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Item 10A - MemoCity of Southlake Values: Integrity ♦ Innovation ♦ Accountability ♦ Commitment to Excellence ♦ Teamwork M E M O R A N D U M May 05, 2026 To: Alison Ortowski From: David Miller, Community Services Director Subject: City Council update on Recreation and Athletics Task Force progress and next steps Action Requested: This discussion is intended to provide the City Council an update on the work that has been accomplished by the Recreation and Athletics Task Force over the past six months as well as a preview of the policy recommendations that the Task Force is considering for Park Board recommendation and City Council approval at a future meeting. Staff is seeking feedback from Council as they work with the Task Force to finalize recommendations related to their charge. Background Information: The Recreation and Athletics Task Force was established to provide feedback and recommendations to the Southlake Parks and Recreation Board and City Council on policies related to the athletic field and facility use in the city of Southlake. The demand for a focused review of these policies resulted from recent significant Council prioritized investments into the Southlake Parks system that have changed the cost picture when it comes to future sustainability. With future sustainability as the backbone of their work the Task Force focused on the shifting demand for field use in Southlake, the age of policies and fee structures and the regional market specific to the quality and size of Southlake’s fields and amenities system when compared to other Cities within the region. Southlake Athletic Facilities Overview Southlake currently maintains 30 athletic fields across five parks — Bob Jones Park, Bicentennial Park, North Park, Koalaty Park, and the Southlake Sports Complex — that contribute to the total of 1,139 acres of park land across the city. These fields serve seven Field Utilization Agreement (FUA) partner associations (Athletic Association) across baseball, softball, soccer, lacrosse, football, and the Miracle League. Understanding the size of and quality of Southlake’s Park system was a crucial element in setting a strong foundation for the Task Force. When compared to the region it was clear that Southlake maintains a premier system of fields with 12 fields that are composed Item 10A City Council Meeting Date – May 05, 2026 Page 2 of 9 City of Southlake Values: Integrity ♦ Innovation ♦ Accountability ♦ Commitment to Excellence ♦ Teamwork of artificial turf and 3 more fields planned for artificial turf within the adopted FY 2026 CIP budget in the coming months. This distinction was important for the Task Force because the current and planned artificial turf fields at North Park place Southlake’s field system as a premier leader within the market. Understanding how artificial turf fields impact each association was also important to the Task Force. When recommending policies that apply to all associations, the Task Force considered that once the North Park turf project is complete, every Athletic Association will have access to both artificial turf and grass fields. Why Polices Were Reviewed As noted above, several factors drove the need for a comprehensive review of the City's athletic field use policies: • Significant New Investments: Turf field conversions, the new Southlake Pickleball Complex, the planned acquisition of the Old Dragon Stadium site, and future improvements across the Southlake parks system have materially changed the cost picture for long-term sustainability. • Fees Have Not Kept Pace: Current FUA per-player fees of $12 (residents) and $17 (non-residents) have not been updated in over a decade and generate only 32% cost recovery against field maintenance costs during FUA use windows. • Shifting Demand: Growth in organized and select-level use and increased tournament interest required clearer, consistent policy to manage field access equitably while also recognizing that as each organization has grown, their challenges and needs have changed depending on the size of the organization and the type of sport in question. • Regional Benchmarking: A survey of 17 peer cities — including Frisco, Keller, Grapevine, Flower Mound, Colleyville, Coppell, and others — found that Southlake's current rates and policies lagged the regional market. Areas of Focus With a strong understanding of Southlake’s field system and extensive FUA partnerships, the Task Force’s approach to their work focused on aligning current fees and policies with Southlake position at the top of the market while also seeking to identify ch anges in areas that would bring value and flexibility to the City’s current Athletic Association partners. Areas of focus included: Policy Review, Fee Model Review, Cost Recovery Alignment, and later will focus on Future Facility Recommendations. The group has City Council Meeting Date – May 05, 2026 Page 3 of 9 City of Southlake Values: Integrity ♦ Innovation ♦ Accountability ♦ Commitment to Excellence ♦ Teamwork conducted five structured working meetings, benchmarking peer cities and evaluating costs, market rates, and community need, with a sixth meeting that included a discussion with FUA partner association Presidents. Task Force Meeting History and Process The task force followed a structured feedback and decision-making process for each topic: identifying the question for consideration, reviewing current policy impact, gathering market research and city use data, drafting proposed policy changes, and submitting recommendations for Park Board review. The following meetings were held: • Meeting 1 – Current State Review: Mapped all fields, FUA agreements, fees, and policy gaps. Introduced the task force charge, data gathering process and the why behind the work. • Meeting 2 – Cost Recovery Analysis: Reviewed FUA rates, benchmarked peer cities, and evaluated cost recovery targets for athletic field use. • Meeting 3 – Rental and Tournament Policy: Developed rental structure and proposed fees for organized team use which is currently a prohibited use-type and a tournament strategy using regional market data. The Task Force also discussed Tournament fee updates. • Meeting 4 – FUA Considerations: Identified specific updates to FUA policies and agreements, including pickleball tournament rates, camp and clinic fees and economic impact data. • Meeting 5 – Policy Review: Presented draft fee schedule, Policy for Provision of Athletic Facilities, Tournament Policy, and draft FUA agreement for task force consideration. • Meeting 6 (April 13, 2026) – FUA President Meeting: Proposed policy changes were shared in advance with full rationale with the presidents of all seven FUA partner associations. City staff presented the recommended changes and held open discussion. City staff have subsequently conducted follow-up meetings with interested associations to address any additional questions and concerns that arose following the April 13th meeting. Overview of Recommendations – May 11th Final Action The following represents a summary of the changes the Task Force plans to recommend at its May 11, 2026, meeting. These include recommended changes to the Policy for Provision of Athletic Facilities, fee schedule updates, and an updated Tournament Policy. 1. Policy for Provision of Athletic Facilities City Council Meeting Date – May 05, 2026 Page 4 of 9 City of Southlake Values: Integrity ♦ Innovation ♦ Accountability ♦ Commitment to Excellence ♦ Teamwork The Policy for the Provision of Athletic Facilities is the fundamental policy document that guides the management and provision of the city’s athletic facilities. The updated policy codifies a clear ten-level priority hierarchy for field access and establishes new provisions for organized team rentals. FUA recreational programs remain the top priority with new opportunities for Organized Team Use allowed within the new hierarchy. The policy update also includes several additional changes informed by feedback from the task force and best practices curated from regional benchmark data. A summary of those changes: • A new Multi-Use Field classification has been added for turf fields, which can accommodate games, practices, tournaments, and rentals — enabling expanded utilization and organized team rental use. • References to primary sport seasons have been removed from allocation priority; allocations are now based on seasons approved within each program’s FUA agreement. The previous practice allocation formula based on prescribed hours per team per week has also been removed; Field use allocations will now be based off prior season enrollment and associations now determine the internal distribution of City-allocated practice hours. • FUA boards are now required to adhere to best practice financial management principles and maintain accurate accounting records. • New language clarifies that associations must make a diligent effort to utilize all space and time requested, and that consistently unused fields may be reallocated at the City’s sole discretion. • The City has also reserved the right to designate specific fields and/or time blocks as available for outside rentals based on seasonal FUA needs, with tournament weekend holds available 30 days prior to FUA season start. • Language also makes clear that FUA rates will be reviewed during each renewal cycle (every two years) to ensure fees are still in alignment with Councils cost recovery objectives. • Language also clarifies that Field Rentals for organized use are now an allowed use within the policy but subject to the City’s discretion on what fields will be available and when they will be available to ensure alignment with Council objectives to prioritize City and Athletic Association use for recreational purposes first. 2. Tournament Policy City Council Meeting Date – May 05, 2026 Page 5 of 9 City of Southlake Values: Integrity ♦ Innovation ♦ Accountability ♦ Commitment to Excellence ♦ Teamwork The City of Southlake Tournament Policy formalizes the terms under which outside tournament organizers may use City facilities. Key elements of the updated Tournament Policy include: • Tournament Strategy: Target up to 15 paid tournaments per year (currently 6 paid in 2025); prioritize regional, state, and national events that generate hotel stays and economic impact. • Cost Recovery: Minimum 100% direct cost recovery required for all outside tournament organizers. • Scheduling: Tournament availability is built around FUA seasonal allocations; FUA season allocations are not disrupted once confirmed. • FUA Tournament Rights: Each FUA partner association retains one free recreation-based all-star tournament per season. • Staffing: Minimum one City staff member on-site at all tournaments; EMS/Security may be required at the organizer's expense. • New Requirements: Pre-tournament data form, maximum team count submission, and complete schedule required at least 48 hours before the first game. • Gate Fees Prohibited: Tournament organizers may not charge gate fees to the public or prohibit access to common park amenities. • Artificial Turf Rules: No metal spikes, food, sunflower seeds, glass, gum, smoking, animals, or motorized vehicles on turf fields. • Fee adjustments: Have also been recommended to align with the level of facilities Southlake has to offer and within the recommended market position across the region. Adjustments included moving the tournament rates for types with 3 fields from $2,000 to $3,000 and changing the additional field rate across all tournament types from $500 to $1,000. Organized Team Field Rental Rates (NEW) The Task Force recommends opening City fields to organized team rentals — consistent with 15 of 16 peer cities surveyed. FUA recreational and select needs are always scheduled first; rentals fill remaining capacity. FUA-affiliated select organizations receive priority rental access and the revenue generated through a targeted number of rentals helps offset FUA use subsidy. Facility Utilization Agreements (FUA’s) – Recommended Updates City Council Meeting Date – May 05, 2026 Page 6 of 9 City of Southlake Values: Integrity ♦ Innovation ♦ Accountability ♦ Commitment to Excellence ♦ Teamwork Draft updated FUA agreements have been prepared based on the based on a standard template, which will serve as the model for all seven FUA partners. Key changes include: • Section 1 – Scope: Field allocation is now explicitly tied to the agreement term, referencing the updated Policy for Provision of Athletic Facilities. • Section 2 – Term: Spring/Summer and Fall seasons now have defined typical date ranges. Summer practice allocations are based on the Park Maintenance schedule. • Section 2 – Tournaments: Each association may hold up to one recreation-based tournament per season at no charge. Tournaments beyond this cap are subject to tournament fees. • Section 2 – Fields: Fields not being utilized by the association or City will be made available for public use or rentals per the Policy for Provision of Athletic Facilities. • Section 4 – Fees: Per-player fee amounts updated with placeholders for new resident and non-resident rates, to be confirmed per the approved fee schedule. Fee Model Changes The Task Force’s current recommendations include the following fee updates, informed by regional benchmarking and cost recovery analysis. Tournament Fees (Updated) Tournament Type Flat Fee (1-3 Days) 4+ Day Rate Baseball / Softball $4,000 (4 fields) + $1,000/add'l field $4,000 per day Soccer / Cricket $3,000 (3 fields) + $1,000/add'l field $3,000 per day Lacrosse $3,000 (3 fields) + $1,000/add'l field $3,000 per day Flag / 7-on-7 Football $3,000 (3 fields) + $1,000/add'l field $3,000 per day Overflow Field Rate (NEW) $1,000 per field — Pickleball Tournament Fees (New) City Council Meeting Date – May 05, 2026 Page 7 of 9 City of Southlake Values: Integrity ♦ Innovation ♦ Accountability ♦ Commitment to Excellence ♦ Teamwork Fee/Court/Hour # of Courts # of Hours Proposed $15 9 2-14 FUA Per-Player Fees Resident Rate Non-Resident Rate Est. Cost Recovery Current $12 / player $17 / player *32% Proposed $15 / player $45 / player *58% *Based on 2024 enrollment numbers. Market research showed resident rates ranging from $2–$20 and non-resident rates from $10–$50 across peer cities. Organized Team Rentals Fees (New) Field Type Resident Rate (per hour) Non-Resident Rate (per hour) Grass Field $50 $150 Artificial Turf Field $125 $250 Rates apply to multi-use and practice fields only; rates are in alignment with the high end of the regional market. Camp/Clinic Fees (New) Field Type Resident Rate (per hour) Non-Resident Rate (per hour) Grass Field $50 $150 Artificial Turf Field $125 $250 Community Engagement – Athletic Association Outreach On April 13, 2026, the Recreation and Athletics Task Force convened a meeting with the presidents of all seven FUA partner associations to present the draft recommended changes and provide an opportunity for discussion. The changes were shared with full rationale and the April 13th meeting included representative s from: • Dragon Youth Baseball City Council Meeting Date – May 05, 2026 Page 8 of 9 City of Southlake Values: Integrity ♦ Innovation ♦ Accountability ♦ Commitment to Excellence ♦ Teamwork • Dragon Youth Football • Southlake Girls Softball Association (SGSA) • Grapevine-Southlake Soccer Association (GSSA) • Lady Dragon Lacrosse • Southlake Carroll Lacrosse Association (SCLA) • Miracle League of Southlake Following the April 13th meeting, the City has held follow-up meetings with interested associations to address additional questions and concerns that arose from that initial discussion. The City remains committed to transparent, collaborative communication with its FUA partners throughout this process. Next Steps The following action steps are anticipated: • May 11, 2026 – Task Force Meeting: The Recreation and Athletics Task Force will review FUA feedback, finalize any remaining adjustments, and formally adopt a report that outlines its recommendations on the Policy for Provision of Athletic Facilities, the Fee Schedule, and the Tournament Policy. • May 11, 2026 – Park Board Formal Recommendation: The Parks and Recreation Board will consider and formally recommend the task force's proposed changes to City Council. • May 19, 2026 – City Council Vote: City Council will consider and vote on the proposed policy changes. • June 2026 – FUA agreements brought for renewal: New policies take effect; updated FUA agreements will be executed with all partner associations, recommended by the Park Board, and brought to the City Council for approval. Financial Considerations: The recommended fee schedule changes are anticipated to increase annual FUA revenue from approximately $56,471 to $102,061 (based on 2024 enrollment numbers), increasing cost recovery from 32% to an estimated 58%. New organized team field rental revenues and tournament fee revenues will be determined as those programs are operationally built out following policy adoption. All proposed tournament fees are structured to achieve a minimum 100% direct cost recovery on field maintenance and staffing costs. Strategic Link: The work of the Task Force is linked to the City's Strategy Map related to the focus areas of Performance Management & Service Delivery, Infrastructure and Development, and Partnerships and City Council Meeting Date – May 05, 2026 Page 9 of 9 City of Southlake Values: Integrity ♦ Innovation ♦ Accountability ♦ Commitment to Excellence ♦ Teamwork Volunteerism and meets the corporate objectives of investing to provide and maintain high-quality public assets and collaborating with select partners to implement service solutions. . Citizen Input/ Board Review: Athletic Association Presidents – April 13, 2026 (FUA meeting; follow-up meetings conducted thereafter) Recreation and Athletics Task Force – May 11, 2026 (pending) Parks and Recreation Board – May 11, 2026 (pending) City Council – May 19, 2026 (pending) Legal Review: Final Recommended Policies will be reviewed by the City Attorney Alternatives: Provide feedback on any proposed changes to upcoming recommendations Supporting Documents: Not Applicable Recommendation: City Council feedback on recommended field use policy changes