Canby council narrows parks goals: evaluate master plan, decide management structure and funding path

Canby — The council refined its parks and recreation goals after receiving a status update on the parks master plan and staffing needs.

Staff told council the parks master plan identifies a need for additional staff (the plan lists three FTEs to maintain current standards) and calls for roughly 43 acres of future parkland in the proposed urban growth boundary expansion. The parks advisory board is preparing a capital improvement plan that staff will bring for council consideration in the next fiscal‑year budget.

Council discussion centered on how to implement the master plan, not only which projects to prioritize but how to staff and fund ongoing park operations. Some councilors argued for hiring a full‑time parks and recreation director who would be able to pursue grants and lead implementation. Others asked staff to analyze whether a parks district — an independent funding and governance mechanism — or a hybrid approach (district funding with an intergovernmental agreement for operations) would better position the city to deliver athletic fields, maintenance and programming.

Councilors asked staff to return with three pieces of analysis: (1) an implementation plan tied to the adopted parks master plan; (2) an evaluation of management options (city department, parks district, or hybrid) with operational and governance implications; and (3) funding options and cost estimates to support the preferred structure. Staff also noted the timing link between parks decisions and the proposed urban growth boundary and concept planning work; council asked that the evaluations reflect the updated acreage and priorities that will arise from the UGB process.

Next steps: staff will return with a concise implementation recommendation and cost estimates and will include a timeline and draft policy options for council direction during the next budget cycle.