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08-98-Resolution-Approving an amendment Parks Open Space to the Comprehensive Plan-07/20/1998i RESOLUTION R08-98 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANGER, TEXAS, APPROVING THE AMENDMENT TO THE CIWS COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WHEREAS, the City of Sanger has made numerous improvements to parks throughout the community; and WHEREAS, the City of Sanger wishes to continue to improve all of it's parks; and WHEREAS, the Ciry of Sanger wishes to update it's comprehensive plan to include proposed projects for the future. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ;ANGER, TEXAS, that, The city of Sanger's Comprehensive Plan is amended to include the attached information. PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 20th day %A July, 19980 ATTEST: Rosalie Chavez; City Mayor Pro-Tem C/TY �F �AHC:ER ,, LOCAL PARK, RECREATION AND OPEM SPACE MASTER PLAPt I. INTRODUCTION The City of Sanger is located ten miles north of Denton on Interstate Highway 35. According to the 1990 Census figures provided by the U.S. Census of Population, Sanger had a population of 4,100. The City of Sanger has an overall effective tax rate of $.4726 per $100 valuation. At this time Sanger does have the 4A and 413 economic development sales tax. For the year ending 19975 the following financial information is available: a. Total o eratin bud et excludin bond retirement and ca ita! list rovements $4.3651547 b. Total expenditures for capital improvements current revenues $230,510 c. Total expenditures for bond retirement $4959859 d. General obligation bonds outstanding Tax $2,4459615 e. Revenue bonds outstanding $5 326 004 f. Total ad valorem tax collections 1990 fiscal ear $324,624 g. Total water, sewer, garbage fee collections $972 706 h. Total other income (sales tax, parking fees, etc)$162,381 The City of Sanger's utility service if provided by the following: 1. Gas --Lone Star Company 2 - 16" Lines Size of transmission lines serving city 250-300 PSIG Transmission line pressure 2. Water -- City Wells Maximum system capacity (daily) 1,500,000 Maximum daily use to date 7401000 Pressure on mains 45-50 psi Storage capacity 1,550,000 gallons Size of mains 6" to 12" Is system looped Yes Projects under construction None 3. Sewer — City of Sanger Maximum capacity 780,000 gallons Maximum daily use to date 3007000 Projects under construction None 4. Telephone" Southwestern Bell Type of central office Remote Switching Center Fiber optics available Yes Switched 56 KBPS available Yes High Capacity Digital (T-l) Available Yes Digital Data Service available Yes 911 Service available Yes Other Network/Special Service available None 5. Electric Power - City of Sanger Distribution voltage 4200 and 7200 Number of transmission lines 2 Sub Stations The City of Sanger is inclose proximity to the following area universities and colleges: Texas Women's University - Denton, Texas University of North Texas - Denton, Texas Tarrant County Junior College - Ft. Worth, Texas Texas Christian University - Ft. Worth, Texas North Central Texas College - Gainesville Southern Methodist University - Dallas II. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES �l. Areas required for public recreational facilities are intended to be provided in advance of need, to be of adequate scope and variety to serve all age groups in the Community, and to be located so as to be conveniently accessible to those for whom they have been planned to serve. Facilities for active and passive recreation for all age groups are to be provided for use during all seasons of the year. In order to achieve the above goal, we must: a) Reserve and develop park and playground sites according to the Planning Standards for Parks. b) Acquire land adjoining each new elementary school in accordance with Planning Standards. c) Strictly enforce the Subdivision Regulations, Article III, Section 4.03, Public Sites and Open Spaces, as amended; and, require the reservation for neighborhood parks, playgrounds and elementary school purposes of five percent of the total area within a proposed subdivision. d) It should be provided that, where areas to be developed contain less than 40 acres, payment of money in lieu of land for neighborhood parks and playgrounds may be made at the discretion of the City Council. This money should be reserved for the purpose of acquiring neighborhood park and school sites. Also, it should be provided that funds be spent for the acquisition of land located not more than one-half mile from the area for which monies were paid in. e) The Subdivision Regulations require that when any area is subdivided, which includes a neighborhood park, playground, or elementary school site designated on the Official City Plan Map, an appropriate area must be reserved. When an area exceeds the five percent required to be provided for neighborhood park or playground purposes, the excess area should be reserved until such time as it is purchased by the City of the School District, or until seventy-five percent of the lots within the subdivision are fully developed, whichever time is shorter. This will protect the developer in that it will be the obligation of the school district or the City to acquire such land as would be needed for neighborhood park and elementary school purposes in the amount that it exceeds the five percent required dedication. This required temporary reservation of land should not create an undue hardship for the developer in that acquisition would have to be made before the subdivision is fully developed. If it was not made at the time the subdivision was seventy-five percent developed, then the developer would be free to make whatever use of the land he desired. Use of these procedures should provide an orderly land acquisition program for neighborhood parks, playgrounds, and schools on a minimum cost basis. Strictly enforce Section 2.15, Marginal Land, of the Subdivision Regulations. Reserve as open space those areas of the City where land is unsuited for development by reasons of being subject to flooding, irregularly -shaped site, or excessive slopes. When possible, this land should be utilized as a part of a greenbelt or greenway. These greenbelts should be used as buffers between residential and nonresidential land uses, designed as pedestrian pathways to link parks, schools or other public areas, and employed to assure the provision of occasional scenic sport in the Community. III. PLAN DEVELOPMENT PROCESS The City of Sanger approved a Comprehensive Plan in 1987. This Comprehensive Plan was completed by Governmental Service Agency. This plan was financed and approved by the Texas Department of Community Affairs. Its major components were Capital Improvements Program and Revised Zoning Ordinances. Since that time, the City of Sanger has completed many of the recommendation made in this Comprehensive Plan, The City has also revised its priorities through public hearings and surveys. [The results of this survey have been included in Section VIII of this amended pIan]. The public hearings were held each year in conjunction with the Community Development Block Grant Program and the survey was held in May of 1998. The City recently held a public hearing to receive input to amend the existing Comprehensive Plan and for future parks and recreation planning. This public hearing was held in July, 1997. This plan is simply an amendment to the original 1987 Comprehensive Plan. IV. AREA AND FACILITY CONCEPTS AND STANDARDS There are 5,942 acres of land in the Sanger Planning Area. 3,621 acres are developed. However, portions of it are urban oriented and will be in the path of future urban development. Much of this land has open space value. As the pattern of urbanization pushes the countryside farther away from the built up area, the opportunity to reserve needed open space within built up areas is reduced. As a result, potentially valuable open spaces are lost to urban development. Since requirements for recreation activities are related to the amount, distribution and characteristics of the population to be served, the establishment of population based standards is an important step in planning for recreational space. Therefore, the following recreation standards are provided to establish a general guide for providing recreation facilities in Sanger through year 2000. They should, however, be periodically reviewed and adjusted in the future if trends show a change. TYPE PARK PLAYLOT NEIGHBORHOOD COI\IIv1UNITY Acrea e/1,000 People .5 - 1 Acres 2 Acres 2 Acres Location Sub -Neighborhoods Preferably adjacent to Preferably adjacent to elementary school junior high school. Near major thoroughfare Site Size: (Acres) .25 Acres Minimum 1.0 5 Acres when adjacent 20 acres when adjacent Acre Desirable to elementary school; 10 to junior high school. acres when adjacent to Otherwise - 40 acres. junior high school Service Area 1/8 to '/, We radius %z mile radius 2,500 - '/s mile radius 18,000 - 2000 people 5,000 people 25,000 people Type Facilities Variety of play, Multi -purpose courts, Athletic fields, preschool play children's wading pool, recreation center, multi - equipment, open space landscaped area, purpose court, playground apparatus landscaping, family and group picnicking facilities PlaLots-Sub-neighborhood Parks These type parks are small areas located within individual subdivisions and sub - neighborhood areas and are intended to be used primarily by pre --school children. They provide opportunities for informal play and will substitute for backyards in areas of medium and high residential densities. These type areas should also be provided in neighborhood and community parks. The preceding Standards for Parks permit a determination to be made of total playlot space requirements on a continuing basis as population changes. Sanger has 2 playlots containing approximately .5 acres each. According to the Planning Standards, the City should have a desirable 4 acres to adequately serve the local population of 41100. This lack of playlots is probably due to existing vacant lots in residential areas. In the future as population increases and mobile homes occupy more vacant lots, as is currently evident, this type of park will grow in importance. Neighborhood Parks Neighborhood parks are intended to serve at the neighborhood level. Although this type facility is primarily intended for active recreational use by elementary school children, passive recreation areas containing landscaping and benches should be provided for adults and protected areas for pre-school age children. The Planning Standards set forth an adequate total supply of neighborhood park area for the future as well as the present. However, it must be realized that the effectiveness of this total space will depend upon its distribution relative to the people to be served. This type of park should be located so as to be within safe walking distance (generally one- half mile radius) of the population to be served. In order to achieve this safety factor, the park should be located so that the people who use the facility will not be required to cross any major thoroughfares to reach the site. As a rule, it is highly desirable from a planning and economic standpoint, to locate each such park adjacent to an elementary school. This offers several advantages to the tax payer. First, the amount of land needed to adequately serve a combined school -park site is considerably less than if a separate site for each facility is provided. Second, since one set of playground equipment will normally serve both school and recreation needs, unnecessary duplication of equipment is avoided. Third, some of the school facilities, such as gymnasiums, auditoriums and work shops, could be utilized in the summer months for organized recreation programs. Fourth, the cost of providing utilities to serve joint facilities is less due to the multiple use of one system. Thus, the taxpayer who pays the bill for both municipal recreation programs and school district educational programs would realize substantial economic benefits from such cooperative efforts. Neighborhood parks should contain a minimum of five useable acres when located adjacent to an elementary school, and ten useable acres when not so located. This standard will permit maximum flexibility in the design and arrangement of space for the types of activities and facilities to be accommodated. This factor becomes important as the composition of future population and their recreation habits change, resulting in the need to redesign and re -equip parks. The types of facties these parks should contain include multi -purpose courts, children's wading and spray pool, landscaped areas, open space, restrooms, shelter house, playground apparatus, family picnic areas, pre-school children's area, field for sports, older peoples area and improved parking space. Currently, Sanger has 2 parks which meet the standard of facilities if not for size of this type of park. (a listing of these parks and their size and facilities offered are included in section V. of this plan) According to the Standard, Sanger should have at least 8 acres of neighborhood park area to adequately serve the population. Community Parks A community park should serve the entire population of Sanger, and should be designed to provide opportunities for supervised programs and organized athletic competition, particularly for junior high and high school age children. Generally, two (2) acres of space should be provided for each 1,000 population in Sanger. This standard establishes an adequate basis for determining community park space requirements as the population changes. Since the desirable effective service radius is one and one-half miles, many residents living beyond the 1 '/2 mile radius limit will normally drive the younger children to the facility. Also, older people residing some distance away may desire to drive to the site. Therefore, it is preferable that a community park site be accessible by a major thoroughfare. The site would be more adequate with 15 - 20 acres. This acreage would be sufficient for accommodating the diversified activities for which the park should be designed, and permits maximum flexibility in the spatial arrangement of facilities and equipment to be supported. Facilities normally include baseball diamonds, basketball courts, tennis courts, and other active athletic areas. In addition, a community park normally contains a large area for picnicking, as well as facilities which serve the community as a whole, including a community center and swimming pool. Switzer Park, located at Freese and Austin, is the only park in the Community serving as a park in this category. However, is does not contain adequate acreage or facilities to accommodate the entire population needs. Railroad Park could be completed to expand and improve this area as a Community Park. It is located on Railroad Avenue. At the present time, its general location is in the southeast section of the Community, but if the approximately 160 acres adjoining the area on the east were ever opened up to development, the park location would be somewhat more centrally located in the Community. The existing park contains two baseball fields, restrooms and concession stand. Regional Parks Regional parks and recreation areas are large land and/or water areas serving communities or at the inter -county level. These sites usually are capable of supporting a variety of non - urban activities and frequently contain unusual natural features, unique scenic attractions, or historical sites. These type parks should generally serve up to 40,000 people within an effective radius of one -hour's driving time, or usually 40 miles distance. This distance factor is directly related to the degree of site accessibility. Regional parks served by improved highways or expressways will easily be reachable from 40 miles within one hour travel time, while unimproved roads will require more than one hour to drive 40 miles. These parks are intended to serve all age groups, but families are the main users of these facilities, and the dominant activities are usually family oriented. A regional park or recreation area should generally contain a minimum of 600 acres, or which at least 100 acres is developable. This standard does not apply to preserving historic sites or regional significance, scenic views, and other resource -based recreation attractions not requiring large amounts of space. This amount of space affords the urbanite the opportunity to enjoy contact with nature away from the noise and congestion of urban living. In addition a site of such size is conducive to the distribution of facilities so that the tendency to overcrowd one single developed area is minimized. The types of activities normally found in regional type parks and recreation areas are: picnicking, camping, boating, fishing, water sports, lake swimming, riding and hiking, nature studies, organized camp activities, driving pleasure, etc. Deveoopment of regional parks should be in a manner which will preserve the natural qualities of the site while providing necessary facilities for the various activities. In addition to Lake Ray Roberts in the region which fall into this category of parks, there are two additional areas...Lake Dallas and Lewisville Lake. Lake Ray Roberts is located approximately three miles east of Sanger, and Lake Dallas and Lewisville Lake located approximately fifteen miles from Sanger. All have considerable potential for regional recreation activities. Outdoor recreation facilities should be considered around these facilities in order to provide convenient water oriented recreation opportunities for residents living in the northwestern area of the region. Since this type of area can serve all residents of Denton County and Denton as well, joint governmental efforts should be employed in the planning and financing of improvements. Open S ace Areas Since the location and amount of space needed for flood plain control is directly related to the location and extent of areas subject to flooding, the establishment of fixed standards to guide provision of this space is inappropriate. However, the following general principles should be considered when allocating space for controlling flood plain development: a. The amount of protective open space needed along major water course and drainage channels should be based on engineering studies of potential flooding conditions. b. Flood plain open space should, when possible, be provided in a manner which l permits uses, especially recreational uses, ,which are compatible with the purpose of establishing flood plain control. c. Since streams are natural barriers to physical development, the provision of open space along stream channels should be utilized to serve as a buffer between various land uses and to help shape urban growth patterns. d. Facilities placed in flood plain areas should be of anon -permanent nature and designed to withstand the effects of flooding. e. Developers should be charged with the responsibility for providing adequate open space along stream channels within and adjacent to their development in consonance with (a) above. This assures the home buyer of protection from flood hazards while permitting other uses during non -flood periods. f. Areas along or near stream channels which have unusual growths of trees or outstanding examples of wildlife should be preserved as greenbelts wherever possible. g. Greenbelts should be located to establish buffer strips between residential, commercial, and industrial areas within the community. � h. Greenbelts should be designed to link parks and recreation areas. They should be capable of providing pedestrian pathways. i. Cluster or "planned unit" type development should be encouraged within urban areas so that usable open space can be effectively provided. j. Public easements in strategic locations should be utilized and maintained as essential greenbelt buffers. k. Golf course and similar facilities should be planned, not only for their primary recreation uses, but also for their uses as buffers. Areas along FM 455 and Spur 138 (IH 35) are areas with potential for open space development. V. Inventory of Areas and Facilities PARK LOCATION SITE TYPE FACILITIES • 2 picnic tables • 1 swing set Gainey Patton • 1 basketball goal • 1 slide • 1 merry go round • 1 teeter totter Downtown • 1 slide Park • 1 swing set • 3 vicnic tables Community • 1 swimming pool Center • 1 wading pool Building • 1 tennis court • 4 basketball goals • 1 baseball field • 4 picnic areas with tables • 1 swing set • 1 slide Railroad Park • 2 baseball fields • restrooms • concession stand Park at 5 tether ball poles Intermediate • Jungle Gym with 2 slides School • Monkey bars Chisolm Trail . Jungle Gym with slide • Monkey bars • Walk Across • Swing Tire • Small Slide • 6 seat swing set • 5 slide and climb • 2 basketball goals • Small baseball field • train climb • wagon climb • 2 slides 0 2 tether ball poles VI. Needs Assessment & Identification The parks and recreation needs of the City of Sanger were determined first through the Comprehensive Plan completed in 1980 that incorporated standard -based and resource - based recommendations. These recommendations have been included in this amendment to that plan. Due to the fact that the City of Sanger has increased the number and quality of the parks since 1980, the city is now able to base its needs by the demand for services. In June, 1998, the city, in conjunction with the Sanger Independent School District mailed 400 survey forms. The following are the results of that survey: uestion: Would you like to see the Railroad Park completed? 136 Yes 0 No No Opinion/Undecided uestion: Would you like to see the city apply for a matching funds Parks and Wildlife Grant to complete the Railroad Park? 136 Yes 0 No estion: Would you like to see the roads to Railroad Park improved? 136 Yes 0 No estion: Would you like to see improvements made to the Community Park? 136 Yes 0 No estion: Would you like to see an indoor recreation center with basketball and roller skating? 136 Yes 0 No uestion: If the neat High School is built east of the railroad tracks on Highway 455, would you like to see a road built to connect Highway 455 and McReynolds Road? 52 Yes 0 No OR Extend Railroad Avenue to Highway 455? 0 No I. Plan Implementation and Prioritization of Needs The following are the cities prioritized needs based on the demand determined by survey: 1. Community Park - Railroad Park The Railroad Park area is recommended for improvements as a community - type park. The area should be maintained and used for picnicking and family and group activity. Currently, Railroad Park has the picnic and recreational facilities, however is in need of the following improvements in order to make it available for use by the majority of the public: • Ball Fields • Bathroom Facilities • Concession Stands • Playground Equipment • Pitching Machine Area • Additional Picnic Areas • Nature and wildlife Area • Walking and Wheelchair Trail • 15 Station Fitness Centers • Parking Lots • so gnage • Fencing • Beautification 2. Public Golf Course To date, population estimates have not warranted a public golf course until after the year 2000. However, the following elements should be considered when planning this course. Nine holes, utilizing approximately 90 acres, is the minimum required. The golf course must be beautiful in order to appeal to both golfers and non - golfers. A 9-hole or a par 3 with a driving range would be financially preferable. Every effort should be made to build a great golf course. It costs no more and people will be attracted to it from the whole region. Great holes stir the imagination and quicken the blood. Golfers never stop talking about the. As a result, they are the cheapest advertising there is. The course must be beautiful... containing eye -pleasing greens, traps, tees, water areas, and three groupings... the beauty should be structural, resulting from clean, bold shapes and forms growing out of the ear rather than from cosmetics and skins graphs. 3. Open Space The usage of "Open Space" here emphasizes natural features, and is defined as undeveloped or predominately undeveloped land. More technically, it is any area where natural ecological processes are not being disturbed or significantly influenced by human activity. When man "develops" land, he alters these natural processes. As development becomes more intense, the human influence on the land character increases. There are critical areas that contain sensitive ecological processes which limit their carrying capacity for development. These critical areas should be left undeveloped or limited to those types of development which are compatible with the environment. Utilizing these areas according to their carrying capacity will minimize problems and take advantage of opportunities. Protection of this natural drainage system can reduce flooding as well as the cost of flood control devices. Maintenance of as much natural vegetation as possible and the use of porous paving materials are recommended measures to control disruption of the natural processes. Little will be accomplished if only a few. areas along the environmental corridors are protected while others are carelessly developed. These environmental corridors may also provide extensive train opportunities, and link fiiture park areas. Recreational development is recommended as the most compatible land use foI these critical areas. Passive activities will exert minimal pressure on these areas because intensity of use is low. This will require less upkeep and fewer supporting facilities such as restrooms, backstops, roadwork, and lighting. The corridors, however, could support scenic areas, golf course fairways, natural trails for educational purposes, hiking and bicycling trails, picnicking, etc. One neighborhood park, proposes for the future, is recommended near the westside corridor for intensive activities. These critical areas will become more important in the future as urban development takes place, causing runoff to increase. For implementation aspects, the City's Subdivision Regulations, Article II, � Section 2.15, Marginal Land, should be strictly enforced. Consideration should be given to amending Section 2.15 on the basis of establishment of a delicate balance between the various natural systems and urban development, to protect the long-term stability of the corridors. Recommended methods and strategies for acquiring and protecting open space is as follows: --Acquisition of fee simple title to the property (1) negotiated sale (2) eminent domain (condemnation) (3) donation --Partial fee acquisition (1) easements (2) leases --Police powers (1) zoning ordinance (2) subdivision regulations - platting --Taxation (1) deferred property taxes (2) tax revenue for open space acquisition --Private Section actions Other Strategies include: --Provide for the right of FIRST REFUSAL for all property designated in the open space plan as Critical Areas, with particular emphasis on environmental corridors. These areas must be first offered to the City Council for sale before any land transactions can occur. --Encourage the School District to assist in the acquisition of critical areas for environmental education purposes --Work to provide, where appropriate, maximum open space and recreational use of existing linear easement corridors. These can include power line and transmission line easements. These can be used to link more critical areas in a continuous system which provides extensive trail opportunities. --Seek out owners of undeveloped open land and investigate the prospects for short term leases for recreation use with the option for future acquisition. --Provide readily available professional and legal counsel for private citizens who may desire to make a gift of land or property rights to the City. The professional assistance would be useful in exploring the tax an other advantages to the private citizen for such action. 4. Rerional Recreational Area This type recreational facility should be provided at Railroad Park. Picnicking, scout camping and similar activities could be provided. 5. Special Use Area Downtown Park City Park located at City Hall should be improved with amenities conducive to the leisure noon time of Downtown employees. 6. Pla eld The Community Center Park, and the Park that the Intermediate School should continue to be maintained as Playfields. Ample auto parking should be improved and possibly a small playground area added. 7. Nei�,hborhood Parks Five neighborhood gh type parks are proposed for the Planning Area. These parks should provide for the following recreational activities: Surfaced area for court games such as tennis, horseshoes, team dodge ball, etc. Open field area for ballgames Shelter for summer playground program Play apparatus such as swings, merry-go-round climber, moon rocket, slides, etc. Landscaping, picnic area, parking 8. Playlots There are 11 potential sites for sub -neighborhood type parks in the Planning Area. Only two of these area somewhat developed. These parks are small areas within subdivision and sub -neighborhood areas, and area intended to be used primarily by pre-school children. They provide opportunities for informal play and will substitute for backyards. � Possible Sources of Fundinu Many cities in the United States have tended to give consideration to their park and recreation needs only after the financing of streets, water mains, sewer lines, and other public utilities have been worked out. The urban dweller has formed the habit of demanding pure water at each water tap. He ,complains long and loud to public officials about poor street surfaces. Sewerage systems are taken for granted. However, few voices are raised in those cities where inadequate park and recreation programs exist, primarily because citizens do not recognize the important place a well-rounded recreation program plays in American life. Consequently, it is often necessary for public officials to take the leadership in the development of such a program. Since there are several types of recreation facilities needed to provide a well- rounded recreation program, several types of policies are required to insure that each need is met. It has been fundamental in municipal government that the construction of municipal utilities such as streets and sanitary sewers, which increase the value of the properties that these utilities serve, should be paid for by the properties benefited. These improvements usually are financed by special assessment. At the same time, municipal facilities which benefit all of the people within the municipality should be paid for by all citizens. It is reasonable to assume that the same application should be made to the acquisition of recreation facilities. For instance, a lighted ball diamond having city-wide use should be paid for by all of the citizens. The neighborhood park and playground which primarily benefit only those people within the individual neighborhood which it serves should be paid for by the people of that neighborhood. Consequently, policies relating tot he development and financing of neighborhood parks will be different from those for acquisition of city-wide facilities. Acquisition of City -Wide Facilities The financing of land and facilities used for recreation on a city-wide basis can be accomplished through the use of general obligation bonds of financed directly out of the general budget. The financing of facilities from the general budget can be accomplished where adequate sources of revenue exist year in and year out to provide such facilities. Most cities, however, do not have adequate revenue for this purpose. Acquisition of Neighborhood Parks There are several methods open to the City of Sanger for the acquisition of land to be used for neighborhood parks. First, where deficiencies exist in the present system, a bond issue or general fund monies might be used, provided all sections of town receive equal benefits at the same time. This would mean that added benefits would accrue to each neighborhood. Second, as Sanger grows, it is advisable to provide for neighborhood parks at the time of initial platting and development so l that the cost of park land would be based on undeveloped land costs rather than on platted urban property costs. Many cities in the United States have required that each developer set aside for park purposes amount of land ranging from two to ten percent of the total land which is being developed. There is an alternate provision usually employed when small areas of less than 20 acres are being platted. At the option of the City Council, an equivalent amount may be required in lieu of giving land. This money is then obligated to be reserved for the purpose of providing a neighborhood park in the area. There has been considerable argument, pro and con, relating to the use of such a policy. Proponents state that the neighborhood park is just as necessary to the welfare of the inhabitants of the area as are streets, sewers, and other public utilities. For this reason, parks should be provided by those persons creating the demand and should be planned for when each individual subdivision is planned. Also, the neighborhood park is designed primarily to serve the individual neighborhood. Consequently, it would be inequitable to use money obtained from citizens living in other parts of town to finance facilities for a small portion of the population, particularly where new and often speculative development is involved. These arguments have a great deal of merit. Opponents of this method of park land acquisition state that the new developer would be placed in an unfair competitive situation because he is required to contribute a larger portion of his land to public use than those developing subdivisions before the requirement was placed in effect. They also state that money reserved for neighborhood park development by one developer may be used to construct park facilities across town which would be of no benefit to his subdivision. Concerning the competitive situation„ it is highly probable that the addition of neighborhood parks to a carefully planned subdivision would increase the value of each lot within the neighborhood where the subdivision is located. However, the increase in lot values would accrue only to the area which could be serviced by the park. Lots located a distance greater than on -half mile from the park would not be materially benefited. Where monetary payment is required, provision should be made for the money to be expended for recreation facilities located within a reasonable distance of the area for which the money was paid. This policy has been used by cities throughout the United States and has proved to be reasonably effective when applied to the acquisition of neighborhood parks. In several instances, attempts have been made to obtain city-wide facilities in the same manner. In such cases, the individual land developer has contributed a disproportionately large share of the cost. Another method commonly used for the acquisition of neighborhood parks land, either as a supplement to the above policy or a s a separate policy, also has met with considerable success. A master land acquisition program for parks has been prepared in considerable detail showing the approximate size and location of parks needed in new areas. Regulations are passed requiring that when property is subdivided where a park site is proposed in the master plan, the park site must be reserved in the plat. The city then is given a reasonable time, usually from one to three years, in which to acquire the site. If this policy supplements the one based on the developer's reserving a percentage of the land for park purposes, the developer hen would be compensated only for the portion of the park area that was greater than the amount for which he was responsible. For instance, if a city has a five percent park reservation requirement and the developer platted forty acres of land, he would be required to set aside two acres for park purposes. If the master plan proposed a six acre park site within the forty acres, then the developer actually would be developing thirty-four acres of land and would be responsible for giving slightly less than two acres, of five percent of the thirty-four acres. He should be compensated therefore for the 4.3 acres which he was required to reserve but which did not come within the five percent requirement. If the city did not exercise its option to purchase the land for park or educational purposes during the period in which it was reserved, it should revert to the developer for his use., The merits of this system are based on the fact that the city does not have to purchase or hold for long periods of time parcels of property in undeveloped areas in anticipation of their becoming part of the city residential area, yet land is acquired at the time of need. A financial program for the acquisition of park land should be supplemented with plans for financing equipment and maintaining the facility, and to provide an adequate annual budget for staffing the recreation program. Equipment costs could be covered in the initial funds for acquisition, or be financed as a project of some civic organization. The cost of maintenance and programming is a continual responsibility which probably would have to be included in the general budget. Fees and Charles In Sanger, fees and charges are being used on a very limited basis. Small energy fees are charged for team participation in athletic programs, and for janitorial services in party houses and gymnasiums. These small fees help defray the cost of administering and maintaining such programs and facilities. Swimming pools charge for admission, but again these facilities are not self- supporting from these charges. Very few park and recreation authorities would recommend or even promote the theory that all community park and recreation services should be financially self-supporting. However, the technique of fees and charges does provide one source for supplementing budget funds. Gifts and Donations There are tax advantages for donors of land and other gifts and perhaps the most satisfying reward is the thanks of many who will use and enjoy these gifts. Land Price Escalation "Prices for recreation lands and waters are increasing rapidly, and the most effective means of controlling land price escalation is to acquire needed lands promptly"...Bureau of Outdoor Recreation, School -Park Relationship As a rule, it is highly desirable from planning and economic standpoints, to locate each neighborhood park adjacent to an elementary school. This offers several advantages to the taxpayer. First, the amount of land needed to adequately serve a combined school -park site is considerably less than if a separate site for each facility is provided. Second, since one set of playground equipment will normally serve both school and recreation needs, unnecessary duplication of equipment is avoided. Third, some of the school facilities, such as gymnasiums, auditoriums and work shops, could be utilized in the summer months for organized recreations programs. Fourth, the cost of providing utilities to serve joint facilities is less due to the multiple use of one system. Thus, the taxpayer who pays the bill for both municipal recreation programs and school district educational programs would realize substantial economic benefits from such cooperative efforts.