Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 11 - Texas Recreation and Parks Account (TRPA) MEMO TO: HONORABLE MAYO R AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL FROM: BRUNO RUMBELOW, CITY MANAGER MEETING DATE: AUGUST 15, 2006 SUBJECT: CONSIDER APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE TEXAS RECREATION AND PARKS ACCOUNT RECOMMENDATION: City Council:to consider approval of a resolution that supports the Texas Recreation and Parks Account (TRPA). The resolution is attached for review. BACKGROUND The Texas Recreation and Parks Account is a grant program for parkland acquisition and development and for the development of recreational facilities that is administered by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The annual funding in the TRPA prior to the 78#h Legislature was $15.5 million. The TRPA was reduced to $8.1 million annually in the 78th Legislature and to 5 million in the 79th Legislature. The attached resolution requests support from the Texas Municipal League, the Governor and members of the 800 Legislature to restore the funding to the TRPA to its original level prior to the 78th Legislature and to maximize the use of revenue from the sales tax gathered from sporting goods for grants for local park acquisition and development. The resolution also requests support to insure that all grants funded through the TRPA be subject to the competitive scoring system managed by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The City of Grapevine has been very fortunate to receive several park development grants from TPWD over the past several years. In fact, the development of Parr Park, Dove Park, Bear Creek Park, Casey's Clubhouse and Pleasant Glade Pool were all partially funded with matching grants from TPWD. Now that the City of Grapevine has leased over 1,200 acres of parkland from the Corps of Engineers, staff will be looking at grant opportunities to assist with the development of the new parkland. DE August 2,2006(2:38PM) 1-TR FA RESOLUTION NO. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GRAPEVINE REQUESTING THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, THE GOVERNOR AND MEMBERS OF THE 80T" LEGISLATIVE SESSION OF THE STATE OF TEXAS SUPPORT RESTORATION OF REDUCTIONS MADE TO THE TEXAS RECREATION AND PARKS ACCOUNT MADE BY THE 78T" AND 79TH LEGISLATURES AND TO MAXIMIZE THE USE OF REVENUE FROM THE SALES TAX GATHERED FROM SPORTING GOODS FOR GRANTS FOR LOCAL PARK ACQUISITION AND DEVELOPMENT AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE WHEREAS, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, hereinafter referred to as "TPWD", has a separate account in their general revenue fund referred to as the Texas Recreation and Parks Account, hereinafter referred to as "TRPA", for the purpose of providing matching grants to political subdivisions for parks and recreation acquisition and development in Texas; and WHEREAS, reductions were made to the TRPA in the 78th and 79th Legislatures; and WHEREAS, the matching grants provided by the TPWD are utilized for the planning, acquisition, and/or development of park and recreational areas, or open space areas to be owned and maintained by the political subdivision; and WHEREAS, funds granted to political subdivisions under the TRPA and Local Park Fund guidelines have funded 1,013 projects of the 2,825 submitted over 25 years delivering over $622 million dollars to the local Texas economy; and WHEREAS, the TRPA is funded from sales tax on sporting goods and that the creation of new parks stimulates the purchase of sporting goods and increases sales tax revenue; and WHEREAS, the development of parks encourages and promotes public health, economic development, job creation, education; corporate relocations, good quality of life as well as juvenile crime prevention; and WHEREAS, political subdivisions throughout the State of Texas depend on grants from TPWD through the TRPA to expedite the creation of new parks and recreational areas to meet the needs of our growing populations and for the benefit and enjoyment of their citizenry; and WHEREAS, it is the desire of this City Council, to present this resolution with appropriate names affixed, be presented to the Texas Municipal League, the Governor of Texas and the leadership of the 80th Texas Legislature. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GRAPEVINE, TEXAS. Section 1. That the Texas Municipal League, the Governor and members of the 80th Legislature of Texas consider restoration of the reductions made to the Texas Recreation and Parks Account made by the 78th and 79th Legislatures and to maximize the use of the revenue from the sales tax gathered from sporting goods to increase funding for grants to political subdivisions for park acquisition and development. Section 2. That the Texas Municipal League, the Governor and members of the 80th Legislature of Texas insure that all grants funded through the Texas Recreation and Parks Account be subject to the competitive scoring system managed by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Section 3. That this resolution shall become effective from and after the date of its passage. PASSED AND APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GRAPEVINE, TEXAS on this the 15th day of August, 2006. APPROVED: ATTEST: RES. NO. 2 APPROVED AS TO FORM: RES. NO. 3