The City of New Braunfels requires subdivision applicants (residential only) to dedicate land for parks, or to pay a fee that the City can then use to acquire land or develop park facilities. This is known as the Park Land Dedication Ordinance. The City’s first Park Land Dedication and Development Ordinance was passed in 2006. Since that time, population, land values, and other costs associated with park development have increased; therefore, in 2018 revisited and updated the ordinance to reflect current values.
The basic principle of park land dedication ordinances requires development to proportionately share the burden of meeting the needs of a growing community. As land is subdivided for residential development (growth) the demand for new park amenities is preserved through the dedication of park land, or fees paid in-lieu of land, and park development fees are collected to aid the City in the development neighborhood/community park lands to help meet the demand of the new growth.
More specifically, New Braunfels’ parkland dedication requirements use a formula to determine park land requirements and park development fee calculations. These formulas consider current population, current levels of service, and the current cost of land and construction. These values help to establish the elements of a park land dedication ordinance:
1.) Land Requirement, or a fee-in-lieu of land dedication,
2.) Park Development Fee.
For more information please download the Park Land Dedication Manual. It provides details to the ordinance requirements and process to meet the intent of the 2018 Park Land Ordinance.
Park District Maps: Interactive or PDF
2018 Park Land Dedication Ordinance
2018 Park Land Dedication Manual
2006 Ordinance
Parkland Dedication Overview Presentation