MEMO TO: Members of the City Council
FROM: Mayor Angela Birney
SUBJECT:
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Authorize the Mayor to Sign a Contract with King County to Receive Funds from the King County Parks Property Tax Levy
I. RECOMMENDED ACTION
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Authorize the Mayor to Sign a Contract with King County for the Parks Property Tax Levy Agreement on the February 18, 2020 Consent Agenda
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II. DEPARTMENT CONTACTS
Carrie Hite, Parks & Recreation Director 425-556-2341
Sandy Yeager, Senior Financial Analyst - Parks CIP 425-556-2717
III. DESCRIPTION/BACKGROUND
Since 2008, the City of Redmond has received funding from King County through their six-year park levy. Between 2008-2013, Redmond received $915,000 from the King County Parks Levy. These funds were used to support the design and construction of the Redmond Bike Park and Redmond Central Connector Phase I. Between 2014 and 2019, Redmond received $1,119,000 from the King County Parks Levy. These funds were used to support the design and construction of the Redmond Central Connector Phase II and Downtown Park.
On August 6, 2019, King County voters approved Proposition No. 1 Parks Levy that authorized an additional six-year property tax levy for 2020 through 2026 at a rate of $0.1832 per $1,000 assessed value in the first year, with subsequent levies adjusted by inflation. These revenues will be used for maintaining and operating King County’s open space system; improving parks, recreation, access, and mobility in the King County open space system by acquiring lands and continuing to develop regional trails; improving parks and trails in and acquiring lands by metropolitan parks districts, towns, and cities in King County; funding environmental education, maintenance, and conservation programs at the Woodland Park Zoo; finding capital construction at the Seattle Aquarium; and funding for capital improvements at publicly owned pools, for all King County residents.
The 2020-2025 Parks Levy allocates 8% of levy proceeds for distribution to towns and cities in King County for their town or city parks system operations and capital improvement projects, of which amount:
• $25,000 shall be distributed annually to each town and city;
• an additional $75,000 shall be distributed annually to cities with a population greater than four thousand; and
• of the remainder, 50% shall be distributed in proportion to each town or city's population and 50% shall be distributed in proportion to the assessed value of parcels within each town or city;
The City of Redmond will receive annual funding from King County. The amount will vary slightly each year, as the amount is based on the assessed value of property in Redmond. The City is expected to receive approximately $2,100,000 over the six-year period, distributed semi-annually. This funding can be used for capital improvement projects, major maintenance repair or replacement projects to parks or recreation infrastructure; and acquisition, conservation and stewardship of additional natural areas, resource or ecological lands, rights of way for regional trails and urban green spaces.
The City will also be eligible to compete for grants over the six-year period including:
• A targeted equity grant program intended to increase access to and the use of parks, open space and public recreation facilities in underserved communities.
• Grants that support open space, natural lands and urban green space acquisitions.
• The river corridors grant program that will provide funding for habitat restoration, open space and recreation in river corridors to incentivize flood control, habitat, passive recreation and trails.
• An aquatic center grant program that will fund construction, repair or expansion of new or existing aquatic centers in King County.
The levy will also fund several King County capital projects that will benefit Redmond residents and workers including infrastructure repair projects at Marymoor Park and capital funding for regional trail projects along the Eastside Rail Corridor ($50 million), East Lake Sammamish Trail ($32 million), as well as investments in the existing trail network including pavement resurfacing and other safety improvements ($18 million).
The agreement terms will be from the date of signature to December 31, 2025. The County will distribute funds semi-annually, generally in May and November. The City shall prepare an annual report using the form provided by the County. The City shall also provide documentation showing that the City’s share of the County Parks Levy was expended on City Projects. The City shall maintain financial records to account separately for the City’s share. The use of the County funds shall be on City projects that are consistent with the requirements in King County Ordinance 18890, the ordinance that authorized the levy. For City projects funded with County Park Levy funding, the City shall post permanent signage at the project site stating, “This project was funded (or as applicable, funded in part) with proceeds from the Proposition No. 1 Parks Levy approved by King County voters in August 2019 under an Agreement with King County Parks and Recreation Division.” In addition, the City shall report to King County Parks and the King County Council major milestones, such as groundbreakings and opening dates, thirty (30) days prior to such milestone.
IV. PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS HELD
02/04/2020 Council Parks and Human Services Committee
V. IMPACT
A. Service/Delivery:
Beginning in 2020 and through 2025, the County shall make semi-annual transfers of the City’s share to Redmond, generally in the months of May and November. The County has authority to deduct a portion from City Proceeds for eligible expenditures related to the administration of the distribution of County Levy Proceeds, consistent with Ordinance 18890.
The King County Ordinance 18890 exempts low-income senior citizens, disabled
Veterans, and other people with disabilities from the regular property tax increase on their residences resulting from this levy, if they have been approved for an exemption under RCW 84.36.381.
B. Fiscal Note:
The City of Redmond anticipates receiving $296,000 annually.
VI. ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATION
The City Council could decide not to authorize the contract and not to accept the funding.
VII. TIME CONSTRAINTS
Redmond should execute this contract with King County in order to be eligible for receipt of funds from the King County Parks Property Tax Levy.
VIII. LIST OF ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: King County Ordinance 18890
Attachment B: King County for the Parks Property Tax Levy Agreement