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Section 1. Executive Summary This Park Impact Fees Nexus Study ("Study) was prepared pursuant to the "Mitigation Fee Act" as found in Government Code Section 66001 et. seq. and the "Quimby Act" as codified in Government Code Section 66477. The purpose of this Study is to establish the legal and policy basis for calculating the imposition of park fees on new residential development within the unincorporated areas of Contra Costa County ("County"). The County is currently in the process of preparing a Parks and Trails Master Plan ("Master Plan") to provide a "comprehensive and feasible vision" of the park and recreational facility needs of the current and future residents of the unincorporated areas of the County. In order to provide adequate funding to achieve these long-term objectives, this Study proposes three types of park fees, First, the County's parkland dedication requirement and in-lieu fees are updated to reflect current land values and the County's maximum allowable park acreage per capita standard under the Quimby Act. The land and/or fees are required as a condition of subdivision map approval and may be used to develop new or rehabilitate existing parks or recreational facilities. Secondly, a park development impact fee is proposed to finance the costs of park improvements to serve new development. In general, these fees may only be used to develop new park or recreational facilities. They are justified as an offset to the future impact of residential development on the County's existing park and recreational facilities. Lastly, a park and trails master planning fee is proposed, pursuant to AS 2936, to fund park and trails master planning costs attributable to new development. The revenue generated from these fees will fund only a portion of the total estimated costs. Therefore, the County will need to fund the remaining portion from the general fund, grants or other funding sources, In order to impose such fees, this Study will demonstrate that a reasonable relationship or "nexus" exists between new development that occurs within the unincorporated areas of the County and the need for additional developed parkland and recreational facilities as a result of new development. More specifically, this Study will present findings in order to meet the procedural requirements of the Mitigation Fee Act, also known as AS 1600, which are as follows: 1. Identify the purpose of the fee. 2. Identify the use to which the fee is to be put. 3. Determine how there is a reasonable relationship between the fee's use and the type of development project on which the fee is imposed. Park Impact Fee Nexus Study, 2004 County of Contra Costa Page 1 DRAFT REPORT 6-8