Parkland workshop brings relief for some developers
The Navasota City Council and Planning and Zoning Commission held a joint workshop Thursday, Feb. 10, to discuss the Chapter 10 Subdivision Requirements related to parkland dedications. The meeting was prompted by feedback from developers about the amount of acreage required for park space in new developments. While the entire proposal wasn’t accepted as presented, the result may bring relief for multifamily dwelling developers.
Missed opportunities?
Development Services Director Lupe Diosdado’s presentation included a report about Navasota’s current standards created in 2010, the standards of neighboring communities and background material from Texas A&M Distinguished Professor John L. Crompton who wrote “Parkland Dedication Ordinances in Texas: A Missed Opportunity?”
Diosdado presented seven key points from Crompton’s report which suggests new parks should meet the current level of park service, parkland dedication fees or fees-in-lieu should be required, park space should be proportional to the size of the development, development fees should be assessed to cover construction costs, there should be design standards, time limits should be placed on using the fees assessed and that fees should benefit the subdivision from which they are taken.
Land requirements
According to Diosdado, Navasota’s current parkland dedication requirements are 1 acre per 48 single family dwelling units and 1 acre per 52 multifamily dwelling units.
Navasota’s standard per 1,000 residents is 15 acres, roughly 50% higher than cities like Bay City, Bryan, Conroe, Lubbock, Rockport and San Angelo whose standards average 8 acres per 1,000 residents.
Diosdado proposed to lower the requirements to 1 acre per 100 single family dwelling units and 1 acre per 125 multifamily dwelling units for city dedicated parks. He also suggested incentivizing HOA owned (public) parks by requiring 1 acre per 125 single family dwelling units and 1 acre per 150 multifamily units.
Impact
Parkland was discussed during site planning phase of the 103-home Hidden Hills Subdivision on Laredo Street. Developers were required to dedicate 13% of project land to a park, which affected how many homes they could construct. Blackrock Builders, Inc. opted to pay the fee-in-lieu of rather than reduce homesites.
Under Diosdado’s proposed revision, only 6% of project land would be required for parkland dedication.
The current ordinance requires developers of the 22-unit Durden Street apartment complex to dedicate 40% of project land, losing an undetermined number of units, as opposed to 17% under Diosdado’s recommendation.
During discussion, P&Z Commissioner Todd Wisner acknowledged “there is no money on their end” for developers who have to give up a third of their property for parkland, but he was joined by other council members in opposing reducing the acreage requirement given the lack of past enforcement.
There was agreement that there may be a greater need for green space in multifamily developments and a “tiered structure” for multifamily housing was suggested.
Back to the drawing board
Diosdado will redraft the ordinance based on the joint meeting recommendations. Included will be a definition of what a park is, an updated Park Development Fee to reflect the current market, and the creation of a tiered system for multifamily dwelling unit parkland dedication. Other items in the amended ordinance will include an HOA credit system as well as a new timeline for spending dedicated park funds. No date was set for final approval.
View city council meetings in their entirety at www.navasotatx.gov/city-council/pages/meeting-videos.