Parks Master Plan strongly endorses construction of indoor rec center

The Kyle City council will be given the opportunity Tuesday to approve and adopt "an updated Parks and Recreation Master Plan" that repeatedly calls for the construction of an indoor recreational center, flying directly in the face of many city leaders who argue such a facility is out of the question because of both the cost of building it as well as its maintenance and operation costs should one ever be constructed.

And don’t say nobody warned you: Tuesday’s council meeting will also be the last shot citizens have to voice their opinion on the city’s plan to establish a Stormwater Management Department as well as to create a fee structure to pay for the department’s operations. A public hearing is scheduled to accompany the second and most likely the final reading of the ordinance creating, what I know to be a much-needed, stormwater utility.

Mentions of the needs for an indoor rec center can be found scattered throughout the Parks Master Plan, but it is particularly noticeable in Chapter 6, titled "Plan Recommendations" where it says simply and directly "Construct an indoor recreation center."

"Kyle’s population is rapidly reaching the threshold at which the availability of indoor recreation opportunities will influence long-term community perceptions and competitiveness," the plan’s authors wrote. "Such a facility remains a high citizen priority and can serve many of the recreational needs identified during this planning process. Previously prepared plans for an indoor recreation center at Kyle Vista Park should be reviewed and updated. Building plans should allow for a future expansion to incorporate an indoor aquatics center. Continue to engage partnering organizations for assistance in facility development, operations, and or maintenance."

The resistance to construct such a facility stems from, of course, the cost. A city owned and operated indoor recreation center, especially one with "an indoor aquatics center" — even one in which the city partnered with another organization such as the YMCA " for assistance in facility development, operations, and or maintenance" — is going to be steep. I’m guessing financing construction would involve another bond proposal, perhaps one coupled with the construction of a "state-of-the-art" police headquarters, whatever that means. In addition, the ongoing M&O costs would put a never-ending additional strain on the city’s annual budgets.

But there are other strategies that can be employed. In 2011, the Parks and Recreation Department of Rock Hill, S.C., embarked on the development of an $11 million outdoor center, including a 250-acre park with a cycling velodrome, BMX/supercross, cyclocross and mountain biking trails. The city financed the endeavor by leveraging multiple financing mechanisms, including hospitality taxes, sponsorships and federally backed private loans as well as using New Markets Tax Credits, a federal program designed to stimulate investment and economic growth in rural communities "that lack access to the patient capital needed to support and grow businesses, create jobs, and sustain healthy local economies." Over the last 10 years, this program has proven to be an effective, targeted and cost-efficient financing tool valued by businesses, communities and investors across the country. Although it is scheduled to expire in 2019, a proposed New Markets Tax Credit Extension Act would extend it indefinitely. Kyle, for example, could find a possible location for a rec center in what could be labeled "a blighted area," then create a Municipal Improvement District in that area to encourage the use of the federal New Markets Tax Credits.

Plus there are financial partnerships that could be forged beyond "the usual suspects." Solicit offers from private interest special interests groups that have project ideas that meet the city’s defined needs and can provide the fiscal resources to at least kick-start such a project.

This idea could attract stringent opposition, but I would argue the trade-off might be worth it. Shutter the swimming pool at Gregg-Clarke Park and dedicate those M&O funds to the establishment of a rec center. Although the Parks Master Plan mentions the increasing popularity of splash parks, further research would reveal that in most American communities swimming pools are falling out of public favor and support with splash parks taking their place in popularity and attractiveness. Not only that, splash parks are far less expensive to construct, operate and maintain than the typical municipal swimming pool.

Be that as it may, the Parks Master Plan argues that it is placing an emphasis on a rec center for Kyle because the public is demanding it.

Other item’s of possible public interest on Tuesday’s council agenda include:

• Another in the series of reports on the status of the road bond projects.
• A presentation on Goodwill Industries that was postponed from the council’s Nov. 1 meeting. No advance copy of the presentation was made available for public consumption.
• The reappointment of Elizabeth Corey and the new appointment of Daniel Owings, who has spent most of his professional career in retail management at such outlets as Dillard’s, Dollar General, Hobby Lobby, Party Central and Tuesday Morning, to the Kyle Library Board.
• A proposal to pay Catalyst Commercial Inc., of Dallas $24,000 to work with the city in attracting retail businesses to Kyle. Specifically Catalyst, according to the proposed agreement, must, within 10 days of the agreement’s finalization "coordinate a kick-off phone call with the city to discuss the city’s preferred/priority retailers and consultant’s strategy for attracting these priority/preferred retailers to Kyle." Then, sometime before the end of January, Catalyst and the city will be required to "work together to identify the top 10 retail locations for potential target locations for national and chain retail stores and shall maintain an inventory including available leasable area, minimum frontage, parking requirements, traffic and access, demographic characteristics, and existing co-tenants." By the end of March the contract stipulates Catalyst "shall assess major retail properties and retail space ‘readiness’ to attract retailers; and participate with city on a call with top 10 major retail developments where consultant will make recommendations to the city which can be available to property owners on changes necessary in retail spaces to maximize retail opportunities." After that Catalyst is supposed to "assist the city staff with retail contacts and negotiations and assist with facilitating a minimum of 1-2 conference calls per quarter with approved retailers and property owners/retail prospects." The city has had retail development agreements with Catalyst for quite a while now and I would love to be able to hear about the consultant’s "record of achievement" to date, but since this item is on the consent agenda, I don’t expect that to happen.
• The first reading of an ordinance to remove a stop sign at the roundabout where Cleveland dead ends into McGarity in Plum Creek and replace it with a yield sign and also to install yield signs on McGarity’s approaches to the roundabout. This item is also on the consent agenda so if anyone from Plum Creek or anywhere else wants to talk about this, they will have to do so during the public comments period at the beginning of the 7 p.m. meeting.
• The first reading of an ordinance voluntarily annexing close to 52 acres located between Jack C. Hays Trail and FM 1626 just a little northeast of Mountain City as well as the first reading of a separate ordinance to rezone this annexed land from agricultural uses to Plum Creek R-2 single family, which, in additional to normal single family residences, allows for the construction of duplexes and "medium density single-family detached residential," which allows for lower minimum lot sizes than standard single family residential. There is a public hearing attached to the rezoning ordinance, but not to the annexation one.
• Yet another public hearing, this one concentrating on the first reading of an ordinance to rezone close to 53 acres on the north side of Beebee Road, about a quarter mile west of Dacy Lane, in the Meadows of Kyle II subdivision from Single Family Residential 2 to Single Family Detached Residential R-1-A. I would love to be able to tell you what that means but every time I try to connect to the pages on the city’s crack new Web site that would give me that information I get a message that the page can’t be found, But you can try for yourself here.
• Another run at spending $270,000 for that engineering study needed to proceed with the relocating of the Union Pacific rail siding than causes train stoppages blocking Center Street. The plan was widely criticized by a majority of the council (the only voices I heard favoring it were those of Mayor Todd Webster and council member Damon Fogley) during its Nov. 1 meeting, but I’m assuming these dissenting voices have experienced some form of reawakening and are now willing to bite the bullet on ths one.
• From what inside sources have told me, a possibly explosive report and discussion on the Kyle Housing Authority.
• An executive session that could be quite lengthy since it is scheduled to include (1) attorney briefings on the federal lawsuit filed by former Kyle Police Sgt. Jesse Espinoza, whose appeal hearings on his dismissal begin next week; (2) a performance evaluation of City Manager Scott Sellers, at the conclusion of which I’m hoping the city extends to him (and he accepts) a long-term contract so that, among a myriad of other reasons, he can begin extending his vision beyond just the immediate future (I have no word on whether this "conclusion" will come Tuesday.); and (3) a report on three potential economic development projects, colorfully identified respectively as projects Sunset Orange, Cherry Red and Just Peachy.

You can access the entire agenda here.