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TO: <br />FROM: <br />Mayor Peterson and Council Members <br />Ron Moorse, City Administrator <br />DATE:June 3,2004 <br />SUBJECT: Big Island Vets Camp Update <br />The decision to close the Vets Camp and sell the property has raised both short term and long term <br />issues for the City. The short term issue is preventing activities from occurring on the property that <br />could have negative impacts on the property and on the lake. I have attached the letter sent to Jeff <br />Olson, State Commissioner of Veterans Affairs, expressing the City ’s support for the Vets Camp, <br />and expressing our concerns regarding the need to supervise the property to prevent vandalism and <br />other problems. <br />The long term issue is the preservation of as much of the natural character of the Vets Camp <br />property as possible, and to limit the impact of the use of the property on the lake. There arc three <br />general options for what might occur on the property. <br />1. Hie Vet's Camp is reopened, or a public entity purchases the property and operates it in a <br />manner very similar to the Vets Camp. This option most closely matches the City ’s goal of <br />preserving the natural character of the property and minimizing the impact on the lake. <br />2. A public entity acquires the property and operates it with active uses that attract large <br />numbers of people. <br />3. A private party purchases the property and subdivides it into lots for seasonal residences. <br />The construction of hou.scs on the property would have a substantial impact on the natural <br />character of the land. The impact on the lake would depend on how each of the individual <br />property owners uses the property. <br />It is important that the City make its goals related to the property clear to public entities who may <br />be potential purcliascrs of the property. The Council may also want to consider creating a new <br />“institutional" zoning district that would include all land in the City that is currently in public <br />ownership, llus would provide the City with an additional level of review authority, both in <br />relation to the public use of the property , and when a parcel of public land is sold for private u.se. <br />It is also important that the City clarify its pt^licy regarding the level of City services that will be <br />provided to properties on Big Island, so that potential private purchasers arc clear about what their <br />service expectations simuld lie. <br />i