1. (a) Program purpose and priorities. All grant applications submitted to the department for indoor 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. The priority ranking of a project depends on its score in relation to the scores of other projects under consideration. Funding of projects will depend on the availability of TRPA funds. 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. In general, recommended priorities for indoor 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 provide indoor recreational diversity;
   4. (4) to improve geographic distribution and innovative use of indoor recreation facilities;
   5. (5) to reward cooperative efforts between project sponsors and other entities;
   6. (6) to provide for the renovation or adaptive reuse of existing, obsolete indoor recreation or other facilities or structures;
   7. (7) to improve indoor recreation opportunities for low-income, minority, elderly, and youth-at-risk citizens; and
   8. (8) to promote environmentally responsible activities and development.

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) 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, plans should cover the entire jurisdiction, and then break the jurisdiction down into regions, sectors, precincts, districts, etc., as appropriate.
   3. (3) Plan duration. Plans must specifically identify the time period within which the goals and objectives of the plan are to be carried out. The plan should cover a minimum ten-year period. If a plan is more than two years old, a brief summary of plan accomplishments to date, as well as applicable updates of demographics, goals and objectives, standards, and maps 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 10 years will be considered obsolete and new plans will be required. Sponsors with plans approved prior to the year 2000 and later may be extended for another five-year period, provided the plan meets these requirements for updates and is approved by the department.

   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/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) separate priority lists for outdoor and indoor needs;
         2. (ii) if necessary, a map of all specific area(s) intended for open space acquisition and preservation, identified as a need, discussed, and prioritized, if desired;
         3. (iii) where appropriate, a discussion of renovation/redevelopment needs, which may be ranked as a priority; and
         4. (iv) 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). Any revision of priorities other than an update of accomplishments must present a new priority listing justified by additional public input.
      8. (H) illustrations, maps, charts, surveys, etc.

3. (c) Indoor recreation project priority scoring system. 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, an 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. A project proposal meeting the requirements of this paragraph shall be evaluated according to:

   1. (1) the extent to which the project will satisfy the priority indoor recreation needs identified in the master plan required by this section, up to a total of 15 points.

      1. (A) for satisfying priority need 1: 5 points;
      2. (B) for satisfying priority need 2: 4 points;
      3. (C) for satisfying priority need 3: 3 points;
      4. (D) for satisfying priority need 4: 2 points;
      5. (E) for satisfying priority need 5: 1 point.
   2. (2) the extent to which the project will provide diversity of public indoor recreation facilities. Points shall be awarded based on the number of indoor recreation facilities provided. One point will be awarded for each type of facility, up to a maximum of 10 points. Points may be deducted for projects which propose support facilities which do not support recreational activities.

   3. (3) the extent to which the project will improve geographic distribution or innovative use of public indoor recreation facilities. Maximum of 20 points.

      1. (A) project provides the first public indoor recreation facility in the sponsor's jurisdiction or intended service area: 20 points; or
      2. (B) project provides significantly new and different public indoor recreation facilities (other than school facilities) in the sponsor's jurisdiction or intended service area, based on 5 points per opportunity. Maximum of 15 points.

   4. (4) the extent to which the project involves cooperation between the sponsor and other public or private entities to provide public indoor recreation facilities at the project site. Maximum of 20 points.

      1. (A) project involves the contribution of resources, including publicly owned non-parkland, from sources other than the sponsor, which serves as all or part of the sponsor's matching share of funds. Maximum of 15 points. Points shall be awarded on a percentage basis, determined by dividing the total outside contribution value by the total match and multiplying the result by 15.
      2. (B) project involves documented cooperation between the sponsor and other public or private entities and/or 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 documented activity, to a maximum of 5 points.
   5. (5) the extent to which the project provides for the renovation or adaptive reuse of an existing facility, determined by dividing the renovation cost by the total construction cost and multiplying the result by 20. Maximum of 20 points.

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

      1. (A) project improves opportunities for low-income citizens (defined by the "USDA National School Lunch Program Income Eligibility Guidelines" federal poverty definition midpoint): determined by multiplying the percentage of population qualifying as low-income by 4. Maximum of 4 points.
      2. (B) project improves opportunities for minority citizens: determined by multiplying the percentage of population qualifying as minority by 4. Maximum of 4 points.
      3. (C) project improves opportunities for the elderly. Points for this item shall be awarded on the basis of recreational facility type and service. Maximum of 4 points.
      4. (D) project improves opportunities for youth-at-risk. One point is awarded 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. (7) the extent to which the project promotes the environmentally responsible activities and development by the use of activities or techniques such as xeriscape/native plant materials for landscaping, drip or treated effluent irrigation systems, energy efficient lighting systems, recycled materials for facility construction, environmental education and interpretation, significant tree plantings where no trees exist, alternative energy sources, water catchment systems, or other resource conservation measures. One point is awarded for each conservation element proposed in the grant, up to a maximum of 5 points.

Source Note:The provisions of this §61.134 adopted to be effective August 31, 2000, 25 TexReg 8409; amended to be effective May 1, 2005, 30 TexReg 2556.