Parkland Dedication Audit

1. Parkland Dedication Audit
March 14, 2019 Workshop Meeting

2. Park Acreage and Population Growth
0%
1%
2%
3%
4%
5%
6%
7%
8%
2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18
Park Acre % Inc.
Population % Inc.

3. City of College Station Park Inventory
Park Type
2008
Acres
2018
Acres
Community 287 334
Neighborhood 300 353
587 687
Veterans (regional) 150 149
Lick Creek (regional) 516 523
666 672
Total Acres 1,252 1,359
Lick
Creek
38%
Community
25%
Neighborhood
26%
Veterans
11%

4. - 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
Pharr
Edinburg
Pearland
Killeen
Odessa
League City
Denton
Allen
Conroe
Bryan
Richardson
Carrollton
Lewisville
Sugar Land
Midland
College Station
Flower Mound
Round Rock
Parkland Acres per Thousands People
Parkland Dedication
No Parkland Dedication

5. Comparison Examples:
Flower Mound:
Land Dedication: 1 acre per 30 dwelling units
Fee-in-lieu: Fair Market Value
Park Development: $278 per dwelling unit
Lewisville:
Land Dedication: 1 acre per 33 dwelling units
Fee-in-lieu: Fair Market Value
Park Development: $1,000 per dwelling unit
Allen:
Land Dedication: 1 acre per 100 dwelling units
Fee-in-lieu: Fair Market Value
Pearland:
Land Dedication: 1 acre per 50 dwelling units
Fee-in-lieu: Fair Market Value
Edinburg:
Land Dedication: 1 acre per 50 dwelling units
Fee-in-lieu: $600 per dwelling unit

6. Texas Parkland Dedication Ordinances
Common Features
• Land requirement and a fee-in-
lieu alternative
• Park zones
• Timely expenditure (5 or 10
years most common)
• Minimum dedication size
Uncommon Features
• Large number of zones
• Extends into the ETJ
• Fee for park development
• Authority extends beyond
neighborhood parks
• Complex fee methodology

7. City of College Station Park Zones

8. Park Zone Funds (FY13 to FY17)
$0
$1,000,000
$2,000,000
$3,000,000
$4,000,000
$5,000,000
$6,000,000
$7,000,000
$8,000,000
FY13 FY14 FY15 FY16 FY17
Contributions Expenditures Ending Balance

9. Remittance Risk – FY16 to FY18
Risk Level
No. of
Records
Total Dollar
Value
At-Risk Amount
Under Over
High 257 $ 0,701,048 $ 0,208,169 ($ 40,545)
Medium 164 $ 2,054,998 $ 1,690,871 ($ 33,740)
Low 45 $ 0,070,616 $ 0,174,742 ($ 000.00)
No 61 $ 2,814,718 $ 0,0000.00 ($ 000.00)
Total: 527 $ 5,641,380 $ 2,073,782 ($ 74,285)

10. Remittance Risk – FY16 to FY18
• Parkland Dedication Exceptions
• Condition: 31 records, $756,000
• Cause: Ordinance Complexity
• Effect: 13% of collections at high to medium risk
• Vesting Requirements
• Condition: 299 records, $1,724,000
• Cause: State Law
• Effect: 31% of collections at medium to low risk

11. Remittance Risk – FY16 to FY18
• Parkland Dedication Exceptions
• Condition: 31 records, $756,000
• Cause: Ordinance Complexity
• Effect: 13% of collections at high to medium risk
• Vesting Requirements
• Condition: 299 records, $1,724,000
• Cause: State Law
• Effect: 31% of collections at medium to low risk

12. Recommendations
1. Modify the parkland dedication ordinance so that dedication requirements for
multifamily developments are proportional to the fee-in-lieu of dedication.
2. Reduce the number of park zones to the fewest number of zones feasible
according to legal requirements.
3. Modify or eliminate the discounts built into the park development fee.
4. Develop a more elegant parkland dedication methodology. Any changes made
to the ordinance should seek to simplify it instead of adding any additional
layers of complexity.
5. Require Parks and Recreation staff to verify parkland dedication acres and fees
that have been collected by Planning and Development staff.
6. Consider engaging the Texas Municipal League or other contract partners to
advocate on the City’s behalf to modify Texas Local Government Code 245.

13. Recommendations
1. Modify the parkland dedication ordinance so that dedication requirements for
multifamily developments are proportional to the fee-in-lieu of dedication.
2. Reduce the number of park zones to the fewest number of zones feasible
according to legal requirements.
3. Modify or eliminate the discounts built into the park development fee.
4. Develop a more elegant parkland dedication methodology. Any changes made
to the ordinance should seek to simplify it instead of adding any additional
layers of complexity.
5. Require Parks and Recreation staff to verify parkland dedication acres and fees
that have been collected by Planning and Development staff.
6. Consider engaging the Texas Municipal League or other contract partners to
advocate on the City’s behalf to modify Texas Local Government Code 245.