[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6361469,"mediaKeyId","2170628-7cf2ffd7c8d1417577ed2b4604ed3f86","parentId",2170628,"title","Council debates $150M+ recreation center bond, location and equity during work session","audioSeconds",4848,"startMs",36000,"endMs",4884000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2170628-7cf2ffd7c8d1417577ed2b4604ed3f86&start=36&end=4884","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2170628-7cf2ffd7c8d1417577ed2b4604ed3f86/thumbnail_36000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6361469/McMinnVille/Yamhill-County/Oregon/Council-debates-150M-recreation-center-bond-location-and-equity-during-work-session","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6361469-73f3b0ad63f84f5f12569340562333fa/orig.mp4?Expires=1773746288&Signature=ouAPJMZjpa85nxaecDtToe8qq4es8xyOqLsqWc1uJoPI0WZ0jnz8dGo134prKna2IlxU1~8~Q~enEobE6dljiHJ6HgFwSnLY3UxsdYSgbiKbe~3VNH3sal8FV3YexqlnbvmnNqtdXhQV-pqSX5KBMSmwdnDHBg8v794MB5NPNk5SXOvsnBSAHe7tTjYPN8B0IKADx5Xc1X-z5f2030ORCkFKhCxm4CFczcF7r-mIi7Mr2KekDQHPKyCvAxWpywY3dNX1YwmG5mzx3hCHEaTX3AwyzKVuA0zFWJiPGmWRu04o~N4lIrZaLeOZvPwpKc5ms-Ewo~F73BnX2WyB7dMVzA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of McMinnville, OR","date","2025-01-28T00:00:00Z","article","City councilors spent more than an hour in a facilitated work session discussing options for a new recreation and aquatic facility, continuing a multi-year community planning process that produced the MacPac recommendations.

Staff framed the session as listening-oriented; councilors and community members raised cost, equity, timing and location concerns. Multiple councilors said the existing aquatic center and community center are beyond routine maintenance and need significant investment or replacement. Councilors, staff and members of the public debated whether a single building combining aquatic and community functions makes operational sense and how to avoid pricing out users on fixed incomes.

Cost and timing: speakers referenced a broadly cited package cost in the $152 million to $158 million range and emphasized sticker shock among voters. Councilors asked for phased options to present lower-cost alternatives if a large bond fails and requested clear operating-cost projections and fee scenarios that address rural and county users who do not pay city property taxes.

Location: the group discussed multiple candidate sites. The MacPac recommendation favors the Miller property adjacent to existing outdoor parkland; several councilors supported Miller for long-term logistics, parking and program integration. Some councilors and members of the public preferred keeping major civic uses downtown and expressed concern about losing centrality if the facility moves to the Miller property. Wharton (Wortman) Park and other downtown options were discussed and rejected by some councilors because of trees, footprint and traffic concerns.

Partnerships and governance: several councilors asked about partnerships with outside institutions (Linfield University and others). Some panelists warned against siting the facility on private college property; others said carefully negotiated agreements could bring down the city's cost. Councilors repeatedly raised operating-subsidy and maintenance concerns and asked staff whether a phased approach, sale of replaced facilities, or partnership revenues could lower the ask to taxpayers.

Community outreach and campaign readiness: the council heard from the MacPac community group and a consultant team. Jake Weigler of Praxis Political summarized outreach and polling work and said the early results showed higher support when a senior center was included in the package. Kevin Chambers, representing the community support group formed from MacPac members, said a citizen advocacy organization is organizing to support a ballot measure if the council places one.

No formal bond decision or vote occurred; staff told councilors the earliest realistic ballot timing would be November 2025. Councilors directed staff to provide additional information on phased project options, clearer operating-cost and fee scenarios, user demographics (including rural and county users), and the implications of locating the facility on different sites. Several councilors asked staff and consultants to analyze equity impacts and to return with a plan for maintaining existing parks and facilities while construction proceeds.

Public comments during the meeting included strong support from local recreation groups, including pickleball advocates, who emphasized broad multi-generational demand; the council also heard concerns about property-tax burdens for low-income residents and suggestions that the private sector be engaged to provide some indoor recreation options.

The discussion will continue at future work sessions; no formal action was taken.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","McMinnville City Council Work Session and Regular Meeting 1/28/2025","oneSentenceSummary","City councilors, staff and community advocates spent a work session debating whether to seek a multi-hundred-million-dollar general obligation bond to build a combined recreation and aquatic center, where to site it, and how to reduce costs and equity impacts.","taxTitle","McMinnVille, Yamhill County, Oregon","taxId",51161,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6361473,"McMinnville adopts updated parks, recreation and open-space plan into city comprehensive plan",2632,4493000,7125000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2170628-7cf2ffd7c8d1417577ed2b4604ed3f86&start=4493&end=7125","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2170628-7cf2ffd7c8d1417577ed2b4604ed3f86/thumbnail_4493000.jpg","/articles/6361473/McMinnVille/Yamhill-County/Oregon/McMinnville-adopts-updated-parks-recreation-and-open-space-plan-into-city-comprehensive-plan","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6361473-e08f6ba051731a7149afb65be1392594/orig.mp4?Expires=1773746288&Signature=apOWgDM~GGWzb8coqSaTxlk--76gADXQqZ9aix-0Z3ngzltJZWdTevh5eMY3LIcA-189lFKAoSd5tss6bClsJgQnWJQdtxIonKpUl78RtDgTSaSkT950oagH-WB5pANIAxwQFmonfYADXaE94st--MOSOZk37K8lo70Bm~AJ5C3pR8FaheNPQg~Or15OsnF29Og-1FK0vMD8lu61xPBSugY8nSzsZXiMVwc1mdJ7JRchUQEab8mEzxwDYEBne6iE0ydeundzoexMMf1X7WEzrinq8qSpcXCqCl~6TcSl0tOiS~Vw4VEdyguDRiDcqt5CRJW3nm5t-Ua1LaMNldtGCQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The McMinnville City Council voted unanimously to adopt ordinance 5157, incorporating relevant portions of the June 2024 Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan into the city's comprehensive plan.

Councilors approved the ordinance on a first and second reading after staff and the planning commission recommended amendments. The ordinance brings park inventory and open-space background data into Volume 1 of the comp plan, updates goals and policies in Volume 2, and amends the framework plan in Volume 3 to reflect a reduced parkland level-of-service and adjusted acreage in the city's urban growth boundary expansion areas.

City planners told the council the PROS update reduces the adopted acreage level of service from 14 acres per 1,000 residents to 10.3 acres per 1,000 residents and, for the UGB expansion areas, reduces the future parkland allocation roughly from 254 acres to 127 acres. Staff said the change reflects updated population planning, an equity-based methodology for siting parks (proximity, socioeconomics and density), and recognition of recent constraints on building in floodplain, steep-slope and protected habitat areas.

The planning commission held a public hearing in November 2024 and deliberated in December 2024 before forwarding a recommendation. Staff recommended several technical changes to the planning commission's recommendation; the council adopted the ordinance in that amended form. Among the edits adopted by council was removal from the land-use adoption of portions of the PROS report that address maintenance standards and recreation programming, language staff said belongs in internal program documents rather than the comp plan.

Council discussion focused on two recurring themes: (1) whether the plan's reduced acreage target properly balances acquisition and long-term maintenance costs, and (2) a new comp-plan policy that makes the parks director the initial decision-maker about whether the city will acquire specific parcels identified in the PROS plan.

Councilor concerns about the acquisition authority prompted staff to propose returning with a separate property-acquisition framework for council consideration. City staff said final property purchases would still require council approval, but the new policy (comp-plan policy 170.18 as adopted) authorizes the parks director to decline acquisition of a parcel identified in the PROS plan if the director determines acquisition would not meet the city's needs based on the plan's standards and financial/maintenance analysis. Staff and a consultant explained the policy is intended as a practical \"relief valve\" to prevent the city from taking on sites it cannot afford to maintain.

The council also reviewed public testimony submitted to the planning commission and asked staff to ensure the Fox Ridge Road area plan language matches the updated PROS classification: staff said a parcel previously characterized as a \"community park\" in that area better fits the PROS definition of a natural-resource greenway and the adopted amendments align those documents.

After councilors moved and seconded the ordinance in amended form, a roll-call vote recorded unanimous approval. The council directed staff to return if further changes to land-acquisition procedures are warranted and to provide more detail on maintenance budgeting and acquisition procedures in a follow-up staff report.

The ordinance adds the PROS background, revised goals and framework-plan amendments as exhibits to the comprehensive plan. It removes or narrows sections of the PROS report dealing with maintenance standards and programming from the land-use adoption and leaves those items to be implemented through departmental budget and program documents.","The McMinnville City Council voted unanimously to adopt portions of the June 2024 Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan into the city's comprehensive plan, reducing the acreage level-of-service target and adding policies to guide future park location and acquisition decisions.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6361464,"Public commenters press council on pool safety, homeless services and support for recreation bond",1563,5598000,7161000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2170628-7cf2ffd7c8d1417577ed2b4604ed3f86&start=5598&end=7161","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2170628-7cf2ffd7c8d1417577ed2b4604ed3f86/thumbnail_5598000.jpg","/articles/6361464/McMinnVille/Yamhill-County/Oregon/Public-commenters-press-council-on-pool-safety-homeless-services-and-support-for-recreation-bond","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6361464-873c8e2278380979e72438b2ea6bafe3/orig.mp4?Expires=1773746288&Signature=KdkOUdw5xNnPuep~RDjUDPnbMT7PtiVSdzz2KXx0mBh77Fyx7OW3UMG-MMzBsTUEOo5zQ7i0LVSiSLWAM44gIxf6zAqikUbTMth92Tyec2zi9VOolvqNKrlsMyJYF8GaSy9micwPb9ta4pYRjWittLdUgEVSuOYOfB8SJE5cL-QGxhFNfjIDUbXJR2yI~isdg0eUjhnMTueRqGwdsVJ9lmkM4dSkAZ91sBJfUTkq7OnfFlTdeweX6ou-tM4DhYd7mXBIsw941IkgsNC7T3-QrsVUUgPazjpx3SApN~FJObkwgZLzht9E4N705qBA55Sc95QZGy1DfchOvomXIi3D1Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","During the public-comment segment of the meeting, residents and community organizers raised several distinct items that the council asked staff to follow up on.

Safety at parks and pools: Several residents requested security cameras at the aquatic center and nearby park areas after a parent described an incident in which a man loitered near a child at closing time. The speaker said the library has cameras but the pool did not; she asked that the city's Parks & Recreation and police staff evaluate camera placement and deterrence options. The mayor asked staff to respond: Director Berg was asked to work with Director Muir to follow up and report back to the council.

Homeless services and coordination: An ADP-shelter volunteer thanked the city, county and nonprofit partners for opening the shelter on Adams Street and urged continued coalition-building. A speaker who works with indigent populations called for regional advocacy to expand mental-health capacity in Oregon so local jails are not used as de facto psychiatric institutions.

Support for recreation investment and local advocacy: A number of speakers voiced support for the proposed recreation package and the bond process, describing cross-generational demand (pickleball and other programs) and the MacPac volunteer group's long-term work on a proposed package. Lisa Macey Baker and Kevin Chambers (from the MacPac support group) said the volunteer organization is organizing outreach and plans to run a campaign if the council directs staff to pursue a ballot measure. Other public speakers urged more private-sector involvement to expand indoor recreation options.

The council asked Parks & Recreation staff to follow up on the safety-camera request and requested more information on shelter coordination and mental-health system advocacy; no formal council action was taken during public comment.","At the public-comment period the council heard calls for security cameras at pool and park sites after a reported suspicious-person incident, praise for the ADP shelter transition, and organized support from MacPac and pickleball advocates for new recreation facilities.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council debates $150M+ recreation center bond, location and equity during work session

McMinnville adopts updated parks, recreation and open-space plan into city comprehensive plan

Public commenters press council on pool safety, homeless services and support for recreation bond