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Clackamette Park Master Plan Scope
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BACKGROUND:
Clackamette Park is a 24 acre charter park located at the confluence of the Willamette and Clackamas Rivers. It is Oregon City's only park designated as a regional park and due to the park location and types of facilities located on the property, it sees heavy use from residents of Oregon City and people throughout the region. Facilities at the site include an RV campground, playground area, shelter buildings, horseshoe pits, picnic areas, boat ramp, pathways, restroom building and parking facilities.
The current boat ramp received a 'short-term' repair in 2016 but with the Clackamas River continuing to shift, a long-term relocation is required. The long-term boat ramp will need to be placed approximately 350 feet down river from the current boat ramp. The location of the boat ramp recommendation was determined through a hydrology study and is supported by Oregon State Marine Board (OSMB) and Oregon Department of Fish and WIldlife (ODFW). Moving the boat ramp down river will impact the primary greenspace in Clackamette Park. Due to this impact, concern was voiced from members of the Commission as well as members of the public.
The City Commission recognized the need for a master plan of Clackamette Park during the FY2017-2019 goal setting process. Goal 3 identified revisiting a portion of the Waterfront Master Plan, including Clackamette Park, the boat ramp location, the RV Park, and the City-owned properties across from Clackamette Park. Staff are proposing beginning the master planning process in the spring of 2019 and taking nine to twelve months to complete this goal which will carry over into the next budget biennium.
Some of the primary themes or questions for the process will include:
• RV Park - should we continue to operate an RV Park at Clackamette Park? Is the RV Park located in the appropriate location on the property?
• Boat Ramp - should we continue to operate a boat ramp at Clackamette Park? How can we best incorporate the boat ramp into the overall design of the park to serve all users?
• Overflow Parking Lot - Is overflow parking the best use of these city-owned properties? How do we better incorporate these lots into the park?
At the February 1-2, 2019 City Commission Retreat, staff were directed to bring back information at a future Work Session to facilitate a discussion on refining the scope of a master plan for Clackamette Park. Staff will provide a presentation of materials at the March 12, 2019 Work Session and allow time for discussion on the topic.