HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 03/16/2004 - FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 047, 2004, APPROPRI ITEM NUMBER: 11
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY DATE: March 16, 2004
FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL STAFF: Jim Clark
SUBJECT
First Reading of Ordinance No. 047, 2004, Appropriating Unanticipated Revenue in the Capital
Projects Fund Building Community Choices-Community Horticulture Center Capital Project to be
Used for Design and Construction of a Children's Garden.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on First Reading.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In 1997,the voters approved Ordinance No.29, 1997,which provided funding for the establishment
of the Community Horticulture Center(now referred to as the Gardens on Spring Creek), as part of
the Building Community Choices capital improvement program. The first phase of construction has
now been completed,and the Gardens on Spring Creek is open to the public (with a Grand Opening
scheduled for Saturday, May 8).
This project has benefited significantly from community involvement and private fundraising. A
private non-profit group,the Friends of the Gardens on Spring Creek,was established to assist staff
with membership development and private fundraising. During the first phase of construction,
$80,000 in private donations enabled the inclusion of the 900 square foot Evelyn Clark Classroom.
The current focus for private fund raising by City staff and the "Friends" group is for the
establishment of a Children's Garden,as the next step in the Gardens on Spring Creek development.
The mission of the Children's Garden will be to provide outdoor recreation and education on
horticulture and the natural world, within a garden-like setting.
Staff estimates the cost to design and construct the Children's Garden will be$423,500. There will
be no City funding used to establish this garden. It will be funded entirely with private cash
donations; in-kind donations, including volunteer labor and discounts/donations of materials;
foundation grants; and possibly a Great Outdoors Colorado grant. The Children's Garden will be
maintained with no additional City funding. It will be maintained by current horticultural staff,
supplemented with the extensive use of volunteers, interns, private donations, grants and earned
revenue.
To date, staff and the Friends group have received $150,000 in cash commitments, consisting of
$100,000 from the four local Rotary Clubs, $25,000 from the Bohemian Foundation and an
additional $25,000 in two private donations. Out of this $150,000 in cash commitments, $42,500
March 16, 2004 -2- Item No. 11
was received by the City as of December 31, 2003. Additionally, staff has received commitments
of in-kind donations totaling $31,000. Staff anticipates the remaining$242,500 will be raised by
the end of 2004.
ORDINANCE NO. 047, 2004
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS
APPROPRIATING UNANTICIPATED REVENUE
IN THE CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND BUILDING COMMUNITY CHOICES -
COMMUNITY HORTICULTURE CENTER CAPITAL PROJECT
TO BE USED FOR DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF A CHILDREN'S GARDEN
WHEREAS, on April 8, 1997, City voters approved Ordinance No. 29, 1997, authorizing
the imposition of a quarter cent sales and use tax for the purpose of generating revenues to construct
certain capital projects described in the Building Community Choices("BCC")capital improvement
program; and
WHEREAS, one such project approved for funding by the voters was the construction of a
community horticulture center ("Gardens on Spring Creek"), which will offer a wide variety of
gardens and programming for recreational, educational and environmental benefits; and
WHEREAS,the primary funding sources for the Gardens on Spring Creek have been BCC
funds ($2,250,542) and General Fund dollars ($398,000); and
WHEREAS, a private fundraising group, Friends of the Gardens on Spring Creek
("Friends"), was established to assist City staff with membership development and private
fundraising; and
WHEREAS,Friends has been successful in raising$80,000 in donations to be used for the
design and construction of a 900 square foot education room ("Children's Garden") to be
incorporated into the first phase of construction on the Gardens on Spring Creek; and
WHEREAS,the proposed Children's Garden would provide outdoor recreation and education
on horticulture and the natural world within a garden-like setting; and
WHEREAS,the current focus for fundraising by City staff and Friends is on establishing the
Children's Garden; and
WHEREAS, staff estimates the cost to design and construct the Children's Garden is
$423,500, and staff anticipates that the project will be funded entirely with private cash donations,
in-kind contributions, including volunteer labor and discounts/donations of materials, foundation
grants, and possibly a Great Outdoors Colorado grant; and
WHEREAS, to date, staff has received $150,000 in cash commitments, of which $42,500
was received as of December 31, 2003, and an additional $31,000 of in-kind contributions, for a
total of$181,000; and
WHEREAS,staff anticipates the remaining$242,500 will be raised during the remainder of
this year; and
WHEREAS,Article V, Section 9, of the Charter of the City of Fort Collins (the"Charter")
permits the City Council to appropriate by ordinance at any time during the fiscal year such funds
for expenditure as may be available from reserves accumulated in prior years,notwithstanding that
such reserves were not previously appropriated; and
WHEREAS, Article V, Section 9, of the Charter also permits the City Council to make
supplemental appropriations by ordinance at any time during the fiscal year,provided that the total
amount of such supplemental appropriations, in combination with all previous appropriations for
that fiscal year, does not exceed the current estimate of actual and anticipated revenues to be
received during the fiscal year; and
WHEREAS, City staff has determined that the appropriation of an additional $381,000 in
cash and in-kind contributions designated for a Children's Garden to be added with the previously
appropriated funding sources for the Gardens on Spring Creek will not cause the total amount
appropriated in the project to exceed the current estimate of actual and anticipated revenues to be
received during the fiscal year; and
WHEREAS,it is the desire of the City Council to appropriate the sum of$381,000 in private
sector funding upon receipt from Friends and appropriate $42,500 from prior year reserves in the
Capital Projects Fund to be used to design and construct a Children's Garden.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT
COLLINS as follows:
Section 1. That there is hereby appropriated for expenditure from prior year reserves in the
Capital Projects Fund for the Gardens on Spring Creek capital project the sum of FORTY-TWO
THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($42,500) to be used to design and construct a
Children's Garden at the Gardens on Spring Creek.
Section 2. That there is hereby appropriated from unanticipated revenue in the Capital
Projects Fund Building Community Choices - Community Horticulture Center capital project, the
sum of THREE HUNDRED EIGHTY-ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($381,000), upon receipt,
from private sector cash contributions and in-kind contributions to be used to design and construct
a Children's Garden at the Gardens on Spring Creek.
Introduced, considered favorably on first reading, and ordered published this 16th day of
March, A.D. 2004, and to be presented for final passage on the 6th day of April, A.D. 2004.
Mayor
ATTEST:
City Clerk
Passed and adopted on final reading this 6th day of April, A.D. 2004.
Mayor
ATTEST:
City Clerk