Statement On Oppenlander Field In West Linn

Press release from the City of West Linn:

June 2, 2021

The City Council read the following statement at their May 27, 2021 Council Meeting:

Over the past 40 years, the West Linn community has enjoyed use of the 10-acre Oppenlander Fields property on Rosemont Road. The West-Linn Wilsonville School Board has recently decided to sell this property. The School Board approached the West Linn City Council and offered to sell the City the property at the appraised value of $6,500,000. The City Council discussed this in confidential Executive Session, as it does all real estate matters. The offered price far exceeded funds readily available to the City in the budget for a land purchase.

Given the price tag, the City Council requested the opportunity to have an open community discussion of this property with enough time allowed to explore possible uses and potentially hold a city-wide vote in November 2021 on a General Obligation Bond Measure to determine whether the citizens of West Linn wanted to raise taxes so the City could purchase the property. To that end, City staff drafted an option agreement that would have allowed the City to have until the end of this year to determine whether City purchase of Oppenlander Fields was desired by the community. That option agreement was provided confidentially to School District staff and the School Board. Initially, the District was receptive to the Council’s proposed option agreement, but shortly thereafter, the School Board concluded that this timeline did not meet the District’s needs, and informed the Council that they would be moving to sell the property on the open market.

The City Council understands the importance of this property to community members, neighbors, and youth sports organizations. The Council maintains interest in its proposed option agreement if the District is willing to delay sale.

This press release was produced by the City of West Linn. The views expressed here are the author’s own.