On behalf of every volunteer, donor, and 4,800+ petition signers, the LoveLOParks Steering Committee hopes you’ll join us and vote YES on citizen-initiated Measure 3-568 — the only natural parks measure on the ballot with carefully vetted and unbiased endorsements from Oregon Wild and Sierra Club.
Measure 3-568 started from a genuine concern to protect our natural parks from City development ambitions. It wasn’t one episode, two, or even three; it has been decades of City exploitation, attempted development, and an appetite to demolish land at the expense of our natural environment.
Measure 3-568 is the only measure that precisely defines in the City Charter 16 natural parks, their boundaries and acreage.
The Charter can only be altered by voters — the ultimate citizen involvement; whereas, City ordinances can be altered by any current or future City Council at any time. This legal safeguard has protected Springbrook Park for 40+ years.
Measure 3-568 is the only measure that deliberately focuses on sensible development limitations to keep our natural parks safe, accessible, healthy, and vibrant natural habitats.
ADA compliance, park and infrastructure maintenance — including fire prevention, ecological care, climate change mitigation, and stewardship will continue as it has for Springbrook Park.
Measure 3-568 is the only measure that intentionally expands and enhances Springbrook Park’s proven, strong and legally-binding Charter text providing transparency and clarity to the improved protections and additional parks.
Our opponents want you to believe our intentions have been nefarious, misguided, and lacking collaboration. They want you to believe that 4,800+ petition signers and hundreds of volunteers are a “vocal minority.” They refuse to accept Oregon’s democratic citizen initiative process and fail to recognize the significance of our accomplishment to qualify for the ballot.
Instead, City politicians chose to forward a rushed, disingenuous, and flawed competing measure giving wide latitude through City ordinances to change park boundaries and to develop them in the future, while running a campaign centered on misinformation.
They have even omitted Section 46A that restricts structure heights over 50 feet in residential zones! City politicians fear losing the option to develop these natural habitats.
Why did a major developer contribute $10,000 to their PAC? Why did two high-end realtors donate $3,000? What is expected in return?
Our efforts have been rooted in transparency and integrity with a focus on communication, collaboration, data, and facts. We attempted to collaborate with City politicians to no avail even as they repaint history by saying otherwise.
We have no vested interest except protecting our natural parks for our community’s continued enjoyment of their forests, meadows, and abundant wildlife and preserving our way of life.
Over the last 24 months, we’ve mailed Measure 3-568’s Charter text to ~90% of voting households. The City’s Charter text has not been widely available. As such, we’ve provided both texts to voters to help them make an informed decision.
Voters should read both full texts and not rely solely on the limited information within the Voters’ Pamphlet.
We hope we’ve earned your support for Measure 3-568. If you’ve already voted, you can still help inform and encourage your friends and neighbors:
Vote YES on Measure 3-568 and NO on Measure 3-575
Learn more about both measures- https://www.loveloparks.org/compare
The LoveLOParks grassroots effort is made up of hundreds of Lake Oswego residents guided by a steering committee: Scott & Joey Handley, Betsy Wosko, Michael Louaillier, Kirsten Sommer, and Brad Home.
LoveLOParks Steering Committee’s letter published as a Citizens’ View in the October 27, 2021, issue of the LO Review: