|
|
|
| Parks and Recreation |
| |
|
|
| |
| Long Term Capital Strategy
|
 | In the FY 04/05 Capital budget request, BPR continues the strategy of making Major Repair & Maintenance the top priority. This strategy results from major challenges in the condition of many of the older existing parks and recreation facilities, and the need for Major Repair & Maintenance funding. The six year Major R&M Plan outlines repair and maintenance projects totaling $7.8 million; 70% of these projects are for facilities requiring immediate attention. For example, roadways require $1.9 million. The balance of the budget request is for safety, preventive maintenance and code compliance.
BPR continues to be committed to purchasing land ahead of development. This is crucial to the department's ability to provide parks and recreation services to all residents in accordance with adopted City standards. Currently, 13 sites remain to be purchased to fulfill the goals of the 1993 Boise Comprehensive Parks & Recreation System Plan. The ten sites to be acquired are:
· A neighborhood park at Harris Ranch
· A community within Harris Ranch
· A neighborhood park in Somerset
· Three neighborhood parks southeast of Micron
· A community park southeast of Micron
· A neighborhood park in southwest Boise
· Two neighborhood parks in the Bench
The remaining three sites (those not listed above) will be difficult to acquire due to intense build-out in the identified location and the extreme cost to acquire the land. To purchase park properties in these areas, the department may assemble adjacent lots with houses, acquire land for mini-parks of one to two acres, or add acreage to an existing park. All of these options are very expensive.
Park development of under-served neighborhoods will provide needed park and recreation facilities in both established and newly developed neighborhoods. This helps fulfill City strategic priorities to maintain community quality of life on pace with demand and to provide access to parks, open spaces and recreation programs. The green-up of Morris Hill Neighborhood Park fits this criteria and was approved in the FY 02/03 budget. However, due to the instability of the economy and challenges within the city's budget, the project has been delayed for one year until a better long-term financial picture is on the horizon. It is anticipated that the City will consider re-budgeting this project at the end of the FY03 fiscal year.
The City is faced with looming time deadlines for use of some Park Impact Fee funds that are being held for planned land acquisitions or leveraged large park development projects. The two year CIP would reduce the amount of park impact fee funds at risk in accordance to adopted Comprehensive Parks & Recreation Plan guidelines, e.g., Magnolia site improvements, Borah picnic shelter, Cassia Park walk paths and swings, etc.
BPR will also continue efforts to leverage CIP dollars whenever possible through use of partnerships, impact fees and grant funding sources. The FY04/05 CIP plan includes a number of requests to use leveraged funding sources and add park components, particularly those that minimize the potential impacts to the base operating budget and significantly reduce future City funded park development costs.
FY04 general fund dollars are requested to clean up and develop plans for a new recreation facility at the Comba property that was donated in 2000. Funding is also requested to finish planned up-grades to Borah wading pool and to add slides at Fairmont Pool to improve public play value and financial viability of pool operations. An open request for partnership matching funds is also included.
SIX YEAR CONCEPT
The six year plan is reflective of the issues, trends and opportunities outlined above. The request includes yearly funding for Land Acquisition, Major R&M, and Volunteer and Partnership matching funds for capital construction. FY05 includes general funding requests to build maintenance and operations shop facilities to replace aging and substandard facilities, provide for Ridge to River's operations, and Warm Springs Golf Course.
| |
| |
| Two Year Highlights
|
| TWO YEAR CIP GOALS
Priorities for these projects are set by the following criteria: safety, legal mandates, maintenance of existing park facilities, acquiring land in advance of growth, develop parks on pace with demand, add new recreation components on pace with demand and those that promote cost saving opportunities, and a new criterion: least cost to base operating budget. All of the projects are set forth in the Boise Parks & Recreation Comprehensive Plan. The main goals of the two year plan are to maintain current facilities through Major R&M, purchase land ahead of development, appropriate expenditure of impact fees and leveraging of funds.
TWO YEAR CIP GOALS
The main goals of the two year plan are to maintain current facilities through Major R&M, purchase land ahead of development, appropriate expenditure of impact fees and leveraging of funds.
Priorities for these projects are set by the following criteria: safety, legal mandates, maintenance of existing park facilities, acquiring land in advance of growth, develop parks on pace with demand, add new recreation components on pace with demand and those that promote cost saving opportunities, and a new criterion: least cost to base operating budget. All of the projects are set forth in the Boise Parks & Recreation Comprehensive Plan.
| |
| |
| Revenue Notes |
| The Department of Parks and Recreation derives revenues for Capital Projects from many sources. Tax Support is received fro the City's general fund in order to maintain existing property and structures and to acquire and develop sites for future parks and open spaces. This is augmented by special tax funds such as the Foothills Open Space Serial Levy. Acquisitions and projects developed are chosen in accordance with the adopted Comprehensive Parks and Recreation System Plan, City Strategic Plan, Boise River Management Plan, and other relevant existiing plans, depending on the nature of the project.
Several programs such as the zoo, golf course, aquatics program, and forestry program obtain some funding through usage fees. To a small extent these fees can be used to provide capital projects.
Many projects are financed by special interest groups who wish to promote projects of a certain type. They donate funds through Trust accounts and often provide additional labor and materials. Volunteers also contribute labor and materials in support of numerous projects and programs, individually and through partnerships with service groups or corporations.
Parks and Recreation is vigilant in identifying and requesting grants from Federal, State, and private sources which leverage tax support or other funds in developing and sustaining capital projects. Although there are often required contributions, Parks and Recreation can often expand the value of existing funds many times through the receipt of grant funds.
Impact fees provide significant funding for development of Community and Neighborhood Parks, Special Use Projects, Recreation Trails and Natural Open Spaces. These funds are collected as housing developments and other types of property development occur in order to ensure that recreational parks and services will be established for the benefit of the community where the property development is taking place.
| |
|
|