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Forest Grove council refers $29.5 million police facility bond to voters
Summary
The Forest Grove City Council has referred a $29.5 million bond measure to the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot to fund a new 21,500-square-foot police facility, city Chief of Police David Marzilli said. The proposal would raise an estimated 69' per $1,000 of assessed value, about $193 per year for the average homeowner over 20 years.
The Forest Grove City Council has referred a $29,500,000 bond measure to the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot to pay for a new police facility, Chief of Police David Marzilli said. "If passed, the proposed $29,500,000 police facility bond would fund the construction of a new 2-story, 21,500 square foot police facility," Marzilli said.
Marzilli told residents the department outgrew its current building, which was built in 1977 for 12 officers and is 12,120 square feet. "Today, the department has grown to 42, which is 36 sworn officers and 6 professional staff, but the building has remained the same," he said, and studies showed remodeling or adding a second story was not feasible because of architectural limitations, building-code requirements and seismic-safety standards.
City staff evaluated options to expand the existing site but concluded outward expansion would "reduce parking and storage for the police department, eliminate parking used by the library, and impact space needed by the fire department," Marzilli said. As a result, officials identified a new facility as the most practical and cost-effective long-term solution.
Marzilli outlined planned features for the proposed facility: "ADA accessible features throughout the building, separate and expanded holding areas for adult and juvenile offenders, private interview rooms, secure access controlled entry points, climate controlled evidence and record storage, enhanced emergency preparedness and resilient features, space to accommodate future growth." He said the bond would carry a 20-year life.
On tax impact, Marzilli estimated the bond would cost 69' per $1,000 of assessed property value, "which equates to approximately $16 per month or a $193 per year for the average homeowner over the 20 year life of the bond." He added that if voters do not approve the measure, the police department will continue to operate from the existing facility.
The referral places the bond measure on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot for Forest Grove voters to decide. The transcript did not include the council's roll-call vote tally or additional procedural details about the referral.
