Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks And Recreation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Community Services director reviews Quimby fees and local park projects at Menifee Planning Commission
Summary
Community Services Director Mariana Mitchell told the March 25 Planning Commission how Menifee implements the Quimby Act (Cal. Gov. Code §66477), explaining the park‑acreage formula, appraisal requirements, HOA credits and examples (Cantalina, Nautical Cove, Simmeron Ridge). Commissioners asked about fee timing, donated land and use of funds for a potential regional park.
Community Services Director Mariana Mitchell laid out how Menifee City applies the Quimby Act (California Government Code §66477) to require parkland dedication or in‑lieu fees for residential subdivisions, telling the Planning Commission on March 25 that the city uses a 5‑acre‑per‑1,000‑residents standard to calculate required park acreage.
Mitchell said the local implementing ordinance (Menifee City Municipal Code Chapter 7.75) sets formulas based on dwelling type, unit counts and average persons per household, and requires that Quimby funds show a reasonable nexus to the subdivision that generated them. "The Quimby Act...applies to residential subdivisions only," she said, and noted that Menifee accepts park parcels of at least 3 acres that provide active recreation to be maintained by the city.
Why it matters: Quimby fees and dedications are a primary, dedicated funding source the city uses to acquire land, build new parks and rehabilitate existing facilities. Mitchell said the code requires fees or dedications to be committed to projects within five years or refunded, and that the city now relies on fair‑market appraisals (code update, 2019) to calculate in‑lieu fees.
How the math works: Mitchell explained the inputs used in the calculation (dwelling type, units, and average persons per unit). She gave concrete examples: the Cantalina project (935 single‑family attached units) produces a requirement of about 13.32 acres; the developer is proposing a 13.97‑acre sports park that meets the city's active‑recreation standards. For infill or single‑lot cases, staff uses Riverside County assessor values to compute per‑acre appraisals — Mitchell gave a small single‑unit example where the Quimby fee worked out to $4,361.
Credits and qualifying amenities: Menifee provides up to a 50% Quimby credit for private HOA recreational amenities if they are determined to be active recreation. "We've got about 1.65 acres of HOA amenities," Mitchell said of Nautical Cove, a 233‑unit project; after applying the credit and the developer's appraisal, she said the Quimby fee assessed for Nautical Cove was $460,650.
Mixed dedication/fee example: Mitchell described Simmeron Ridge (756 single‑family units), where required parkland is 10.77 acres; the developer will construct a 10.19‑acre sports park and pay in‑lieu fees for the remaining 0.58 acres, producing an assessment Mitchell described as just under $190,000.
Commissioners' questions and staff responses: Commissioners asked whether donated land obligates developers to fund park improvements, whether Quimby funds could be used for a regional sports park, and when fees are collected. Mitchell said dedication typically addresses park acreage while improvements and cost responsibilities are determined through municipal code standards, development agreements or specific plan conditions. On regional parks, she said Quimby funds can be used outside the originating subdivision if a nexus is established and the Council directs that use; staff expect to return to council with a related item.
On timing, Mitchell and Planning staff (Orlando) said collection varies by project: typical triggers include building permit milestones or certificate of occupancy, or payment schedules established in development agreements (for example, by the 100th building permit). Mitchell said Simmeron Ridge funds have been identified to assist Quail Valley Nature Park's development.
Process and oversight: Mitchell described the Parks, Recreation and Trails Commission's advisory role in reviewing amenities and recommending credits for HOA facilities before fees or dedications are finalized. She emphasized Quimby's role in aligning park delivery with the city's park master plan and with the general plan.
Votes at a glance: The commission approved the March 25 agenda and approved the minutes for the February 25 meeting (voice votes); there were no substantive votes on Quimby policy during this session.
What comes next: Staff indicated a Council follow‑up item on a possible regional park is anticipated (staff referenced an April 1 follow‑up), and that specific project negotiations (appraisals, credits, conditions of approval and development agreements) will govern timing and obligations for improvements.
