Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks Recreation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Tulare County adopts first standalone five-year Parks Improvement Plan, prioritizes sports fields and infrastructure
Summary
The Board approved a dedicated five-year Parks Improvement Plan (FY 2025–26 to FY 2029–30) that sets a $3.8 million budget for FY 2025–26 and a $9 million five-year forecast; the plan emphasizes sports fields, visible amenity upgrades and critical infrastructure repairs funded by ARPA, general fund and grants.
VISALIA — The Tulare County Board of Supervisors on July 22 approved the county’s first standalone five-year Parks Improvement Plan (PIP) covering fiscal years 2025–26 through 2029–30, a plan staff said will increase transparency and prioritize both visible user amenities and essential infrastructure repairs.
Brooke Sisk, General Services Agency director, and Albert Sendejas, parks manager, presented a review of projects completed in 2024–25 and a proposed set of 17 FY 2025–26 projects. Staff said nearly $19.5 million has been invested in parks over the past six years, including $8.8 million from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, roughly $6 million from the county general fund, $2.4 million in grants and $2.3 million in insurance reimbursements.
Sendejas outlined completed work — new arbors, picnic tables, murals, irrigation and playground repairs at parks including Bartlett, Balch, Pixley, Cutler and Mooney Grove — and said visible upgrades combined with “boring” behind-the-scenes infrastructure work raised visitor satisfaction. Examples of planned FY 2025–26 projects include: sports-field upgrades (bleachers, backstops, line marking and goalposts) at nearly every park; new and replaced playground shade structures funded in part by an extreme-heat/community resilience grant; restroom renovations; parking and irrigation improvements; and continued post-flood repairs at Bartlett Park.
Staff proposed a FY 2025–26 parks budget of about $3.8 million. Funding sources listed included undesignated fund balance (about $1.1 million), a $1 million general-fund contribution, remaining ARPA dollars for Alpaugh electrical and irrigation work, an Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Program (EHCRP) grant for shade structures and outstanding insurance reimbursements for a previous flood. Sisk said an estimated $9 million of additional projects remain in a five-year forecast and will be prioritized as funding becomes available.
Board members praised the plan and the scope of recent improvements. Supervisors asked operational questions about reservations and signage; staff said an online reservation system is live on the county parks web page and that staff will add QR codes and on-site signage to help residents reserve arbors. The board approved the plan 4–0.
Why it matters The PIP separates parks funding and planning from the broader CIP and highlights year-to-year investments in recreation and community health. The plan directs county resources toward infrastructure and high-visibility amenities that county staff and residents repeatedly identified as priorities.
Speakers quoted in the report are limited to those identified in the meeting record.
