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Home My WebLink AboutIR 7999 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 7999 ex To the Mayor and Members of the City Council May 7, 1996 Subject: 1873 SOUTHWEST COMMUNITY PARK BACKGROUND: On January 23, 1996, (M&C G-11379) the City Council authorized the submission of a grant application to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for the acquisition and development of the Southwest Community Park and Athletic Complex. The need and local funding for "Community Parks" and an athletic complex were identified as a portion of the 1986 Capital Improvement Program (C.I.P.) Proposition No. 2, Park and Recreation Improvements. The grant application used appropriated C.I.P. funds totaling $500,000 to leverage an equal amount from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's Recreation and Parks Account Program. During the City Council's discussion of the grant application, concerns were expressed about the proposed location of the park site and the Council requested additional information on the site selection process. On February 13, 1996, during the Pre-Council session, staff briefed the City Council on the process used to identify possible sites and the criteria used to select the recommended site. The Council directed staff to investigate the availability of Corps of Engineers property on the east side of Lake Benbrook as a possible alternative site. Additionally, the Council requested that staff investigate the potential of the Fort Worth Hebrew Day School/Dan Danciger Jewish Community Center to determine if this site could fulfill the needs of the community park/athletic complex. On March 11, 1996, Parks and Community Services Department (PACSD ) staff met with Corps of Engineers representatives from the Lake Benbrook Project Office and the Fort Worth District Office. It was reported to the PACSD that the only Corps owned property on the east side of the lake, which was not wholly in the floodplain and which might be suitable for an athletic complex/community park, was Rocky Creek Park. The Rocky Creek Park site contains four hundred twenty five (425) acres, which through controlled access, provides boat ramps, picnicking, camping, marina operations and other outdoor recreational opportunities to the public. While most of the site has steep terrain, the southern portion is the only area outside the floodplain which would be suitable for athletic field development. The Corps of Engineers expressed a willingness to lease all or a portion of Rocky Creek Park to the City of Fort Worth for use as a community park. The PACSD has studied the entire Rocky Creek Park site and surrounding area and has determined that additional land adjoining the Corps park site would be required to adequately accommodate an athletic field complex. It has been estimated that approximately thirty (30) acres would need to be acquired along Rocky Creek Park's eastern boundary at a probable cost of$273,000. 11"FICIAL RECORD u CITY SECRE][ARY I FT. WOR111, TE A ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER F I T-ANORT'14;°TEA ' INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 7999 0-ART!!4b To the Mayor and Members of the City Council may 7, 1996 Page 2 of 3 Subject: 1873 SOUTH-WEST COMMUNITY PARK Based on the fact that additional property would need to be acquired and that the Rocky Creek site is further away from existing populated areas than previously studied sites, the staff recommends that this site not be considered for the Southwest Community Park site. On April 16, 1996, the Rocky Creek proposal was reviewed by the Parks and Community Services Advisory Board. The Board concurred with staff's recommendation to the City Council not to consider the Corps of Engineers' property, Rocky Creek Park, as a site for the Southwest Community Park. On April 8, 1996, the City Manager and PACSD staff met with real estate representatives for the Dan Dancigcr Jewish Community Center. The Center and private school is located on a 21.06 acre tract with frontage on Dan Danciger Road east of Cranbury Road. Approximately four(4) acres of the site is under roof or other program improvements (swimming pool, tennis courts, parking, roads). Thus the net acreage available for programming of athletic field activities is seventeen(17) acres. Due to this minimal acreage and close proximity to housing, it was determined that this site would not meet the needs of the proposed community park/athfetic complex. FUTURE ACTIONS: Upon completion of the City Council's recommended investigation into these two (2) alternate sites, the PACSD believes a number of options exist regarding fulfilling the original intent of the C.I.P. for the Southwest Community Park and Athletic Complex. The following outlines those options and possible results: OPTION A: Amend the existing grant application using a different site and accepting the overage cost for land acquisition. The existing grant application with a total proposed project cost of$1,000,000 reflected that$350,000 would be spent for land acquisition. Should the land cost exceed the proposed amount in the grant, the local entity is required to fund one hundred percent (100%) of the overage. In the case of substituting site#10 at South Hulen and Risinger Road for site #8 at Stuart Phelps Road, the anticipated additional cost to the City is $312,500. This amount exceeds the present appropriated funds for these projects and would require financing by the City until the remaining approved bonds were sold for the athletic complex. OPTION B: Amend the existing grant request using a different site by reducing the amount of acreage to meet the $350,000 acquisition cost. The South Hulen and Risinger Road site #10 anticipated land costs per acre would reduce the size of the proposed park to approximately 26.4 acres. This action would reduce the desired land acquisition amount in half thus addressing only a portion of the land needed for athletic fields for Southwest Fort Worth. ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH,TEXAS INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No.- 7999 W To the Mayor and Members of the City Council P May 7, 1996 *nv Page 3 of 3 lop, Subject: rArx SOUTHWEST COMM-UNITY PARK OPTION C: Withdraw the grant application and purchase the most desired site with existing funds from the 1986 C.I.P. including $500,000 for Southwest Community Park and $750,000 for Southwest Athletic Complex. This action would establish a true value of the site and enable a future grant application limited exposure to overages due to land cost. By placing the property into trust, the value could be used in a future grant application as the local share. It should be noted that while the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department does allow amendments to grant applications during their recommendation formulation phase,due to review time,scoring each application statewide and meeting the target date-of July 1996 for award of grants,they may request resubmission during the next application cycle. This fact would impact Options A and B. It is recommended that Option C be exercised for the South Hulen and Risinger Road site. Approximately fifty (50) acres would be acquired with existing funds to serve as the Southwest Community Park and Athletic Complex. It is further recommended that the grant application be withdrawn and the acquired land be placed in trust and a new grant application be submitted during the next application cycle. Staff prepared,to address any questions the City Council might have. ob Terrel S��ity Manager BT:cp Attachment OFFICIAL R,[CORD CITY 361"Ch TARY WOR III ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH,TEXAS 1986 BOND FUNDS FOR SOUTHWEST COMMUNITY PARK/ATHLETIC COMPLEX PROJECT DESCRIPTION AMOUNT New Community Park Site Acquisition of large community park in $500,000 Acquisition the far Southwest area of the City Southwest Athletic Complex Construction of an athletic complex in the $750,000 far Southwest area of Fort Worth, the location of which is to be determined FINANCIAL STRATEGY Current and Projected Revenues 1986 C.I.P. Southwest Community Park $500,000 1986 C.I.P. Southwest Athletic Complex $750,000 Grant#1 Texas Recreation and Parks Account $500,000 Grant#2 Texas Recreation and Parks Account $500,000 $2,250,000 Projected Expenditures Land acquisition $662,500 Development $1,587,500 $2,250,000 und,sw\cp Owp6hhoMond f