Item 2E: Resolution Placing PROS Bond Measure on Ballot

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ATTACHMENT A RESOLUTION NO. _______ A RESOLUTION CALLING A CITY ELECTION ON NOVEMBER 7, 2006, FOR THE PURPOSE OF REFERRING TO THE LEGAL ELECTORS OF THE CITY OF EUGENE A MEASURE AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF A MAXIMUM OF $25,490,000 OF GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS FOR PARKS, RECREATION, AND OPEN SPACE PROJECTS. The City Council of the City of Eugene finds as follows: A. Parks and open space provide a place for citizens to enjoy time with family and friends and to meet other community members. Parks provide opportunities for youth and adult recreation that have a positive relationship to community health and public safety. The preser- vation of natural areas in and around Eugene provides needed habitat for wildlife and places for citizens to contemplate nature and find tranquility in their daily lives. B. This bond measure is intended to address the most critical needs in Eugene’s parks and natural areas. Acquisition of new park land is important to meet future goals related to parks, recreation and open space and avoid lost opportunities due to development pressures. Land should be acquired for neighborhood parks in the following areas of the City: Bethel, River Road/Santa Clara, south Eugene, Willakenzie, and Willow Creek. In addition, land should be acquired to create a community park in Santa Clara and expand Amazon Park and park land in front of the Shelton-McMurphey-Johnson House. Land also needs to be acquired for natural area parks, including land near the Ridgeline Trail, the Willamette River and Gillespie Butte. Approximately $18,250,000 from this measure should be used to acquire new park land. C. The West Eugene Wetlands Environmental Education Center is an opportunity to partner with other organizations including the Bureau of Land Management, Eugene School Districts 4J and Bethel 52, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Army Corp of Engineers and the nonprofit organization, Willamette Resources and Educational Network to create and support a world-class education center. The Education Center would focus on celebrating and encouraging stewardship of natural resources through broad-based community involvement and resources. Approximately $1,750,000 from the measure should be used to help create the Education Center. D. Joint development of synthetic surface ball fields on school district property or City park property immediately adjacent to school district property presents another opportunity to partner with other public entities. The City, together with the Bethel and 4J school districts, has a history of working cooperatively with the schools to construct and maintain these facilities in the past. Working together with the 4J and Bethel schools districts would enable the resurfacing of the existing fields as well as the development of new fields on property owned by those districts and on City parkland adjacent to school property. Development of new fields could include auxiliary projects, such as constructing restrooms, lights and bleachers, as well as expanding parking lots. This opportunity is one that may not exist in the future. Approximately