The Linn County Board of Commissioners will accept Requests for Proposals for the purchase of the former Willamette Industries (Weyerhaeuser) mill site at 2210 Tamarack St. in Sweet Home until 5 p.m. July 14.
The county will hold a pre-proposal and site tour at 3 p.m. on June 14 and questions will be accepted until 5 p.m. July 7. Proposals are due no later than 5 p.m. July 14 and the commissioners will review them the week of July 20-27.
Linn County foreclosed on the nearly 160-acre former mill site about 11 years ago, after then-owner Western States Land Reliance Trust failed to pay $500,000 in property taxes. Commissioners Roger Nyquist, Sherrie Sprenger and Will Tucker agreed Tuesday morning that they would like to see the approximately 150-acre property returned to the county tax rolls as soon as possible.
The property is valued at about $1.6 million. It was originally zoned industrial, but has been rezoned as recreation commercial. There are approximately six structures on the property, but all are in need of repair or removal.
The county took control of the property in December 2010 in lieu of $500,000 in back taxes owed by the Western States Land Reliance Trust. At one time, the trust planned to develop the property for high-end homes and an environmental educational center. That plan was later modified to encompass more modest homes. Neither plan came to fruition.
Proposals will be reviewed with the following criteria in mind: intended use, development team, benefit to Linn County residents, proposed timeline, proposed financing methods and sale price.
Board Chairman Nyquist said he is ready for the property to be sold.
“I want to sell this property and get it back into private hands,” Nyquist said.
Commissioners Sprenger and Tucker concurred.
The commissioners previously offered the property free of charge to the city of Sweet Home and has had two general offers from potential buyers at large.
One came from local businessman Josh Victor, who in March offered the Linn County Board of Commissioners $1 million to purchase the site. Victor owns 32 rental properties north of the property.
Copies of the RFP proposal process may be obtained by contacting Rachel Adamec with Linn County Property Management at 541-967-3807 or email: [email protected].
Also, view more at: http://www.co.linn.or.us/PropertyManagement/sh%20mill%20site.html.
– Alex Paul, Linn County Communications Officer