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RESOLUTION NO. R-1213-83: A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORMAN, OKLAHOMA, APPROPRIATING $187,418 FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD PARK LAND FUND BALANCE FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO ADKINS' CROSSING, COLONIAL ESTATES, COLONIAL COMMONS, AND SUNRISE PARKS.
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BACKGROUND: On 1 March, 2011, voters in Norman approved a City Charter amendment providing for the expenditure of fees-in-lieu of park land that were collected between 1976 and 1994 for the purpose of making park improvements in areas where suitable land is not available to purchase. This Charter amendment allows the city to make use of over $642,000 of parkland fees and interest earnings for capital improvements in twenty-one neighborhood park sites. The first project done using these funds was the creation of the new Monroe Park on land leased from the Norman Public School System. This neighborhood represented the largest portion of the total fee-in-lieu funds collected prior to 1994 ($275,000); and the remaining funds from this part of town will be used at Adkins Crossing Park, located south of Hwy 9 on 24th Ave SW.
The 2009 Norman Parks and Recreation Master Plan identified maintenance of our existing facilities as the number one priority for Norman parks. A major part of fulfilling this goal is to replace broken sidewalks/trails, site furniture (picnic tables, trash cans, benches, drinking fountains, etc.), and play equipment before new amenities, facilities and landscaping are installed. Each park has a separate list of needs determined in the 2009 Master Plan; and park planning staff makes a thorough investigation of each park site before an upgrade plan is presented.
DISCUSSION: In September, 2012, as the Monroe Park project was finishing-up, park planning staff determined a plan for how to best utilize the available funding at the four park sites with the next-largest pre-1994 neighborhood fee-in-lieu of land fund balances. The plans include repair and replacement of broken or missing park amenities as well as the addition of more sports or play equipment in those parks where the maintenance needs can be met and remaining funds would be available for purchase of new additional park features.
In October, 2012, staff presented plans for Adkin's Crossing Park, (2136 24th Avenue SW); Colonial Estates Park (1641 East Lindsey Street); Colonial Commons Park (1909 Beaumont Drive); and Sunrise Park (324 Skyline Drive) at the regular meeting of the Board of Park Commissioners. For each site, the plan included a discussion of both the immediate general maintenance needs identified by staff and the park needs as identified in the 2009 Master Plan; as well as any additional long-range park improvements for each park beyond the immediate maintenance and master plan suggestions.
At this time, the pre-1994 fee-in-lieu funds will be combined with any fees collected after 1994 as well as any park development funds collected from developers over the years to accomplish as much of the plan for each park as possible. The source of the funds being appropriated are as follows: $145,338 pre-1994 fee-in-lieu and $42,080 park development fees.
Among other items, the available funds at each park will help accomplish the following:
Adkin's Crossing Park-Replace all picnic tables, trash cans and benches, replace the old swing sets, add a backstop, replace the soccer goals, repair and re-stripe the parking area along 24th Avenue.
Colonial Estates Park-Replace damaged segments of the walking trail and widen areas of narrow trail, replace or fix all pedestrian bridges over the creek, replace all disc golf baskets and repair or replace all concrete tee pads, fill in gaps in curb-side sidewalk along Beaumont Drive.
Colonial Commons Park-Replace and/or repair the two backstops, replace damaged sidewalk sections leading to Vicksburg Avenue, add shade trees and irrigation in selected areas, replace the drinking fountain and repair or replace old damaged play equipment.
Sunrise Park-Replace old backstop with new galvanized material, replace the concrete entry ramp from the street into park and add sidewalk along Skyline Drive and across the park from Skyline to the apartments north of the park, add soccer goals with nets, repair the sand volleyball standards and net.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the City Council approve the appropriation of $187,418 from the Neighborhood Park Land Fund Balance for master plan improvements described above at four parks.
Appropriation from Neighborhood Park Land Development Fund Balance ((052-0000-253.20-00)
Amount: $187,418
Appropriate to:Project No. PR0135 Adkin's Crossing Park Improvements (052-9053-452.61-01)
Amount: $38,718
Appropriate to:Project No. PR0136, Colonial Estates Park Improvements (052-5059-452.61-01)
Amount: $104,300
Appropriate to Project No. PR0137, Colonial Commons Park Improvements (052-9057-452.61-01)
Amount: $21,900
Appropriate to Project No. 0138, Sunrise Park Improvements (052-9306-452.61-01)
Amount: $22,500