TO: Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Krishna Namburi, Interim City Manager
FROM: Gretchen Bennett, Acting in Capacity Community Services Director
SUBJECT:
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Fisher Road Park Development Grant Application to the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
Ward(s): Ward 5
Councilor(s): Councilor Brown
Neighborhood(s): Northgate
Result Area(s): Welcoming and Livable Community
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SUMMARY:
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Following City Council approval of the Fisher Road Park Development Plan on March 10, 2025, the City is preparing to begin the first phase of formal improvements at this currently under-developed neighborhood park. To expand the project budget, staff are requesting Council authorization to apply for, and if awarded, accept a Land and Water Conservation Fund grant from the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. Grant funding would help support priority features such as a playground, pedestrian circulation system, open lawn area, entryway and street frontage improvements, and potentially a picnic area with a shelter.
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ISSUE:
Shall City Council adopt Resolution 2025-21, authorizing the City Manager to apply for and, if successful, accept a Land and Water Conservation Fund Grant from the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department to provide funding for improvements to Fisher Road Park?
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Adopt Resolution 2025-21, authorizing the City Manager to apply for and, if successful, accept a Land and Water Conservation Fund Grant from the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department to provide funding for improvements to Fisher Road Park.
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FACTS AND FINDINGS:
Parks Overview
Fisher Road Park is a 6.8-acre neighborhood park located at 4350 Fisher Road NE. A vicinity map is included as Attachment 1.
The park is currently under-developed and comprises three parcels surrounded by multifamily housing. Existing facilities include an unimproved gravel parking area, an information kiosk, multiple picnic tables, soccer goals situated within an unirrigated, roughly mowed lawn, and an unpaved looped walking path.
Service Area and Demographics
The primary half-mile service area of the park is almost entirely located within Marion County Census Tract 16.05. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-year estimates, the median household income in this area is approximately $34,430, about 43% below the citywide median and 57% below the statewide median, indicating an economically disadvantaged community. Approximately 35% of residents are under the age of 18, compared to 24% citywide and 20% statewide, highlighting the park’s importance to a community with a relatively high proportion of children and youth.
Planning and Public Engagement
The City Council approved the Fisher Road Park Development Plan on March 10, 2025. The plan was informed by a robust public engagement process, including open houses, online surveys, and targeted outreach to Spanish-speaking residents. The resulting preferred design balances community input, recreational needs, and site conditions. The site plan graphic from the Council approved park development plan is included as Attachment 2.
Phase 1 Improvements
Phase 1 of park development is planned to include priority improvements such as a playground, a pedestrian circulation system, irrigated open lawn areas, entryway and street frontage enhancements, and potentially a picnic area with a shelter. The estimated cost of Phase 1 improvements is approximately $6.9 million. The adopted Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan for Fiscal Years 2026-2030 currently identifies only $1,225,000 in local funding for the project, fully funded through System Development Charges. Grant funding-including potential support from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and another anticipated grant program expected to issue a call for project applications in early 2026-presents an opportunity to leverage local funds and expand the project budget, enabling delivery of a greater portion of the initially identified Phase 1 improvements.
Maintenance and Operations
Development of Phase 1 improvements is expected to require an increased level of park maintenance and operations. Parks Planning staff is work closely with the Parks Operations team to design the park to be efficiently and effectively maintained and managed over the long term.
Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Grant
The Land and Water Conservation Fund is a federally funded grant program administered in Oregon by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD). The program generally receives approximately $4 million annually for qualified projects. As there was no grant cycle last year, OPRD staff have confirmed that approximately $8 million is available for award through the current cycle. City Parks staff have determined that Fisher Road Park aligns well with the objectives and scoring criteria of the LWCF program, as established in the 2025-2029 Oregon Statewide Outdoor Recreation Plan, titled Balance and Engagement: Sustaining the Benefits for All Oregonians.
LWCF Protection and Compliance Responsibilities
Parks acquired or improved with LWCF contributions are permanently protected for public outdoor recreational use under Section 6(f) of the LWCF Act. Any conversion to non-recreational use requires approval from the Secretary of the Interior, including replacement of the recreational area with property of equal value and comparable usefulness and location.
Post-completion compliance applies to all grant-assisted areas and is enforced by the State through OPRD in coordination with the National Park Service. The anti-conversion protection applies to the entire park site, safeguarding taxpayer investments and ensuring long-term public recreational benefits. The program also allows for flexibility when community needs change, provided replacement recreation opportunities are provided.
City parks with LWCF protections include Bush’s Pasture Park, Cascades Gateway Park, McKay Park, Minto-Brown Island Park, Orchard Heights Park, Riverfront Park, Wallace Marine Park, Wallace Natural Area, Woodmansee Park, and six neighborhood parks, ensuring these sites remain dedicated to outdoor recreation for current and future generations.
Request for Council Authorization
Staff are requesting City Council authorization to apply for, and if awarded, accept a LWCF grant from OPRD. If authorized, staff will request a funding award of between $750,000 and $1 million through the City’s application. This grant funding would allow the City to expand the Phase 1 project budget and advance priority park features. A City Council resolution is required as part of the OPRD grant application process. The proposed resolution - Resolution 2025-21 - is included as Attachment 3.
BACKGROUND:
As defined by the 2013 Comprehensive Park System Master Plan, Fisher Road Park is a neighborhood park, meaning it is intended to serve the surrounding neighborhood, providing local access to basic recreation resources for nearby residents, and is located within a half-mile walking or bicycling distance of most users.
Since 1968, the City has completed 52 projects funded through grant programs administered by OPRD, including the Land and Water Conservation Fund, Local Government, Recreational Trails, and Historic Preservation Grant programs. Currently, the City has two active OPRD grant agreements under the Local Government Grant Program: a $500,000 grant for the development of a skatepark and associated improvements at Geer Park, and a $770,000 grant to replace and expand a playground along with other related improvements at Riverfront Park.
Rob Romanek
Parks Planning Manager
Attachments:
1. Attachment 1 - Vicinity Map
2. Attachment 2 - Fisher Road Park Development Plan graphic
3. Attachment 3 - Resolution 2025-21