Heath park board recommends consultant to update parkland dedication ordinance

The City of Heath Park Board voted unanimously to recommend that City Council authorize professional services to update the city's Parkland Dedication and Development Ordinance.

Abra Nusser, a certified planner with LJA Planning and Landscape Architecture, told the board that the ordinance's methodology must be grounded in a quantitative formula and legal review. "You can't just say 1000 dollars per dwelling unit with no basis," Nusser said, describing the need to update monetary inputs and check recent legislative changes with the city attorney.

Staff and the consultant said the proposed scope is limited: review the current ordinance, update the inputs and opinion of probable cost, check statutory changes and city attorney guidance, and return proposed ordinance language and fee recommendations for the board's review. The board emphasized the importance of maintaining an up-to-date methodology so fees remain defensible and to preserve eligibility for certain grants tied to the city's parks plan.

Board members asked whether the 2018 methodology's key thresholds (including a 2-acre minimum park size and the formula that currently triggers dedication at roughly 204 homes) would be reconsidered; Nusser said those figures are quantitatively derived and can be adjusted if the board directs changes in policy.

The board made a formal recommendation that staff proceed with a professional services agreement and scope of work and forward that recommendation to City Council for contract execution. Staff said any associated contract and funding would be negotiated with council following the board's recommendation.

Next steps: staff and the consultant will refine the scope, consult the city attorney on legal changes, produce updated inputs and a draft ordinance, and return to the board for review before submitting a recommended ordinance and fee schedule to council.