City of Mac puts number on rec bond: $152.5 million

City of McMinnville graphic##This “test-fit layout,” included in MacPAC’s final report published in 2021, shows how the committee’s recreation center concept and required parking could fit on the site bordered by Riverside Drive and Marsh Lane, which is the preferred site for a new recreation and aquatic center.

The city of McMinnville will ask voters to pass a $152.5 million capital bond in May to fund facility and recreation improvements.

The amount of the bond needed to pay for a new rec center, library and senior center improvements and the first five years of a 20-year parks plan was revealed by city staff this week after months of discussions.

The city council will vote Tuesday on a resolution to allow reimbursement on bond spending if the measure passes.

Parks and Recreation Director Susan Muir said the resolution will streamline timelines and allow for capital funding without waiting for the city to receive bond funds.

“One example is if the bond passes, the city might be able to start spending resources on an architect, prior to receiving the bond proceeds, knowing that we would be reimbursed once the funds transfer to the city,” Muir said.

The proposed bond comes from recommendations in the Parks, Recreation and Open Space Master Plan, which calls for $80 million worth of parks and open space projects over the next 20 years, including $13.6 million in projects in the first five years. Of the $13.6, an estimated $9 million would come from the bond and the remaining $4.6 from grants, fees and other sources.

Details of how the $152.5 million bond will be spent are still unknown, other than the estimated $9 million earmarked for park improvements in the first five years.

The resolution is the only item marked for discussion on an otherwise brief council agenda that will include an annual report from the McMinnville Economic Development Partnership.

Prior to its regular meeting, council will convene for a work session on proposed transitional housing guidelines and compliance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Endangered Species Act.

Under ongoing updates to the ESA expected to be finalized in 2027, Oregon counties must show they followed “Pre-Implementation Compliance Measures” if they are to participate in the National Flood Insurance Program. The program requires local governments to enforce floodplain management ordinances in exchange for enabling residents to purchase federal flood insurance. Counties have until Dec. 1 to show compliance.

Gov. Tina Kotek wrote a letter to FEMA last month protesting the Dec. 1 deadline and asking to pause the pre-compliance program and work with Oregon agencies to set up a collaborative framework.

Under the pre-compliance rules, communities can choose to prohibit all development in the floodplain, incorporate the ESA into local ordinances or require permit applicants to show development in the floodplain will result in no net loss to flood storage, water quality and riparian vegetation to preserve fish habitats.

The city’s flood plain zone essentially prevents development, but some permitted and conditional uses may need to be revisited to comply with FEMA, according to Community Development Director Heather Richards.

“Staff is concerned that those permitted and conditional uses allowed in the floodplain would need to go through Floodplain Habitat Assessment documenting that the proposed development in the Special Flood Hazard Area will achieve no net loss,” Richards stated in the staff report.

The work session is for information and council won’t hold a vote on how to proceed at this time.

Council will also discuss municipal code amendments needed to support transitional housing developments in the city.

City committees have been discussing the need for year-round transitional housing (which represents a step between living on the streets or in an emergency shelter or permanent housing) and are close to finalizing code amendments that would set rules for the facilities.

Council will hear a presentation from Medford-based nonprofit Rouge Retreat about their facilities and discuss the proposed amendments.

Council will convene for the work session at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at Kent Taylor Civic Hall, followed by its regular meeting at 7 p.m.

The meeting packet and agenda can be found on the city calendar page at mcminnvilleoregon.gov/meetings.