Lots of open space for Arch Beach

Arch Beach Heights residents are going to get some breathing room.

City Manager Ken Frank announced on Tuesday the city’s purchase of another 20 vacant lots in Arch Beach Heights, which will be added to 12 lots previously purchased to create a swathe of permanent open space in the densely developed area.

“This sets the stage for a passive park and stops the expansion of streets in Arch Beach Heights, reducing potential traffic,” Frank said.

The parcels had been the subject of a proposal to extend Cortez Street, which would have opened a large area of Arch Beach Heights for residential development.

“That application is no longer viable,” Frank said.

The parcels were bought for $605,000 from Paul Allione, a principal plaintiff in a lawsuit against the City , which challenged the manner in which the City adopted more restrictive grades for street extensions.

Frank said he, Fire Chief Mike Macey, Planning Commissioner Norm Grossman and Councilwoman Toni Iseman also were sued, based on accusations of conflict of interest because of their participation in the adopted changes and the location of their own properties.

As a result of the purchase, the lawsuits were dropped, Frank said.

The purchase of the 20 lots comes about six months after a previous acquisition of 12 parcels in Arch Beach Heights, for which the city paid $600,000 at the end of 2005.

Those 12 lots were owned by Polo Properties, a company controlled by David Spangenberg, one of the plaintiffs in the Diamond Crestview litigation, which forced development in that hillside neighborhood, which the city had opposed.

Financing for these purchases comes from the city’s Open Space Fund, supplemented by proceeds from the sale of city-owned lots on Olive and Poplar Streets, which are currently used for park maintenance purposes, Frank said.

The two Arch Beach Heights acquisitions will help the city preserve the natural hillsides’ permanent open space for passive recreational pursuits such as hiking, Mayor Steven Dicterow said.