ORPA Parks SDCs Communication
Communication from Oregon Recreation and Park Association
We have learned that Parks SDCs will come under attack in the 2027 legislative session.
We understand it may be from Home Builders and include a major focus on use of Parks SDCs for facilities.
We need your help! Please personalize the email below and send to your legislators ASAP.
If you do not know your city/county/or special district legislators, contact us so we can work together to figure out the legislators in your service area.
We appreciate your membership and your advocacy for parks and recreation in our state! When you email your legislator, please copy Cindy@rainmakersgovernmentstrategies.com so we can collect information on who has received outreach.
Thank you,
The ORPA Team
Dear Senator X OR Representative X:
We understand that Parks System Development Charges (SDCs) will receive some scrutiny in the 2027 legislative session, so on behalf of [agency] I want to share with you the importance of Parks SDCs and how they have been used in your district.
All Oregonians deserve access to the benefits of high-quality parks and nature, recreation facilities and trails that create healthy, resilient and economically vibrant communities. Oregon's local park and recreation agencies assure fair and just access and provide crucial health and wellness opportunities for our community and communities across the state.
Park SDCs help ensure that the quality of life keeps pace with changing cities and thriving communities by providing additional parks, trails and recreation facilities and access to nature needed to accommodate community growth. When a new home or commercial development is built, there is a need to expand the park and recreation system to meet the needs of the growing population. Collecting SDCs from new development helps to pay for that park, trail and recreation system growth. Without SDCs, the existing community members who have already invested in the park system would have to pay into the system again to meet the needs of new residents or face sprawling new subdivisions with no parks, trails, or recreation facilities.
As cities across the state look to increase density, Park SDCs are a means to ensuring that all Oregonians have equitable access to high-quality parks, access to nature, trails, and recreation facilities— not just those living in certain neighborhoods or areas of a community.
In your district, Parks SDCs have recently been used for:
- Provide 2-3 examples
- Include both outdoor and indoor facilities
- Any accolades or notes about the importance of these facilities to your community.
In short, SDCs ensure that new development pays its fair share of the parks, trails, and recreation facilities needed to support growing communities, rather than shifting those costs onto existing taxpayers. Significantly reducing or eliminating park SDCs would severely compromise future park development, as existing operating budgets simply cannot absorb the substantial costs of building new parks and recreational infrastructure to accommodate growth.
I include more information about Parks SDCs in the attached document from the Oregon Recreation and Park Association, and I would be happy to meet and talk to you about this more. Park and recreation facilities are a critical part of a healthy and thriving community and [agency] urges you to continue support of your local Parks and Recreation Facilities.
Thank you for your public service,
[Your name, title, contact info]