The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) is a bi-county agency established by the State of Maryland in 1927 to prepare comprehensive land use and transportation plans as well as acquire, develop, maintain and operate a park system for Montgomery and Prince George's Counties. M-NCPPC is governed by a ten-member commission consisting of two five-member Planning Boards. The Planning Boards are appointed by and represent their respective counties.The Montgomery County Planning Board oversees 37,200 acres of parkland and 421 parks and open space areas. Most of the County's park acreage is found in large Countywide (non-local) Parks that...
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AGENCY DESCRIPTION
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) is a bi-county agency established by the State of Maryland in 1927 to prepare comprehensive land use and transportation plans as well as acquire, develop, maintain and operate a park system for Montgomery and Prince George's Counties. M-NCPPC is governed by a ten-member commission consisting of two five-member Planning Boards. The Planning Boards are appointed by and represent their respective counties.
The Montgomery County Planning Board oversees 37,200 acres of parkland and 421 parks and open space areas. Most of the County's park acreage is found in large Countywide (non-local) Parks that serve all County residents. These include: regional, recreational, special, urban, stream valley, and conservation area parks. Residents can also enjoy many community-Use (local) Parks that are closer to home. These include urban, neighborhood, local, and neighborhood conservation area parks. For information purposes, an outline of the Parks Classification System contained in the Master Plan for Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces (PROS) is provided at the end of this chapter.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES
The M-NCPPC's FY25-30 Capital program request consists of one new standalone, and another new project to receive Park Impact Payments from Silver Spring developers, and 35 ongoing projects with expenditures in the six-year period. In this current submission, the multiple sub-projects under 'Planned Life Cycle Asset Replacement: Non-local and Local' have been phased out to create two new Planned Life Cycle Asset Replacement projects, one for local parks and the other for non-local parks.
The M-NCPPC Affordability Reconciliation Project (P871747) adjusts total M-NCPPC expenditures and funding to conform to the Executive's recommended funding levels, which are affordable within the CIP.
The section following this narrative only shows the project description forms (PDFs) for which the Executive recommends changes to the Montgomery County Planning Board's FY25-30 request. All recommended and approved PDFs can be found at https://apps.montgomerycountymd.gov/BASISCAPITAL/Common/Index.aspx.
PROGRAM CONTACTS
Contact Ronald Peele of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission at 301.495.2573 or Vivian Ikoro of the Office of Management and Budget at 240.777.2751 for more information regarding M-NCPPC's capital budget.
CAPITAL PROGRAM REVIEW
M-NCPPC Request
The Montgomery County Planning Board's capital program for M-NCPPC totals $319.7 million, a $23.5 million, or 7.9 percent increase, over the previously approved budget. This request had a strong focus on stewardship and support of the existing park system and core infrastructure, as well as a desire to respond to the needs of the County's diverse and growing population. Maintenance and renovation work includes school field renovations, Americans with Disabilities Act upgrades, stormwater improvements, and lifecycle replacements. Funding was also requested to deliver a new Park to Lyttonsville, the implementation of the Wheaton Regional Park Master Plan, Energy Conservation, Vision Zero safety improvements and the rehabilitation and expansion of the trail systems.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Includes $1.9 million in new funding for a new park in Lyttonville.
- Construct and renovate hard surface trails, including community connections and trail amenities, as well as adding trail signage.
- Maintain the park system, address life-cycle issues and address climate change with projects such as Energy Conservation - Non-Local Parks.
- Restores Stream Valleys to support the county's stormwater management initiatives.
Executive Recommendation
The recommended M-NCPPC budget is $303 million, a $6.8 million, or 2.3 percent increase from the previously approved budget. Some of this increase is related to expanded efforts to improve water quality in the County through the successful partnership of M-NCPPC and the Department of Environmental Protection in implementing stream restoration projects in support of the County's MS-4 permit.
The Executive recommends a reduction in G.O. Bonds of $13.2 million from the M-NCPPC's request. These reductions were necessary due to challenging conditions such as significant shortfalls in key funding sources, flat levels of G.O. bonds, and substantial cost increases across all departments and agencies. Current Revenue: General adjustments are based on the desire to postpone cash decisions until the March operating budget.
The Executive's recommendation complies with the Spending Affordability Guidelines (SAG) for M-NCPPC Bonds to remain within SAG limits. After M-NCPPC submitted their FY25-30 CIP budget, inflation adjustments required changes to the M-NCPPC spending schedule. The Office of Management and Budget worked with M-NCPPC staff to shift expenditures for the Planned Lifecycle Asset Replacement (PLAR): Local Parks project from FY27-FY28 to FY29-FY30, ensuring the total programmed M-NCPPC bonds remains the same within annual council approved SAG limits.
PROGRAM EXPENDITURES
The M-NCPPC's capital program contains two categories of projects: acquisition and development. Acquisition projects allow M-NCPPC to acquire parkland to provide active and passive recreation opportunities, enhance the quality of life for residents, and accommodate conservation and preservation needs. Development projects allow M-NCPPC to manage and maintain the park system through planning, design, and construction activities. Within these categories, the M-NCPPC has two types of projects: level of effort projects, which represent maintenance costs that will continue indefinitely, and stand alone projects which pertain to a specific parks and project.
PROGRAM FUNDING
The M-NCPPC's capital program utilizes a variety of funding sources:
- Bonds: General Obligation (G.O.) Bonds are the primary funding source for Countywide (non-local) parks and M-NCPPC Bonds are used to fund Community Use (local) parks (See Parks Classification System below).
- Program Open Space (POS) are State funds which can be used for 100 percent of acquisition costs and up to 75 percent of development costs. Development projects using POS require matching local funds. POS is the 2nd largest funding source in the M-NCPPC's FY25-30 CIP.
- Current Revenues are used to support parkland and facility improvements which are not eligible for debt financing including: planning or improvements where the useful life of equipment or facilities does not equal or exceed the terms of the bonds. Current Revenue: General funds Countywide (Non-local) parks and Current Revenue: M-NCPPC funds community Use (Local) parks (See Parks Classification System below).
- Enterprise Revenues support the operation of M-NCPPC's self-supporting enterprise fund facilities (tennis courts, skating rinks, train rides, and carousels).
- Long Term Financing: refer to State loan funds, which were first programmed as a funding source in the FY19-24 funding CIP with the assumption that Water Quality Protection Fund (WQPF) revenues will be used to pay the debt service.
- Other funds include State Aid, Revolving Funds, Water Quality Protection Funds, Intergovernmental Funds, Bethesda Park Impact Payments, Contributions, and Federal Aid.
PARK CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM
Countywide (non-local) Parks serve all residents of Montgomery County and include:
- Regional Parks: Parks of 200+ acres that generally contain a stream valley, picnic/playgrounds, and interpretive or other natural areas, and provide a wide variety of recreational opportunities such as trails, tennis courts, athletic fields, golf courses, and campgrounds.
- Recreational Parks: Parks larger than 50 acres in size which are more intensively developed than Regional Parks and may contain athletic fields, tennis and multi-use courts, picnic/playground areas, a golf course, water oriented recreation areas, trails, and natural areas.
- Special Parks: Parks which include areas with unique features of historical or cultural significance. Varying in type, they may include agricultural centers, gardens, small conference centers or historic sites.
- Urban Parks: Parks which are located in high-density transit-oriented development areas.
- Stream Valley Parks: Interconnected parks along major stream valleys providing picnic and playground areas, hiker-biker and bridle trails, athletic fields, and conservation and recreation areas.
- Conservation Area Parks: Large parks that place primary emphasis on preservation of areas of significant natural value and provide opportunities for compatible passive recreation activities.
Community-Use (Local) Parks serve residents of surrounding communities and include:
- Urban Parks: Parks which are located in Central Business Districts or other highly urban areas.
- Neighborhood Parks: Small parks, providing informal recreation in residential areas with play equipment, play fields, sitting areas, shelters, and tennis courts.
- Local Parks: Parks that provide athletic fields and programmed and general recreation facilities such as play equipment, tennis and multi-use courts, sitting/picnic areas, shelters, and other recreational facilities.
- Neighborhood Conservation Areas: Small parcels of conservation-oriented parkland in residential areas, generally dedicated at the time of subdivision.
STATUTORY AUTHORITY
The Capital Improvements Program (CIP), operating budget, and capital budget for the M-NCPPC are coordinated with the fiscal and capital program requirements of the Montgomery County Charter. The M-NCPPC is required to submit a CIP request to the County Executive and County Council by November 1 of each odd numbered year. This CIP is reviewed by the Executive and included with the Executive's recommendations in the recommended CIP that is submitted to County Council by January 15. After public hearings, the County Council reviews and approves the capital program with such modifications as it deems appropriate. The approved program becomes final upon 30 days written notice to the Commission.
In connection with the approval of the M-NCPPC operating budget, the County Council also approves a capital budget which reflects approved expenditures for the first year of the approved CIP. The M-NCPPC may not undertake any project which is not contained in the first year of the approved CIP. The M-NCPPC Capital budget and CIP are conceptually distinct. The six-year CIP contains the proposed construction and funding schedules for previously approved and newly proposed projects and is subject to County Council modifications. The capital budget provides the appropriation necessary to implement the construction schedule.
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