Lane County presents parks-levy equity survey results; projects target water access, all-ability features and mobility devices

Lane County parks and equity staff on March 18 presented results from a parks-levy community survey and described levy-funded projects aimed at increasing access and reducing barriers for historically underserved users.

Equity framing and survey results

Equity Officer Lehi Faye Amado and Parks Manager Brett Henry described an equity lens applied to levy-funded investments: who participates in decisionmaking, how projects address disparities to access, and how staff can avoid unintended consequences for groups such as Native American and Alaska Native community members.

Survey findings showed that roughly one-third of respondents reported at least one barrier to accessing Lane County parks. Staff said the most frequently identified barriers were physical and financial. The county’s equity work categorized barriers into physical, financial (socioeconomic), cognitive and cultural; projects were prioritized accordingly.

Projects and actions under way

- MOBY mats: staff displayed the mats installed at Cedar Beach that create a stable surface from parking areas to the water, enabling wheelchair access to the shore.

- All-terrain mobility chairs ("David’s Chair"): the county operates motorized, track-equipped mobility devices at Mount Pisgah Arboretum and Cedar Beach; rentals are free and available by reservation. Staff reported the devices are heavily used and have permitted users to access terrain that would otherwise be inaccessible.

- Mount Pisgah river-access project: staff described preliminary design elements (loading platform, gangplank, trailhead improvements) and said engineering, permitting and some grant funding (Oregon State Marine Board facility grant) are complete or in progress. The project needs approximately $400,000–$500,000 more to finish and staff anticipated a 2027 completion if additional funding is secured. The county is exploring other grant sources and coordination with local partners and the Friends of the Arboretum.

- Inclusion and access policy: staff said they intend to draft a formal inclusion policy to give structure to access decisions and to institutionalize equity considerations into future park projects.

Other efforts

Staff reported posting historic land-division documents online (as part of broader planning work) and noted the parks division is coordinating with Lane Transit District on potential shuttle service to Mount Pisgah. Staff highlighted community-photo projects (Shimizu Photography’s Diversity 2) to build cultural connections and reported that only a modest number of new dwellings resulted from recent legal-lot approvals when staff reviewed building-permit data (context noted during prior presentation).

Board reaction

Commissioners praised staff for prioritizing equity and accessibility. Commissioners asked practical questions about device rental procedures and timelines for the river-access project. Staff said device reservations are made through the David’s Chair reservation portal and the river-access project’s additional funding gap was approximately $400,000–$500,000 with an anticipated completion by 2027 if grants are secured.

Ending

Commissioners thanked staff for the presentation and recognition of on-the-ground partners. Staff said they will continue outreach on inclusion policy drafting and pursue additional funding to complete the Mount Pisgah project.