Capital Improvement Plan

Introduction

 
The Community Services Department Capital Improvement Program (CIP) reflects projects proposed within the limits of available funds and projects for which funds have already been appropriated. The proposed five-year CIP for the Community Services Department is based on available Development Impact Fees. Projects listed are selected based on the recommendations of the adopted 2016 Parks, Trails, Open Space, and Recreation Master Plan and the Park, Recreation and Trails Commission approval. The recommendations from the Master Plan focused on providing recreational uses that are not currently being met, improving existing park facilities, and expanding the parks system in order to move closer to a target of having five developed park acres per 1,000 population. The top projects were selected based on available funding from Quimby/Mitigation Fees, Development Impact Fees, and anticipated grant revenues.

Key Revenues and Funding Sources 

The CIP is supported by the following revenue sources:

Fund Name

100 General Fund
301 Grant Fund
320 CIP - Median Landscaping Fund
420 CSA 33 - Rancho Ramona
480 CSA 145 - West Side Facilities
481 Community Development Block Grant Fund
490 CFD 2012-1 Audie Murphy Ranch
491 CFD 2012-2 Hidden Hills
492 CFD 2014-1 Menifee Town Center
494 CFD 2015-2 City-Wide Maintenance Services
503 Park Development Impact Fees Fund, area 16
504 Trails Development Impact Fees Fund, area 16
511 Park Development Impact Fees Fund, area 17
512 Trails Development Impact Fees Fund, area 17
620 Quimby/Mitigation Park Fees Fund

Development Impact Fees Funds

Development Impact Fees (DIFs) are derived from payments remitted by developers during the entitlement and permit issuance process for new construction of commercial and residential projects. The fees can be used to finance capital improvements to neighborhood and community parks. In 2016, the City will conclude an update to its DIFs with a study of fees collected for various project types and public facilities they will fund in the future. The City currently utilizes the Riverside County’s fee structure in lieu of its own schedule, until the study is complete. DIFs are comprised of four general funds: Parks (area 16), Parks (area 17), Trails (area 16), and Trails (Area 17). Consistent with the County’s previous alignment, areas 16 and 17 are defined geographically with 16 being predominately in the Romoland region of the City and 17 comprising all other areas of the City.

Grant Funds

Grant revenues are typically reflected in Fund 301 either on a deposit basis or as a reimbursable process dependent upon the guidelines and policies of the funding organization. In the past, staff has secured funding from US Forestry/Cal Fire Departments, Cal Recycle, and others to complete various improvement projects. The proposed CIP campaign includes an aggressive grant procurement program aimed at offsetting many of the improvement plans in the future. Notably, the State of California, Department of Parks and Recreation has various annual programs available for recurring applications including: Land Water Conservation Fund, Habitat Conservation Fund, and Recreation Trails Program. To promote improvement projects that support Public Art opportunities, staff will pursue grants that encourage community, culture, and history via facility enhancements.

CDBG
As an entitlement City, Menifee is provided with an annual allocation from the Federal Housing and Urban Development Department to infuse resources into the local community. Funding typically supports public service programs and capital improvement projects in eligible low to moderate income neighborhoods. In the past, capital funds have been used to enhance the Kay Ceniceros Senior Center, right-of-way improvements, ADA accessibility, and others

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General Funds

The General Fund also provides an annual commitment for refurbishment projects at the recreation centers and within the parks. This component is typically minimal as the majority of available funds are earmarked for programs, services, and routine maintenance of facilities. That said, there are occasional opportunities to do minor capital repairs with General Fund dollars, when operating budgets permit.

CIP – Landscaping Funds

The City has identified, through the annual city-wide CIP program, a need to improve various rights-of-ways and adjacent landscaped parkways as a primary beautification directive. The resulting enhancements are intended to provide better aesthetic character to neighborhoods, drive economic growth, and encourage private property owners to also invest in their own facility improvements. In the past, these funds have been used to renovate median landscaping along Cherry Hills Boulevard (areas 1-3) and proposes continuing northward through the Sun City “Core” neighborhood in the coming years. Improvements include conversion of dilapidated turf and baron landscapes to drought tolerant plant palettes with water efficient irrigation and neighbor sign monuments.

Operation Funds

Similar to the General Fund, Special Tax District Funds are traditionally used to support routine maintenance and operations of facilities. These Community Facilities Districts (CFDs) and Community Service Areas (CSAs) collect tax assessments from property owners in select neighborhoods in the City and are to be used directly in those neighborhoods for ongoing local upkeep. The assessments also include a portion set aside for reserves should a deferred maintenance item need to be addressed in the future. The CIP program proposes utilizing some of these reserves for the directed improvements in applicable neighborhoods to correct previous design flaws, update non-compliant landscapes, and complete larger non-routine maintenance projects.

Quimby/Mitigation Funds

These funds are collected from developers who are required to provide the mandated acreage of open space park land as a dedication to the City as a condition of their development project. In 2015, the City adopted its first Quimby/Mitigation Ordinances, superseding the County’s fee schedule and setting rates for in-lieu of park dedication payments by quadrant within the City. Funds collected are restricted to the area in which they were derived (or reasonable nexus to) and can only be used for the acquisition of property for future park development.

Project List

A list of future and current Capital Projects is appended below, which details additional needs with assessed priority and is not an inclusive listing of park projects needed to fully implement the park system or to correct all known deficiencies. Many of these improvements and others not listed, are the result of outcomes from the City’s first Parks, Trails, Open Space, and Recreation Master Plan. The five year CIP is intended to be updated annually to reflect changes in priorities, funding availability, and community demand. 
 
Fiscal Year 2020-2025 CIP Budget