Green Ribbon Committee

August 20, 2001

Notes of Meeting

Chair: Walt Hitchcock

Attendance: Daoust, Darcy, Gilbert, Herrman, Hitchcock, Houck, Judd, King, Lehan, Marshall, Siegel, and Walker.

Not Present: Grant, Kadlub, Kincaid, Moore, Neeley.

Chair Hitchcock opened the meeting at 7:35 AM. Members and guests introduced themselves.

Metro Council Presiding Officer David Bragdon welcomed the committee and reviewed the committee charge. The committee is being asked to identify 8-10 projects from existing Metro owned parks, trails and natural space properties, that can be opened to the public within a roughly 5 year period. The committee will also be asked to put a price tag on these projects and recommend to the Metro Council a revenue source to cover the costs for these projects and for some operational expenses. The committee is scheduled to report its findings and conclusions to the Council by mid-October, 2001.

This effort continues Metro’s dedication to building a link between city and nature. It springs from ties to the $135 million Open Spaces bond measure, and redeems a promise explicit in that acquisition endeavor, that has exceeded 7,000 acres purchased around the region. Bragdon reviewed criteria adopted by the Council that the committee will be using to rate 30 natural area and trail sites. He emphasized the regional nature of this process and stated that there are no predetermined outcomes at the council level.

Charlie Ciecko, director of the Regional Parks and Greenspaces Department, reviewed the context and history leading up to the formation of the Green Ribbon Committee. The department is a young one, having transferred over to Metro from Multnomah County in 1994, along with several parks sites (Oxbow, Blue Lake and Smith & Bybee Lakes), Glendoveer Golf Course and Pioneer Cemetaries. The mission of the department is different from, but complementary with local parks providers. The department currently manages over 10,000 acres and is guided by the Greenspaces Master Plan.

Jeff Stone, Council chief-of-staff, reviewed the printed materials, and encouraged committee members to review material prior to each meeting. If committee members prefer to receive material through e-mail, they are encouraged to let staff know.

Jim Desmond, Open Spaces Acquisition Manager, gave a slide presentation covering the 30 sites that the committee will be reviewing and prioritizing.

There were several comments supporting the goal and implementation of the existing Open Space bond measure. In response to a question as to when the Council will be referring another acquisition-related bond measure, PO Bragdon said that there is Council interest to do so. However, the Council also wants to move in a synchronized fashion with local parks providers, some of whom plan to have measures on the ballot in 2002. The Council also feels it is important to open up some current holdings for public use prior to any further acquisition measure.

There was also discussion of the need to tour potential sites in such a manner that as many committee members as possible would be able to physically view them, in addition to the paper review that members would be undertaking.

Next meeting: 5:30-7:30 PM

Tuesday, August 28, 2001

   North Clackamas Parks and Recreation Milwaukie Center.

   5443 SE Kellogg Creek

   Milwaukie