Levy could give Lane County parks cash infusion for projects

Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct the formula for estimating of how much the levy will cost you a year. The amount should be multiplied by 0.16.

Lane County voters will decide on Nov. 8 whether to approve a parks levy that would create a dedicated funding source for specific parks projects, including new trails at Howard Buford Recreation Area and restroom renovations at Richardson Park.

Parks don’t currently receive property tax funding, county spokesperson Devon Ashbridge said, and the ballot measure is “the first of its kind” for the county division.

If passed, the levy would increase property taxes around $40 a year for an average county taxpayer, Ashbridge said.

Read more about the needLane Co. Parks maintenance is backlogged. Now it could cost at least $25 million to catch up

Without the levy, she added, that tax increase won’t happen – but the county also wouldn’t complete projects identified as part of the measure.

“Lane County parks are an important asset that needs regular investments to ensure safe, secure, and healthy spaces for current residents and for generations to come,” the co-chairs of Yes for Lane County Parks, say in an argument favoring the levy that appears in the state voters' pamphlet. “Parks are for everyone, and we need them now more than ever.”

What am I voting on?

Question: Shall Lane County restore, improve parks and natural areas by levying $0.16 per $1,000 assessed value for five years beginning in fiscal year 2023/2024? This measure may cause property taxes to increase more than 3%.

What will it cost me?

Rate: $0.16 per $1,000 in assessed value. For a home with an assessed value of $250,000, that's $40 a year.

Assessed value is different than the amount a home could sell for on the market.

To find your home's assessed value, go to bit.ly/lane-county-easy-property-lookup and put in your address after accepting the terms and conditions.

Once the site finds your property, click on the number next to "Tax Account Data."

On the new page, which should open in a separate tab, scroll down to the table that shows assessed value on the first line. Current data shows assessed value for 2021 all the way back to 2011.

After you’ve found your assessed value, divide by 1,000 and multiply by 0.16 to get an estimate of how much the levy will cost you a year.

How much will it raise?

If passed, the measure would raise an estimated $31 million over five years:

• $5.8 million in the first year

• $6 million in the second year

• $6.3 million in the third year

• $6.5 million in the fourth year

• $6.7 million in the fifth year

What will it fund?

Lane County would use the money to make improvements across the parks system, from refurbishing and replacing restrooms to removing barriers to accessibility on trails and elsewhere.

Projects include:

Armitage Park

• Campground expansion

• Campground and day use restroom enhancements (new roof, siding and fixtures)

• Repairs and enhancements to shelters and picnic areas

• Park road and parking lot resurfacing, crack sealing, sealcoating and striping

• Contract with local law enforcement to increase safety and security

Baker Bay

• Boat ramp updates and increased access to Dorena Reservoir

• Replace campground restroom

• Renovation of day use restroom

• Updates to campground office building

• Park road and parking lot resurfacing, regrading and sealcoating

• Repairs and re-striping of parking lots

Harbor Vista

• Replace RV hook-ups

• Replace campground restroom and shower facility

• Replace park campground office

Howard Buford Recreation Area

• New trails, trail kiosks, accessibility updates, and maintenance

• Environmental education programming

• Habitat restoration and stewardship, including watersheds

• Increased access to the Coast Fork Willamette River

• New public restroom at North Bottomlands Trailhead

• Parking lot and road updates at arboretum and east trailhead parking lots (resurfacing, regrading, sealcoating, and striping)

• Contract with local law enforcement to increase safety and security

For subscribersHoward Burford park, home to Mt. Pisgah and 1,000 acres of rare wilderness, turns 50

North Jetty

• New asphalt parking lot with ADA parking at beach parking lot

• Regrading and paving of dive parking lot

• Install new public restroom at beach access parking lot

Orchard Point

• New day use restroom

• Repairs and updates to marina restrooms

• Updates to day use area at marina parking lots (curbing, crack sealing, sealcoating, striping and regrading)

Perkins Peninsula

• Replace restrooms

• Restripe parking lots

• Non-motorized boat access to Fern Ridge Reservoir

Richardson

• Park road and parking lot updates (speed bumps in campground, curbing, crack sealing, sealcoating, striping and regrading)

• Repairs to picnic structures

• Renovation of campground, marina and day-use restrooms

Who’s backing the measure?

Yes for Lane County Parks, a committee backing the measure, had raised $4,120 as of Oct. 5. Around 40% of that came from contributions of $100 or less. The remaining 60% came from 10 donors who gave between $50 and $500.

The committee had spent just $13.70 as of Oct. 5.

Learn more about the levy

There's more information about the proposed levy available at lanecountyparkslevy.org/.

Contact city government watchdog Megan Banta at mbanta@registerguard.com. Follow her on Twitter @MeganBanta_1.

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Levy could give Lane County parks cash infusion for projects