Item A: River Road/Santa Clara Transition Project

Home Browse Search

? Santa Clara Heritage Option No1: Expand River Road Parks and Recreation District . Services to Santa Clara – The City could contract with the River Road Parks and Recreation District to serve in-City Santa Clara residents in manner roughly similar to how the Eugene Water and Electric Board (EWEB) retails water services through the two local water districts, how the City provides fire protection through the River Road Water District, and how the City used to contract with Santa Clara Fire for fire protection services to in-City residents of that neighborhood. Advantages: Potentially provides the District with more revenue and patronage by expanding its base; the District would potentially strengthen its autonomy and status as an important home governed entity; doesn’t require voter approval of a District boundary change; provides Santa Clara with more direct access to neighborhood governed recreation services; opens up opportunities for District developed and operated community facilities in Santa Clara. Challenges: Not every City recreation program offered in or for Santa Clara may be in the interest of, or feasible for, the River Road Parks District to operate; revenues generated by a Santa Clara expansion may not match demand for services; the City provides many recreation services to Santa Clara (just not physically within Santa Clara); patrons of the District may prefer that the District concentrate exclusively on River Road; some Santa Clara in-City residents may prefer direct service by Eugene; doesn’t necessarily solve the issue of service to non-City residents; cost of building the necessary physical recreation facilities. ? Santa Clara Option No. 2: Expand River Road Parks and Recreation District Boundaries to Santa Clara – River Road incorporates Santa Clara into its special district service and taxing boundary. Advantages: Potentially strengthens the Parks District and improves its chances of “longevity”; gives Santa Clara a new governance option and neighborhood service around which to build and sustain its sense of community. Challenges: Some Santa Clara residents may prefer City recreation services (and being able to obtain such services for in-City recreation fees); boundary change requires a vote; pace of annexation and new development in Santa Clara may make this an idea whose “time has passed”; the City provides many recreation services to Santa Clara (just not physically within Santa Clara); patrons of the District may prefer that the District concentrate exclusively on River Road; new taxes and fees generated by the expansion of the District may not be sufficient to meet Santa Clara’s demands for District services; cost of building the necessary physical recreation facilities. Miscellaneous Options Miscellaneous options are those that do not fit “neatly” within the definitions of transition and heritage options and/or that contemplate changes that could significantly impact both the River Road and Santa Clara neighborhoods and/or the Eugene/Springfield metropolitan area as a whole. ? Miscellaneous Option No. 1: Create or Expand a Regional Recreation Service Provider - Current State statutes do not allow for special districts to operate within cities if the city and the district provide the same service. Thus, for some options discussed above, the City of Eugene would have to “opt out” of recreation services if the River Road Parks and Recreation District were to continue in any form once its entire service territory was incorporated into the City. If the City were to opt out of recreation services, the River Road Parks and Recreation District could theoretically contract with the City or expand its boundaries to serve the entire City. Alternatively, and technically at least significantly more possible than a River Road “take-over”, the Willamalane Parks and Recreation District (currently the recreation services provider in the 32 River Road/Santa Clara Transition/Heritage White Paper DRAFT 11-24-05 Service provider Review