03-1: 2024 Parks and Recreation Board Annual Internal Review and Report — original pdf

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Page 1 of 8 Annual Review and Work Plan 2024 Annual Internal Review This report covers the time period of 7/1/2023 to 6/30/2024 Parks and Recreation Board The Board/Commission mission statement (per the City Code) is: (A) The Parks and Recreation Board membership should include citizens of the city who are interested in public parks and public recreation and persons who are knowledgeable in recreation matters. The director of the Parks and Recreation Department, the city manager or designee, the director of the Financial and Administrative Services Department, and the city attorney are ex officio members of the board. (B) The board shall advise the city council and the city manager regarding: (1)the acquisition, development, improvement, equipment, programming, and maintenance of all land and facilities managed by the Parks and Recreation Department of the City of Austin; (2)the purchase of additional land to be managed by the Parks and Recreation Department of the City of Austin. (C) The board shall outline a general plan of development for land, facilities, and programs. The board may submit the plan to the Planning Commission and the city manager for detail development, and the city manager may then submit the plan to the city council for approval as may be required by the City Code. (D) The board shall promote close cooperation between the City and all private citizens, institutions, and agencies interested in or conducting recreational activities, so that all recreational resources within the City may be coordinated to secure the greatest public welfare. (E) The board shall perform other duties as prescribed by the City Code or as directed by the city council. Source: The Code of the City of Austin, Texas § 2-1-165 – Parks and Recreation Board Page 2 of 8 Annual Review and Work Plan 2024 1. Describe the board’s actions supporting their mission during the previous calendar year. Address all elements of the board’s mission statement as provided in the relevant sections of the City Code. The City of Austin Parks and Recreation Board has three areas of responsibility in its advisory function to the City Council. The activities this board took for fiscal year 2023-2024 are listed by area below. Unless otherwise noted, all recommendation were adopted at a meeting of the whole Parks and Recreation Board. A. The board shall advise the city council and the city manager regarding: (1) the acquisition, development, improvement, equipment, programming, and maintenance of all land and facilities managed by the Parks and Recreation Department of the City of Austin; (2) the purchase of additional land to be managed by the Parks and Recreation Department of the City of Austin. JULY 2023 Recommendation - 20230724-05: 1. Recommends the Austin City Council approve funding in the City’s 2023- 2024 Budget for PARD to lease or purchase internal shuttles for use in Zilker Park. 2. Recommends that the Austin City Council direct the Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) to eliminate parking on the Polo Field permanently starting on September 4, 2023 except for use as an overflow parking area during advance-scheduled special events (including Zilker Hillside Theater, Blues on the Green, Zilker Tree Lighting, Trail of Lights, Zilker Kite Festival, Zilker Botanical Gardens Spring Event, and Austin YMBL Sunshine Camps events). 3. Recommends Austin City Council fund at least 2-4 free shuttle busses, to be managed by PARD, to operate continuously between the Butler Gravel Lot and the south side of Zilker Park near Barton Springs Pool during peak use weekends, including Fridays (May through September 4). 4. Recommends Austin City Council fund a high-profile outreach campaign, to be managed by PARD, to city residents and visitors on various methods of transportation to Zilker Park including all changes and new opportunities. 5. Recommends that PARD direct Zilker Park visitors to park at the Butler Gravel Lot, instead of parking at the Polo Field on weekends, beginning May of 2024. 6. Recommends PARD consult with Barton Springs staff to designate no less than 22 staff parking places near Barton Springs Pool. 7. Recommends appropriate restoration of the Polo Field be performed as needed by PARD’s routine maintenance after special events are concluded. 8. Recommends PARD collaborate with Austin Transportation and Public Works Dept. if transportation management such as establishing loading and unloading zones for shuttles, is required. 9. Recommends that PARD consult with the Transportation and Public Works Department to implement a parking payment structure in Zilker Park with the purpose of incentivizing parking at the Butler Gravel Lot, to encourage turnover, and takes into consideration high peak usage days. 10. Recommends that PARD encourage multi-modal forms of transportation to access Zilker Park. 11. Recommends that upon closure of the Polo Field, environmentally suitable parking barriers and a semi- permanent parking Page 3 of 8 Annual Review and Work Plan 2024 enforcement mechanism be positioned around the Polo Fields by PARD to prevent vehicle access to the Polo Field Create a Zilker Shuttle working group Create a Barton Springs Bathhouse working group Appoint Kathryn Flowers, Jennifer Franklin, Nicole Merritt and Holly Reed to the Joint Environmental/Parks Board Committee SEPTEMBER 2023 Recommendation 20230925-7: 1) Recommends that the Austin City Council direct the Transportation and Public Works Dept. to develop a Transportation Plan for visitors to Barton Springs during the Bathhouse Rehab. Construction; 2) Recommends that the proposed 2024 Transportation Plan and parking solution consider there are 500- 800 visitors per hours during peak hours on summer weekend days, and plan accordingly OCTOBER 2023 Recommendation - 20231023-3: recommend to Austin City Council to approve the Parkland Dedication Ordinance term sheet as presented NOVEMBER 2023 Recommendation 20231127-002: recommend to Austin City Council that they prioritize a Bond election to include a Senior Activity Center serving District 4 and nearby northern districts, to be located north of 183, and that the property where Gus Garcia Recreation Center currently resides be investigated as a high potential possible location. PARB also recommends that improvements to Gus Garcia Recreation Center be prioritized and budgeted for in the interim for FY24-25, with the goal of addressing overcrowding at the earliest possible opportunity Recommendation 20231127-007: recommend to Austin City Council to amend City Code related to regulations that apply to the activities that occur on property managed, maintained or operated by the Parks and Recreation Department or on the Department’s behalf in creating offenses and penalties Recommendation 20231127-008: recommend that City Council amend City Code relating to the naming or renaming of facilities, features or properties that are part of the City’s park system with the elimination of §14-1-51(F) from the draft as posted in the backup to the Parks and Recreation Board Meeting of November 27, 2023 Create a Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Budget Working Group Page 4 of 8 Annual Review and Work Plan 2024 JANUARY 2024 Recommendation - 20240122-08: recommend to Austin City Council to approve the renewal of the Local Standards of Care for the City Parks and Recreation Department's Youth Recreation Programs (20230413-055) FEBRUARY 2024 Recommendation - 20240226-003: recommend to Austin City Council to approve an ordinance to amend Title 25 related to the environmental protections at the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail, including an amended §25-8-261(B)(3)(g) to read “located not less than 50 feet from the shoreline of Lady Bird Lake as defined in Section 25-8-92, unless restoration is provided at a minimum ratio of 2:1, with the option that the applicant and the Director collaborate for a minimum 1:1 restoration, where necessary, as determined by a functional assessment of floodplain health” Recommendation - 20240226-005: recommend that the Austin City Council rename the Barton Springs Bathhouse to the “Joan Means Khabele Bathhouse at Barton Springs Pool Recommendation - 20240226-012: recommend that that the Austin City Council approve a resolution to establish Austin as a recognized soccer city and direct the City Manager to analyze challenges and needs in soccer field development and soccer programming and to provide recommendations MARCH 2024 Recommendation - 20240327-003: approve the recommendation as posted with the following amendments: amend the recommendation to add Section 4 to read “The allocation of additional funding on top of any proposed PARD FY2025 Budget to address funding for fourteen additional full-time employees for the PARD Ground Maintenance Team in order to align with the same level of service that PARD had in Fiscal Year 2014”; amend the recommendation to add section 5 to read “The allocation of additional funding to increase the minimum wage for hourly employees and to allocate money the budget for a cost of living adjustment no less than 4% for salaried employees” MAY 2024 Create a Public Access to City-Owned Baseball Fields working group JUNE 2024 Recommendation 20240617-003: recommendation to Austin City Council to approve the negotiation and execution of a Parkland Improvement Agreement with Hill Country Conservancy for the Violet Crown Mile Zero Trailhead project that includes Page 5 of 8 Annual Review and Work Plan 2024 a maximum amount of funding of $900,000 the Parks and Recreation Department will allocate to Hill Country Conservancy for a portion of the cost to construct the project B. The board shall outline a general plan of development for land, facilities, and programs. The board may submit the plan to the Planning Commission and the city manager for detail development, and the city manager may then submit the plan to the city council for approval as may be required by the City Code. JULY 2023 Recommendation - 20230724-04: recommend to Austin City Council to approve the implementation of the Parks and Recreation Department Climate Vulnerability Analysis and Recommended Management Strategies SEPTEMBER 2023 Contracts and Concessions Committee: recommend to Austin City Council to authorize the negotiation and execution of an Interlocal Agreement with Travis County regarding the coordination of the Spicewood Springs Road Low Water Crossing #1 Recommendation 20230925-3: recommend to Austin City Council to authorize the negotiation and execution of an Interlocal Agreement with Travis County regarding coordination of the Spicewood Springs Road Low Water Crossing #1 Recommendation 20230925-4: recommend to Austin City Council that the Wildhorse Planned Unit Development amendment application maintains superiority with respect to parkland dedication NOVEMBER 2023 Recommendation 20231127-004: recommend to Austin City Council regarding creation, continuation, termination or status of a concession including issuance of a Request for Proposal for a concession in Town Lake Metropolitan Park for inclusion in the joint report between the Parks and Recreation Board and the Environmental Commission that is provided to the City Council annually JANUARY 2024 Recommendation - 20240122-06: recommend that Austin City Council approve a Temporary Staging Area, not to exceed 540 Calendar days on parkland located at Upper Bull Creek Greenbelt (8020 Spicewood Springs Rd) Total Mitigation is $70,652 FEBRUARY 2024 Page 6 of 8 Annual Review and Work Plan 2024 Recommendation - 20240226-004: recommend to Austin City Council to approve 7,818 square feet for an ASMP required roadway connection through a parkland easement MARCH 2024 Recommendation - 20240327-005: recommend to Austin City Council to approve the permanent use and temporary use, not to exceed 160 days, of parkland located at Waller Beach at Town Lake Metropolitan Park (30 East Ave). Total mitigation fee is $1,774,993 C. The board shall promote close cooperation between the City and all private citizens, institutions, and agencies interested in or conducting recreational activities, so that all recreational resources within the City may be coordinated to secure the greatest public welfare. JULY 2023 Contracts and Concession Committee: recommend to Austin City Council to authorize the negotiation and execution of a contract extension with Rowing Dock Inc. to provide watercraft rentals Recommendation - 20230724-03: recommend to Austin City Council to authorize the negotiation and execution of a contract extension with Rowing Dock Inc. to provide watercraft rentals on Lady Bird Lake Appoint Nicole Merritt to the Parks and Recreation Board Contracts and Concessions Committee AUGUST 2023 Recommendation 20230828-04: recommend to Austin City Council to authorize the negotiation and execution of an amendment to an existing contract with Interment Services, Inc. for continued interment services at city cemeteries and to extend the term by two years OCTOBER 2023 Recommendation 20231023-002: recommend to Austin City Council to approve the Parkland Maintenance Agreement between the City of Austin Park and Recreation Department and the Mueller Property Owner’s Association Approve the letters of support for The Creature Project NOVEMBER 2023 Page 7 of 8 Annual Review and Work Plan 2024 Recommendation 20231127-003: recommend that the City Council authorize the negotiation and execution of an agreement between the City of Austin and Huston- Tillotson University and to waive utility and field use fees; that the agreement include a designated point of contact for the community to contact regarding community usage of Downs Field and that a specific level of customer service and customer response be addressed in the negotiations; that the agreement include the schedule for usage specifically by Huston-Tillotson University, and open Downs Field for community usage at all other times that the field is not being used by Huston- Tillotson University specifically, and; that any sub-contracting agreement by Huston- Tillotson University must be approved by the Parks and Recreation Department and Parks and Recreation Board NOVEMBER 2023 Recommendation 20231127-005: recommend to Austin City Council to approve The Trail Conservancy’s 2024 Annual Programming Plan for portions of Townlake Metropolitan Park Approve the letters of support for PARD Staff and Community Groups that hosted Thanksgiving events JANUARY 2024 Contracts and Concessions Committee: recommend to authorize the negotiation of the Zilker Park boat Rental Extension Approve letters of support for Community Groups that participated in a 50,000 square foot graffiti abatement and park maintenance project at the Heath Eiland and Morgan Moss BMX Skate Park, and for PARD staff that prepared six recreation centers to accept portable generators as a supplemental/alternative power source should electric power be unavailable Recommendation - 20240122-04: recommend that Austin City Council authorize the negotiation and execution of the contract extension with Zilker Park Boat Rentals between February 2024 and February 2025 Recommendation - 20240122-07: recommend to Austin City Council to approve the negotiation and execution of a Parkland Improvement and Maintenance Agreement with The Trail Conservancy for the Holly Project FEBRUARY 2024 Approve the letters of support for the Parks and Recreation Department Nature Programs Unit Page 8 of 8 Annual Review and Work Plan 2024 Recommendation - 20240226-006: recommend to Austin City Council to approve the Conditional Use Permit for Waller Creek Boathouse/Austin Rowing Club for the sale of alcohol to bring the site into compliance with the Land Development Code MARCH 2024 Approve letters of support for cold weather shelter staff APRIL 2024 Approve letters of support for PARD Human Resources Team for their successful recruiting and hiring practices, use of new technology, administration of summer bonuses, and nationally recognized safety training program MAY 2024 Approve letters of support for George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural Center and Genealogy Center staff and the 2024 Stay Black & Live Austin Citywide Juneteenth Festival JUNE 2024 Approve letters of support for enhancements to the PARD Cemeteries Program List the board’s goals and objectives for the new calendar year. Determine if the board’s actions throughout the year comply with the mission 2. statement. Yes. 3. A. Take action to recommend to City Council and/or Director enhancements, additions, and deletions to Parks and Recreation Department programs and planning; B. Recommend to the City Council and/or Director approval of concessions on City parkland designed to serve citizens using the parks; and C. Recommend granting temporary and/or permanent easements making repairs or enhancements to City utilities or improving City property adjacent to city parkland through Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) funding. D. The Board this year has prioritized the following goals: • To focus on ways we can best provide parks and recreation related services to • To rectify issues that prevent underserved residents from accessing parks and residents; recreation facilities; Page 9 of 8 Annual Review and Work Plan 2024 • To preserve and enhance the natural parklands/ecology that make Austin so livable; • To identify ways to recognize citizens of all backgrounds who have and are and contributing to our community.