• Acquire community park site to serve Santa Clara (Priority 1) <br />There is land both inside and outside the UGB in this area, which is evaluated in future sections. <br />Statewide Planning Goal 14 requires that the "[e]stablishment and change of the [urban growth] <br />boundaries shall be based on the following: (1) Demonstrated need to accommodate long-range urban <br />population, consistent with a 20-year population forecast coordinated with affected local governments; <br />and (2) Demonstrated need for parks or open space." It provides that "[i]n determining need, local <br />government may specify characteristics, such as parcel size, topography or proximity, necessary for land <br />to be suitable for an identified need." See also OAR 660-024-0040(1). <br />The new community park sites would need to have a number of site characteristics to meet the <br />identified needs. In order to meet the need for equitable distribution, each park must be located within <br />the boundaries of its planning area (Bethel-Danebo and River Road-Santa Clara, respectively). Within <br />those boundaries, which are addressed through the establishment of each study area, there are more <br />specific location-based, and other characteristics associated with the specific qualities needed in the <br />new park sites. <br />Within the first category of "location-based site characteristics," this analysis will consider both issues of <br />feasible development of each new park, and planning area-specific issues of distribution to serve their <br />local residents. In order to access the necessary urban services, each community park must be located <br />within the urban growth boundary. Therefore, the new park sites must be either within the current UGB <br />or near enough to be brought into the UGB. <br />For equitable distribution of parks, the two planning areas have different location-based characteristics. <br />For the Bethel-Danebo area, the area north of Barger Drive has been identified as particularly <br />underserved. Because the planning area does have some community parks, the new park site should be <br />located no less than half a mile from existing parks. For the River Road-Santa Clara area, the Santa Clara <br />portion, north of Randy Pape Beltline has been identified as particularly underserved. The new <br />community parks should be located in these specific portions of the planning areas. <br />In order for parks to provide the most convenient access, as well as for health, safety and equity <br />considerations, it is desirable for the new park sites to be adjacent to an urban residential <br />neighborhood. This enhances the ability of residents, particularly children, to access the parks by active <br />modes of transportation, such as walking or bicycling, and to make parks accessible to community <br />members with limited mobility or transportation options. <br />Beyond identifying general areas that are appropriate for a new park sites ("location-based site <br />characteristics"), individual properties also need certain characteristics to meet the need for a <br />community park ("other site characteristics"). These characteristics include the needed size of sites, <br />access via appropriate roads, and geographic attributes that enhance the recreational value of <br />prospective parkland. <br />As noted above under "Determination of Need for Community Park Sites," community parks require a <br />minimum of 40 acres, either independently or in conjunction with a school site, to accommodate the <br />Appendix C to Findings May 2017 Page 4 <br />