HomeMy WebLinkAboutWORK SESSION SUMMARY-02/11/2025-Work Session1
WORK SESSION MEMORANDUM
Date: February 18, 2025
To: Mayor and City Councilmembers
Through: Kelly DiMartino, City Manager
Tyler Marr, Deputy City Manager
From: Jill Wuertz, Sr. Manager, Park Planning and Development
Subject: February 11, 2025 Work Session: 2050 Tax Implementation: Parks and Recreation
BOTTOM LINE
The purpose of this memo is to document the summary of discussions during the February 11,
2025 Work Session. All Councilmembers were present Julie Pignataro attended remotely.
DISCUSSION SUMMARY
Content covered in the presentation focused on the Parks and Recreation portion of the 2050
Tax. The intent was to dialogue with Council on the implementation strategy of standing up the
program.
The feedback captured from the discussion is summarized as follows:
1. Support for expanding the thinking of the program to include the context of surrounding
neighborhoods, changes over time and thinking more holistically about the entire parks
system.
2. Request to clarify that the requirement that the tax be in addition to existing resources
for these programs is mandated in the ballot language and supporting documents. A
more detailed discussion will need to be had about the mechanics of how this is tracked
over time and how to account for the effects of inflation.
3. Council support for the 80/20 split of Parks and Recreation portions of the 2050 tax
repair, replacement, upgrade (80%) and new and replacement recreation facilities and
pools (20%)) to be documented in the City’s financial policies.
4. Questions about whether items like the ice chiller at EPIC were allowed under the tax.
Total costs for the ice chiller were clarified.
5. Support for developing a “points system” or similar criteria-based process that will add
transparency to how priorities for both large or comprehensive park updates and asset
replacement projects are prioritized.
6. Request to clarify the list of projects that are currently funded 2024 and 2025-2026
approved budget and to have a more transparent and comprehensive prioritization
system in place prior to the next budget cycle. Staff clarified that the list of projects
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included in the Agenda Item Summary are funded and underway this budget cycle.
Many projects may span more than one budget cycle to be completed.
7. Support to ensure that the program design remains focused on solving the core problem
of deferred maintenance in the park and recreation system.
8. Value of making sure that, when possible, assets are upgraded to be longer-lasting and
more durable. The importance of stretching the value of the tax as far as possible was
noted.
9. Several comments were made regarding specifics of park design. This included the
importance of parks that serve all ages and demographics, and that parks have
playground equipment appropriate for children (i.e. cannon in City Park playground).
10. Request for clarifying the timeline for when a clearer criteria-based system will be in
place.
NEXT STEPS
Parks and Recreation will continue to recruit, hire and on-board critical staff and continue work
in the planning, design and construction phases of projects and programs in the currently
identified work plan.
Staff will also continue progress on building a transparent, frequently updated system to identify
and prioritize potential projects and programs going forward. It is anticipated that a substantial
progress report will go to Council Finance Committee later in 2025 with the goal of this process
being in place in time for the next budget process.
FOLLOW-UP ITEMS
To formalize the 80/20 split in policy, it was included as a part of the Financial Policy Review at
the December 5, 2024 Council Finance Committee meeting and will be included for
consideration for adoption as part of the consent calendar for the February 18, 2025 regular
council meeting.
CC: Dean Klinger, Community Services Director
Mike Calhoon, Parks Director
LeAnn Williams, Recreation Director
Docusign Envelope ID: 383614C7-5511-4109-9EB3-17F7E0640959
Financial Services
215 N. Mason
Fort Collins, CO 80524
970.416.2367
CC: Jacob Catillo, Director Sustainability Services; Gretchen Stanford, Interim Director Financial Services
WORK SESSION MEMORANDUM
Date: February 18, 2025
To: Mayor and City Councilmembers
Through: Kelly DiMartino, City Manager
Tyler Marr, Deputy City Manager
From: Josh Birks, Sustainability Services Deputy Director
Joe Wimmer, Utilities Finance Director
Subject: Work Session Summary February 11, 2025 - Impact Fee Realignment
BOTTOM LINE
The purpose of this memo is to document the summary of discussions during the February 11th
Work Session on Impact Fee Realignment. All Councilmembers were present with
Councilmember Pignataro attending remotely.
Staff proposed a workplan for reexamining the City’s 2023 capital expansion fee studies and
updating the City’s fee schedule for an anticipated 2026 fee implementation. Fees included
within the scope of the studies and workplan include parkland, police, fire, general government,
and transportation capital expansion fees.
DISCUSSION SUMMARY
City Councilmembers are in support of exploring realignment of the City’s 2023 capital
expansion fee studies to City priorities and objectives. Staff outlined preliminary methodological
options to evaluate including various level of service assumptions and fee schedule square
footage categories. Councilmembers encouraged assessment of typical unit sizes being
developed in Fort Collins and the respective fee categories. Other adjustments being explored
should be evaluated for financial impacts and connection to Council priorities.
NEXT STEPS
Staff will bring forward proposed adjustments and financial impacts to a Council Finance
Committee meeting in the 2nd quarter of 2025 and a subsequent work session. Dependent on
legal review and methodological assessment, staff will recommend an adjusted fee schedule for
adoption in 2025 for January 1st, 2026 implementation.
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