Open Space Board backs 2026 CIP and operating budgets, urges council review of rising cost allocation

The Open Space Board of Trustees on July 9 recommended that City Council approve a $36,179,915 appropriation for the Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) operating budget and a $5,999,199 appropriation for the OSMP 2026 capital improvement program (CIP).

The board voted unanimously to send both recommendations to council and also approved, 4–1, a separate resolution asking council for “greater transparency and accountability” about a projected rise in the city’s cost-allocation charges to OSMP.

At the meeting staff said recent fiscal decisions are still in flux but provided the board with updated estimates and context. Lauren (city staff) told trustees “we estimate the combined savings from the hiring freeze to be around $1,400,000 in the current year 2025 budget,” and said those savings and several one-time revenues (including recently notified bequests and a $21,000,000 residential-use estimate tied to a facilities assessment) soften near-term capital reductions.

Why it matters: trustees said their role is to safeguard voter-approved open-space funds while recommending budgets that keep programs running on the ground. Several trustees pressed staff for more detail about the…