UNDERSTANDING THE COST OF PARKS

Capital Improvement Costs

In this section, rough order of magnitude costs for each proposed park amenity are provided, to assist the City with planning and prioritizing future park and recreation improvements. Unit cost placeholders were determined, informed by a variety of factors including past bidding history and overhead costs for Tracy. These probable costs may rise or fall based on a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, final finish selections, unique site conditions, and coordination with comprehensive park improvements. For the purposes of an “an “à la carte menu,” each amenity was studied with minimum core components included, as well as allowances for soft costs and general construction preparations that would likely be needed to take a project from concept design to opening. Due to the varying scale and complexity of each amenity item, these allowances range from 10% - 50% of costs for “Permitting / Consulting” and “General Site Prep / Supervision.”

“Permitting / Consulting” includes:

> Permitting fees and processing

> Consultant services and contract drawings

> Project management

> Public outreach and engagement

“General Site Prep / Supervision” includes:

> Clearing and grubbing

> Fine grading and drainage improvements

> Stormwater management (SWPPP required for projects impacting one acre or more in area)

> Site protection, fencing, security, and signage

> Mobilization and supervision

> Inspection, audits, approvals, and project closeout with as-built drawings

> Contingency

Depending on final site selection and construction climate, the following items may also add to the cost of each amenity item. The following list identifies potential exclusions, however exclusions for future project implementation are not limited to these items:

> Temporary utilities

> Permanent utility services

> Offsite improvements

> ADA access improvements

> Retaining walls

> Subgrade replacement

> Land acquisition

> Site furnishings (except where noted)

> Demolition

> Lighting and electrical

> Performance bonds

> Trees, shrubs, and groundcovers

> Maintenance and establishment

> Future capital replacement and planned renovations.

Future Cost Projections

Construction costs typically increase 4% each year.

Annual Park Operation and Maintenance Costs

It is critically important to view the financial sustainability of the Parks and Recreation System through the concept of “Total Cost of Ownership” as shown in the graphic below.

The City will need to closely monitor resources to ensure that the assets of the park system reach the anticipated lifecycles. Maintenance funding should grow to accommodate new park amenities and development in the future. Maintenance standards and expectations are a major driver of costs.

As the system grows, the following guidelines should be utilized to identify annual operational funding required to maintain additional park acreage:

> Community Parks: $12,000$16,000 per acre

> Neighborhood Parks: $16,000$21,000 per acre

> Mini Parks: $18,000 - $25,000 per acre

> Sports Complexes:

> $15,000 - $20,000 per rectangular field;

> $20,000 - $25,000 per diamond field;

> $7,000 general acreage

> Special Use Parks: Costs varies dependent upon amenities

> Open Space: $500 - $1,000 per actively managed acre

> Greenways/Trails: $10,000 -$15,000 per acre

*Maintenance costs established in 2021 and typically increase 2-3% annually with the cost of goods, services and labor.

Labor Hours

A second driver of establishing operational funding based on maintenance standards is quantity of labor hours required to meet the standards. The number of labor hours, on average, required to manage and maintain the parks system to the standards provided in the previous section is as follows:

> Community Parks: 200-250 annual labor hours per acre

> Neighborhood Parks: 250-300 annual labor hours per acre

> Mini Parks: 350-400 annual labor hours per acre

> Special Use Parks: Varies based on amenities

Total Cost Of Ownership

OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE

LIFECYCLE REPLACEMENT

CAPITAL INVESTMENT + = +

TOTAL COST OF OWNERSHIP

Site Feature

Fencing

Playground with Shade Structure and Accessible Surfacing

20' x 20' Shelter

Double Multipurpose Court (Lighted)

Walkway

Parallel Street Parking (Not Lighted)

Site Furniture

Recreation Amenity Allowance

Landscaping, Turf and Signage

Estimated Cost Description

$300,000 Access Control, 2-Rail Wood Fence, Access Control Gate, Maintenance

$450,000

Playground equipment ages 2-5 and 6-12 with swings, and synthetic surfacing

$150,000 Serves 30-32 people

$300,000 Sports Court (basketball) with lights and bleachers

$600,000 Concrete Walkway, 1/2 Mile x 8 ft. wide (Lighted)

$40,000 Unlighted Parallel Street Parking, Assumed 5 Ea.

$130,000 5 park benches (5 on concrete slabs), 8 trash cans; 4 bike racks, 2 accessible picnic tables, 9 picnic tables, 3 bbq grills

$250,000 Allowance to add amenities per community input during planning process

$550,000 2 acres of turf, entrance sign, rule signage, wayfinding signage includes temporary protection, clear and grub, clean and structural fill (1.5"), storm water allowance, drainage allowance, laser grading. Assumed at 45% of other construction costs.

SOURCES: WRT, 2021; PROS, 2021; CiTY OF TRACY, 2021.

NOTE: THE CiP COSTS iN THE TABLE ABOvE WERE ESTABLiSHED iN 2021 AND SHOULD BE ADJUSTED ANNUALLY FOR iNFLATiON..

Estimated Capital Improvement Costs for Typical 1-Mile Linear Park

Site Feature

Estimated Cost

DESCRIPTION Trail and Sitework

Asphalt 1 mile x 12 ft. wide not lighted) Site Furniture

5 park benches (5 on concrete slabs), 5 trash cans; 2 bike racks Recreation Amenity Allowance

Allowance to add amenities per community input during planning process

2 acres of turf, interpretive signage, wayfinding signage, mile markers

SOURCES: WRT, 2021; PROS, 2021; CiTY OF TRACY, 2021.

NOTE: THE CiP COSTS iN THE TABLE ABOvE WERE ESTABLiSHED iN 2021 AND SHOULD BE ADJUSTED ANNUALLY FOR iNFLATiON..

Estimated Capital Improvement Costs for Typical 15-Acre Community Park

Site Feature Estimated Cost Description

Fencing

$425,000

Playground with Shade Structure and Accessible Surfacing $600,000

40' x 40' Shelter

One Natural Turf Multi-Use Field (Lighted)

One Double Multipurpose Court (Lighted)

Restroom/Storage Building

Lighted Parking

Access Road, (500'L x 25'W)

Access Control, 2-Rail Wood Fence; Access Control Gate(s), Maintenance; Access Control Gate(s), Park Entrance-Exit, assumed 2-locations

"Playground equipment ages 2-5 and 6-12, with climber, swings, and synthetic surfacing"

$200,000 Serves 60-75 people

$1,225,000

"Lighted, sand-based turf field including drainage and irrigation;"

$300,000 Sports Court (basketball) with lights and bleachers

$1,250,000

"8-unit single occupancy restroom building, plumbing chase and storage (2,500 sq. ft.)"

$500,000 150 parking stalls (145 Std & 5 HC Accessible)

$350,000 Access Road, (500'L x 25'W)

Nature Trail $200,000 1/2 Mile (Not Lighted); soft surface

Walkways $1,100,000 Concrete Walkways, 1 Mile x 8 ft. wide (Lighted)

Site Furniture $350,000

15 park benches (10 on concrete slabs), 15 trash cans; 10 bike racks, 10 accessible picnic tables, 15 picnic tables, 5 bbq grills

Allowance to add amenities per community input during planning process Landscaping,

$2,000,000 5 acres of turf, entrance sign, rule signage, wayfinding signage includes temporary protection, clear and grub, clean and structural fill (1.5"), storm water allowance, drainage allowance, laser grading. Assumed at 45% of other construction costs.

Total Probable Cost (Community Park) per acre

SOURCES: WRT, 2021; PROS, 2021; CiTY OF TRACY, 2021.

NOTE: THE CiP COSTS iN THE TABLE ABOvE WERE ESTABLiSHED iN 2021 AND SHOULD BE ADJUSTED ANNUALLY FOR iNFLATiON..