Parks, pools, trees – and dogs – get a boost in new city budget

The new city budget City Council passed Wednesday delivered good news for parks and park lovers with the creation of a land acquisition fund, improved parks maintenance, additional funding for tree-planting projects and a dog park in Southwest Austin.

Additionally, the Parks and Recreation Department withdrew its unpopular proposal to increase entry fees at specialty swimming pools like Barton Springs, Deep Eddy and Bartholomew.

Council Member Ryan Alter led on the land acquisition fund item for parkland and other purposes, which allocates $50 million in one-time funds using certificates of obligation and other future debt. Because the state Legislature limits how the parks department can administer parkland dedication fees, those fees alone are not sufficient for acquiring land for parkland, Alter said in his proposal.

The new fund, to be administered by the Financial Services Department and the city manager’s office, is designed to help the city meet the goals of the Austin Climate Equity Plan and Austin’s Community Health and Sustainability Strategy, which call for acquiring 20,000 acres of land for parkland, protecting the city’s water supply, improving drainage and mitigating flood risks.

After community concerns about trash and other maintenance shortcomings at city parks, Council members Paige Ellis and Alison Alter successfully secured over $1.2 million for 16 new maintenance positions and $730,000 to fund equipment for lawnmowing and other services.

“The concern I hear again and again is that too many basic city services aren’t being delivered effectively,” Ellis said in a media release issued before Wednesday’s vote. “And our parks are much more than just a basic service, they’re our lifeblood.”

Added Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison, a co-sponsor of the budget amendment: “Our city has made significant progress in expanding access to park facilities, such as the Givens and Colony Park pools, but it’s equally crucial to invest in maintaining existing parks at a level residents should and will expect.”

With tree canopy’s increasing importance in mitigating heat island effects, Council also increased funding for the city’s NeighborWoods tree-planting program to $980,000. The NeighborWoods program provides free trees to residents in Austin and within Austin Energy’s customer service areas. Additionally, the same budget item, brought by Ryan Alter, will add $1.05 million to the parks department’s capital improvement plan for tree-planting projects.

Alter’s budget item further directs the city manager to evaluate current tree planting projects in Guerrero, Zilker and Grand Meadow parks to determine the appropriateness of allocating a portion of the increased capital funds.

Finally, Ellis secured $25,000 in one-time expenditures to pilot an off-leash dog park in Ellis’ District 8 in Southwest Austin for six months, potentially in Circle C Metropolitan Park. The area would include fencing, signage and trash bins. Ellis said her constituents have been requesting an off-leash dog park for several years.

One pending Council action was made easier with parks staff’s withdrawal of proposed seasonal entry fee increases at several city pools. Council Member Chito Vela and colleagues Ellis and Alison Alter had initiated work to strike the fee hike. Alter thanked parks staff for rethinking their decision.

“I know several of us were concerned when we saw what a family would have to pay to be able to go to the pool together, and so I appreciate staff recognizing that and I appreciate that the underlying budget continues our efforts to reduce the number of pools where you do have to pay,” Alter said. “That access is ever more important right now given the heat that we’re facing, so thank you.”

Photo made available through a Creative Commons license.

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