Overview
The City of Lake Oswego has referred a general obligation bond measure to the May 2026 ballot. If passed the measure would authorize a new property tax to fund replacement of the existing South Shore Fire Station. The measure would cost property owners $0.19 per $1000 of assessed property value. The owner of a home assessed at $600,000 would pay $114 per year or $9.50 per month. The property tax would continue for 20 years and raise approximately $20,600,000.
Constructed in 1971, the South Shore Fire Station is the oldest of the City’s four fire stations. While the station primarily serves the southeast quadrant - including Lakeridge High School, Hallinan Elementary School, Luscher Farm, Lake Oswego Recreation and Aquatic Center, Mary’s Woods, and the Stafford Retirement Community - South Shore Fire Station functions as part of a city-wide emergency response system. Personnel, vehicles, and equipment from this station respond to critical incidents and medical emergencies throughout the entire Lake Oswego community.
Maintaining four stations allows the Fire Department to respond to 90% of high-priority calls within eight minutes.
Over the past 14 years, upgrades by the Fire Department have helped extend the station's life. The proposed bond measure would fund substantial upgrades to maintain its ability to respond effectively to emergencies.
To evaluate the future of the South Shore Fire Station, the City Council created a Task Force of community and government representatives. The Task Force reviewed the current facility conditions, response network, cost estimates, funding methods, and alternatives, including renovating the existing facility.
In February 2025, the Task Force endorsed a report recommending that a new station, South Shore Fire Station, be constructed with funding from voter-passed general obligation bonds.
If the measure passes, the new station would:
- Support prompt response times
- Upgrade decontamination areas to reduce firefighter exposure to cancer-causing materials
- Meet today’s seismic standards for essential facilities
- Be built to today’s building code, energy and sustainability standards
- House the water rescue boat and brush truck used for wildfire response
On the May ballot, Lake Oswego voters will have the opportunity to vote on Measure 3-635
| If Measure 3-635 is passed: |
If Measure 3-635 is not passed: |
- Property owners would pay $0.19 per $1,000 of assessed property value.
- The owner of a home assessed at $600,000 would pay $114 per year or $9.50 per month.
- The property tax would continue for 20 years and raise a total of $20,600,000.
- The City would build a new South Shore Fire Station.
- Supports prompt emergency response times. With four stations, Lake Oswego Fire Department currently responds to 90% of high-priority calls within 8 minutes.
- Designed to upgrade decontamination areas to help reduce our firefighters’ exposure to cancer-causing materials.
- Built to meet today’s seismic standards for essential facilities.
- Built to meet today’s energy efficiency and sustainability standards.
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- The City would not build a new fire station.
- The current station would remain in operation as long as it is safe to do so within current funding levels.
- Property taxes would not be increased.
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South Shore Fire Station Task Force Report:
The South Shore Fire Station, located at 1880 South Shore Blvd, was built in 1971 and is the oldest of Lake Oswego’s four fire stations. To provide input on the future of the station, a task force was created and charged with reviewing the condition of the station, emergency response coverage in the southeast quadrant of the city, future space needs, site feasibility, and preliminary cost considerations. The South Shore Task Force was a 17-member advisory body appointed by the Lake Oswego City Council. Members included representatives from Neighborhood Associations, community groups, and City Boards & Commissions.
During its review, the Task Force identified multiple deficiencies related to seismic standards, firefighter decontamination areas, mechanical and electrical systems, vehicle storage space, accessibility, and overall layout. The Task Force recognized that over the past 14 years, upgrades by the Fire Department have helped extend the station's life. While maintenance and limited upgrades have extended the station’s use, in the Task Force’s opinion the facility does meet current operational requirements or long-term service goals.
The Task Force also reviewed emergency response coverage and drive-time modeling. In the Task Force’s opinion, the South Shore Station contributes to maintaining response coverage in the southeast quadrant, and that removing the station would increase the number of residences experiencing longer response times.
In addition, future expansion possibilities were evaluated using comparisons to recently constructed fire stations from the region and current operational standards. After developing several spatial scenarios, it was determined that a facility of approximately 14,000 square feet would support long-term operations and future growth.
Preliminary cost estimates were developed using industry-standard cost-per-square-foot comparisons from similar public safety facilities and informed the development of the bond measure considered by the City Council.
After evaluating alternatives, the Task Force opined that renovating the existing structure was not economically feasible compared to the cost of constructing a new, seismically safe facility. The City Council moved forward with the Task Force’s recommendation to construct a new South Shore Fire Station, and referred Measure 3-635 to the voters for consideration in May 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Measure 3-635 and what would it do?
The City of Lake Oswego has referred a general obligation bond measure to the May 2026 ballot. If passed the measure would authorize a new property tax to fund replacement of the existing South Shore Fire Station. The measure would cost property owners $0.19 per $1000 of assessed property value.
Why is the station being proposed for replacement?
The City and the South Shore Fire Station Task Force studied the current station and issued a report. In the opinion of the task force, the current facility has certain deficiencies with seismic resilience and firefighter decontamination. The Task force recommended demolition and construction of a modern, seismically sound replacement on the current site as the most cost-effective long-term solution.
What is the current condition of the South Shore Fire Station?
The South Shore Fire Station was constructed in 1971 and is approximately 5,500 square feet in size. The South Shore Fire Station Task Force report identifies eleven significant facility deficiencies, including outdated electrical and HVAC systems, inadequate vehicle and apparatus storage space, lack of ADA-compliant public areas, insufficient separation between living and work spaces, and noncompliance with current essential facility seismic standards. Based on these factors, the Task Force concluded that the facility has reached the end of its useful life.
What area does the South Shore Fire Station serve?
The South Shore Fire Station primarily serves the southeast quadrant of Lake Oswego - including Lakeridge High School, Hallinan Elementary School, Luscher Farm, Lake Oswego Recreation and Aquatic Center, Mary’s Woods, and the Stafford Retirement Community. However, South Shore Fire Station functions as part of a city-wide emergency response system. Personnel, vehicles, and equipment from this station respond to critical incidents and medical emergencies throughout the entire Lake Oswego community.
In 2025, the Fire Department responded to 5,110 calls for services, including medical emergencies, public assistance calls, fire incidents, and other life safety responses. Citywide, medical calls account for the majority of Fire Department responses.
If the Measure passes, What Standards would the new station be built to?
The new station would be built to meet today’s seismic standards for essential public facilities, reducing vulnerabilities for firefighters and the community during an earthquake. The new station would also be built to meet today’s building code, energy, and sustainability standards.
If passed, what features would the new station have?
The new station would include modern decontamination areas to help reduce firefighters’ exposure to cancer-causing materials. Additionally, the station will include pull-through vehicle storage to reduce local traffic impact when returning from emergency calls. The station will also house Lake Oswego’s water rescue boat and wildfire response equipment in the area where those services are most likely to be needed.
Why was the Task Force created?
The Task Force was created by City Council Resolution 24-38 in September 2024. Its charge was to review and provide feedback on:
- Fire Department community coverage needs
- Existing facility and site conditions
- The Fire Department’s long-term service vision
- Preliminary cost estimates
- A potential community engagement strategy, contingent on further Council action.
Who was on the South Shore Fire Station Task Force?
The Task Force was a 17-member advisory body appointed by the Lake Oswego City Council. Members included representatives from Neighborhood Associations, community groups, and City Boards & Commissions.
How does the South Shore Fire Station affect emergency response times?
Maintaining four stations allows the Lake Oswego Fire Department units to be dynamically dispatched based on real-time availability. South Shore Fire Station contributes to the department’s prompt response times of arriving at high-priority calls within 8 minutes 90% of the time.
Were alternatives to rebuilding at the current site considered?
Yes. The Task Force evaluated several alternatives, including renovating the existing facility, relocating the station, contracting with neighboring fire agencies, and expanding ambulance-only services. Each alternative was assessed for feasibility, response time impact, land availability, cost implications, and operational limitations.
What did the Task Force find regarding renovating the existing station evaluated?
Renovation was evaluated as repairing or upgrading the existing structure rather than full replacement. The Task Force report found that living quarters are constructed of unreinforced masonry and that the existing vehicle bay cannot be feasibly expanded or converted to modern pull-through bays. Task Force members determined that no major structural component could be effectively reused to meet long-term needs.
How were cost estimates developed?
Preliminary costs were calculated using an industry-standard method: applying an average cost per square foot from comparable fire station projects, adjusting for soft costs (estimated at 30%), and escalating costs to a projected 2027 construction midpoint. The estimates were designed to establish project scale rather than final construction costs.
How much would the measure cost?
If the measure passes, it would cost property owners $0.19 per $1,000 of assessed property value. The owner of a home assessed at $600,000 would pay $9.50 per month or $114 per year. The property tax would continue for 20 years and raise approximately $20,600,000.
Assessed value vs. market value — which one is used to estimate property taxes?
The property tax estimate is based on assessed value (not market value) and is expressed as $X.XX per $1,000 of assessed property value.
What can bond funds be used for?
If passed, property tax revenue would be used to repay investors following the sale of bonds. The proceeds would be used to design and build a new South Shore Fire Station at the current site, including design, construction, and temporary relocation of crews to maintain service levels during construction.
What happens if Measure 3-635 does not pass?
Property taxes would not be increased. The City would not build the proposed new fire station. The current station would remain in service as long as it is safe to be used.
This information was reviewed by the Oregon Elections Division for compliance with ORS 260.432
