Quinton Smith A Yachats community survey shows that people do not want the large grass field behind City Hall carved up for individual users or groups, but rather a nicely landscaped space for a variety of general uses.

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com

A potential makeover of the big grass field behind Yachats City Hall is on to its next phase.

After a discussion over money and staff time, the Yachats City Council on Wednesday gave city staff and the Parks & Commons Commission approval to seek landscape and engineering proposals for a redesign of the field.

The approval comes after extensive public outreach by the commission to find out what community members would like to see in the space.

But the council put off the commission’s request to allocate up to $60,000 for engineering and design proposals until it does a citywide supplemental budget in December. It did authorize project manager Rick McClung to advertise for proposals and indicated support for spending the money to contract with a designer/engineer in early 2022.

**Parks & Commons Commission member Craig Berdie created a community survey for possible uses of the city’s big grass field and compiled results from 234 responses.**

“The intent is to start moving this forward and quit debating it,” said commission member Craig Berdie, who has spearheaded the so-called “Greening of the Commons” project. “This only gets engineering and design proposals so that we can begin work sometime. We’re not asking to dig up dirt.”

Berdie said there should be money in the 2021-22 capital reserves budget for the project, although the Parks & Commons Commission will be asking the city to authorize other projects for the Commons building, including exterior paint and a series of steps leading from the Highway 101 sidewalk to the north entrance.

Councilors Greg Scott and Anthony Muirhead wanted to wait until a new city manager is hired before proceeding, with Scott expressing concerns about staff time and oversight and Muirhead the appropriateness of using visitor amenity funds for the project.

Scott said thought visitor amenity funds were very appropriate for the park, but just didn’t want to undertake big projects until there’s a city manager hired and city staffing sorted out.

But McClung assured the council that the request for proposal is nearly finished and it is not a problem for him to send it out and see who or what companies are interested. He also said budget changes will be done before proposals are received, likely in January, and there’s time for new city manager to catch up.

“We can get it rolling without any cost,” he said.

Mayor Leslie Vaaler and Councilor Mary Ellen O’Shaughnessey said they supported the project, the commission’s request for proposals and wanted to get it moving – once budget adjustments for a variety of city departments or projects are done.

“I don’t want this delayed until next budget year,” Vaaler said.

Craig Berdie **Respondents to a community survey favored general uses and landscaping over specific activity projects.**

The plan to redevelop the field grew out of a dormant study done 11 years ago for the area and after three groups approached the Parks & Commons Commission with specific requests. The city mailed 900 surveys, got 234 responses, compiled the results and came up with ideas to create a dirt berm to shield the field from the wastewater treatment plant and the church to the north, establish trails and plantings, sitting areas and emphasize general use over specific uses until the initial work is done.

Berdie also said, if the city has the money, engineers could study the cost of dredging the wetlands’ pond that is slowly filling with sediment and determine if the boardwalk through the wetlands needs immediate repair or replacement.

“We feel we’ve done a good job of listening to the community and coming up with ideas,” he said.

In other business Wednesday the council:

After hearing from a group worried about the loss of large trees in Yachats, asked the Planning Commission to investigate what a tree preservation ordinance might look like;
Apologized to the Parks & Commons Commission for approving emergency use of the pavilion by homeless people overnight at its Nov. 4 meeting without consulting the commission. Vaaler said she put it on that meeting’s agenda because of the “urgency” of addressing the issue. She has asked Yachats Community Presbyterian Church Pastor Bob Barrett to meet with the commission to go over operational details.
Had an extended discussion on its expectations for a new city manager. Vaaler and Councilor Ann Stott are still negotiating a contract with Gretchen Dubie of Yachats to become city manager.