The following documents will assist you in understanding this proposal.

Bandon Dunes -OPRD exchange proposal Aug 10

OPRD Land Acq & Exchange Policy Mar 11

OPRD July 2011 agenda

Hello Friends,

You need to know that Bandon Dunes Golf Course wants to take 210 acres from the Bandon State Natural Area (BSNA), not Bullard’s Beach State Park, in a “swap” for some land they own near other State Park lands. In looking at the before and after maps the golf course provided with their proposal, the only thing clearly shown is a small addition south of Bullard’s State Park land in the estuary and land to be added to BSNA south of Bradley Lake off Beach Loop. This area south of Beach Loop is not improved, or accessible by car.

There is more detailed information on the swap from ORCA with the original email that includes the agenda from the Oregon Parks and Recreation Commission meeting in Bandon on July 20th at 10:15 AM at the Bandon Harbortown Event Center at 325 2nd St. SE that will take public comment on this proposal.

It is on the agenda as “Bandon State Natural Area Project”.

I hope to see you at the hearing on July 20th. The State Park Managers need to know there are people in Bandon that are interested in what happens to our parks.

Thanks,

John

There is more on this issue

The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) is having its Commission meeting on July 20th in Bandon. There are two possible land exchange proposals on the agenda, one of which concerns Bandon. Both are very important. Please see further information below.

The two proposals for land exchange: (a) George Rhodes, Curry County Commissioner, for unspecified properties at Floras Lake down by Port Orford; and (b) the Bandon Biota proposal, are first up on the agenda at 10:15. Curry County and Bandon Biota will speak first, and then there’s public comment.

These are two efforts by private parties seeking State Park lands to benefit private development, probably resorts and/or golf courses. Here’s a summary of each proposal, so you can see how they tie together. The area considered in the Bandon Biota proposal is near the Devil’s Kitchen and China Creek park entrances south of the City of Bandon, on Beach Loop Drive.

Floras Lake State Park: Curry County has been speaking with one or more developers about a possible project of some kind, and has held at least two executive sessions to discuss details. As part of this proposal, the County has initiated efforts to gain ownership of Cape Blanco State Airport in the Port Orford area. This airport is directly adjacent to Floras Lake State Park. Curry County has also approached Parks about a land exchange that would give the County unspecified (possibly oceanfront) acreage in exchange for County-owned properties in the Floras Lake area. In addition, there is controversy over sixteen pits dug recently with mechanical equipment in Floras Lake State Park. They are now filled in, but Parks is seeking information about them, as it may constitute criminal trespass. It is unknown whether the pits are connected to the County’s collaboration with unspecified developers for a proposal in the Floras Lake area, but it is possible.
Bandon State Natural Area: Bandon Biota (a company related to Bandon Dunes LLC) proposed to State Parks in November 2010 that there be a land exchange that would give Bandon Biota 208 acres of Bandon SNA, on its back side, in the dunes. Bandon Dunes would then build a 27-hole golf course directly adjacent to Bandon SNA on its eastern border, south of the City of Bandon. In exchange, Parks would receive a small property at Bullards Beach and some other acreage at BSNA.

The new OPRD Land Acquisition and Exchange Policy (adopted earlier in 2011) requires that any exchange proposed by others must show an overwhelming public benefit to the State Park system to be considered. In ORCA’s opinion, neither of these proposals do provide such overwhelming public benefit that they are in the public interest. Even with incomplete details, especially in the Curry County matter, it is clear that both proposals seek to turn valuable, important public park land over to private developers for a much narrower public benefit than they have as parkland. This is not the purpose of state parks.

It is important that the debate over both these proposals be together (since they are similar), and public, as they involve the public’s land. Oregon Coast Alliance hopes that Bandon-area residents will come to the Parks Commission meeting and begin the debate on this very important question. People are welcome to contact me for further information.

Sincerely,

Cameron


Cameron La Follette
Oregon Coast Alliance
Land Use Director
P.O. Box 5464
Charleston, OR 97420