You know the owner well. You have developed a relationship with him over the years. His dog knows you you can knock on his door without fear of losing a limb. But, the old gentlemen is a shrewd businessman. He knows that his land is very valuable.
Developers call frequently to offer outrageous amounts of money.
His relatives have been reminding him that it is time to plan for the future. Finally, he agrees and is ready to talk. He wants to sell to your park district in order to keep the land green. But he expects a price approaching fair market value and he wants to keep farming for as long as possible. What should be good news now seems more like bad news.