Peters said. “It will help the downstream problem, but not solve the downstream problem.” George said he has concerns with the city building a park on a piece of land divided by a road, a clear reference to the piece owned by Phil Taldo, which is split by George Anderson Road.
But Taldo said his land is big enough for the soccer fields and ballparks the city wants, and the road would pose no threat to children.
“There won’t be kids running over the road,” he said, adding that his property is closest to neighborhoods, roads, utilities and the Fayetteville trail system. “If you buy this property, you’ll have it all.” Businessman Jim Potts, who does not have a piece of land on offer, said the land offered by Mims and Parsons on top of Webber Mountain is the most impressive piece.
“I don’t have a dog in the fight, but Springdale needs a competitive advantage,” he said. “There’s something that attracts people to mountains.” The Webber Mountain piece includes views to the east, west and south, and a summit for ballparks and soccer fields. The roads leading to the summit offer scenic space for bike and pedestrian trails.
Mark Courdin, who along with two others is offering property on Monitor Road, said the land is pretty, could be easily developed and that the city can “tie it up” with a low down payment.
Meanwhile, Chuck Hurlbut, who represents landowner Harold Parsons, described that tract as old family land that has slopes and flatlands ideal for a park.
“Everyone needs to see it,” he said.
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