|
Lafferty
Ranch Benefits & Costs
Presentation to Sonoma
County Taxpayers Association,
January 15, 1998, by Bruce Hagen
Details
Benefits: High demand for hiking
in natural areas
9/95 Sonoma Co Outdoor Recreation
Plan: Poll (58% top-rated natural hiking.) SCORP
Workshops: nearly all 80 people in Petaluma
workshop recommended Lafferty as wilderness
park, plus Moon (or similar property) as
regional park.
2/96 PD survey: 3 to 1 for
keeping Lafferty (main reason: "it's
irreplaceable".)
Spring 96: 6000 Petaluman
signatures on Keep Lafferty initiative.
November 96: All 3 pro-Lafferty
candidates elected, pro-swap candidates lost.
Planning Costs: Park Plan, EIR,
Boundary Survey, Legal Fees
Actual/projected expense (1) |
Comments |
$75k initial contract with Leonard
Charles for study, EIR |
Without litigation threat, could have saved
$20-30k using "mitigated negative
declaration) |
$18k boundary survey |
Required due to litigation threat |
$9k additional road study |
Required due to litigation threat (City staff
considers it unprecedented.) |
$10-15k legal fees |
Required due to litigation threat |
$5k misc administrative |
|
TOTAL $117-122k |
$57-72k due to litigation threat |
Development Costs (2):
$127k for phase
one (minimum to open park)
$98k additional
for phase two (optional added trails). Less with
volunteers.
Annual City Park Capital
Improvement budget has averaged $1-3 million.
Operation & Maintenance Costs
(3)
Summary
Full development of Lafferty will cost
roughly $350k (approximately $18/Petaluma household.)
About 20% of this cost, and possibly more, is caused by
and benefits no one but a few individuals living near the
property, most of whom moved there after Lafferty was
designated as a future parksite. Lafferty Park will be
available to provide recreation, education, and
inspiration to everyone in perpetuity, at an annual cost
of about $.50/Petaluma household.
Recommendation
The Sonoma County Taxpayers Association
should:
Pass a resolution in support of
expeditious completion of the Lafferty EIR and
opening of the park.
Send a letter to the Sonoma
Mountain Conservancy asking their cooperation in
minimizing further unnecessary taxpayer expenses
in the completion of the Lafferty EIR and opening
of the park.
(1) From City documents and 1/15/1998
phone conversation with Jim Carr, Petaluma Parks and
Recreation Director
(2) From draft Lafferty Management Plan, Dec 1997
(3) IBID
|