Citywide parks levy would mean 13 parks to get a re-do
The biggest overhaul ever of Cincinnati's parks is headed to voters this fall – but it comes with a possible tax increase.
The plan calls for renovating more than a dozen parks and historical landmarks throughout the city; building bike trails along Mill Creek; and creating a long-delayed marina at the city's riverfront.
Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley is spearheading the effort to approve a citywide property tax, which would cost the owner of a $100,000 home $35 a year.
Estimates show the levy will bring in roughly $5.5 million annually.
A quarter of it will be spent on park maintenance, the rest on improvements to 13 parks.
If approved, the levy would be permanent and the city would use the money to build and renovate the parks and maintain all parks for years to come.
"This is really a game-changer for parks," Cranley told The Enquirer. "One of the greatest reasons we've seen a renaissance in Downtown and in Over-the-Rhine is Washington Park and the riverfront park. This is using what worked Downtown in our neighborhoods."
Some of the most pressing projects on the city's list include:
•Finishing the riverfront park, including adding a marina.
•Building an urban campsite in Roselawn.
•Preserving James Brown's recording studio, King Records.
•Adding off-road bike trails in Mount Airy Forest.
•Doing a total renovation of Lytle Park.
Cranley said parks are a "necessity, not a luxury." He expects the refurbished parks to improve property values and quality of life.
The levy will come via a citizen petition drive, rather than through Council, which could approve a charter amendment. About 6,000 signatures are needed by Aug. 15.
City parks already get about $2.3 million a year from the general operating fund and about $600,000 from the county parks levy.
The timing of the city's move to revamp its park system isn't great for Hamilton County's parks system, which has a property tax levy of its own to worry about.
County officials say they found out about the city's plans a few weeks ago, just as they were beginning to talk publicly about seeking a renewal or increase next year in the countywide levy that supports Great Parks of Hamilton County. The county's current 1 mill levy raises about $17 million a year, or about $26.50 from the owner of a $100,000 home, to support and maintain the 21 parks in its system.
Great Parks created a task force two weeks ago to begin studying the best options for the county's parks, and parks officials say more money will likely be needed. "It's going to be a real challenge for us to move forward without the right support," said Jack Sutton, Great Parks' executive director.
Sutton said it's too soon to tell if the city's parks levy might cause confusion or resistance among voters who, at least in the city, will now be asked to support two different parks levies. When asked if the city and county had discussed combining their efforts, Sutton would only say that each system is on its own.
"The city is going to pursue their levy and we are going to pursue ours," he said.
County Commissioner Greg Hartmann said he hopes it's not too late for those conversations to take place. Two levies, he said, may not be ideal for either the city or the county.
"I'd encourage discussions that could find a middle ground," Hartmann said. "Discussions would make sense."
Commissioner Todd Portune, a long-time advocate for more shared services between the city and county, said he'd also like to see more cooperation when it comes to parks. "Before we start having separate levies, I would hope the city and county parks people can talk about what their ultimate plan is," Portune said. "You're going to have a lot of voters who are going to be confused. They might not understand why they're voting on two parks levies."
City, county services costing more
It also comes at a time when voters are being asked to do more. This year Ohio increased the state sales tax by a quarter cent, the county also added a quarter cent sales tax this year to raise money to repair Union Terminal. Tax increases are being discussed for universal preschool and to support SORTA, though neither of those are expected on the ballot this year.
Water and sewer increases have been coming yearly to support aging systems and commissioners are even talking about charging people a 911 fee for every parcel of land they own.
Vice Mayor David Mann said a petition drive lets thousands of people decide, not just nine politicians.
"For a small cost, this is a great opportunity to transform the parks system," Mann said. "We can continue progress we've made in recent years."
Wym Portman – a board member of Ohio River Way, a nonprofit advocating for the Oasis trail, which could serve as a bike commuter and recreational route to Downtown – is one of five co-chairs of the levy campaign.
Portman is also a University of Cincinnati trustee and the brother of U.S. Senator Rob Portman. He said it's time that many long-standing projects, including Burnet Woods and Inwood Park, get the monetary boost needed to reach their full potential.
"These are remarkable treasures in Cincinnati and we want to protect them," Wym Portman said. "This is also a huge economic development opportunity to encourage businesses and people to come to Cincinnati."
Olympic marathon runner and Cincinnati resident Julie Ispording, also a co-chair, said, "To me, this will be like going out to play in the best playground ever."
It allows people to exercise in safe environments, she said.
"I have dreamed of this for years," said Ispording, who also runs the city's Thanksgiving Day race.
Former Vice Mayor Marian Spencer, another co-chair, summed it up this way: "The parks belong to everyone."
Otto Budig, chairman of the city's park board, which will oversee the spending, said the city has been generous, but it can only do so much.
"Time and time again, we told the city the capital projects we need so we can bring the bricks and mortar up to 21st century standards," Budig said. "The city says, 'We understand your needs, we understand your pain, but we just don't have that kind of money.' "
There was talk of trying to include city parks in the county levy, but a separate levy allows for more transparency, Budig said.
"The mayor wants to – and we want to – maintain the park system as one of the best in the country," Budig said.
Carrie Blackmore Smith contributed to this report.
Breakdown of the parks projects
•Oasis River Trail
Cost: $8 million
Neighborhoods: Downtown, East End and California
Description: This money would purchase the remainder of the land needed to complete this 4 miles hike/bike path through the city's East Side. It would also cover design and construction, finally connecting Downtown to the Little Miami Scenic Trail. This is also part of a larger Ohio to Erie Trail, which is about 80 percent complete running 330 miles through Ohio's 3C cities – Cincinnati, Columbus and Cleveland. Estimated annual maintenance cost: $100,000.
•Mill Creek Valley Trail
Cost: $5 million
Neighborhood: Queensgate, Camp Washington, Spring Grove Village, Carthage and many others
Description: This trail would run parallel to Interstate 75 along Mill Creek, building upon the segments of the Mill Creek Greenway, which has also added features that are helping to restore the creek, once considered one of the most polluted waterways in the United States. Estimated annual maintenance cost: $75,000.
•Wasson Way Trail
Cost: $20 million
Neighborhood: Connects 12 East Side neighborhoods including Evanston, Hyde Park and Mt. Lookout
Description: Another multi-use trail that would run from Xavier University to the Little Miami Scenic River Trail, passing by popular destinations like Rookwood Pavilion and Ault Park. Estimated annual maintenance cost: $100,000.
•Mount Airy Multi-Purpose Trail
Cost: $11 million
Neighborhood: Mount Airy
Description: In cooperation with the Cincinnati Off-Road Alliance, a group promoting and maintaining mountain and off-road biking around the region, the city would build a mountain bike, marathon-length running trail through the city's largest park, Mount Airy Forest. The alliance, known as CORA, has helped built trails through Devou Park and East Fork State Park in Clermont County. Their trail stewards maintain 10 off-road trails in Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky. The proposed bike trail area would twist and turn through nearly 99 acres of the 1,459-acre park. This would be a pilot program with the trail designed and maintained by CORA, supervised by the park board and with no annual maintenance cost to taxpayers.
•Westwood Town Hall and Epworth Upgrades
Cost: $2 million
Neighborhood: Westwood
Description: Westwood Town Hall is one of the anchors in an effort to revitalize Westwood's historic business district that has been ongoing for several years. This money would renovate the community green space for more outdoor neighborhood events. The community, which recently passed a form-based code, has agreed to reconfigure an earlier plan to build a community square, opting instead for a "bowtie" design with parks on both corners of Epworth and Harrison avenues, according to information on the Revitalize Westwood website. Estimated annual maintenance cost: $85,000.
•Roselawn Neighborhood Center
Cost: $8 million
Neighborhood: Roselawn
Description: Communal programming center at the former Jewish Community Center, which moved to Blue Ash in the late 90s. The 20-acre property is owned by the New Prospect Baptist Church, which has agreed to share the property with the city to hold tennis and basketball courts, a pool, baseball fields and an urban campsite. Estimated annual maintenance cost: $175,000.
•Burnet Woods Redevelopment
Cost: $10 million
Neighborhood: Clifton and CUF neighborhoods
Description: In conjunction with the University of Cincinnati, this money would be used for several projects in Burnet Woods, the 90-acre park adjacent to UC's campus. Improvements would be made to parking lots, gateways and picnic areas. A road would be removed and others reconfigured to better support the forest. A restaurant would be added at the entrance on Clifton Avenue and a concession area created inside the park. The disc golf course would also be expanded. Estimated annual maintenance cost: $175,000.
•Inwood Park
Cost: $4 million
Neighborhood: Mount Auburn
Description: A lesser-known park on Vine Street between Uptown and Downtown, Inwood is nearly 20 acres in size and in need of repairs. The plan includes streetscape and roadway improvements into the park from Christ Hospital and various parts of the Mount Auburn neighborhood. A 2007 development plan – approved by a planning commission but never funded – included renovating the pavilion, gardens, play and workout equipment and adding a dog park and water feature to the park's lake. Estimated annual maintenance cost: $150,000.
•Smale Riverfront Park
Cost: $1.5 million
Neighborhood: Downtown
Description: This money would fill out the funding needed to construct a marina off of Smale Riverfront Park. Cincinnati Parks had already secured $1.8 million, mostly in the form of a boating infrastructure grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and about $330,000 from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Boaters could pull up to the dock, equipped with water and electricity hookups and stay for up to 10 days, Cincinnati Parks Superintendent of Planning and Design Steven Schuckman has said. The plan calls for installation of a boathouse with a concession stand, laundry, bathrooms. Estimated annual maintenance cost: $150,000.
Lytle Park
Cost: $5 million
Neighborhood: Downtown
Description: Cincinnati would kick $5 million into this private-public partnership with Western & Southern Financial Group to revamp Lytle Park. The master plan calls for a multi-purpose lawn, an exercise loop, an event terrace and restrooms, new water features, gardens and more. Estimated annual maintenance cost: $150,000.
•King Records Evanston Pavilion
Cost: $2 million
Neighborhood: Evanston
Description: For nearly 30 years, King Records helped revolutionize the music industry producing bluegrass, rhythm and blues, rock and roll, doo-wop, country, soul and funk artists including James Brown and the Stanley Brothers. The rundown studio can be seen off of Interstate 71. This money would be used to preserve this piece of Cincinnati history and create a small shop/café to stimulate economic growth in the area. Estimated annual maintenance cost: $125,000.
•Oskamp Park
Cost: $7 million
Neighborhood: Westwood
Description: Expansion and redevelopment of former Mercy Hospital complex adjacent to current-day Oskamp Park. Money would pay for more ball fields and green space. Estimated annual maintenance cost: $150,000.
•Ziegler Park
Cost: $5 million
Neighborhood: Over-the-Rhine
Description: Across the street from the former School of Creative and Performing Arts, soon to become apartments, and the quickly redeveloping neighborhood of Pendleton. The park will be revamped to continue progress in the area.