Title
Consider and take action on a resolution: 1) authorizing the submission of a grant application to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for a 50%/50% State/City matching grant for an amount up to $750,000 supporting the Bay Colony Park - Phase 1 Project (PK2001), 2) authorizing the receipt of any awarded funds and 3) authorizing the city manager to sign any or all documents pertaining to the project (Director of Budget & Project Management)
Background:
Bay Colony Park, located west of Calder Road and south of Ervin Road will be accessed from Ervin Road for this first phase of development. The park is currently only shown as a future park on the City’s Parks, Trails, and Open Space Master Plan, adopted by City Council in November 2017. The 106+ acre site is currently owned by the Patrons of the Park (POP).
A Master Plan for the site was developed by a consultant for Epic Development to illustrate how this parkland could be developed to include the same facilities currently in place at the Chester Davis Sportsplex just east of I-45 and accessed from I-45 and Highway 96 (League City Parkway) as well as additional facilities. This was done as part of the process in the city’s work with Epic to release the land in the Sportsplex for commercial development in exchange for Epic’s development of replacement facilities plus additional recreational facilities in Bay Colony Park.
Due to a current need for ballfields for both the League City Girls Softball and League City Little League, the Parks and Cultural Services Department is moving ahead with plans for development of the park to offset these pending needs for additional fields. The current plan is for Epic-or any other similar developer-to reimburse the City and continue the development of Bay Colony Park at the time that an agreement is reached between the City and the developer. To that end, the first four to five fields and support facilities will be developed with the currently budgeted funds provided by the 4B Corporation and approved at the Board’s October 7 meeting.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) manages the Local Park Grant Program, funded by a State-wide Sporting Goods Tax, and provides funding for acquisition of land and new construction and major renovations to existing parks and trails. The maximum amount of funding that TPWD will award is $750,000, with the City of League City being required to match the same amount in dollars or in-kind (land, labor, materials or equipment usage). For the City’s 50% match for this grant, the POP will be asked to donate adequate acreage to the City of League City to make up the city’s 50% match for the grant, which will equal $750,000. If the land value is less than the required match it is proposed to utilize the required amount of the current CIP budgeted for construction of the Phase 1 development.
The grant application process requires the sponsor of the grant-the City of League City-to conduct a public hearing to solicit input from the public concerning the grant application and the new construction that will take place and to show and explain any portions of the project that will be developed in a flood plain or wetland. TPWD also requires a specifically-worded resolution to be adopted by the City Council and also requires a staff member or elected official to be designated as a representative of the City to handle correspondence with TPWD and other official business related to the project. The public hearing is a separate item on this agenda.
Attachments:
1. Data Sheet
2. Proposed Resolution
3. Grant Application Pre-Approval Form
4. Proposed Site Plans and Opinion of Probable Construction Cost for Bay Colony Park
5. Aerial Map & CIP Project Sheet
FUNDING
{X} Funding will be determined if grant is awarded.
STRATEGIC PLANNING
{X} Addresses Strategic Planning Critical Success Factor # 4 and Initiative # 5, Action Items A., B., C., D.