1. (a) Program purpose and priorities. All grant applications submitted to the department for outdoor recreation programs are evaluated for program eligibility and prioritized according to the Project Priority Scoring System set forth in this section. Scored applications are presented to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission for approval. In general, recommended priorities for outdoor recreation projects are:

   1. (1) to ensure sponsor performance on active grants and compliance at previously assisted grant sites;
   2. (2) to recognize and reward local planning;
   3. (3) to increase recreational diversity;
   4. (4) to increase water-related park and recreation opportunities;
   5. (5) to improve geographic distribution of park and recreation opportunities;
   6. (6) to maximize the use of funds for basic park and recreation opportunities;
   7. (7) to improve park and recreation opportunities for low income, minority, elderly and youth-at-risk citizens;
   8. (8) to reward cooperative efforts between park and recreation providers and other governmental and/or educational entities;
   9. (9) to reward partnerships between local sponsors and the private sector;
   10. (10) to preserve significant natural resources through public land acquisition and stewardship;
   11. (11) to renovate existing, obsolete park and recreation areas and facilities;
   12. (12) to promote wise use of natural resources;
   13. (13) to provide linear greenbelt linkages to parks, neighborhoods, or public facilities; and
   14. (14) to encourage the appreciation and preservation of cultural resources.

2. (b) Local master plan standard requirements. Minimum master plan standards must be met to qualify for priority points. Local sponsors may submit applications without having a department-approved master plan; however, only those proposals that address priority needs identified in approved plans will receive priority points under the provisions of subsection (c)(7) of this section. Master plans must have been received in an approvable format at least 60 days prior to the application submission deadline at which time credit is sought. The following are minimum master plan standards:

   1. (1) Proof of adoption. The plan must be formally endorsed by the applicable governing body of the sponsor, and the endorsement must be included with the document.
   2. (2) Jurisdiction-wide scope. The plan must be comprehensive and assess the entire jurisdiction area of the project sponsor. County plans must cover the entire county, and city or district plans must cover the entire city or district. For large urban areas, the plan should cover the entire jurisdiction, and then may break the jurisdiction down into regions, sectors, precincts, districts, etc., as appropriate.
   3. (3) Plan duration. The plan must specifically identify the time period within which the goals and objectives of the plan are to be carried out. Plans should cover a minimum five-year period. If a plan is more than two years old, a brief summary of plan accomplishments to date must be provided to enable the department to recognize and credit program progress. Any revision of priorities other than an update of accomplishments must present a new priority listing justified by additional public input. Plans older than 5 years will be considered obsolete and new plans will be required.

   4. (4) Plan content. The following information should be included in the document:

      1. (A) introduction;
      2. (B) goals and objectives;
      3. (C) plan development process (discuss when the planning process began, plan phases, public input received, survey/studies conducted, committees and/or personnel involved, etc.);

      4. (D) area/facility concepts and standards, including:

         1. (i) population/area service and acreage goals;
         2. (ii) "typical" park and facility standards; and
         3. (iii) applicable local codes, ordinances, and other requirements for community or neighborhood development.
      5. (E) inventory of existing park, recreation and open space areas and facilities (including schools).
      6. (F) needs assessment and identification. Information under this subparagraph shall be area- and facility-specific, and may include basic support facilities/infrastructure which are critical to the recreational experience. A discussion and identification of open space needs in the master plan, or a separate open space plan, shall be included.

      7. (G) prioritization of needs. Applicant shall include:

         1. (i) a single priority list in which all outdoor and indoor needs are ranked; and
         2. (ii) plan implementation recommendations, including a timeline and discussion of resources for meeting priorities (must identify and prioritize which needs are to be met, where and when).
      8. (H) illustrations, maps, charts, surveys, etc.

3. (c) Outdoor recreation project priority scoring system.

   1. (1) Outdoor recreation projects presented to the commission shall be scored according to the criteria, rating factors, and point values set forth in this subsection.
   2. (2) The priority ranking of a project will depend on its score in relation to the scores of other projects under consideration.
   3. (3) Funding of projects will depend on the availability of TRPA funds.
   4. (4) Projects which have not been approved after two considerations by the commission, without alterations to significantly raise the project score, shall be returned to the sponsor and not accepted for resubmission.
   5. (5) Each site of a multiple-site project shall be scored individually. Individual site scores will be weighted on a pro-rata share of the total budget for the entire project. All weighted scores will be added together for the total project score.
   6. (6) If the sponsor is in full compliance at previously assisted grant project sites and is progressing on schedule with all active grant projects in accordance with the provisions of this subchapter, the application will be scored and presented for award consideration. If the sponsor does not meet the requirements of this paragraph, the application will not be scored or considered further.

   7. (7) A project proposal meeting the requirements of paragraph (6) of this subsection shall be evaluated according to:

      1. (A) the extent that the project will satisfy the priority recreation needs (PRN) identified in the master plan required by subsection (c)(7)(A) of this section. Consideration of "need" for this criterion includes basic support facilities/infrastructure critical to the park and recreation experience. Eligible support facilities/infrastructure are limited to restrooms, roads and parking, area lighting (to ensure public safety), utilities essential to eligible support facilities, irrigation, and land acquisition. Scoring shall be as follows, up to a total of 20 points.

         1. (i) for satisfying PRN 1 only: 10 points.

         2. (ii) for satisfying PRN in the order listed in the master plan:

            1. (I) PRN 1 and 2: 15 points;
            2. (II) PRN 1 through 3: 16 points;
            3. (III) PRN 1 through 4: 17 points;
            4. (IV) PRN 1 through 5: 18 points;
            5. (V) PRN 1 through 6: 19 points; or
            6. (VI) PRN 1 through 7: 20 points.
         3. (iii) for satisfying PRN 1 and 2, but satisfying remaining PRN in other than the order listed in the master plan, 1 point will be awarded for three satisfied PRN lower than any unsatisfied PRN, up to the maximum point total allowed.
         4. (iv) for satisfying PRN 2 only: 5 points.
         5. (v) for satisfying PRN 2, but satisfying remaining PRN lower than 2 in other than the order listed in the master plan, 1 point will be awarded for three satisfied PRN up to the maximum point total allowed.
         6. (vi) for satisfying PRN 3 only: 1 point.
         7. (vii) for satisfying PRN 3, but satisfying remaining PRN lower than 3 in other than the order listed in the master plan, 1 point will be awarded for three satisfied PRN up to the maximum point total allowed.
      2. (B) the extent to which the project will provide diversity of park and recreation opportunities/facilities. Priority points for this criterion shall be awarded based on the number of park and recreation opportunities/facilities provided within the intended service area. One point will be awarded for each type of facility, up to a total of 10 points.

      3. (C) the extent to which the project will provide improved natural water-based park and recreation opportunities, up to a total of 11 points.

         1. (i) project provides direct and complementary park and recreation or conservation opportunities which do not degrade the resource along quality water bodies, for no more than one of the following:

            1. (I) coast, lake, or reservoir: 6 points;
            2. (II) bay or estuary: 5 points;
            3. (III) river: 4 points;
            4. (IV) stream (continuous flow): 3 points;
            5. (V) pond: 2 points; or
            6. (VI) wetland: 1 - 5 points, dependent upon size and quality.

         2. (ii) project proposes the acquisition of land that would provide needed public access to park and recreational waters, for no more than one of the following:

            1. (I) coast, lake, or reservoir: 5 points;
            2. (II) bay or estuary: 4 points;
            3. (III) river: 3 points;
            4. (IV) stream (continuous flow): 2 points; or
            5. (V) pond: 1 point.

      4. (D) the extent to which the project will improve the geographic distribution of park and recreation lands and facilities in the project's service area or within the sponsor's jurisdiction, up to a total of 25 points.

         1. (i) project provides the first public recreation opportunity in the sponsor's jurisdiction or intended service area: 25 points; or
         2. (ii) project provides the first public park or significantly new and different park and recreation opportunity (other than school facilities) in the sponsor's jurisdiction or intended service area: 15-20 points. Points for this item shall be awarded based on the percentage of construction budget (minimum of 20%), significance to the community, and originality, as follows: new and different facility costs, divided by total construction costs, multiplied by 6.
      5. (E) the extent to which the project maximizes the use of development funds for facilities which provide direct park and recreation opportunities, up to a total of 25 points, determined by dividing the direct recreational facilities costs by the total construction costs and multiplying the result by 25. "Total Facilities Costs" includes park/recreation and support/infrastructure facilities, contingency, and all required program signage costs in excess of $1,000.

      6. (F) the extent to which the project improves park and recreation opportunities for low income, minority, elderly or youth-at-risk citizens, up to a total of 16 points.

         1. (i) project improves opportunities for low-income citizens in areas where such action is needed: determined by multiplying the percentage of population qualifying as low income by 4. Maximum of 4 points.
         2. (ii) project improves opportunities for minority citizens in areas where such action is needed: determined by multiplying the percentage of population qualifying as minority by 4. Maximum of 4 points.
         3. (iii) project improves opportunities for the elderly in areas where such action is needed: 1 point for each facility, typically passive activities, except where facilities are designed specifically for an elderly user group). Maximum of 4 points.
         4. (iv) project provides opportunities for youth-at-risk where such action is needed: 1 point for each program offered for youth-at-risk. Sponsor must describe/define the youth-at-risk population and demonstrate how facilities proposed in the application will be specifically programmed. Maximum of 4 points.

      7. (G) the extent to which the project involves cooperation between the sponsor and other governmental or educational institutions to provide park and recreation opportunities at the project site(s). Maximum of 25 points.

         1. (i) project involves the contribution of resources from other governmental or educational institutions, which serves as all or part of the sponsor's matching share of funds. Up to 15 points may be awarded for this item. Points shall be awarded on a percentage basis, dependent on the amount of matching funds provided by the other governmental/educational institution, determined by dividing the total contribution value by the total match and multiplying the result by 15.
         2. (ii) project area is owned by another governmental or educational institution and will be permanently dedicated for public park and recreation use through a land donation, permanent non-revocable lease, or permanent park and recreation or conservation easement: 5 points.
         3. (iii) project involves cooperation between the sponsor and other governmental or educational institutions and resources are contributed to the overall project for non-grant assisted facilities (example: a county constructs roads/parking facilities for a city, but no grant funds are requested for roads/parking): 1 point per activity, to a maximum of 5 points.

      8. (H) the extent to which the project involves donations of land, cash, labor, equipment and/or materials from the private sector as part or all of the sponsor's matching share of the project. Priority points shall be awarded on a percentage basis, dependent on the amount of matching share funds to be received through donations. Maximum of 15 points.

         1. (i) project provides private land and/or cash donations from the private sector as part or all of the sponsor's matching share of the project, determined by dividing the contribution value by the total match and multiplying the result by 15. Maximum of 15 points.
         2. (ii) project provides donated labor, equipment and/or materials from the private sector as part or all of the sponsor's matching share of the project, determined by dividing the contribution value by the total match and multiplying the result by 10. Maximum of 10 points.

      9. (I) the extent to which the project provides for the acquisition and preservation/conservation of park and recreation lands which consist of unique or significant natural resources, provide needed open space, or provide needed parkland for future development. Total point range: 10-40 points for not more than one of the following:

         1. (i) project provides for the acquisition and preservation/conservation of a federal, state, regional, or local government identified natural area which is recognized in an acceptable, published planning document for having valuable or vulnerable natural resources, ecological processes, or rare, threatened, or endangered species of vegetation or wildlife: 40 points;
         2. (ii) project provides for the acquisition and preservation/conservation of a significant wetland area, recognized by TPW, which is usable for recreation, and meets at least one "threshold criteria" as defined in the National Wetlands Priority Conservation Plan (based on significance of acreage and quality): 30-35 points; or

         3. (iii) project provides for the acquisition and preservation/conservation of open space land or water for human use and enjoyment that:

            1. (I) is one acre or larger in size, relatively free of man-made structures, whose physical characteristics will support only minimal development (including creek corridors, floodways, and natural drainage basins, but not agricultural fields), and which is identified in an acceptable, published, and adopted local, jurisdiction-wide open space plan or master plan: 20-25 points, based on acreage and quality; or
            2. (II) provides significant native wildlife habitat, as substantiated by a TPW biologist: 20-25 points.
         4. (iv) project provides only for the acquisition of needed recreational land proposed for future development, or land which is located in a densely developed area within the sponsor's jurisdiction: 10 points. No points are awarded for this item if development is proposed.
      10. (J) project provides for the renovation of an existing obsolete park and recreation area or facilities, determined by dividing the renovation cost by the total construction cost and multiplying the result by 5. Maximum of 5 points.
      11. (K) project promotes the conservation of natural resources by the use of activities or techniques such as xeriscape/native plant materials for landscaping, drip or treated effluent irrigation systems, renovation of obsolete lighting systems with more energy efficient systems, recycled materials for facility construction, environmental education and interpretation, significant tree plantings where no trees exist, or other resource conservation measures. 1 point is awarded for each conservation element proposed in the grant, up to a maximum of 5 points.

      12. (L) project provides greenbelt linkage (not to include streets or sidewalks) to other parks and recreation areas, neighborhoods, or public facilities, as follows, up to a maximum of 5 points for not more than one of the following.

          1. (i) park to park: 5 points;
          2. (ii) park to school: 4 points;
          3. (iii) park to neighborhood: 3 points; or
          4. (iv) park to public facility: 1 point.
      13. (M) project provides park and recreation opportunities that enhance and encourage appreciation and preservation of cultural (historical and archaeological) resources: maximum of 5 points. Points for this item are awarded based on the significance of the enhancement.

Source Note:The provisions of this §61.133 adopted to be effective August 31, 2000, 25 TexReg 8409.