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Park Board Approves Parkland Dedication Ordinance, Adopts Updated Developer Fee Schedule
Summary
The Rockwall City Park Board voted to approve a Parkland Dedication Ordinance and associated fees after staff presented updated cost estimates and per‑dwelling fee calculations based on revised market values and build‑out projections.
The Rockwall City Park Board voted to approve a Parkland Dedication Ordinance and its accompanying fee schedule after staff presented updated cost and acreage figures for park development and land acquisition.
The ordinance adopts new per‑project cost estimates and a formula that derives developer fees from each park district’s projected ultimate dwelling build‑out. Staff presented revised unit costs for amenities and an updated market value per acre that together form the basis of the cash‑in‑lieu and pro‑rata equipment fees that developers will pay.
Travis, a parks staff member, told the board the ordinance reflects new market and construction estimates and that the figures will be forwarded to city council for formal adoption. He summarized the updated cost breakdown: $705,000 for amenities (automatic irrigation, turf, landscaping, trails, pavilions, playgrounds, benches and trash cans) and $825,000 for land acquisition, for a combined development estimate of $1,530,000 to develop an 11‑acre park with roughly 4–5 acres fully developed. He also said the market survey raised the park acreage value from about $70,000 per acre to $75,000 per acre this year.
Using Park District 1 as the board’s example (an ultimate build‑out of 592 dwellings), staff showed the math that produces per‑dwelling fees: $705,000 divided by 592 yields a pro‑rata equipment fee of $1,190.88 per dwelling; $825,000 divided by 592 yields a land cash‑in‑lieu fee of $1,393.58 per dwelling. Staff noted those per‑dwelling amounts vary across districts: districts with larger build‑outs produce lower per‑dwelling fees (for example, a district with 4,600 dwellings would yield roughly $153 for equipment and $179 for land per dwelling, using the same totals), while small districts with fewer dwellings can produce per‑dwelling land fees in the multiple thousands (for example, with about 350 dwellings the land cash‑in‑lieu would be about $2,357 per dwelling).
Board members discussed the basis for the market value and how fees are assessed per ultimate dwelling rather than by parcel value. Staff said the market survey (not attached to the packet) explains the valuation methodology and that staff will bring the survey to the next work session for review.
A board member moved to approve the Parkland Dedication Ordinance and all associated fees; another board member seconded. The motion passed. The ordinance will be assigned an ordinance number when it goes to city council for final action.
Votes at a glance • Approval of minutes from the Jan. 7, 2025 Park Board meeting — motion to accept minutes; passed. • Approval of Parkland Dedication Ordinance and associated fees — motion to approve; motion passed; ordinance to be forwarded to city council for assignment of an ordinance number.
Board members and staff said staff will bring the full market survey and additional detail to the board’s upcoming work session so board members and developers can see the underlying calculations and methodology.
