DEPARTMENT: Parks and Recreation
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Xavier D. Urrutia
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Districts 1 & 3
SUBJECT:
Funding Agreement with Municipal Golf Association (MGA-SA) for Reforestation Project
SUMMARY:
This Ordinance authorizes the City Manager or designee to enter into a funding agreement with the Municipal Golf Association-San Antonio (MGA-SA) for a reforestation project at Riverside and San Pedro Golf Courses in the total amount of $800,000.00 from the Tree Canopy Preservation and Mitigation Operating Budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
MGA-SA has efficiently managed and operated the City’s municipal golf courses for approximately 10 years while making improvements to increase the quality of these golf facilities. One of the planned improvements is the reforestation of municipal golf courses which was successfully initiated in 2014 at Mission Del Lago Golf Course where over 1,000 trees were planted and then in 2016 at Willow Springs Golf Course where an additional 900 new trees were installed. As a result of this successful project, MGA-SA is planning to initiate tree planting projects at Riverside and San Pedro Golf Courses.
Continuation of MGA-SA’s reforestation efforts supports the City’s goal of protecting and increasing the tree canopy in San Antonio. The City’s Tree Canopy and Mitigation Fund can be used for tree planting and this partnership presents a good opportunity for a collaborative approach to development of a reforestation plan by targeting golf courses which are situated on public park land. These large scale tree planting projects will provide numerous environmental benefits as new trees provide cleaner air and reducing temperatures while increasing the aesthetics of the City-owned golf courses. This Agreement allows MGA-SA oversight and responsibility for the administration of the reforestation project at the City-owned golf courses. Trees will be of appropriate species and MGA-SA will be responsible for irrigation and maintenance of all trees planted through the establishment period. Approximately 800 trees will be planted at Riverside and an additional 250 trees at San Pedro Golf Courses. Under this effort, the trees will be three times the standard size typically planted in park locations. This caliper of tree is most appropriate for planting on golf courses as they are mature and frame the course of play while providing privacy to the surrounding area. Both golf course locations have existing irrigation suitable for newly planted trees to maximize the tree survival rate during the establishment period. Trees planted under this Agreement will not be used to offset any tree mitigation requirements.
This Agreement will be executed in compliance with the Small Business Economic Development Advocacy (SBEDA) Program, which requires contracts be reviewed by a Goal Setting Committee to establish a requirement and/or incentive unique to the particular contract in an effort to maximize the amount of small, minority, and women-owned business participation on this contract.
This contract is within the scope of the SBEDA Program. However, due to the type of commodities/services being procured, no SBEDA tool was applied.
ISSUE:
This ordinance authorizes a Funding Agreement with the MGA-SA to allow reforestation projects to plant approximately 1,050 new trees at Riverside and San Pedro Golf Courses for a total amount of $800,000.00.
This Funding Agreement allows for a three-year term with two, 1-year administrative extensions. The contract term allows for a project timeline that is consistent with tree planting and establishment period.
ALTERNATIVES:
The City could elect to identify an alternative planting effort; however, the magnitude of the impact from the efficiency and effectiveness of this production ready site with available irrigation infrastructure would not be realized.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This funding agreement will be for a total amount of $800,000.00. The funding for the Riverside Golf Course of $600,000.00 and for the San Pedro Golf Course of $200,000.00 is available from the FY 2017 Tree Canopy Preservation and Mitigation Operating Fund.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of this Funding Agreement with Municipal Golf Association-San Antonio (MGA-SA) for reforestation projects in the total amount of $800,000.00.
The Contracts Disclosure Form required by the Ethics ordinance is attached.