The 1994 Portland Parks bond measure was crafted to deal with existing capital <br /> maintenance and capital improvement needs within the city of Portland, including <br /> neighborhood and community facilities. It did not include purchase of any <br /> new land. <br /> The $25 million 1994 Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation District bond measure <br /> focused primarily on park and facility improvements and replacements and develop- <br /> ment of new neighborhood parks and community centers. Neither the Portland nor <br /> the Tualatin Hills measures addressed the regional scope and natural area emphasis <br /> that is the focus of Metro's bond measure. <br /> How will the The regionally significant lands purchased by Metro will be managed under a "land - <br /> new lands banking" strategy that may provide for limited public use until long -term manage- <br /> and trails be ment plans and appropriate facilities are developed. <br /> managed? <br /> Land - banking is a resource management approach that will maintain property in a <br /> stable condition for an interim period. These activities may include law enforce- <br /> ment, signage, fencing, gates, hazard mitigation, resource monitoring and nuisance <br /> abatement. <br /> Some park improvements, such as trails, Americans with Disabilities Act access, rest <br /> rooms and interpretive signage, are allowed with bond funds. Grant funds may also <br /> be used for development of some public use facilities. <br /> Metro may make cooperative agreements with other jurisdictions or agencies for the <br /> care of these lands consistent with the Metropolitan Greenspaces Master Plan. The <br /> lands purchased and capital improvements made under the local government <br /> greenspace component will be the responsibility of cities, counties and park districts. <br /> How will Bond funds can be used only for costs related to buying and improving land. No <br /> operations and portion of the bond funds can be used for operation and maintenance. Metro <br /> maintenance will use its existing excise tax revenue for land - banking costs. Other funding options <br /> be funded? may be considered. <br /> The exact costs for land - banking will be determined when several specific factors <br /> are finalized. The factors that affect land - banking costs include size of the parcels, <br /> condition of the property at time of purchase, geographic distribution, surrounding <br /> land uses, traditional or informal uses, type of structures on site and interim public <br /> use policy. It currently is estimated that the cost of land - banking 6,000 acres will be <br /> about $500,000 a year. <br /> Land - banking costs can be contained or reduced by several strategies that include <br /> utilizing life estates, renting or leasing the property and transferring land to other <br /> entities for operations and maintenance. <br /> 2 <br />