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Parks staff seeks council support for second GO bond tranche, including $34.99 million in projects
Summary
Public lands staff asked the council to approve project cost updates, personnel reclassifications and a second tranche of the 2022 parks, trails and open-space general obligation bond totaling about $34.99 million.
Public lands and council staff briefed the City Council May 13 on progress from the 2022 parks, trails and open-space general obligation bond and on an administration request to proceed with a second tranche of financing.
Tom Millar, planning and design division director in Public Lands, and Allison Lisonbee Roland of council staff summarized the first tranche's accomplishments—site demolition, concept and schematic steps completed on multiple projects, and construction underway or near-bid for several parks and trail projects. Millar highlighted completed or soon-to-complete items including Backman Community Open Space and Outdoor Classroom (under construction), the Liberty Park playground (permitting and expected summer bidding) and Glendale Park phase 1 ribbon-cutting planned this fall.
The administration requested council approval of three elements ahead of a second tranche bond issuance: (1) updated project costs and scopes reflected in the transmittal, (2) reclassification and continuation of bond-funded positions (reclassifying an associate landscape architect to senior landscape architect and adding a part-time arts council position to manage public-art contracts tied to bond sites), and (3) authorization to issue approximately $34,986,400 in the second tranche to cover construction for several projects, notably substantial phase-2 work at Glendale Park.
Staff said issuance of both tranches combined would still represent less than the bond amount voters were told in 2022: the estimated median property tax impact with both tranches would be about $19 to $21 per year for a typical home, well below the $54.80 figure cited in the voter information materials during the 2022 campaign. Millar described a timeline that would include a July bond-parameters resolution and an October closing timed to align with fall bidding cycles for construction.
Why it matters: The parks bond funds capital projects across multiple neighborhoods. Staff said the approach taken in tranche accounting was designed to fund early phases (design, engagement and early construction) without borrowing all construction dollars at once; the second tranche moves construction funding for higher-priority projects forward while leaving other projects for potential later tranches.
Council questions and next steps: Members asked about schedules, community engagement pacing, and whether projects would be done in-house or by contractors. Staff explained design and engagement are largely performed in-house but most construction will be contracted. Staff requested the council adopt project-scope and personnel changes and to authorize the second tranche so the treasurer's office can prepare the parameters resolution ahead of summer pricing and rating-agency meetings.
Ending: Council staff will circulate the more detailed transmittal and staff report; formal council action is requested in mid-June to maintain the issuance schedule and to align funding with construction bidding timelines.
