Proposed Amendment to the Rochester Hills City Charter under: 

Section 11.8 - Parks and Open Spaces

City-owned parks and open spaces shall be used only for park and open space purposes and shall not be sold, leased, transferred, exchanged or converted to another use unless approved by a majority of votes cast by the electors at an election.  

.1  “Converted to another use” means changing the use of a park or open space, or significant part thereof, from a recreation or conservation use to another use not directly related or incidental to public recreation or conservation. 

.2  This section shall apply to all present and future City-owned property designated as park or open space in the City’s Parks and Recreation Master Plan.  The designation of  parks or open space shall not be removed or changed without voter approval.  The existing use of a park or open space on the effective date of this section shall be considered to be a lawful use for the particular property. 

.3  All land acquired by the City with proceeds from the 2005 Millage Proposal to Provide Funding to Permanently Preserve Green Spaces and Natural Features within the City of Rochester Hills shall remain permanently preserved.

What is the Proposed City Charter Amendment about:

Most residents in Rochester Hills do not realize that after the City has paid off a bond used to purchase park and open space property that it can then do as it pleases with this property including using it for something other than park use or even selling it.  In the past few years the City has attempted to do both of these things but was only prevented from doing so as a result of public outcry.

According to the City Financial Director, Rochester Hills will run out of reserves in 2014 and is looking for alternative ways to generate revenue.  Parkland is a valuable resource that could be considered as a source of revenue.  Unfortunately, the City is almost completely developed and if the current parks and open spaces disappear, there will be no available land to buy for parks in the future when they are gone. 

This Charter Amendment will require no new taxes but will simply protect the parks we have now from disappearing without the citizens’ permission.  This Amendment adds your voice to City government and its decisions regarding parks and open spaces.  If the City comes up with a great, alternative use for a park property, it can still move forward providing the majority of citizens approve of this other use.

Please be sure to vote on November 8^th and vote “Yes” on amending the City Charter to add Section 11.8.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxVLf9gtNmQ

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