STRATEGIC PRIORITY: Quality of Life, Arts & Culture
AGENDA DATE: February 28, 2024
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S): 5, 8, 9, 10, 13
DEPARTMENT: Park & Recreation Department
EXECUTIVE: John D. Jenkins
______________________________________________________________________
SUBJECT
Title
Authorize the Trust for Public Land to enter into a community engagement agreement with Trust for Public Land, for the purpose of providing funding for equipment, design and development of five parcels of City owned land, with the desire to develop each parcel into neighborhood parks - Not to exceed $1,250,000.00 - Financing: Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund
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BACKGROUND
Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a 501(c) organization with a mission to provide parks, trails and other forms of green spaces across the City of Dallas, with a goal in assisting the City to increase park access. The Dallas Greening Initiative’s mission is to identify vacant City owned parcels and convert those parcels to park use to increase park access to Dallas residents. The Mayor has identified $1.25 million for this effort that will be the City’s contribution to the Dallas Greening Initiative, with TPL contributing a match of $1.25 million for a total of $2.5 million. The Mayor’s contribution to the project is part of the grant funds received through the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021.
The program will be initiated with five sites described in the attached location map. An additional 10 sites are proposed to be implemented for a total of 15 new parks (one property per council district and one citywide) over the next three to four years in three cohorts. Each location selected will be prioritized properties located in “park deserts”. Site criteria for each location are selected based on vacancy, City-owned status, park access gaps, urban heat islands, health disparities, and equity indication using TPL’s Smart Growth for Dallas tool.
Below are significant deal points of the agreement:
• TPL aims to partner with City of Dallas (COD) on the Dallas Greening Initiative to deliver neighborhood greenspaces on COD-owned land.
• TPL would like to provide community engagement, activation, and limited design services for the first five sites in the Dallas Greening Initiative with an option to extend these services to the next 10 sites.
• COD would like to use existing project funding to develop, construct, and procure furnishings and equipment for the first five sites based on designs created through TPL processes including community engagement.
• TPL agrees to undertake preliminary design for the five park sites under this agreement.
• COD would like to utilize their internal crews to make site improvements.
• On an as-needed basis, TPL would like to grant funds to COD for additional furnishings, equipment, materials, and construction activities for each site on a collaborative and agreed-upon basis with COD. TPL may directly procure and donate any elements listed above.
• TPL would like community engagement to begin in August 2024 with activation events for each site occurring throughout 2024.
• TPL has agreed to set aside 10 percent of the project budget for park parcel to establish a maintenance fund.
PRIOR ACTION/REVIEW (COUNCIL, BOARDS, COMMISSIONS)
On June 23, 2021, the City Council authorized the acceptance of grant funds from the U.S. Department of Treasury for the Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund to provide relief during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic by Resolution No. 21-1149.
On September 22, 2021, the City Council authorized the final reading and adoption of the appropriation ordinance for the FY 2021-22 City of Dallas Operating, Capital, and Grant & Trust Budgets, which included the ARPA Funds from the U.S. Department of Treasury for the Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Funds by Resolution No. 21-1590.
On February 8, 204, the Park and Recreation Board authorized a fundraising and community engagement agreement with the Trust for Public Land, for the purpose of providing funding for equipment, design and development of five parcels of City owned land, with the desire to develop each parcel into neighborhood parks.
FISCAL INFORMATION
|
Fund |
FY 2024 |
FY 2025 |
Future Years |
|
Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund |
$1,250,000.00 |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
Council District Amount
5 $ 250,000.00
8 $ 250,000.00
9 $ 250,000.00
10 $ 250,000.00
13 $ 250,000.00
Total $1,250,000.00
MAP
Attached