City to Buy 12-Acre Site for Open Space : Parks: The price of $310,000 is called a bargain for the wooded parcel with a creek area and a variety of wildlife. A state grant expected to pay for purchase.

The Glendale City Council on Tuesday agreed to buy a steep, 12-acre site in the San Rafael Hills to add to the city’s preserve of open space.

Officials called the $310,000 price tag a bargain, because the parcel includes a creek-side riparian area with an abundance of coast live oak and sycamore trees and is populated by a variety of wildlife.

Located near Glendale’s northern border in the rugged hills, north of Linda Vista Road and between Buckingham Road and Figueroa Street, the site adjoins other woodlands owned by the city and the county, said Nello Iacono, director of parks, recreation and community services.

Funds for the purchase are expected to come from a $490,000 state grant allocated in 1990 from a tobacco tax specifically for purchase of open space in the San Rafael Hills. However, the acquisition requires approval by the state Department of Parks and Recreation, Iacono said.

In the event the state denies the purchase, the council in its action Tuesday authorized the use of funds set aside for mini-park acquisition to complete the deal. The city has about $485,000 in that account, Iacono said.

Mike Mathias, city real property agent, said the purchase price is relatively low for the size of the property because of current poor economic conditions and because city ordinances protecting riparian areas and woodlands would limit development to only about three parcels on the steep slope.

City planners said no development had been proposed on the site, although the property had been for sale for some time. The parcel is owned by Geronimo Real Estate Corp., a Los Angeles developer represented in the sale by Stevenson Dilbeck Realtors of Glendale, who made the offer to sell to the city, officials said.

Ante Trinidad, a Dilbeck broker, declined to discuss details about the seller or previous plans for the property. However, state records indicate that the Geronimo real estate development group incorporated in 1989 and is led by Marc Needleman as president and Steve Needleman as agent. Neither could be reached for comment.

The city negotiated the purchase under “friendly condemnation” proceedings, which give tax advantages to the seller and lowers the cost to the city, officials said.

The same technique was used in February, 1991, when Glendale bought 36 acres of undeveloped land in Deadhorse Canyon off Greenbriar Drive in the Verdugo Mountains for $1.7 million. That property was purchased from Robert Smithers, a Dana Point developer, who bought the property from television personality Johnny Carson after the entertainer was denied permission by the city to build a 17-house subdivision in 1984.

The city owns more than 4,500 acres of open space, of which about 2,000 acres have been purchased for more than $11 million over the last decade, Iacono said.

The city would like to acquire as much as possible of an estimated 1,200 acres of remaining open space, said Scott Reese, assistant parks director. A plan for acquisitions is expected to be developed in about 18 months.