07-1: Additional Park Funding Sources Presentation — original pdf

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Austin Parks and Recreation Department Additional Funding Sources Resolution No. 20241121-072 Parks and Recreation Board Meeting March 24, 2025 Liana Kallivoka, PhD, PE, LEED Fellow Assistant Director Alyssa Tharrett, RA, NCARB Architectural Development Division Manager Council Resolution • Resolution No. 20241121-072 directs the City Manager to assemble a team from key City departments (PARD, Financial Services, Law, and others) with assistance of external consultants to explore additional funding sources for parks management, land acquisition, amenities, facilities, and maintenance. Example funding structures: • Park Districts • Tax Increment Financing (TIF) • Public Improvement Districts (PIDs) • PARD fee setting and cost recovery policies • Public/Private Partnerships (PPPs) • Expanding the Community PARKnership Program • Park User Fees • Resources from other departments • Internal cost saving strategies Our Consultants Trust for Public Land (TPL) • Sam Savin, Associate Director PFM Group Consulting (PFM) • Danielle Scott Parker, Director • National nonprofit that works to connect everyone to the benefits and joys of the outdoors • Public Finance consultants that support local government leaders and staff in analysis of budget, finances, and operations • Conservation Finance program that serves as a trusted advisor to design, pass, and implement ballot and legislative measures to fund parks • Existing City consultant for Financial Services Department • Specialize in consulting for alternative funding to achieve a public benefit Project Scope • Phase 1: Benchmarking of comparable Parks and Recreation Departments, both within Texas and nationally, to determine best practices related to Department funding and operations • Comparator Group: Atlanta, Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio, San Diego and Seattle • Best Practice Group: Boston, Minneapolis, San Francisco • Selected Regional Comparator: Travis County • Phase 2: Conducting revenue, economic benefit, and landscape analysis to determine the gaps in funding and total budget shortfall, quantify the economic benefits of PARD, and identify funding opportunities • Phase 3: Develop recommendations regarding potential revenue sources for PARD, to be summarized via memo and presentation to Council Timeline November 21, 2024 March 31, 2025 May 31, 2025 • Resolution launched • Progress report to Council • Report to Council with recommendations PUBLIC SURVEY March 11, 2025 April 11, 2025 • Public Survey Opens • Public Survey Closes Public Survey https://publicinput.com/fundingquestions Thank You Learn More: https://www.austintexas.gov/department/alternative-funding-exploration Contacts: Liana Kallivoka, Assistant Director, Liana.Kallivoka@austintexas.gov Alyssa Tharrett, Division Manager, Alyssa.Tharrett@austintexas.gov