The bond would ask voters to commit to setting aside an amount of money for the city to use to purchase land, Hill said.
Hill said while the city has been interested in purchasing land, it has been limited in its ability to acquire more of it. The city typically uses a third-party resource to purchase land, and city staff has to return to council to negotiate back and forth, which can only take place during City Council meetings, she said.
“It’s been so difficult, and we've lost a couple of nice pieces of property that I would have liked to have bought, but we just couldn't move fast enough,” Hill said.
At the Jan. 23 workshop City Council and staff will decide how much money to ask for in a potential bond, she said. Setting the money aside would help the city move more quickly to purchase land if an opportunity arose, she said.
The new potential open space could also be used to help the city address stormwater management problems, Hill said.
“Wouldn't it be smart If we could pick up some pieces of property that helped us move water more efficiently through our community?” Hill said. “Rather than building on every piece of land, have gaps where we not only have visual space to enjoy, but we also have open land that will help us when we have bad weather.