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Duvall staff explain park funding mix: development fees, grants and constrained eligibility
Summary
Staff reviewed park funding sources: development impact (park) fees now indexed to square footage, capped county/state grants, and limited grant competitiveness due to social‑equity scoring; staff said fees are among the higher regional rates and that the city relies on grants, borrowing and limited special revenues for capital projects.
In a presentation on funding, staff explained that new park capacity is often eligible to be paid for by development impact fees and that those fees are now calculated per square foot to better align user impacts with larger homes. "In 2025, the old methodology was $10,001.57 per home…now it is based on square footage," Sebastian said, noting the change is designed to incentivize smaller units and affordable housing.
Staff summarized other capital sources: King County conservation futures (used to buy Big Rock expansion parcels with deed restrictions), RCO grants, King County Youth Sports grants (both capped) and occasional borrowing for construction. The commission discussed whether to pursue a local parks levy in future cycles; staff noted parks levies typically fare better than police levies but require a clear, tangible asset for voters to approve.
Commissioners raised capacity concerns — the city does not have a dedicated grant writer and relies on engineers for applications — and brainstormed shared grant-writing assistance or partnerships. Staff said the city plans to seek multiple grant streams and to set aside a portion of special revenue from field rentals to cover turf replacement and long‑term maintenance.
