To: Board of County Commissioners
Through: Katherine Smith, Interim Director, Open Spaces
Prepared By:
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Glen Poole, Open Space Operations Manager
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presenter
Presenter: Glen Poole, Open Space Operations Manager, Brenda Lucero, Open Space Budget, and Accounting Analyst
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Subject:
title
3:15 PM *Open Space Project Funding Updates
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Purpose and Request:
recommended action
The Open Spaces Department is seeking Board of County Commissioner (BOCC) approval for modifications to the Department’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) and its associated budget. Staff is also seeking BOCC approval to transfer and expend County Cash in Lieu funds to support the initial site preparations and improvements to Sand Lily Park in the Four-Square Mile Area of the County.
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Background and Discussion: In early 2023, the Finance Department under the direction of the County’s Long Range Budget Committee, requested the Open Spaces Department create a 5-Year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) in alignment with standard County practices. The Open Spaces Management Team developed an initial 5-year CIP and submitted it for Board approval in December of 2023. Open Spaces staff needed to make schedule and budget modifications to the 5-Year CIP based on revised information regarding project schedules, project sequencing, and increases to estimated project costs. As Open Spaces staff collaborated with Finance staff to document these modifications to the Open Spaces 5-Year CIP, it was determined the modifications required BOCC review and approval prior to moving forward for the contracting and implementation of 2024 projects. See attached table, showing revisions to the approved CIP.
When development occurs in unincorporated Arapahoe County, the associated developer is required to dedicate public land or pay a cash in lieu fee to the County to support the public needs of the area being developed. The cash in lieu fund can be used for park development or other public uses. Open Spaces staff has identified that future improvements for the Sand Lily Park would qualify, and benefit from, the use of Cash in Lieu funding. Open Spaces management staff submitted a letter of request for use of Cash in Lieu funds to the County’s Cash in Lieu Committee. The Committee reviewed the request to ensure compliance with the County’s Cash in Lieu policies. The Committee approved the request and directed Open Spaces staff to acquire BOCC approval, per policy, as the final step prior to fund transfer and expenditure to support site preparations and improvements to Sand Lily Park.
Fiscal Impact: Funding for the modified Open Spaces Capital Improvement Plan will come from several cost centers within the Open Spaces Fund. The cost centers have sufficient reserve balance to support the additional expenses. Staff made $1,300,000 in revisions to the Open Spaces Capital Improvement Plan dated December 20, 2023. The revisions are outlined in the attached table. The revisions were offset by the cost savings generated by the December 20, 2023, project revisions which reduced the total CIP spend for 2024. The total original adopted CIP list for 2024 was $12,897,136 and the December 20, 2023, project list was $11,521,371 for a difference of negative -$1,375,765 dollars.,
The Open Spaces Department is requesting $445,000 dollars of County Cash in Lieu funds to be transferred to the Open Spaces fund to financially support a site preparation and improvement project at Sand Lily Park.
Alternatives: Open Space Capital Improvement Plan: Maintain the capital improvement plan as approved by the BOCC in late 2023. The initial project list, schedule, and funding levels will limit Open Space staff’s ability to serve public open space, park, and trails needs.
Cash in Lieu Transfer and Expenditure: If the BOCC directs staff to fund the site preparations and improvements to Sand Lily Park through other funding sources outside of the Cash in Lieu fund, this would reduce the Open Space fund and/or the Recreation District fund balance, limiting other projects slated to be supported from these funds. The Cash in Lieu fund would continue to accumulate a fund balance dedicated to supporting public recreation in the Four-Square Mile Area and other areas of the County.
Alignment with Strategic Plan:
☐Be fiscally sustainable.
☒Provide essential and mandated service.
☒Be community focused.
Staff Recommendation: Approve both the modifications to the Open Space 5-Year Capital Improvement Plan and the requested Cash in Lieu fund transfer and expenditure to support the initial site preparations and improvements to Sand Lily Park in the Four-Square Mile Area of the County.
Concurrence: The following groups concur with the modifications to the Open Space 5-Year Capital Improvement Plan and the associated budget / staffing impacts: 1.) Open Space Administration 2.) Open Space Planning 3.) County Cash in Lieu Committee 4.) Finance Department