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<br />Operation and Maintenance Gap and Capital Backlog <br />With the tremendous financial support of the community and through substantial support from state and <br />federal grants, Ridgeline Park has grown from 852 acres in 1997 to its present size of 2,140 acres, a size <br />increase of 250 percent. Unfortunately, as the council has heard over the past year, the general fund <br />operations and maintenance (O&M) budget to maintain the Parks and Open Space system has been <br />nearly static during this time. This has led to an annual general fund O&M gap for the entire Parks and <br />Open Space system of $1.7 million and a capital backlog of over $15 million. The Ridgeline portion of <br />the Parks and Open Space system comprises $0.7 million of the annual O&M gap and $6 million of the <br />capital backlog. <br /> <br />With these financial challenges for maintaining the Parks and Open Space system, including Ridgeline <br />Park, the City needs to be thoughtful about what properties are selected for future acquisition and how <br />fast it moves forward with further implementation of the Ridgeline Vision. An acquisition that staff is <br />currently working on offers one example of how the Ridgeline Park vision can be advanced while <br />reducing further O&M costs. For this acquisition, the City has received grant funding from OWEB and <br />the Bonneville Power Administration. In addition, three years of O&M funding from the Bonneville <br />Power Administration has been secured. Obtaining three years of O&M funds at the time of acquisition <br />is a significant and welcome achievement. However, this is a unique situation, in that Bonneville Power <br />Administration is one of the only granting entities that allow some of its acquisition grant funds to be <br />allocated to operation and maintenance of acquired sites. <br /> <br />For the long-term sustainability of Ridgeline Park, the annual O&M gap and capital backlog will need to <br />be addressed. Continuing to operate Ridgeline Park without increased O&M funding or funding to <br />address the capital backlog will present growing financial and land management challenges, including <br />increased risk of wildfire, spread of invasive species, and deterioration of the Ridgeline Trail. <br /> <br /> <br />RELATED CITY POLICIES <br /> <br /> <br />Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Project and Priority Plan (2006) <br /> <br /> <br />City Environmental Policy <br /> <br /> <br />COUNCIL OPTIONS <br />For discussion only; no formal action is required. <br /> <br /> <br />CITY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION <br />No action is required on this item; therefore, no recommendations are offered by the City Manager. <br /> <br /> <br />SUGGESTED MOTION <br />No action is required on this item; therefore, no motions are suggested. <br /> <br /> <br />ATTACHMENTS <br /> <br /> <br />A.Map: Ridgeline Park prior to 1998 <br /> <br />B.Map: Ridgeline Park in 2011 <br /> <br />C.Ridgeline Area Open Space Vision and Action Plan map and associated map key <br /> <br /> <br />\\Cesrv500\cc support\CMO\2011 Council Agendas\M110511\S110511B.doc <br />