Setting the Record Straight on the Proposed Parkland Dedication Ordinance
We have read plenty of articles recently concerning Dallas’s proposed Parkland Dedication Ordinance. They start with the premise that developers are to blame for the city’s lack of public parks and that the proposed ordinance will shore up deficiencies in the city’s parks system.
Presupposing the truth you are seeking to prove is a surefire way to spin the merry-go-round of circular logic and land on a flawed conclusion. This compels us to weigh in and attempt to set the record straight.
The premise of the ordinance is that the city may take a portion of private property, without compensation, through dedication or by extracting a fee. The legal basis is that development brings additional residents to the city whose presence the existing parks system will eventually not be able to accommodate.
The lack of an ordinance has not led to any real or perceived deficiencies in the city’s parks system. Blame for that resides on Marilla Street. Developing and maintaining parks, trails and green space are functions inherent to any local government. Revenue from property taxes, voter-approved bond funding and tremendous support from private organizations and individuals provide Dallas with tools needed to accomplish this purpose.
Many of the city’s existing parks were built or expanded by developers on their own volition. Records of our industry publications dating back more than 70 years are filled with announcements of new developments that include parks that Dallas residents have enjoyed for decades.
Concern about aspects of the ordinance from the Dallas Builders Association and other industry groups does not mean or prove that developers are opposed to parks. Other cities use similar ordinances for the stated goal of keeping starting home prices around $500,000 and the implied goal of keeping out those who cannot afford homes at that price point. According to the Texas A&M Real Estate Center, every $1,000 increase in the price of a new entry level home prevents more than 20,000 Texas families from affording that home. With fees potentially in excess of $1,100 per home, this ordinance is as much about who will be in the parks as the parks themselves.
Our members would rather build parks than pay fees and the ordinance should clearly encourage this. Whether you’re buying land to build your personal home or 100 homes, you need certainty on what it will cost you to make it happen. Clarifying the ordinance with objective standards on what land is eligible for dedication is preferred over leaving it to the subjective determination of the Parks Department. Certainty and clarity enable more amenities for the community without fear of unexpected costs.
The ordinance should provide incentives. An ordinance meant to encourage responsible development should contain both carrots and sticks. Those carrots can come cost free to the city in the form of density allowances to residential developments that go above and beyond minimum dedication requirements.
With the vast majority of development potential in South Dallas, there is much to gain or potentially lose from this ordinance. If properly crafted, it can and will encourage responsible development and add to our city’s incredible parks system without discouraging housing affordability.