Bandon and Mt Vernon OR – Oregon Parks and Recreation Department staff will hold two open houses to discuss a proposed property exchange involving part of the Bandon State Natural Area. One meeting will be held in Bandon on the south coast on August 16, 2013, and the other will be in Mt. Vernon in Grant County on August 19. Both meetings will last from 7-9 p.m.
Staff will share more information and answer questions about the proposal to trade 280 acres of the 878-acre Bandon State Natural Area to Bandon Biota, a private landholding entity owned by Michael Keiser, owner of Bandon Dunes and other local golf courses. Bandon Biota proposes to use part of the land to create a 27-hole walking links golf course.
Under the proposal, Bandon Biota would pay at least $300,000 for gorse control on nearby state park properties, transfer two land parcels near Bandon totaling 208 acres into the state park system, and pay as much as $2.95 million to help purchase two other properties: oceanfront property in Lincoln County known as Whale Cove, and 6,100 acres in Grant County near Mt. Vernon for use as a future state park.
Staff will present maps and other information on the properties during the open houses and answer questions:
The Oregon State Parks and Recreation Commission met in Coos Bay July 17 to hear public feedback, and comments from these August meetings will be reported to them for their consideration as well. The earliest possible date it could act on the proposal is at their next meeting on September 24 in Condon, Oregon.
Comments on the proposal are also being taken by email (oprd.publiccomment@state.or.us), and by regular mail to: OPRD, ATTN: Bandon Proposal, 725 Summer St NE Suite C, Salem OR 97301. Comments received before September 16 will be delivered to the Commission before their meeting in Condon.
Maps and text about the proposal are available online at http://www.oregon.gov/oprd/pages/commission-bandon.aspx, including audio of public testimony taken at the July 2013 Commission meeting in Coos Bay.
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