City and district open talks on Mark Twain parcel as potential parkland

City staff raised the possibility of converting underused school property near Mark Twain Elementary into city parkland to preserve an oak grove and expand green space in the neighborhood. Corey Mizely, city manager, described a roughly three-acre area under discussion and told the board the concept was an early, high-level conversation about a potential land transfer or other arrangement.

Councilor Eric Hammond (speaking through a proxy in the meeting) said he hoped the city could "memorialize the oak grove" around the soccer field and protect the trees. City and district participants noted some confusion about exact parcel ownership and mapped boundaries while they discussed options. "When the council was talking about it, I didn't even know the school district owned that piece of property," one council member said, noting a prior lack of clarity.

District and city officials said the property has been discussed several times in the past. The district said it historically saw no long-range need to build on the parcel. The city acknowledged the land contains older oaks and that the trees receive protection under city code; councilors framed preservation as an ecological and recreational benefit for a part of town with limited parkland.

Both sides asked staff to conduct further analysis of exact boundaries, ownership, outstanding constraints, and potential conveyance or transfer mechanisms. The city offered to supply valuation information and recommended next steps for exploring a land transfer; the district said it was "not opposed to looking at it and talking about it." No formal action or transfer was proposed or authorized.