CC MEETING: May 7, 2013
DATE: May 1, 2013
TO: Leonard Martin, City Manager
FROM: Beth Bormann, Assistant City Manager, Scott Whitaker, Parks & Recreation Director
Title
Consider Approval Of A Consulting Agreement With Dunaway & Associates To Update The Existing Park Master Plan In An Amount Not To Exceed $56,000.00.
Body
BACKGROUND:
In 2004, City Council approved the very first Park Master Plan. This comprehensive plan prioritized future projects based on feedback from citizens, user groups, staff, the Parks & Recreation Advisory Board and City Council. It also recorded a complete inventory of the park system, benchmarked our park system against national standards and provided an executive summary of recommendations to move the department forward.
This comprehensive plan was submitted to Texas Parks & Wildlife, which allowed the city to apply for certain grants through the state. Park master plans are typically considered viable for eight to ten years before it is time to update and reevaluate a city's priorities.
Updating the Park Master Plan is accomplished by hiring a professional firm that specializes in this type of work. The scope of the project was reviewed by staff and our professional services contract will be used to define the work. This scope includes updating the park inventory, completing a needs assessment and reviewing the current city standards from the 2004 plan. The firm will complete a demand analysis and design a concise survey document. There will be a mail-out survey and a summary will be provided. A priority ranking will be analyzed and ranking matrix provided. An action plan and mapping will also be included. An expenditure analysis and recommendations from the consultants will be submitted in electronic form. The report will go to the Parks & Recreation Advisory Board for approval and then be recommended to City Council for approval. Ultimately it will be submitted to the state.
Staff requested experience qualifications from known firms and reviewed three proposals. After reviewing the proposals, work experience, familiarity with the city, reasonable timeline and fee, staff recommends Dunaway & Associates to complete the Park Master Plan update. The total project will take approximately six to eight months. Staff will work with Dunaway to complete the survey in time for input on Parks & Recreation projects for the bond election later in 2013.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
The cost to update the Park Master Plan will be funded out of a Parks & Recreation capital account. Completion of the update will allow us to be in a better position to apply for grants for capital improvement projects and to provide better sustainability of Parks & Recreation facilities and properties.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION/ACTION DESIRED:
Staff recommends hiring Dunaway & Associates to update the Park Master Plan in a not to exceed amount of $56,000.00.