Item 4D-F - Memo
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M E M O R A N D U M
May 12, 2026
To: Alison Ortowski, City Manager
From: David Miller, Director of Community Services
Subject: Approve the proposed changes to the FY 2026 Fee Schedule,
Policy for Provision of Athletic Facilities, and the City of
Southlake Tournament Policy
Action
Requested: City Council approval of the proposed changes to the FY2026 Fee
Schedule, Policy for Provisions of Athletic Facilities, and the City of
Southlake Tournament Policy
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
Alison Ortowski – City Manager
Meeting Date – May 19, 2026
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maintains a premier system of fields with 12 fields that are composed
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
conducted five structured working meetings, benchmarking peer
cities and evaluating costs, market rates, and community need, with
Alison Ortowski – City Manager
Meeting Date – May 19, 2026
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a sixth meeting that included a discussion with FUA partner
association Presidents.
Overview of Recommendations – May 19th Final Action
The following represents a summary of the changes the Task Force
and Park and Recreation Board recommended at their May 11, 2026,
meetings. These include recommended changes to the FY 2026 Fee
Schedule, Policy for Provision of Athletic Facilities, and an updated
City of Southlake Tournament Policy.
1. FY 2026 Fee Schedule 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)
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.
Alison Ortowski – City Manager
Meeting Date – May 19, 2026
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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
2. Policy for Provision of Athletic Facilities
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.
Alison Ortowski – City Manager
Meeting Date – May 19, 2026
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• 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.
• Enhanced language around background check requirements
including specifics on record keeping, types of background
checks, provision of records upon request and language specific
to failure to comply.
3. Tournament Policy
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.
Alison Ortowski – City Manager
Meeting Date – May 19, 2026
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• 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.
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 representatives from:
• Dragon Youth Baseball
• 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.
Task Force and Park Board Recommendations
May 11 Recreation and Athletics Task Force Meeting: The Task
Force discussed the final changes represented in the report and
request that staff discuss with Park Board the addition of motion
language to look into the feasibility of requiring that FUA partners
certify that the teams they play against have similar background
check policies in place.
May 11 Park and Recreation Board Meeting: The Park and
Recreation Board recommended approval of the changes to the FY
2026 Fee Schedule, The Policy for the Provision of Athletic
Facilities, and the City of Southlake Tournament Policy.
Alison Ortowski – City Manager
Meeting Date – May 19, 2026
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The recommended approval of the changes to the Policy for the
Provision of Athletic Facilities included language in the motion
recommending that staff work with the city attorney on the feasibility
of adding language to either the Policy for Provision of A thletic
Facilities or the FUA agreements requiring that Associations certify
their partner associations have similar background check policies in
place.
After reviewing this recommendation and consulting with the City
Attorney, staff has determined the additional requirement is not a
viable option.
Next Steps
The following action steps are anticipated:
• 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
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: Parks and Recreation Board recommended changes to the FY
2026 Fee Schedule, Policy for Provision of Athletic Facilities, and
the City of Southlake Tournament Policy (5-0) on May 11, 2026
City Council consideration on May 19, 2026
Legal
Review: Final Recommended Policies will be reviewed by the City Attorney
Alternatives:
• Recommendation to approve as presented
Alison Ortowski – City Manager
Meeting Date – May 19, 2026
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• Recommendation to approve with input as desired
• Recommendation not to approve
Supporting
Documents: Updated FY 2026 Fee Schedule Redline
Updated Policy for Provisions of Athletic Facilities Redline
Updated City of Southlake Tournament Policy Redline
Recreation and Athletics Task Force Final Report with Clean
Policies
Staff
Recommendation: City Council to approve the proposed changes to the FY 2026 Fee
Schedule, Policy for Provisions of Athletic Facilities, and the City of
Southlake Tournament Policy
FUA Per Player Field Maintenance Fees
Resident fee $15/ player/season
Non-resident fee $45/ player/season
Field maintenance fees will be evaluated during each FUA renewal cycle to evaluate alignment with City cost
recovery objecƟ ves.
AthleƟ c Camps/Clinics
Grass Field $50 per hour/fi eld, resident
$150 per hour/fi eld, non-resident
ArƟ fi cial Turf Field $125 per hour/fi eld, resident
$250 per hour/fi eld, non-resident
Organized Team Rental Fees
Grass Field $50 per hour/fi eld, resident
$150 per hour/fi eld, non-resident
ArƟ fi cial Turf Field $125 per hour/fi eld, resident
$250 per hour/fi eld, non-resident
Rates apply to mulƟ -use and pracƟ ce fi elds only.
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Tournament Fees
Tournament Type Flat Fee (1–3 Days) 4+ Day Rate
Baseball / SoŌ ball $4,000 (4 fi elds) + $1,000/addiƟ onal fi eld $4,000 per day
Soccer / Cricket $3,000 (3 fi elds) + $1,000/addiƟ onal fi eld $3,000 per day
Lacrosse $3,000 (3 fi elds) + $1,000/addiƟ onal fi eld $3,000 per day
Flag / 7-on-7 Football $3,000 (3 fi elds) + $1,000/addiƟ onal fi eld $3,000 per day
Overfl ow Field Rate $1,000 per fi eld —
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Southlake Pickleball Complex
Membership Free, resident
40.00 per month, non-resident
Daily rate 10.00 per day, non-member
Court reservaƟ on - 1 hour 15.00, member
Court reservaƟ on - 2 hours 30.00, member
Group rental - 4 courts (2 hour minimum) 100.00 per hour, member
Private rental - full facility (2 hour minimum) 500.00 per hour, member
500.00 refundable deposit
Tournament Fees (up to 14 hours) $15 per hour, per court (9 courts maximum)
Southlake Tennis Center
annual memberships: junior (18 & under),
adult individual, family
no charge, resident & non-resident
court usage, for up to 2 hours 4.00 per person, resident
5.00 per person, non-resident
enclosed court add-on fee
(must pay court usage in addiƟ on)
24.00 per hour, resident
28.00 per hour, non-resident
league
(teams comprised of a minimum of 50% residents)
4.00 per person, per session (with drilling)
5.00 per person, per session (without drilling)
ReservaƟ ons, Park Pavilions
security & clean-up refundable deposit
(required only if group of 40 or more)
100.00
Bicentennial Playground Park Pavilion 35.00 per hour, resident
45.00 per hour, non-resident
Liberty Park at Sheltonwood
(4 hour minimum rental)
Events monitor (required, 2 hour minimum)
200.00 refundable security deposit
35.00 per hour, resident
45.00 per hour, non-resident
30.00 per hour
Bob Jones Nature Center and Preserve
rental fee 75.00 per hour, resident
100.00 per hour, non-resident
deposit, no food and drink 175.00, refundable
despoit, with food and drink 325.00, refundable
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City of Southlake
Policies and Procedures
Policy: Policy for the Provision of Athletic Facilities
Source: City Council
Category: Community Services Department
I. Guiding Principles
The City of Southlake provides municipal services that support the highest quality of life for our
residents, businesses, and visitors. We do this by being an exemplary model of balancing
efficiency, fiscal responsibility, transparency, and sustainability.
We do this by adhering to the City’s Strategy Map which focuses on Safety & Security,
Infrastructure, Mobility, Quality Development, Partnerships & Volunteerism, and Performance
Management & Service Delivery.
The Southlake City Council has adopted this Policy for the Provision of Athletic Facilities to ensure
the most appropriate and operationally sustainable allocation of the City owned athletic facility
assets.
The policy will guide the management and provision of the City’s athletic facilities (excluding those
at The Marq Southlake, and the Southlake Tennis Center, and the Southlake Pickleball Complex).
This Policy is intended solely as an internal policy guide for the allocation and management of
City athletic facilities. It does not create any contractual right, vested right, entitlement, or property
interest in any user, organization, or applicant.
II. Management
The Department of Community Services is charged with overseeing all aspects of the City’s Park
and Recreation system, including the management and allocation of all athletic facilities as per
this policy to ensure we are Serving Our Customers, Managing the Business and Providing
Financial Stewardship of these City owned assets.
The Department has developed the following objectives to guide its business operations related
to the management of the park and recreation system.
• Ensure a safe and secure parks and recreation system for customers
• Develop and maintain outstanding parks, community facilities & public spaces
• Provide meaningful opportunities for volunteer involvement
• Deliver exceptional customer service
• Promote lifelong learning & active lifestyles through high quality facilities, programs & events
• Enhance customer engagement by providing strategic messaging for community facilities,
programs & events
• Collaborate with select partners to implement service solutions
• Partner with community stakeholders to identify & implement needs of the community
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• Enhance resident quality of life & business vitality through sports tourism
• Enhance service delivery through process development and continual process improvement
• Provide high value services through efficient management of resources
• Provide and maintain high quality parks and community facilities within budget
• Ensure the cost effective and efficient investment of taxpayer dollars on infrastructure
• Improve quality of life through progressive implementation of Southlake’s Comprehensive
Plan recommendations.
The Director of Community Services, or designee, may approve administrative adjustments to athletic
facility charges, including discounts, credits, or partial fee reductions related to FUA use, rentals, and
tournament use, when deemed appropriate due to field conditions, limited field availability, scheduling
impacts, operational considerations, long-term use commitments, or other circumstances consistent with
this Policy and the City’s adopted fee schedule. Any such adjustment shall be documented and applied
in a manner that is consistent with the City’s operational and fiscal objectives.
The City will review Parks Facilities Utilization Agreement fees during each renewal cycle to evaluate
whether such fees remain aligned with City Council’s cost recovery objectives, operational demands, and
the City’s adopted fee philosophy. Nothing in this Policy requires the City to maintain any particular fee
amount from one term to the next.
III. Athletic Field Allocations
With the ongoing continuing development of the park system and significant recent investments
in artificial turf and other amenities, the City Council has made it a priority to ensure a full range
of athletic opportunities are available to Southlake citizens.
The City directly manages several year-round athletic programs in-house, but also partners with
local, volunteer managed athletic associations to offer several other year-round athletic programs.
These partnerships are authorized by the City Council through a Parks Facility Utilization
Agreement (FUA).
An FUA is an agreement between the City and an athletic association that desires to lease the
City’s athletic facilities to provide an athletic program for the recreation, use, benefit, and
enjoyment of Southlake residents and the general public.
The City Council determines who the City will lease its athletic facilities to, and will make final
decisions on the authorization and termination of all FUA’s at their discretion.
The following is a guideline and list of criteria developed by the City Council to assist them in
making their determination when considering the eligibility of a potential FUA partner. The
following criteria are intended as policy guidance for the City and do not obligate the City to
approve, renew, or continue any particular FUA.
• The City will authorize only one FUA per sport except in the case where there is a gender
specific designation with the sport.
• Clubs, academies, select programs, independent teams, etc., will not be considered as
FUA partners.
• By signing the FUA, the program certifies that it meets these qualifications and can provide
detailed records of all of the below upon request.
• The program must prioritize Southlake residents.
• The program must make recreational level play a priority.
• Clubs, academies, select programs, independent teams, etc., will not be considered.
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• The program must be recognized by and affiliated with a regional, state or national
sanctioning body organization.
• The program must provide and maintain liability insurance coverage naming the City as
additionally insured.
• The program must prove and maintain 501c3 status.
• The program’s board must be representative of all ages and genders.
• The program’s board must have procedures in place for handling program concerns.
• The program’s board must have an adequate method for selecting coaches and evaluating
coaches background checks.
• The program’s board must adopt, maintain, and enforce a written background check and
child protection policy for all coaches, assistant coaches, board members, officers,
volunteers, contractors, employees, officials, or any other person acting on behalf of the
program who has, or may reasonably be expected to have, direct contact with minors,
access to minors, supervisory authority over minors, or access to non-public participant
information.
• The program must require each covered person to successfully complete a background
check before participating in any program activity involving minors and must renew such
background check at least annually. At a minimum, the background check must include
identity verification, a national criminal history search, applicable state and county criminal
record searches to the extent commercially available, a search of the National Sex
Offender Public Website, a search of the Texas Department of Public Safety Sex Offender
Registry, and any additional screening required by the program’s regional, state, or
national sanctioning body.
• The program must prohibit any person from serving in a covered role if the person is
required to register as a sex offender in any jurisdiction, has been convicted of or received
deferred adjudication for an offense involving sexual misconduct, sexual assault, child
abuse, child endangerment, kidnapping, human trafficking, exploitation of a minor,
indecency with a child, possession or promotion of child sexual abuse material, or any
substantially similar offense, or is otherwise prohibited by law, court order, parole
condition, probation condition, or other governmental restriction from being in or near
places where children commonly gather.
• The program must have a method in place for its membership, parents, and the City to
easily identify, at all times, the persons who have passed a background check and are
permitted to serve in a covered role.
• The program must immediately remove any covered person from all program activities on
City property if the person has not completed a required background check, is disqualified
or may be disqualified under the program’s policy, provides false or incomplete
information, or otherwise presents a safety risk to youth participants.
• The program must maintain records sufficient to demonstrate compliance with these
requirements and must provide records, certifications, and supporting documentation to
the City upon request. The City may audit compliance at any time. Failure to maintain,
enforce, certify, or provide records demonstrating compliance may result in suspension,
restriction, non-renewal, or termination of the program’s Parks Facilities Utilization
Agreement or use of City athletic facilities.
• The program’s board should adhere to best practice financial management principles,
maintain efficient and accurate accounting records and provide detailed financial reports
to the governing body as requested.
• By signing the FUA, the program certifies that it meets these qualifications.
All approved athletic association programs are solely responsible for conducting, reviewing, and
enforcing all required background checks for their respective coaches, volunteers, board
members, officers, employees, contractors, officials, and other covered persons. The City does
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not assume responsibility for selecting, approving, supervising, or screening any such person by
requiring background checks or by auditing compliance with this Policy.
The City may request, inspect, or audit records demonstrating compliance with the program’s
background check and child protection policy at any time. The City may require the program to
provide a written certification of compliance before each season and may require additional
certifications or records if the City receives a complaint, becomes aware of a potential violation,
or determines that additional review is necessary for participant safety, public safety, or
compliance with City policy.
Programs must provide requested compliance records within five (5) business days after
request by the City, unless the City determines that a shorter response period is necessary due
to an immediate safety concern. The City may require records to be provided in summary form,
certification form, or through an on-site review. Programs should not submit full criminal history
reports or sensitive personal identifiers unless specifically requested by the City Attorney or
otherwise required by law.
Failure to comply with the background check, certification, recordkeeping, audit, removal, or
notification requirements of this Policy may result in suspension of field use, restriction of
access to City facilities, denial of field allocations, non-renewal of an FUA, or termination of an
FUA, as determined by the City.
The City’s goal is to provide outstanding athletic fields, which meet the Southlake standard, for
the uses detailed below in priority order:
• Recreational level league games, practices and league tournaments offered by the City and
approved athletic associations, where the teams are primarily made up of Southlake residents
(Seasonal field allocations will be prioritized based on the primary season for each sport –
see below)
• Non-organized field/court usage (i.e., open play) on a first-come, first-served basis by
Southlake residents (on fields that are not locked or closed for maintenance)
• Higher level (i.e., select level) league games and practices offered by the City, approved
athletic associations (who have in housein-house select level teams), and the CISD, once the
needs at the recreational level are met. Priority will be given to higher levelhigher-level teams
primarily made up of Southlake residents over teams that are not Southlake residents.
(Seasonal field allocations will be prioritized based on the primary season for each sport –
see belowAll other select use will fall under Rentals – Organized Team Use and will be subject
to the priority and guidelines below)
• Field/court rentals by Southlake residents for exclusive personal use (no organized team use)
• Field/court rentals by Southlake businesses & non-profits for infrequent use (such as for a
corporate or church event, fee based sports clinics, etc.)
• Field rentals by Southlake residents for organized team use (see Field Rentals - Organized
Team Use section below)
• Tournament play (see Tournament section below)
• Field/court rentals by non-Southlake residents for exclusive personal use (no organized team
use)
• Field/court rentals by non-Southlake businesses & non-profits for infrequent use (such as for
a corporate or church event, fee based sports clinics, etc.)
• Field rentals by non-Southlake residents for organized team use (See Fields Rentals -
Organized Team Use section below)
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All priorities described herein are subject to the CITY’s operational needs, maintenance
requirements, public safety concerns, special events, capital improvement projects, and such
other considerations as the Director of Community Services deems appropriate. To ensure
athletic fields are maintained to the Southlake standard, the City designates fields as either Game
Fields, or Practice Fields, or Multi-Use Fields. Game Fields are designated for City managed or
approved athletic association league games, and tournament play, CISD use or rentals. Practice
Fields are designated for City managed or approved athletic association league practices, and
scrimmages, CISD use or Rentals and. Multi-Use Fields can accommodate games, practices,
tournaments and rentals.
Seasonal field allocations will be prioritized based on the primary seasons approved within each
programs FUA (i.e., when sanctioned league games are played) for each sport. Primary seasons
for each sport are as follows:
Spring Baseball, City Flag Football, Lacrosse, Soccer and Softball
Summer Softball
Fall Baseball, City Flag Football, Football, Soccer and Softball
The City reserves the right to allocate the usage of all City owned fields for City programs and for
approved athletic association programs as deemed appropriate by the Director of Community
Services. The City will have priority for any City event.
The City does not allocate, nor rent athletic fields or athletic courts for organized team use; unless the
team is officially registered in either a City managed athletic program or an approved athletic association
program.
In addition to the game fields the City allocates for approved athletic association league games,
the City also allocates the required number of practice fields to meet the athletic association’s
program needs for practices each season.
The athletic association may distribute the total hours of practice space allocated by the City as
they see fit to meet the needs of their program (i.e., the athletic association determines how many
hours per week their participants practice, not the City).
To maximize the use of each athletic facility, the total hours of practice space allocated is based
on the number of teams registered per season the previous year. The allocation may be adjusted
to accommodate any increase or decrease in league participation for the current season.
To develop the total number of practices hours allocated, the City, in utilizing the recent field
requirements of the approved athletic associations as a guide, has developed the following
formula to calculate the total hours of practice space allocated to each association seasonally.
The formula is consistent with the National Standards for Youth Sports as recommended by the
National Alliance for Youth Sports organization. Three (3) hours of practice space, per team, per
week for youth (10 & under), and six (6) hours of practice space, per team, per week for middle
school aged (11 & up). The City will allocate an additional 10% of practice space, beyond the
number of hours of practice space per team, per week, to account for potential field closures
related to inclement weather.
The City will make the allocations no less than thirty (30) days prior to the start of practices for
each season. The allocations will be specific to the park, complex, field, day and time.
The athletic association will only have access to the specific fields allocated and only on the days
and times allocated.
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Athletic facilities may only be used by the approved athletic associations during the following days
and times for season practices and games.during approved park hours.
DAY BEGIN END
Sunday 12:00PM 10:00PM
Mon – Thurs 4:00PM 10:00PM
Friday 4:00PM 11:00PM
Saturday 8:00AM 11:00PM
Exception: Field use at North Park shall cease by 9:00PM daily (Sunday – Saturday)
The athletic association is responsible for turning off all field lights when no longer in use each
day. The City will set field lights to automatically turn off thirty (30) minutes after each day’s end
time.
The City reserves the right to adjust field allocations as necessary based on games lost due to
inclement weather, upon request.
IV. Communication
In working with the City’s approved athletic association programs, the Department of Community
Services shall:
• Provide board member orientation on an annual basis for all athletic association board
members/representatives
• Meet with key athletic association board members/representatives at least one month prior to
each season to discuss the details and logistics for the upcoming season
• Meet with key athletic association board members/representatives as needed throughout the
year
• Provide, manage and monitor the City’s athleticfields@ci.southlake.tx.us email for all
communications related to field scheduling
In working with the City, the City’s approved athletic association programs shall:
• Designate one (1) person as the association’s field manager that will serve as the one (1)
point of contact for all day-to-day communications related to field usage, scheduling and
maintenance requests
• Submit season start and end dates no less than one (1) month60 days prior to the beginning
of each season to the City via email athleticfields@ci.southlake.tx.us
• Submit enrollment numbers no less that two (2) weeks
prior to the beginning of the season and prior to submitting the complete schedule for
practices/scrimmages and games needed for the season
• Submit a complete schedule request for practices/scrimmages and games (field number, age
group, dates, times) no less than one two (12) weeks prior to the beginning of the season to
the City via email athleticfields@ci.southlake.tx.us in the format designated by the City
• Athletic associations agree to make a diligent effort to utilize all space and time requested at
the beginning of each season. Consistently unused field space may be reallocated for
alternative uses by the City in future seasons at their the City's sole discretion
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• Submit requests to reschedule games no less than one (1) business day in advance to the
City via email athleticfields@ci.southlake.tx.us (Note: All requests to reschedule games must
be approved by the City). Requests not received prior to one (1) business day will not be
honored
• Submit requests to reschedule games that require the reconfiguration/restriping of fields at
least three (3) business days in advance to the City via email
athleticfields@ci.southlake.tx.us
• Schedule all necessary sports field lights for practices/scrimmages and games by using the
Musco Control-Link password assigned to the field manager
• Submit the names, addresses, e-mail addresses and phone numbers of all officers and board
members no less than two (2) weeks after election or appointment
• Submit field maintenance fee payment with rosters of all participants including name, age,
gender, residency, league played in (Recreational or Select), and all other information
requested to complete seasonal report no less than two (2) weeks after the season
• The athletic association president or board representative shall attend one Parks & Recreation
Board meeting annually for the purpose of making a presentation addressing the state of the
athletic association and to discuss any other items related to the program
•
V. Field Care & Maintenance
In maintaining and preparing fields for play, the City shall:
• Ensure all parks and athletic facilities are safe, available and ready for play based on the
approved schedules submitted by the associations
• Provide & maintain all area and athletic field/court lighting systems
• Maintain the restrooms in a safe and sanitary condition
• Be responsible for the operation and maintenance of the irrigation system
• Provide electrical power for the operation of the scoreboards
• Maintain/repair the scoreboards
• Perform all turf maintenance
o Mowing
o Fertilization
o weed control/herbicide spraying
▪ may require up to 24 hours field closure
▪ City will give a 48 hour notice
▪ City will not close a field with a scheduled game
• Prepare game fields for games Monday through Friday; including painting/chalking all field
lines, as necessary for regularly scheduled and properly rescheduled games. (Note: Fields
will not be prepared for any game(s) that are not on the City approved schedule.)
• Provide contract porter services on weekends. The porter service schedule will be set as
deemed appropriate by the Parks Manager or designee. The porter service will be limited to
cleaning restrooms and the removal of full trash bags from the trash receptacles as needed.
• Provide litter collection
• Perform all clay and turf maintenance to include adding clay, clay renovation, and cutting
infield arcs and base paths
• Provide clay, sand, soil, etc. to be used in leveling or backfilling low areas when deemed
necessary
• Maintain all back-stops, fences, gates, dugouts and bleachers in a safe and secure condition
• Provide and install field equipment (bases, pitching rubbers, goals, etc.)
Authorized users shall:
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• Be responsible for daily policing of all litter at the facility to include playing areas, dugouts,
fences, backstops, bleachers, concession stands and adjacent grounds
• Place all litter in the bins, cans, and receptacles provided by the City. Note: If within the
City’s judgment, the authorized user does not comply with litter collection, a notification letter
will be issued by the City requesting immediate compliance. Further non-compliance will
result in a fee of $35.00 per hour/per staff member for litter clean up
• Be prohibited from performing any maintenance to any City property
• Secure the facility when leaving (lock storage rooms, lock concession stands, secure
scoreboard controllers, lock all field gates and building doors, turn off all field lights, interior
building lights, and pavilion lights)
• Be appropriately trained by City staff on the use of any field prep supplies and hand
equipment if the association desires to prep fields more frequently than what is provided by
the City
•
VI. Field Closures
Athletic fields will be closed to allow for the ongoing maintenance required to provide athletic fields
that meet the Southlake standard.
• All grass athletic fields are closed during the months of December & January
• All grass athletic fields will be closed for twelve (12) consecutive days during the City’s
maintenance periods in June
o The City will attempt to rotate grass fields and split maintenance on fields in an effort to
keep half of the fields open for practices
o Maintenance during this period includes:
▪ Mowing/Verti-cutting as necessary (if heavy buildup of thatch)
▪ Aeration / Top dressing / Fertilization of fields
▪ Over-seeding/sod replacement in heavy wear spots (City to determine which fields
one (1) month prior. Requires 10-20 days for seed germination or time for sod to
take root)
▪ Watering time needed to water in fertilizer and keep any seed or sod moist to allow
for germination and to take root
▪ Infield and complex maintenance
• Heavy use rectangular grass athletic fields (football/lacrosse/soccer) will be closed for two (2)
weeks in September/October to allow for overseeding with rye grass
o Depending on the weather, the City will make every possible effort to work with authorized
users to schedule the overseeding around game schedules
All Athletic fields may also be closed due to inclement weather and/or safety concerns. Field
closures due to inclement weather may be necessary if it is raining at game/practice time, if the
fields/courts are too wet, and/or in the interest of participant safety and/or preservation of good
playing surfaces. The procedures for inclement weather field closures are as follows:
• Weekdays
o Inspect grass athletic fields by 3:00PM
o Make a decision based upon field condition or anticipated weather conditions weather
o List any closings on the City Field Closure Line (817) 748-8028 by 4:00PM
o The All closures will be listed on the following website www.teamsideline.com/southlake
which is updated Monday through Friday by 4:00PM
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o The Parks Manager or designee will have the final responsibility for canceling games with
regards to field conditions for weekday games
o If the conditions are marginal, the field information may include a notice that such
conditions are subject to change with an updated notification by 4:00PM
o After games have begun and inclement weather becomes a factor, association officials
shall follow the same guidelines as City staff for deciding cancellation or postponement
• Weekends
o If a final decision for the weekend is not possible at 3:00PM Friday, the Parks Manager or
designee familiar with the athletic fields will monitor the weather and field conditions
throughout the weekend and make decisions on field closure as needed
o Inspect Athletic Fields by 7:00AM on Saturday and Sunday (Note: Every effort will be
made to ensure all fields are inspected by 7:00AM, however, due to the number of fields
it may take longer depending on the specific situation)
o The City Field Closure Line (817) 748-8028 will also be updated by 8:00AM for Saturday
and Sunday games. (Note: The website is only updated Monday – Friday)
o Status for Saturday & Sunday afternoon/evening games may be reevaluated at the
discretion of the Parks Manager or designee at 11:00AM and the field decision will be
made prior to Noon that day
o The decision of the Parks Manager or designee shall be final
VII. Field Rentals – Organized Use
The City may, in its discretion, make certain athletic fields or time blocks available for organized team
rental use when such use is consistent with City Council objectives, City program priorities, approved
Parks Facilities Utilization Agreement obligations, operational needs, maintenance requirements, and the
overall public interest. This section is intended only to authorize the City to offer organized team rentals
in appropriate circumstances. The City retains full authority to determine whether organized team rentals
will be permitted, and if so, the fields, times, duration, frequency, conditions, priorities, and rates
applicable to such rentals.
• Athletic field rentals for organized team use willmay be allowed at the City’s discretion
based on the field use priority outlined in this policy.
•
• Athletic field rentals for organized team use will be offered at the rates outlined in the City
of Southlake Municipal Fee Schedule.
•
• Priority for organized team use rentals will be given to organizations that have approved
partnerships with City of Southlake FUA partners and serve as the select option for current
FUA organizations. This priority will be limited to one partnership per FUA and limited to
teams with resident participants.
•
• Rentals will be available for one time use and/or seasonal or annual contracts within
available time slots.
•
• Preference maywill be given to longer term contracts..
• Priority will be given to teams with the highest % of resident players if space considerations
dictate. If field availability is limited or other space considerations require prioritization
among organized team rental requests, the City may consider the percentage of Southlake
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Commented [TM1]: Is the current FUA Organizations going
to stay the same through the time this Policy is
edited/renewed?
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Commented [TM2]: Maybe include what those periods are?
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resident participants on each team, together with any other factors deemed relevant by
the Director of Community Services, in determining priority.
• The City of Southlake reserves the right to designate fields and/or time blocks as available
for organized team rentals based on seasonal demand, City programs, FUA needs,
maintenance requirements, and other operational considerations, as determined by the
Director of Community Services or designee. outside rentals based on the seasonal use
or FUA needs in any given season.
VII.VIII. Tournaments
The City realizes the importance of athletic tournaments. These events have a major impact on
the local economy, as well as provide a revenue source for the City and the City’s approved
athletic association programs. The City may provide athletic facilities for organizations requesting
to host a tournament in Southlake.
All tournament requests must be submitted to the City and shall only be authorized by the City
through its Tournament Facilities Utilization Agreement.
Tournament approvals are based on field availability, and will not interfere with previously
approved, scheduled City or approved athletic association program usage.
The City reserves the right to designate certain weekends as tournament holds for any park or
field, provided it does so 30 days prior to the start of the FUA season
The City reserves the right to designate certain dates or weekends as tournament hold dates for
any park or field, provided that the CITY gives reasonable advance notice to affected FUA
partners when practicable.
All FUA partners will maintain their ability to host one recreational basedrecreational-based
tournament per season and must share FUA partnerintention to do so along with anticipated
dates/times and field needs, 30 daysone prior to the beginning of each season
VIII.IX. Concessions
All food/beverage related concession operations are provided either by the approved athletic
association programs or by the City as per the City’s Concessions Stand Agreement.
IX. Vendors. Vendors
All potential vendors must be pre-approved by the City along with a list of merchandise offered. No
vendor will be allowed to sell any merchandise without the approval of the City and may not be in
competition with items sold by the concessionaire. Vendor fees apply. Vendor trailers will be
restricted to designated areas located within the parking lot. All vendors must be pre-approved by
the City and, where required, must obtain all applicable permits and licenses before operating on
City property.
XI. Building Access & Vehicle Permits
The City will work with the association to determine the appropriate number of key fobs and
vehicle permits to be issued.
The City will issue key fobs to authorized approved athletic association program representatives
for access to concession stands and storage rooms.
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The association may request permission in writing to utilize a golf cart or workman type utility
vehicle on City property. If approved, a permit will be issued by the City to the association on a
per vehicle basis. Misuse of the vehicle, as determined by the City, may result in the cancellation
of the permit and ability of the association to use these vehicles.
The association may request permission in writing to allow specific association representatives to
drive their automobiles into the complex on the pedestrian pathways. The permit will only be
issued by the City to association representatives responsible for the delivery of concession and
building supplies to the concession/restroom/storage facilities. The permit allows for the drop-off
and pick-up of concession and building supplies. At no time, may an automobile be parked inside
the complex, as these areas are reserved for pedestrians only. All automobiles must be parked
in the parking lot. The association must contact the Department of Community Services for a
permit. Violators may be ticketed by Southlake Police.
XII. Lightning Prediction System
The City has implemented the THOR GUARD Perry Weather Lightning Prediction
System in its community parks.
Lightning is a severe hazard that must be viewed seriously. Everyone should seek shelter any time
they believe lightning threatens them, even if a signal has NOT been sounded.
You will be warned by our THOR GUARDPerry Weather lightning prediction system, which sounds
ONE 15 second blast of the horn signaling suspension of ALL activities, the strobe light will begin
flashing and remain flashing until safe conditions return. You should seek immediate shelter.
Activities may resume after THREE 5 second blasts of the horn are sounded and the strobe light
stops flashing.
XIII. Park Regulations
The following regulations and restrictions are prescribed for the use of City parks:
• Alcoholic beverages prohibited. It shall be unlawful for any person to possess or consume
any alcoholic beverage in any City park.
• Riding, driving or walking horses in any City park. Except on designated horse trails, it
shall be unlawful for any person to walk, drive or ride a horse or horses within any City
park.
• Riding or driving off-road motorized vehicles in any City park. Except on designated off-
road trails, it shall be unlawful for any person to drive or ride an off-road vehicle within any
City park. For the purposes of this section, an off-road vehicle is a motorized vehicle
designed and equipped for use off any paved roadway with such definition to specifically
include off-road motor bikes, go-carts, and dune buggies.
• Vehicular traffic prohibited in certain areas. Except in designated overflow parking areas,
it shall be unlawful for any motor vehicle to stand, stop, and park or cross onto or into any
portion of a City park other than upon a roadway or parking area so designated for such
purposes.
• Time limitations on public use of park. Except for a City sponsored event, it shall be
unlawful for any person to use, enter into or be within a City park during any posted hours
which the park is closed.
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• Littering. Littering is hereby prohibited in any City park. Littering shall include leaving trash
or other items by persons picnicking within a City park and not placing trash and other
items in appropriate trash receptacles provided in such park.
• Firearms prohibited. It shall be unlawful for any person to carry on or about himself or to
discharge a gun, pistol, rifle, or other firearm within any City park except that a person duly
licensed by the state to carry a concealed handgun may carry a concealed handgun in
accordance with state law. Nothing in this Policy is intended to prohibit conduct that Texas
law permits or to authorize conduct that Texas law prohibits.
• Bicycles, skates, etc. It shall be unlawful for any person to ride a bicycle, scooter, skate
board, in-line skates, or roller skates on any tennis court or basketball court owned or
leased by the City, or in any other public areas posted by the City.
• Hitting golf balls prohibited. Except in designated areas, it shall be unlawful for any person
to hit golf balls in City parks.
• Smoking prohibited except in designated areas. It shall be unlawful to smoke in bleachers,
dugouts, or other congested outdoor areas at City parks.
• Glass containers prohibited in City parks. It shall be unlawful for any person to possess a
glass container in a City park.
• Defacing public property.
o No person shall remove, destroy, mutilate, or deface any structure, monument,
statue, vase, fountain, wall, fence, railing, vehicle, bench, building or other property
located in any public park.
o No person shall cut, break, deface, injure, or remove the trees, shrubs, plants,
grasses, or turf within any public park.
• Wild animals. It shall be unlawful to catch, injure, kill, strike, or attempt to strike with any
object or weapon any animals within a public park, excluding fish, which may be
obtained in designated fishing areas following the rules and regulations established by
the state.
• Climbing, etc., prohibited. It shall be unlawful to climb any trees or walk, stand or sit
upon monuments, vases, fountains, walls, fences, railings, vehicles, or any other
property not designated or customarily used for such purposes in any public park.
• Pollution of waters. It shall be unlawful to throw, discharge to, or otherwise place or
cause to be placed in the waters of any fountain, pond, lake, stream, or other body of
water in or adjacent to any park or any tributary, stream, storm sewer, or drain flowing
into such waters any substance, matter, or anything liquid or solid, which will or may
result in the pollution of said waters.
• Boating and swimming. It shall be unlawful to swim, wade, boat, or canoe in any area
unless such area is designated for that purpose; provided, however, the Director of
Community Services may permit the temporary occurrence of such activities for special
programs and events.
• Closing of game fields. The Director of Community Services or his designated
representative is authorized to assign any game field owned or leased by the City as a
closed field for maintenance or to protect the surface of the game field from damage. It
shall be unlawful for non-City employees to go upon a game field which has been
designated as a closed field and has posted a sign indicating that "Field is closed.
Trespassing on a closed field could result in a $250.00 - $500.00 fine."
• Erecting structures prohibited.
o No person shall place or erect any structure, sign, bulletin board, post, pole, or
advertising of any kind in a public park, and no stakes may be driven into the
ground.
13
o No person shall attach to any tree, shrub, fence, railing, post, or structure within
any public park, any sign, bulletin board, or other advertising device of any kind.
o The prohibitions contained in subsections a. and b. of this section shall not be
applicable to persons acting pursuant to and with the written authorization of the
Director of Community Services or his designee.
• Projectile devices. No person shall possess, fire, or discharge a device capable of
propelling a projectile, including without limitation, any air gun, pistol, bow and arrow,
cross bow, or sling shot in a public park; provided, however, the Director of Community
Services may permit the temporary occurrence of such activities in a public park for
special programs and events.
• Sale of merchandise. It shall be unlawful for any person to sell or offer for sale any food,
drinks, confections, merchandise, or services in any park or playground unless such
person has a written agreement or permit issued by the City permitting the sale of such
items in such park or playground. This section shall have no application to sports
organizations or social organizations selling items to their own members, or at functions
sanctioned by the City.
• Sound amplification. It shall be unlawful to use any type of sound amplification system in
a public park without the written consent of the Director of Community Services.
XIIIV. City Ordinance
Leashing or chaining. It shall be unlawful for an owner to allow any animal to run at large and not
be restrained by means of a leash or chain of sufficient strength and length to control the actions
of such animal while on public property or on property other than that of the owner of the animal.
(Note: Does not apply to Dog Park)
Use of fire pits are allowed in designated areas. Fires may be prohibited entirely if a fire ban is in
effect.
Revised Date: March 6, 2018 Approved by: City Council
Original Approval Date: June 21, 2016 Approved by: City Council
Recommendation Date: June 6, 2016 Recommended by: Parks & Recreation Board
Recommendation Date: June 1, 2016 Recommended by: City Council/Parks & Recreation Board Athletics Task Force
City of Southlake
Policies and Procedures
Policy: Tournament Policy
Source: City Council
Category: Community Services Department
I. Guiding Principles
The City of Southlake recognizes the importance of athletic tournaments. These events
have a favorable impact on the local economy, as well as provide a revenue source for
the City and the City’s approved athletic association programs.
The City may from time to time make City owned athletic facilities available for
organizations requesting to host a tournament in Southlake and will use the Tournament
Strategy below as a guide for determining frequency, location and timing for tournaments.
All tournament requests must be submitted to the City. The utilization of City owned
athletic facilities for tournaments may only be authorized by the City’s Director of
Community Services or his/her designee through a Tournament Facilities Utilization
Agreement.
Tournament approvals are based on pre-determined tournament dates or field availability,
and will not interfere with previously approved, City or athletic association program usage.
The Southlake City Council has adopted this Tournament Policy to ensure the most
appropriate allocation of City owned athletic facility assets for tournaments.
The Policy will guide the management and provision of the City’s athletic facilities for all
tournaments (excluding those held at The Marq Southlake, and the Southlake Tennis
Center and the Southlake Pickleball Complex).
II. Tournament Strategy
The City of Southlake will seek to proactively host up to 15 revenue generatingrevenue-
generating tournaments per calendar year.
The City will prioritize the pursuit of Regional, State, and National Level Tournaments that
generate a higher level of economic benefit for the City.
The City will seek to recover a minimum 100% of direct costs for every tournament hosted.
The City will have a minimum of 1 staff member on-site at all Tournaments.
The City reserves the right to require EMS/Security personnel to be on-site at the expense
of the organizer.
The City will seek to create availableavailability during peak Tournament windows and
may build availability into FUA use windows as outlined in the Policy for Provision of
Athletic Facilities.
The City will adopt a marketing strategy for recruiting tournaments and local hotel
participation.
The City will continue to offer one (1) free recreation basedrecreational-basedrecreational
based tournament per season to all Athletic Association Partners.
II.III. Management
The Department of Community Services is charged with overseeing all aspects of the
City’s Park and Recreation system, including the management and allocation of all athletic
facilities as per the Policy for the Provision of Athletic Facilities and this Tournament Policy
to ensure we are Serving Our Customers, Managing the Business, and Providing Financial
Stewardship of these City ownedCity-owned assets.
The Department has developed the following objectives to guide its business operations
related to the management of the park and recreation system.
• Collaborate with select partners to implement service solutions
• Enhance resident quality of life & business vitality through sports tourism
• Provide high valuehigh-value world-class services through efficient management of
resources
• Provide and maintain high qualityhigh-qualityworld-class parks and community
facilities within budget
III.IV. Athletic Field Usage
As detailed within the City’s Policy for the Provision of Athletic Facilities, the City’s athletic
fields may be utilized for tournament play as authorized by the City’s Director of
Community Services or his/her designee.
Tournaments and games cannot begin prior to 8:00 a.m. and should generally conclude
by 10:00 p.m. on Sundays through Thursdays and 11:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
(Note: usage of premises at North Park facilities shall conclude by 9:00 p.m. each
day). Access to the complex and fields will be allowed one (1) hour prior to start of
tournament play.
Tournaments may be subject to a maximum number of teams based on the location of the
tournament and other activities previously scheduled at or common uses of the park.
IV.V. Communication
Communication between the City and Tournament Provider is essential.
The City shall:
• Designate one (1) person as the point of contact for all day-to-day communications
related to field usage, scheduling, logistics and maintenance leading up to the
tournament. In addition, City will provide Tournament Provider with the cell phone
number of City staff working on site during the tournament
The Tournament Provider shall:
• Designate one (1) person as the point of contact for all day-to-day communications
related to field usage, scheduling, logistics and maintenance leading up to the
tournament. In addition, Tournament Provider will provide City with the cell phone
number of the Site Director for each complex used during the tournament
• Submit completed pre-tournament data form with Tournament Facilities Utilization
Agreement
• Submit tournament start and end dates with Tournament Facilities Utilization
Agreement
• Submit max number of teams participating in the tournament with the Tournament
Facilities Utilization Agreement
• Submit a complete tournament schedule including dates, times, field number and field
dimension requirements no less thana minimum of 48 hours prior to the first
tournament game in the format designated by the City
V.VI. Tournament Fees
The Tournament Provider shall submit the tournament fee payment as per the terms of
the Tournament Facilities Utilization Agreement (EXHIBIT “A” ATTACHED).
The Tournament Provider shall not require gate fees nor prohibit access to common park
amenities when hosting tournaments. Provider may include gate fees in their team fees
as an alternative option.
VI.VII. Field Care & Maintenance
In maintaining the complex and preparing fields for all tournament play, the City shall:
• Ensure all parks and athletic facilities are safe, available and ready for play based on
the approved schedules submitted by the Tournament Provider and approved by the
City
• Provide & maintain all area and athletic field/court lighting systems
• Maintain the restrooms in a safe and sanitary condition throughout the tournament
• Be responsible for the operation and maintenance of the irrigation system
• Provide electrical power for the operation of the scoreboards
• Provide scoreboard controllers as requested (see Agreement for applicable fee)
• Maintain/repair the scoreboards and scoreboard controllers
• Perform all turf maintenance
o Mowing
o Fertilization
o Weed control/Herbicide spraying
• Prepare game fields prior to the start of each tournament day, including
painting/chalking all field lines, as necessary per the approved schedule. If time and
schedules allow, the City will drag and perform infield maintenance throughout the day
as requested
• Provide contract porter services throughout the tournament. The porter service
schedule will be set as deemed appropriate by the Parks Manager or designee, and
will be limited to cleaning restrooms and the removal of full trash bags from the trash
receptacles as needed.
• Ensure trash/recycle receptacles are emptied as needed
• Perform all clay and turf maintenance to include adding clay, clay renovation, and
cutting infield arcs and base paths
• Provide clay, sand, soil, etc. to be used in leveling or backfilling low areas when
deemed necessary
• Maintain all back-stops, fences, gates, dugouts and bleachers in a safe and secure
condition
• Provide and install field equipment (bases, pitching rubbers, goals, etc.)
Tournament Provider shall:
• Be responsible for daily policing of all litter at the facility to include playing areas,
dugouts, fences, backstops, bleachers, concession stands and adjacent grounds
• Place all litter in the trash/recycle receptacles provided by the City. Be prohibited from
performing any maintenance to any City property
• Be appropriately trained by City staff on the use of any field prep supplies and hand
equipment if the Tournament Provider desires to prep fields more frequently than
what is provided by the City
• Adhere to all prohibitions specific to artificial turf as outlined below:
o No Metal Spikes
o No Food, Sunflower Seeds & Glass
o No Chewing Gum
o No Smoking or& Fires
o No Animals
o No Motorized Vehicles, Scooters or Bicycles
o No hanging on netting
VII.VIII. Field Closures
Athletic fields may be closed due to inclement weather or safety concerns. Field closures
due to inclement weather may be necessary if it is raining at game time, if the fields/courts
are too wet, or in the interest of participant safety or to preserve facility playing surfaces.
The procedures for field closure are as follows:
• Inspect grass athletic fields two hours prior to start of tournament play
• Make a decision based upon field condition conditions or anticipated weather
conditions
• List any closings on the City Field Closure Line (817) 748-8028
• Update List any closures on the website www.teamsideline.com/southlake
• The Parks Manager or designee will have the final authority for canceling games with
regards regard to field conditions
• If the conditions are marginal, the field information may include a notice that such
conditions are subject to change, with an updated notification
• After games have begun and the weather becomes a factor, the Tournament Provider
shall consult with onsite on-site City staff for deciding cancellation or postponement
• The decision of the City shall be final
If the tournament is canceled due to field closure prior to the commencement of play, the
deposit will be refunded or may be applied to a future tournament.
VIII.IX. Concessions
All food/beverage relatedbeverage-related concession operations may only be provided
either by the approved athletic association programs or by the City. The athletic association
programs or the City will retain 100% of all concession sales. If neither the athletic
association program nor City is able to provide concessions for the tournament, the
Tournament Provider can choose to bring in a licensed food vendor. The food vendor must
be pre-approved by the City, apply for a food vendor permit, and pay all applicable fees.
IX. Vendors
All potential vendors must apply for and be granted a permit by the City, along with a list of
merchandise offered. No vendor will be allowed to sell any merchandise without a permit.
Vendor merchandise may not be in competition with items sold by the concessionaire.
Vendor trailers will be restricted to designated areas located within the parking lot.
X. Vehicle Permits
The Tournament Provider may request permission in writing to utilize a golf cart or
workman typeworkman-type utility vehicle on City property. If approved, a permit will be
issued by the City to the Tournament Provider on a per vehicleper-vehicle basis. Misuse
of the vehicle, as determined by the City, may result in the cancellation of the permit and
ability of the Tournament Provider to use these vehicles.
All automobiles must be parked in the parking lot. At no time, may an automobile be
parked inside the complex, as these areas are reserved for pedestrians only. Violators
may be ticketed by Southlake Police.
XI. Event Sponsors, Signs and Banners
Event sponsors must be pre-approved by the City to ensure that the sponsor complies
with City policies and procedures. Event signs, and, banners and locations for display
must also be pre-approved by the City.
XII. Lightning Prediction System
The City has implemented the Perry Weather Lighting Prediction System in its community
parks. Lightning is a severe hazard that must be viewed seriously. The lighting prediction
system guidelines detailed within the Tournament Facilities Utilization Agreement shall be
utilized.
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Recreation and Athletics
Task Force
Field Use Policy Recommendation
R E P O R T
May 2026
RECREATION AND ATHLETICS
TASK FORCE
The Recreation and Athletics Task Force was
established by the Southlake City Council to
provide feedback and recommendations to the
Southlake Parks and Recreation Board and
City Council on policies related to athletic field
and facility use in the City of Southlake.
This report summarizes the Task Force's recommendations and provides guidance to the
Southlake Parks and Recreation Board and Southlake City Council on updated policies for
athletic field and facility use.
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The recommendations aim to ensure the long-term sustainability of Southlake's premier parks
system while continuing to serve the community with excellence.
BACKGROUND
Southlake Athletic Facilities
Southlake currently maintains 30 athletic fields
across five parks — Bob Jones Park, Bicentennial
Park, North Park, Koalaty Park, and the Southlake
Sports Complex — contributing to a total of 1,139
acres of park land citywide. These fields serve
seven Field Utilization Agreement (FUA) partner
associations across baseball, softball, soccer,
lacrosse, football, and the Miracle League.
When compared to peer cities in the region, it is
clear that Southlake maintains a premier system of
fields. Twelve fields are composed of artificial turf,
with three more planned for conversion under the
adopted FY 2026 CIP budget. Once the North
Park turf project is complete, every Athletic
Association partner will have access to both
artificial turf and grass fields — further elevating
Southlake's standing as a market leader.
Why Policies Were Reviewed
Several factors converged to create 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 parks system have materially changed the cost picture for long-
term sustainability.
• Fees Have Remained Stationary: 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
recognizing changing organizational needs.
• 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.
TASK FORCE WORK
Task Force Creation
The foundation for the Task Force was laid at the June 2025 City Council Summer Workshop,
where staff presented a comprehensive overview of Southlake’s recreation and athletics system
titled “Future Facility Planning and Field Optimization.” That presentat ion surfaced four key areas
requiring Council direction: gaps in the Policy for Provision of Athletic Facilities, an outdated fee
structure that had not kept pace with significant facility investments, shifting usage patterns and
growing community demand, and questions about the long-term role of the Southlake Sports
Complex. Following that discussion, Council directed staff to move forward with forming a
focused task force to address these issues.
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On August 19, 2025, the City Council formally seated the Recreation and Athletics Task Force.
Comprised of three City Council members and three Parks and Recreation Board members, the
Task Force was established with a term running through August 2026 and a charge spanning four
areas of focus: Policy Review, Fee Model Review, Cost Recovery Alignment, and Future Facility
Recommendations. The Task Force was also asked to evaluate the current concept plan for the
Southlake Sports Complex and propose revisions to site use, including any recommended
amendments to the Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Comprehensive Plan.
Once seated, the Recreation and Athletics Task Force engaged in a collaborative and structured
process to develop policy recommendations for Southlake's athletic field and facility use system.
The Task Force began its work with a comprehensive review of all fields, FUA agreements,
current fees, and policy gaps — establishing a strong foundation of understanding before
advancing to analysis and recommendations. Members reviewed cost recovery data,
benchmarked peer cities, and evaluated regional market rates throughout a structured series of
five working sessions, culminating in a sixth meeting with the presidents of all seven FUA partner
associations.
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.
• Meeting 1 – Current State Review: Mapped all fields, FUA agreements, fees, and policy
gaps. Introduced the Task Force charge, data gathering process, and the rationale
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 (currently a prohibited use-type) and a tournament strategy
using regional market data. Tournament fee updates were also discussed.
• Meeting 4 – FUA Considerations: Identified specific updates to FUA policies and
agreements, including pickleball tournament rates, camp and clinic fees, and economic
impact data.
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• 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 – 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. Follow-up meetings
with interested associations were subsequently conducted
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 meeting
included representatives from:
• Dragon Youth Baseball (DYB)
• Dragon Youth Football (DYF)
• Southlake Girls Softball Association
(SGSA)
• Grapevine-Southlake Soccer Association
(GSSA)
• Lady Dragon Lacrosse
• Southlake Carroll Lacrosse Association
(SCLA)
• Miracle League of Southlake (MLS)
Following the April 13th meeting, the City held follow-up meetings with interested associations to
address additional questions and concerns. The City remains committed to transparent,
collaborative communication with its FUA partners throughout this process.
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Policy for Provision of Athletic Facilities (see Appendix A)
The Policy for the Provision of Athletic Facilities is the foundational 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 establ ishes 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.
Key policy changes include:
• 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.
• Field use allocations will now be based on prior season enrollment. 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 consistently unused fields may be reallocated at the City's
sole discretion.
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• The City reserves the right to designate specific fields and/or time blocks for outside
rentals, with tournament weekend holds available 30 days prior to FUA season start.
• FUA rates will be reviewed during each renewal cycle (every two years) to ensure
ongoing alignment with Council cost recovery objectives.
• Field Rentals for organized use are now an allowed use within the policy, subject to City
discretion to ensure recreational use is always prioritized first.
• Enhanced language around background check requirements including specifics on
record keeping, types of background checks, provision of records upon request and
language specific to failure to comply.
2. Tournament Policy (see Appendix B)
The City of Southlake Tournament Policy formalizes the terms under which outside tournament
organizers may use City facilities. Key elements 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.
• 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.
• Organizer insurance requirements specifying sole responsibility for damages.
3. Organized Team Field Rentals (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 prioritized; rentals fill
remaining capacity. FUA-affiliated select organizations receive priority rental access, and rental
revenue helps offset the FUA use subsidy.
4. Facility Utilization Agreement (FUA) Updates
Draft updated FUA agreements have been prepared using a standard template that will serve as
the model for all seven FUA partners. Key changes include clarifying field allocation tied to the
agreement term, establishing defined date ranges for spring/summer and fall seasons, limiting
each association to one free recreation-based tournament per season, updating per-player fees
consistent with the approved fee schedule, expanding language regarding background check
responsibilities including City’s purview to audit records and potential penalties for failure to
maintain sufficient records.
RECOMMENDED FEE SCHEDULE UPDATES
FUA Per-Player Fees (Updated)
Resident Rate Non-Resident Rate Est. Cost Recovery
Current $12 / player $17 / player ~32%
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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.
Tournament Fees (Updated)
Tournament Type Flat Fee (1–3 Days) 4+ Day Rate
Baseball / Softball $4,000 (4 fields) + $1,000/add'l $4,000 per day
Soccer / Cricket $3,000 (3 fields) + $1,000/add'l $3,000 per day
Lacrosse $3,000 (3 fields) + $1,000/add'l $3,000 per day
Flag / 7-on-7 Football $3,000 (3 fields) + $1,000/add'l $3,000 per day
Overflow Field Rate (NEW) $1,000 per field —
Pickleball Tournament Fees (New)
Fee / Court / Hour # of Courts # of Hours
$15 9 2–14
Organized Team Rental 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
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 and the focus areas of
Performance Management & Service Delivery, Infrastructure and Development, and Partnerships
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and Volunteerism. It meets the corporate objectives of investing to provide and maintain high -
quality public assets and collaborating with select partners to implement service solutions.
CONCLUSION
The Recreation and Athletics Task Force has conducted a thorough, data-driven review of
Southlake's athletic field and facility use policies — grounded in regional benchmarking, cost
recovery analysis, community engagement, and direct collaboration with At hletic Association
partners.
The recommendations presented in this report are designed to position Southlake's premier parks
system for long-term financial sustainability while continuing to deliver exceptional recreational
opportunities for residents and associations alike. The Task Force remains committed to ensuring
these recommendations reflect both the community's investment in world-class athletic facilities
and the equitable, transparent management of those assets for years to come.
TASK FORCE MEMBERS
Randy Robbins
Southlake City Council Member – Place 2
Frances Scharli
Southlake City Council Member – Place 3
Chuck Taggart
Southlake City Council Member – Place 5
Magdalena Battles
Southlake Parks and Recreation Board – Chair
Paul Venesky
Southlake Parks and Recreation Board – Vice-Chair
Renee Thomas
Southlake Parks and Recreation Board
STAFF SUPPORT
David Miller, Director of Community Services
Staff Liaison – Recreation and Athletics Task Force
Fince Espinoza, Deputy Director of Community Services
Taygan McBurney – Assistant to the Director – Community Services
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APPENDIX
Supporting Policy Documents
Appendix A
Recommended Policy for Provision of Athletic Facilities
City of Southlake
Policies and Procedures
Policy: Policy for the Provision of Athletic Facilities
Source: City Council
Category: Community Services Department
I. Guiding Principles
The City of Southlake provides municipal services that support the highest quality of life for
our residents, businesses, and visitors. We do this by being an exemplary model of
balancing efficiency, fiscal responsibility, transparency, and sustainability.
We do this by adhering to the City’s Strategy Map which focuses on Safety & Security,
Infrastructure, Mobility, Quality Development, Partnerships & Volunteerism, and
Performance Management & Service Delivery.
The Southlake City Council has adopted this Policy for the Provision of Athletic Facilities
to ensure the most appropriate and operationally sustainable allocation of the City owned
athletic facility assets.
The policy will guide the management and provision of the City’s athletic facilities
(excluding those at The Marq Southlake, the Southlake Tennis Center and the Southlake
Pickleball Complex). This Policy is intended solely as an internal policy guide for the
allocation and management of City athletic facilities. It does not create any contractual
right, vested right, entitlement, or property interest in any user, organization, or applicant.
II. Management
The Department of Community Services is charged with overseeing all aspects of the City’s
Park and Recreation system, including the management and allocation of all athletic
facilities as per this policy to ensure we are Serving Our Customers, Managing the
Business and Providing Financial Stewardship of these City owned assets.
The Department has developed the following objectives to guide its business operations
related to the management of the park and recreation system.
• Ensure a safe and secure parks and recreation system for customers
• Develop and maintain outstanding parks, community facilities & public spaces
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• Provide meaningful opportunities for volunteer involvement
• Deliver exceptional customer service
• Promote lifelong learning & active lifestyles through high quality facilities, programs &
events
• Enhance customer engagement by providing strategic messaging for community
facilities, programs & events
• Collaborate with select partners to implement service solutions
• Partner with community stakeholders to identify & implement needs of the community
• Enhance resident quality of life & business vitality through sports tourism
• Enhance service delivery through process development and continual process
improvement
• Provide high value services through efficient management of resources
• Provide and maintain high quality parks and community facilities within budget
• Ensure the cost effective and efficient investment of taxpayer dollars on infrastructure
Improve quality of life through progressive implementation of Southlake’s Comprehensive Plan
recommendations.
The Director of Community Services, or designee, may approve administrative adjustments to
athletic facility charges, including discounts, credits, or partial fee reductions related to FUA use,
rentals, and tournament use, when deemed appropriate due to field conditions, limited field
availability, scheduling impacts, operational considerations, long -term use commitments, or other
circumstances consistent with this Policy and the City’s adopted fee schedule. Any such adjustment
shall be documented and applied in a manner t hat is consistent with the City’s operational and
fiscal objectives.
The City will review Parks Facilities Utilization Agreement fees during each renewal cycle to
evaluate whether such fees remain aligned with City Council’s cost recovery objectives, operational
demands, and the City’s adopted fee philosophy. Nothing in this Policy requires the City to maintain
any fee amount from one term to the next.
III. Athletic Field Allocations
With the development of the park system and significant recent investments in artificial turf
and other amenities, the City Council has made it a priority to ensure a full range of athletic
opportunities are available to Southlake citizens.
The City directly manages several year-round athletic programs in-house, but also partners
with local, volunteer managed athletic associations to offer several other year -round
athletic programs. These partnerships are authorized by the City Council through a Parks
Facility Utilization Agreement (FUA).
An FUA is an agreement between the City and an athletic association that desires to lease
the City’s athletic facilities to provide an athletic program for the recreation, use, benefit,
and enjoyment of Southlake residents and the general public.
The City Council determines who the City will lease its athletic facilities to, and will make
final decisions on the authorization and termination of all FUA’s at their discretion.
The following is a guideline and list of criteria developed by the City Council to assist them
in making their determination when considering the eligibility of a potential FUA partner.
The following criteria are intended as policy guidance for the City and do not obligate the
City to approve, renew, or continue any particular FUA.
• The City will authorize only one FUA per sport except in the case where there is a
gender specific designation with the sport.
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• Clubs, academies, select programs, independent teams, etc., will not be
considered as FUA partners.
• By signing the FUA, the program certifies that it meets these qualifications and can
provide detailed records of all of the below upon request.
• The program must prioritize Southlake residents.
• The program must make recreational level play a priority.
• The program must be recognized by and affiliated with a regional, state or national
sanctioning body organization.
• The program must provide and maintain liability insurance coverage naming the
City as additional insured.
• The program must prove and maintain 501c3 status.
• The program’s board must be representative of all ages and genders.
• The program’s board must have procedures in place for handling program
concerns.
• The program’s board must adopt, maintain, and enforce a written background
check and child protection policy for all coaches, assistant coaches, board
members, officers, volunteers, contractors, employees, officials, or any other
person acting on behalf of the program who has, or may reasonably be expected
to have, direct contact with minors, access to minors, supervisory authority over
minors, or access to non-public participant information.
• The program must require each covered person to successfully complete a
background check before participating in any program activity involving minors and
must renew such background check at least annually. At a minimum, the
background check must include identity verification, a national criminal history
search, applicable state and county criminal record searches to the extent
commercially available, a search of the National Sex Offender Public Website, a
search of the Texas Department of Public Safety Sex Offender Registry, and any
additional screening required by the program’s regional, state, or national
sanctioning body.
• The program must prohibit any person from serving in a covered role if the person
is required to register as a sex offender in any jurisdiction, has been convicted of
or received deferred adjudication for an offense involving sexual misconduct,
sexual assault, child abuse, child endangerment, kidnapping, human trafficking,
exploitation of a minor, indecency with a child, possession or promotion of child
sexual abuse material, or any substantially similar offense, or is otherwise
prohibited by law, court order, parole condition, probation condition, or other
governmental restriction from being in or near places where children commonly
gather.
• The program must have a method in place for its membership, parents, and the
City to easily identify, at all times, the persons who have passed a background
check and are permitted to serve in a covered role.
• The program must immediately remove any covered person from all program
activities on City property if the person has not completed a required background
check, is disqualified or may be disqualified under the program’s policy, provides
false or incomplete information, or otherwise presents a safety risk to youth
participants.
• The program must maintain records sufficient to demonstrate compliance with
these requirements and must provide records, certifications, and supporting
documentation to the City upon request. The City may audit compliance at any
time. Failure to maintain, enforce, certify, or provide records demonstrating
compliance may result in suspension, restriction, non-renewal, or termination of
the program’s Parks Facilities Utilization Agreement or use of City athletic facilities.
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The program’s board should adhere to best practice financial management principles, maintain
efficient and accurate accounting records and provide detailed financial reports to the governing
body as requested.
All approved athletic association programs are solely responsible for conducting,
reviewing, and enforcing all required background checks for their respective coaches,
volunteers, board members, officers, employees, contractors, officials, and other covere d
persons. The City does not assume responsibility for selecting, approving, supervising, or
screening any such person by requiring background checks or by auditing compliance
with this Policy.
The City may request, inspect, or audit records demonstrating compliance with the
program’s background check and child protection policy at any time. The City may
require the program to provide a written certification of compliance before each season
and may require additional certifications or records if the City receives a complaint,
becomes aware of a potential violation, or determines that additional review is necessary
for participant safety, public safety, or compliance with City policy.
Programs must provide requested compliance records within five (5) business days after
request by the City, unless the City determines that a shorter response period is
necessary due to an immediate safety concern. The City may require records to be
provided in summary form, certification form, or through an on-site review. Programs
should not submit full criminal history reports or sensitive personal identifiers unless
specifically requested by the City Attorney or otherwise required by law.
Failure to comply with the background check, certification, recordkeeping, audit, removal,
or notification requirements of this Policy may result in suspension of field use, restriction
of access to City facilities, denial of field allocations, non-renewal of an FUA, or
termination of an FUA, as determined by the City.
The City’s goal is to provide outstanding athletic fields, which meet the Southlake standard,
for the uses detailed below in priority order:
• Recreational level league games, practices and league tournaments offered by the
City and approved athletic associations, where the teams are primarily made up of
Southlake residents (Seasonal field allocations will be prioritized based on the primary
season for each sport – see below)
• Non-organized field/court usage (i.e., open play) on a first -come, first-served basis by
Southlake residents (on fields that are not locked or closed for maintenance)
• Higher level (i.e., select level) league games and practices offered by the City,
approved athletic associations (who have in-house select level teams), and the CISD,
once the needs at the recreational level are met. Priority will be given to higher-level
teams primarily made up of Southlake residents over teams that are not Southlake
residents. (All other select use will fall under Rentals – Organized Team Use and will
be subject to the priority and guidelines below)
• Field/court rentals by Southlake residents for exclusive personal use (no organized
team use)
• Field/court rentals by Southlake businesses & non-profits for infrequent use (such as
for a corporate or church event, fee based sports clinics, etc.)
• Field rentals by Southlake residents for organized team use (see Field Rentals -
Organized Team Use section below)
• Tournament play (see Tournament section below)
• Field/court rentals by non-Southlake residents for exclusive personal use (no
organized team use)
• Field/court rentals by non-Southlake businesses & non-profits for infrequent use (such
as for a corporate or church event, fee based sports clinics, etc.)
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• Field rentals by non-Southlake residents for organized team use (See Fields Rentals -
Organized Team Use section below)
All priorities described herein are subject to the CITY’s operational needs, maintenance
requirements, public safety concerns, special events, capital improvement projects, and
such other considerations as the Director of Community Services deems appropriate. To
ensure athletic fields are maintained to the Southlake standard, the City designates fields
as either Game Fields, Practice Fields or Multi-Use Fields. Game Fields are designated
for City managed or approved athletic association league games , tournament play, CISD
use or rentals. Practice Fields are designated for City managed or approved athletic
association league practices, scrimmages, CISD use or Rentals. Multi-Use Fields can
accommodate games, practices, tournaments and rentals.
Seasonal field allocations will be prioritized based on seasons approved within each
programs FUA (i.e., when sanctioned league games are played) for each sport.
The City reserves the right to allocate the usage of all City owned fields for City programs
and for approved athletic association programs as deemed appropriate by the Director of
Community Services. The City will have priority for any City event.
In addition to the game fields the City allocates for approved athletic association league
games, the City also allocates the number of practice fields to meet the athletic
association’s program needs for practices each season.
The athletic association may distribute the total hours of practice space allocated by the
City as they see fit to meet the needs of their program (i.e., the athletic association
determines how many hours per week their participants practice, not the City).
To maximize the use of each athletic facility, the total hours of practice space allocated is
based on the number of teams registered per season the previous year. The allocation
may be adjusted to accommodate any increase or decrease in league participat ion for the
current season.
The City will make the allocations no less than thirty (30) days prior to the start of practices
for each season. The allocations will be specific to the park, complex, field, day and time.
The athletic association will only have access to the specific fields allocated and only on
the days and times allocated.
Athletic facilities may only be used during approved park hours.
The athletic association is responsible for turning off all field lights when no longer in use
each day. The City will set field lights to automatically turn off thirty (30) minutes after each
day’s end time.
The City reserves the right to adjust field allocations as necessary based on games lost
due to inclement weather, upon request.
IV. Communication
In working with the City’s approved athletic association programs, the Department of
Community Services shall:
• Provide board member orientation on an annual basis for all athletic association board
members/representatives
• Meet with key athletic association board members/representatives at least one month
prior to each season to discuss the details and logistics for the upcoming season
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• Meet with key athletic association board members/representatives as needed
throughout the year
• Provide, manage and monitor the City’s athleticfields@ci.southlake.tx.us email for all
communications related to field scheduling
In working with the City, the City’s approved athletic association programs shall:
• Designate one (1) person as the association’s field manager that will serve as the one
(1) point of contact for all day-to-day communications related to field usage, scheduling
and maintenance requests
• Submit season start and end dates no less than 60 days prior to the beginning of each
season to the City via email athleticfields@ci.southlake.tx.us
• Submit enrollment numbers no less that two (2) weeks
prior to the beginning of the season and prior to submitting the complete schedule for
practices/scrimmages and games needed for the season
• Submit a complete schedule request for practices/scrimmages and games (field
number, age group, dates, times) no less than two (2) weeks prior to the beginning of
the season to the City via email athleticfields@ci.southlake.tx.us in the format
designated by the City
• Athletic associations agree to make a diligent effort to utilize all space and time
requested at the beginning of each season. Consistently unused field space may be
reallocated for alternative uses by the City in future seasons at the City's sole discretion
• Submit requests to reschedule games no less than one (1) business day in advance
to the City via email athleticfields@ci.southlake.tx.us (Note: All requests to reschedule
games must be approved by the City). Requests not received prior to one (1) business
day will not be honored
• Submit requests to reschedule games that require the reconfiguration/restriping of
fields at least three (3) business days in advance to the City via email
athleticfields@ci.southlake.tx.us
• Schedule all necessary sports field lights for practices/scrimmages and games by
using the Musco Control-Link password assigned to the field manager
• Submit the names, addresses, e-mail addresses and phone numbers of all officers and
board members no less than two (2) weeks after election or appointment
• Submit field maintenance fee payment with rosters of all participants including name,
age, gender, residency, league played in (Recreational or Select), and all other
information requested to complete seasonal report no less than two (2) weeks after the
season
• The athletic association president or board representative shall attend one Parks &
Recreation Board meeting annually for the purpose of making a presentation
addressing the state of the athletic association and to discuss any other items related
to the program
V. Field Care & Maintenance
In maintaining and preparing fields for play, the City shall:
• Ensure all parks and athletic facilities are safe, available and ready for play based on
the approved schedules submitted by the associations
• Provide & maintain all area and athletic field/court lighting systems
• Maintain the restrooms in a safe and sanitary condition
• Be responsible for the operation and maintenance of the irrigation system
• Provide electrical power for the operation of the scoreboards
• Maintain/repair the scoreboards
• Perform all turf maintenance
o Mowing
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o Fertilization
o weed control/herbicide spraying
▪ may require up to 24 hours field closure
▪ City will give a 48 hour notice
▪ City will not close a field with a scheduled game
• Prepare game fields for games Monday through Friday; including painting/chalking all
field lines, as necessary for regularly scheduled and properly rescheduled games.
(Note: Fields will not be prepared for any game(s) that are not on the City approved
schedule.)
• Provide contract porter services on weekends. The porter service schedule will be set
as deemed appropriate by the Parks Manager or designee. The porter service will be
limited to cleaning restrooms and the removal of full trash bags from the trash
receptacles as needed.
• Provide litter collection
• Perform all clay and turf maintenance to include adding clay, clay renovation, and
cutting infield arcs and base paths
• Provide clay, sand, soil, etc. to be used in leveling or backfilling low areas when
deemed necessary
• Maintain all back-stops, fences, gates, dugouts and bleachers in a safe and secure
condition
• Provide and install field equipment (bases, pitching rubbers, goals, etc.)
Authorized users shall:
• Be responsible for daily policing of all litter at the facility to include playing areas,
dugouts, fences, backstops, bleachers, concession stands and adjacent grounds
• Place all litter in the bins, cans, and receptacles provided by the City. Note: If within
the City’s judgment, the authorized user does not comply with litter collection, a
notification letter will be issued by the City requesting immediate compliance. Further
non-compliance will result in a fee of $35.00 per hour/per staff member for litter clean
up
• Be prohibited from performing any maintenance to any City property
• Secure the facility when leaving (lock storage rooms, lock concession stands, secure
scoreboard controllers, lock all field gates and building doors, turn off all field lights,
interior building lights, and pavilion lights)
• Be appropriately trained by City staff on the use of any field prep supplies and hand
equipment if the association desires to prep fields more frequently than what is
provided by the City
VI. Field Closures
Athletic fields will be closed to allow for the ongoing maintenance required to provide
athletic fields that meet the Southlake standard.
• All grass athletic fields are closed during the months of December & January
• All grass athletic fields will be closed for twelve (12) consecutive days during the City’s
maintenance periods in June
o The City will attempt to rotate grass fields and split maintenance on fields in an
effort to keep half of the fields open for practices
o Maintenance during this period includes:
▪ Mowing/Verti-cutting as necessary (if heavy buildup of thatch)
▪ Aeration / Top dressing / Fertilization of fields
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▪ Over-seeding/sod replacement in heavy wear spots (City to determine
which fields one (1) month prior. Requires 10-20 days for seed
germination or time for sod to take root)
▪ Watering time needed to water in fertilizer and keep any seed or sod moist
to allow for germination and to take root
▪ Infield and complex maintenance
• Heavy use rectangular grass athletic fields (football/lacrosse/soccer) will be closed for
two (2) weeks in September/October to allow for overseeding with rye grass
o Depending on the weather, the City will make every possible effort to work with
authorized users to schedule the overseeding around game schedules
All Athletic fields may also be closed due to inclement weather and/or safety concerns.
Field closures due to inclement weather may be necessary if it is raining at game/practice
time, if the fields/courts are too wet, and/or in the interest of participant safety and/or
preservation of good playing surfaces. The procedures for inclement weather field closures
are as follows:
• Weekdays
o Inspect grass athletic fields by 3:00PM
o Make a decision based upon field condition or anticipated weather conditions
o All closures will be listed on the following website
www.teamsideline.com/southlake which is updated Monday through Friday by
4:00PM
o The Parks Manager or designee will have the final responsibility for canceling
games with regards to field conditions for weekday games
o If the conditions are marginal, the field information may include a notice that such
conditions are subject to change with an updated notification by 4:00PM
o After games have begun and inclement weather becomes a factor, association
officials shall follow the same guidelines as City staff for deciding cancellation or
postponement
• Weekends
o If a final decision for the weekend is not possible at 3:00PM Friday, the Parks
Manager or designee familiar with the athletic fields will monitor the weather and
field conditions throughout the weekend and make decisions on field closure as
needed
o Inspect Athletic Fields by 7:00AM on Saturday and Sunday (Note: Every effort will
be made to ensure all fields are inspected by 7:00AM, however, due to the number
of fields it may take longer depending on the specific situation)
o The City Field Closure Line (817) 748-8028 will also be updated by 8:00AM for
Saturday and Sunday games. (Note: The website is only updated Monday –
Friday)
o Status for Saturday & Sunday afternoon/evening games may be reevaluated at the
discretion of the Parks Manager or designee at 11:00AM and the field decision will
be made prior to Noon that day
o The decision of the Parks Manager or designee shall be final
VII. Field Rentals – Organized Use
The City may, in its discretion, make certain athletic fields or time blocks available for organized
team rental use when such use is consistent with City Council objectives, City program priorities,
approved Parks Facilities Utilization Agreement obligati ons, operational needs, maintenance
requirements, and the overall public interest. This section is intended only to authorize the City to
offer organized team rentals in appropriate circumstances. The City retains full authority to
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determine whether organized team rentals will be permitted, and if so, the fields, times, duration,
frequency, conditions, priorities, and rates applicable to such rentals.
• Athletic field rentals for organized team use may be allowed at the City’s discretion
based on the field use priority outlined in this policy.
• Athletic field rentals for organized team use will be offered at the rates outlined in
the City of Southlake Municipal Fee Schedule.
• Priority for organized team use rentals will be given to organizations that have
approved partnerships with City of Southlake FUA partners and serve as the select
option for current FUA organizations. This priority will be limited to one partnership
per FUA and limited to teams with resident participants.
• Rentals will be available for one time use and/or seasonal or annual contracts
within available time slots.
Preference may be given to longer term contracts.
If field availability is limited or other space considerations require prioritization among organized
team rental requests, the City may consider the percentage of Southlake resident participants on
each team, together with any other factors deemed relevant by the Director of Community Services,
in determining priority.
• The City of Southlake reserves the right to designate fields and/or time blocks as
available for organized team rentals based on seasonal demand, City programs,
FUA needs, maintenance requirements, and other operational considerations, as
determined by the Director of Community Services or designee.
VIII. Tournaments
The City realizes the importance of athletic tournaments. These events have a major
impact on the local economy, as well as provide a revenue source for the City and the
City’s approved athletic association programs. The City may provide athletic facilities for
organizations requesting to host a tournament in Southlake.
All tournament requests must be submitted to the City and shall only be authorized by the
City through its Tournament Facilities Utilization Agreement.
Tournament approvals are based on field availability, and will not interfere with previously
approved, scheduled City or approved athletic association program usage.
The City reserves the right to designate certain dates or weekends as tournament hold
dates for any park or field, provided that the CITY gives reasonable advance notice to
affected FUA partners when practicable.
All FUA partners will maintain their ability to host one recreational-based tournament per
season and must share intention to do so along with anticipated dates/times and field
needs, 30 days prior to the beginning of each season
IX. Concessions
All food/beverage related concession operations are provided either by the approved athletic
association programs or by the City as per the City’s Concessions Stand Agreement.
X. Vendors
All potential vendors must be pre-approved by the City along with a list of merchandise offered.
No vendor will be allowed to sell any merchandise without the approval of the City and may
not be in competition with items sold by the concessionaire. Vendor fees apply. Vendor
trailers will be restricted to designated areas located within the parking lot. All vendors must
be pre-approved by the City and, where required, must obtain all applicable permits and
licenses before operating on City property.
XI. Building Access & Vehicle Permits
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The City will work with the association to determine the appropriate number of key fobs
and vehicle permits to be issued.
The City will issue key fobs to authorized approved athletic association program
representatives for access to concession stands and storage rooms.
The association may request permission in writing to utilize a golf cart or workman type
utility vehicle on City property. If approved, a permit will be issued by the City to the
association on a per vehicle basis. Misuse of the vehicle, as determined by t he City, may
result in the cancellation of the permit and ability of the association to use these vehicles.
The association may request permission in writing to allow specific association
representatives to drive their automobiles into the complex on the pedestrian pathways.
The permit will only be issued by the City to association representatives responsible for the
delivery of concession and building supplies to the concession/restroom/storage facilities.
The permit allows for the drop-off and pick-up of concession and building supplies. At no
time, may an automobile be parked inside the complex, as these area s are reserved for
pedestrians only. All automobiles must be parked in the parking lot. The association must
contact the Department of Community Services for a permit. Violators may be ticketed by
Southlake Police.
XII. Lightning Prediction System
The City has implemented the Perry Weather Lightning Prediction System in its community
parks.
Lightning is a severe hazard that must be viewed seriously. Everyone should seek shelter
any time they believe lightning threatens them, even if a signal has NOT been sounded.
You will be warned by Perry Weather lightning prediction system, which sounds ONE 15
second blast of the horn signaling suspension of ALL activities, the strobe light will begin
flashing and remain flashing until safe conditions return. You should seek immediate shelter.
Activities may resume after THREE 5 second blasts of the horn are sounded and the strobe
light stops flashing.
XIII. Park Regulations
The following regulations and restrictions are prescribed for the use of City parks:
• Alcoholic beverages prohibited. It shall be unlawful for any person to possess or
consume any alcoholic beverage in any City park.
• Riding, driving or walking horses in any City park. Except on designated horse
trails, it shall be unlawful for any person to walk, drive or ride a horse or horses
within any City park.
• Riding or driving off-road motorized vehicles in any City park. Except on
designated off-road trails, it shall be unlawful for any person to drive or ride an off-
road vehicle within any City park. For the purposes of this section, an off -road
vehicle is a motorized vehicle designed and equipped for use off any paved
roadway with such definition to specifically include off-road motor bikes, go-carts,
and dune buggies.
• Vehicular traffic prohibited in certain areas. Except in designated overflow parking
areas, it shall be unlawful for any motor vehicle to stand, stop, and park or cross
onto or into any portion of a City park other than upon a roadway or parking area
so designated for such purposes.
• Time limitations on public use of park. Except for a City sponsored event, it shall
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be unlawful for any person to use, enter into or be within a City park during any
posted hours which the park is closed.
• Littering. Littering is hereby prohibited in any City park. Littering shall include
leaving trash or other items by persons picnicking within a City park and not placing
trash and other items in appropriate trash receptacles provided in such park.
• Firearms prohibited. It shall be unlawful for any person to carry on or about himself
or to discharge a gun, pistol, rifle, or other firearm within any City park except that
a person duly licensed by the state to carry a concealed handgun may carry a
concealed handgun in accordance with state law. Nothing in this Policy is intended
to prohibit conduct that Texas law permits or to authorize conduct that Texas law
prohibits.
• Bicycles, skates, etc. It shall be unlawful for any person to ride a bicycle, scooter,
skate board, in-line skates, or roller skates on any tennis court or basketball court
owned or leased by the City, or in any other public areas posted by the City.
• Hitting golf balls prohibited. Except in designated areas, it shall be unlawful for any
person to hit golf balls in City parks.
• Smoking prohibited except in designated areas. It shall be unlawful to smoke in
bleachers, dugouts, or other congested outdoor areas at City parks.
• Glass containers prohibited in City parks. It shall be unlawful for any person to
possess a glass container in a City park.
• Defacing public property.
o No person shall remove, destroy, mutilate, or deface any structure,
monument, statue, vase, fountain, wall, fence, railing, vehicle, bench,
building or other property located in any public park.
o No person shall cut, break, deface, injure, or remove the trees, shrubs,
plants, grasses, or turf within any public park.
• Wild animals. It shall be unlawful to catch, injure, kill, strike, or attempt to strike
with any object or weapon any animals within a public park, excluding fish, which
may be obtained in designated fishing areas following the rules and regulations
established by the state.
• Climbing, etc., prohibited. It shall be unlawful to climb any trees or walk, stand or
sit upon monuments, vases, fountains, walls, fences, railings, vehicles, or any
other property not designated or customarily used for such purposes in any
public park.
• Pollution of waters. It shall be unlawful to throw, discharge to, or otherwise place
or cause to be placed in the waters of any fountain, pond, lake, stream, or other
body of water in or adjacent to any park or any tributary, stream, storm sewer, or
drain flowing into such waters any substance, matter, or anything liquid or solid,
which will or may result in the pollution of said waters.
• Boating and swimming. It shall be unlawful to swim, wade, boat, or canoe in any
area unless such area is designated for that purpose; provided, however, the
Director of Community Services may permit the temporary occurrence of such
activities for special programs and events.
• Closing of game fields. The Director of Community Services or his designated
representative is authorized to assign any game field owned or leased by the City
as a closed field for maintenance or to protect the surface of the game field from
damage. It shall be unlawful for non-City employees to go upon a game field
which has been designated as a closed field and has posted a sign indicating
that "Field is closed. Trespassing on a closed field could result in a $250.00 -
$500.00 fine."
• Erecting structures prohibited.
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o No person shall place or erect any structure, sign, bulletin board, post,
pole, or advertising of any kind in a public park, and no stakes may be
driven into the ground.
o No person shall attach to any tree, shrub, fence, railing, post, or structure
within any public park, any sign, bulletin board, or other advertising
device of any kind.
o The prohibitions contained in subsections a. and b. of this section shall
not be applicable to persons acting pursuant to and with the written
authorization of the Director of Community Services or his designee.
• Projectile devices. No person shall possess, fire, or discharge a device capable
of propelling a projectile, including without limitation, any air gun, pistol, bow and
arrow, cross bow, or sling shot in a public park; provided, however, the Director
of Community Services may permit the temporary occurrence of such activities in
a public park for special programs and events.
• Sale of merchandise. It shall be unlawful for any person to sell or offer for sale
any food, drinks, confections, merchandise, or services in any park or playground
unless such person has a written agreement or permit issued by the City
permitting the sale of such items in such park or playground. This section shall
have no application to sports organizations or social organizations selling items
to their own members, or at functions sanctioned by the City.
• Sound amplification. It shall be unlawful to use any type of sound amplification
system in a public park without the written consent of the Director of Community
Services.
XIV. City Ordinance
Leashing or chaining. It shall be unlawful for an owner to allow any animal to run at large
and not be restrained by means of a leash or chain of sufficient strength and length to
control the actions of such animal while on public property or on property other than that of
the owner of the animal. (Note: Does not apply to Dog Park)
Use of fire pits are allowed in designated areas. Fires may be prohibited entirely if a fire
ban is in effect.
Revised Date: March 6, 2018 Approved by: City Council
Original Approval Date: June 21, 2016 Approved by: City Council
Recommendation Date: June 6, 2016 Recommended by: Parks & Recreation Board
Recommendation Date: June 1, 2016 Recommended by: City Council/Parks & Recreation Board Athletics Task Force
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Appendix B
Recommended City of Southlake Tournament Policy
City of Southlake
Policies and Procedures
Policy: Tournament Policy
Source: City Council
Category: Community Services Department
X. Guiding Principles
The City of Southlake recognizes the importance of athletic tournaments. These events
have a favorable impact on the local economy, as well as provide a revenue source for the
City and the City’s approved athletic association programs.
The City may from time to time make City owned athletic facilities available for
organizations requesting to host a tournament in Southlake and will use the Tournament
Strategy below as a guide for determining frequency, location and timing for tournaments .
All tournament requests must be submitted to the City. The utilization of City owned athletic
facilities for tournaments may only be authorized by the City’s Director of Community
Services or his/her designee through a Tournament Facilities Utilization Agreement.
Tournament approvals are based on pre-determined tournament dates or field availability,
and will not interfere with previously approved, City or athletic association program usage.
The Southlake City Council has adopted this Tournament Policy to ensure the most
appropriate allocation of City owned athletic facility assets for tournaments.
The Policy will guide the management and provision of the City’s athletic facilities for all
tournaments (excluding those held at The Marq Southlake, the Southlake Tennis Center
and the Southlake Pickleball Complex).
XI. Tournament Strategy
The City of Southlake will seek to proactively host up to 15 revenue -generating
tournaments per calendar year.
The City will prioritize the pursuit of Regional, State and National Level Tournaments that
generate a higher level of economic benefit for the City.
The City will seek to recover a minimum 100% of direct costs for every tournament hosted.
The City will have a minimum of 1 staff member on-site at all Tournaments.
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The City reserves the right to require EMS/Security personnel to be on -site at the expense
of the organizer.
The City will seek to create availability during peak Tournament windows and may build
availability into FUA use windows as outlined in the Policy for Provision of Athletic Facilities.
The City will adopt a marketing strategy for recruiting tournaments and local hotel
participation.
The City will continue to offer one (1) free recreational based tournament per season to all
Athletic Association Partners.
XII. Management
The Department of Community Services is charged with overseeing all aspects of the City’s
Park and Recreation system, including the management and allocation of all athletic
facilities as per the Policy for the Provision of Athletic Facilities and this Tournament Policy
to ensure we are Serving Our Customers, Managing the Business, and Providing Financial
Stewardship of these City-owned assets.
The Department has developed the following objectives to guide its business operations
related to the management of the park and recreation system.
• Collaborate with select partners to implement service solutions
• Enhance resident quality of life & business vitality through sports tourism
• Provide world-class services through efficient management of resources
• Provide and maintain world-class parks and community facilities within budget
XIII. Athletic Field Usage
As detailed within the City’s Policy for the Provision of Athletic Facilities, the City’s athletic
fields may be utilized for tournament play as authorized by the City’s Director of Community
Services or his/her designee.
Tournaments and games cannot begin prior to 8:00 a.m. and should generally
conclude by 10:00 p.m. on Sundays through Thursdays and 11:00 p.m. on Fridays
and Saturdays. (Note: usage of premises at North Park facilities shall
conclude by 9:00 p.m. each day). Access to the complex and fields will be
allowed one (1) hour prior to start of tournament play.
Tournaments may be subject to a maximum number of teams based on the
location of the tournament and other activities previously scheduled at or common
uses of the park.
XIV. Communication
Communication between the City and Tournament Provider is essential.
The City shall:
• Designate one (1) person as the point of contact for all day-to-day communications
related to field usage, scheduling, logistics and maintenance leading up to the
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tournament. In addition, City will provide Tournament Provider with the cell phone
number of City staff working on site during the tournament
The Tournament Provider shall:
• Designate one (1) person as the point of contact for all day-to-day communications
related to field usage, scheduling, logistics and maintenance leading up to the
tournament. In addition, Tournament Provider will provide City with the cell phone
number of the Site Director for each complex used during the tournament
• Submit completed pre-tournament data form with Tournament Facilities Utilization
Agreement
• Submit tournament start and end dates with Tournament Facilities Utilization
Agreement
• Submit max number of teams participating in the tournament with the Tournament
Facilities Utilization Agreement
• Submit a complete tournament schedule including dates, times, field number and field
dimension requirements a minimum of 48 hours prior to the first tournament game in
the format designated by the City
XV. Tournament Fees
The Tournament Provider shall submit the tournament fee payment as per the terms of the
Tournament Facilities Utilization Agreement (EXHIBIT “A” ATTACHED).
The Tournament Provider shall not require gate fees nor prohibit access to common park amenities
when hosting tournaments. Provider may include gate fees in their team fees as an alternative
option.
XVI. Field Care & Maintenance
In maintaining the complex and preparing fields for all tournament play, the City shall:
• Ensure all parks and athletic facilities are safe, available and ready for play based on
the approved schedules submitted by the Tournament Provider and approved by the
City
• Provide & maintain all area and athletic field/court lighting systems
• Maintain the restrooms in a safe and sanitary condition throughout the tournament
• Be responsible for the operation and maintenance of the irrigation system
• Provide electrical power for the operation of the scoreboards
• Provide scoreboard controllers as requested (see Agreement for applicable fee)
• Maintain/repair the scoreboards and scoreboard controllers
• Perform all turf maintenance
o Mowing
o Fertilization
o Weed control/Herbicide spraying
• Prepare game fields prior to the start of each tournament day, including
painting/chalking all field lines, as necessary per the approved schedule. If time and
schedules allow, the City will drag and perform infield maintenance throughout the day
as requested
• Provide contract porter services throughout the tournament. The porter service
schedule will be set as deemed appropriate by the Parks Manager or designee, and
will be limited to cleaning restrooms and the removal of full trash bags from the trash
receptacles as needed.
• Ensure trash/recycle receptacles are emptied as needed
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• Perform all clay and turf maintenance to include adding clay, clay renovation, and
cutting infield arcs and base paths
• Provide clay, sand, soil, etc. to be used in leveling or backfilling low areas when
deemed necessary
• Maintain all back-stops, fences, gates, dugouts and bleachers in a safe and secure
condition
• Provide and install field equipment (bases, pitching rubbers, goals, etc.)
Tournament Provider shall:
• Be responsible for daily policing of all litter at the facility to include playing areas,
dugouts, fences, backstops, bleachers, concession stands and adjacent grounds
• Place all litter in the trash/recycle receptacles provided by the City. Be prohibited from
performing any maintenance to any City property
• Be appropriately trained by City staff on the use of any field prep supplies and hand
equipment if the Tournament Provider desires to prep fields more frequently than
what is provided by the City
• Adhere to all prohibitions specific to artificial turf as outlined below:
o No Metal Spikes
o No Food, Sunflower Seeds & Glass
o No Chewing Gum
o No Smoking or Fires
o No Animals
o No Motorized Vehicles, Scooters or Bicycles
o No hanging on netting
XVII. Field Closures
Athletic fields may be closed due to inclement weather or safety concerns. Field closures
due to inclement weather may be necessary if it is raining at game time, if the fields/courts
are too wet, or in the interest of participant safety or to preserve facility playing surfaces.
The procedures for field closure are as follows:
• Inspect grass athletic fields two hours prior to start of tournament play
• Make a decision based upon field conditions or anticipated weather conditions
• List any closures on the website www.teamsideline.com/southlake
• The Parks Manager or designee will have the final authority for canceling games with
regard to field conditions
• If the conditions are marginal, the field information may include a notice that such
conditions are subject to change, with an updated notification
• After games have begun and the weather becomes a factor, the Tournament Provider
shall consult with on-site City staff for deciding cancellation or postponement
• The decision of the City shall be final
If the tournament is canceled due to field closure prior to the commencement of play, the
deposit will be refunded or may be applied to a future tournament.
XVIII. Concessions
All food/beverage-related concession operations may only be provided either by the approved
athletic association programs or by the City. The athletic association programs or the City will
RECREATION AND ATHLETICS TASK FORCE | CITY OF SOUTHLAKE | experiencesouthlake.com
RECREATION AND ATHLETICS TASK FORCE REPORT PAGE 24
retain 100% of all concession sales. If neither the athletic association program nor City is able
to provide concessions for the tournament, the Tournament Provider can choose to bring in a
licensed food vendor. The food vendor must be pre-approved by the City, apply for a food
vendor permit, and pay all applicable fees.
IX. Vendors
All potential vendors must apply for and be granted a permit by the City, along with a list of
merchandise offered. No vendor will be allowed to sell any merchandise without a permit.
Vendor merchandise may not be in competition with items sold by the concessionaire. Vendor
trailers will be restricted to designated areas located within the parking lot.
X. Vehicle Permits
The Tournament Provider may request permission in writing to utilize a golf cart or
workman-type utility vehicle on City property. If approved, a permit will be issued by the
City to the Tournament Provider on a per-vehicle basis. Misuse of the vehicle, as
determined by the City, may result in the cancellation of the permit and ability of the
Tournament Provider to use these vehicles.
All automobiles must be parked in the parking lot. At no time may an automobile be parked
inside the complex, as these areas are reserved for pedestrians only. Violators may be
ticketed by Southlake Police.
XI. Event Sponsors, Signs and Banners
Event sponsors must be pre-approved by the City to ensure that the sponsor complies with
City policies and procedures. Event signs, banners and locations for display must also be
pre-approved by the City.
XII. Lightning Prediction System
The City has implemented the Perry Weather Lighting Prediction System in its community
parks. Lightning is a severe hazard that must be viewed seriously. The lighting prediction
system guidelines detailed within the Tournament Facilities Utilization Agreement shall be
utilized.