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Land sale may create park Would pay for Shady Cove picnic, fishing area By MELISSA MARTIN SHADY COVE -- The city may have its own park on the river if it can sell a piece of property that's inaccessible to the public. Shady Cove wants to create a park for fishing and picnicking if city administrator Jerry L'Estrange can negotiate with the California owner of a 1 acre lot on Rene Drive. The city would pay for the property, which includes 100 feet of river frontage, from the sale of .66 acres the city owns on River Street, which has 50 feet of river frontage that can be reached only by trespassing on private property. River Street and Rene Drive both are at the south edge of town. The City Council plans to vacate the site and deed the land to the two adjacent property owners. The neighbors have agreed to pay the city market value for the land, he said. A public hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 21, at City Hall. At an earlier hearing, some residents objected to the River Street sale because they don't want the city to get rid of riverfront property. They argued that the city has a prescriptive easement -- access by default because of continued use. It would take a legal battle to determine whether that is true, said L'Estrange, who added the city wants to avoid the cost of a legal battle. And the property is not worth fighting for, he said. The property originally was intended as river access for subdivision residents who didn't live on the river. It came into public hands when the city was incorporated in 1972, L'Estrange said. Neighbors have said there is no prescriptive easement because they have put up signs and barriers and have asked anglers, hikers and people with kayaks to stop trespassing, he said. The river property is not the only real estate transaction in the works at City Hall. The city also hopes to sell property behind the Fire District 4 station, as well as property on Highway 62 donated to the city by a resident who wants to remain anonymous. The donor originally asked the property be used for a police station but is now allowing the sale of the property, with proceeds to pay for a police station. Is working with the state Department of Transportation and an attorney from Oregon Trout regarding 28 acres of state-owned land off of Brophy Way. Shady Cove wants the land for a city park. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA