Planner seeks council sign-off for 80% grant to update parks master plan, impact-fee analysis

Hooper City staff and a planning consultant asked the council to provide a letter of support so the city can apply for a Utah Outdoor Recreation planning grant that would pay 80% of the cost to update the parks and trails master plan and the associated impact fee analysis.

Planner Taylor (presenting remotely) told the council that the city’s parks and trails plan dates to 2003 and that an updated master plan plus an impact fee facilities plan and an accompanying impact fee analysis would cost about $88,000. The grant program is state-run and would cover roughly 80% of the study, leaving the city responsible for a 20% local match of about $17,600. Taylor said the city already has roughly $32,000 in its parks impact-fee fund that could be used to cover the local match.

Taylor said an updated plan and fee analysis are required by state rules before a municipality may lawfully collect higher impact fees; he described the grant application as straightforward and due the following week. Taylor told the council the grant also supports projects that promote trails, outdoor access and recreation planning and that the updated plan could increase the city’s ability to collect impact fees that pay for parks projects needed by new development.

Council direction and next steps: councilmembers asked questions about strings attached and timing and were told the program is state (not federal) and that the grant mostly covers planning costs with minimal conditions beyond the city match and typical reporting. Staff said they would prepare the required letter of support and return with more detail at a regular meeting. No formal grant acceptance or contract was executed at the meeting.

Why it matters: updating the parks master plan and the impact-fee analysis would allow Hooper to assess capital costs correctly and set lawful impact fees that require an evidentiary basis under state law. The grant would reduce the local cost for that work and speed an update to an almost 20-year-old plan.

What the record shows: Taylor said the parks/IFFP package costs $88,000, the grant covers 80% (city match ~$17,600) and the city currently holds about $32,000 in park impact-fee funds that could be used for the match.