Item C: Bethel Community Park/YMCA Project Update

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ECC UGENE ITY OUNCIL AIS GENDA TEM UMMARY Work Session: Bethel Community Park/YMCA Project Update Meeting Date: July 31, 2013 Agenda Item Number: C Department: Public Works Staff Contacts: Neil Bjӧrklund www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Numbers: 541-682-4909 ISSUE STATEMENT This work session will provide an update on revisions to the Bethel Community Park Master Plan completed in 2012 that enable a new YMCA community center facility to be constructed in the park. No action is being requested of the council at this time. BACKGROUND The Eugene Family YMCA approached the City of Eugene Parks and Open Space (POS) Division and the Recreation Division in 2009 with a proposal to expand their services in the Bethel area by building and operating a new facility in Bethel Community Park. Because this area did not have a community center or recreation services to meet the growing needs of the area, and the City did not have sufficient resources to offer comparable services to that area in the foreseeable future, the Parks and Open Space and Recreation divisions felt the proposal merited consideration. As a result, POS agreed to conduct a park planning process to evaluate the proposal and involve the community in reviewing options for amending the master plan for the park. POS held a series of four public meetings and four web-based surveys to gather public feedback from more than 650 community members. The original Master Plan for Bethel Community Park included a future community center of approximately 10,000 square feet. While this is an average size for City-run community centers that typically serve specific user groups (seniors, children, families, etc.), a full-service community center like a YMCA would require closer to 65,000 square feet and a significant additional number of parking spaces to accommodate all users. The larger building size and additional parking necessitated revisions to the master plan for the park. Based on extensive community input, a revised master plan was approved by the Parks and Open Space Division in January of 2012, which provides a site adequate for the YMCA facility on the west side of the park, next to Legacy Street (see diagram, Attachment A). Additional information regarding the master plan revisions and the public involvement process is available on the project website at www.eugene-or.gov/bethelpark. Future development in Bethel Community Park must also comply with a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) currently on file with the City Planning and Development Department. Including a S:\CMO\2013 Council Agendas\M130731\S130731C.doc