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All development, improvement, and maintenance are governed by the Capital Improvements Program (CIP). The CIP is prepared every two years to cover a six-year cycle. The CIP includes new or renovation projects costing over $30,000 with a useful life greater than 15 years. It also includes smaller planned lifecycle asset replacement (PLAR) projects that increase the life of assets.
If you are looking for Operating Budget Information, please visit our Budget Page.
CIP Projects
Projects considered for inclusion in the CIP evolve from various sources, including but not limited to:
Variety of plans and studies, e.g. master plans, functional plans, needs plans (Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan [LPPRP] )
Approved facility plans
Citizen requests at public forums, letters, etc.
Planning Board directives
County Council directives
CIP requests submitted via an intra-departmental on-line CIP Request Form
Land acquisitions and developer park donations
There are two major types of capital development projects in the CIP: (1) Stand-Alone Projects and (2) Level-of-Effort Projects.
Stand-Alone Projects
Projects which have completed and approved facility plans
Include large park renovations or construction of new parks
Budget and appropriation are required to be approved by County Council once created
More than likely have operating budget impact
Closeout once appropriation has been spent and the project is complete
Example: Development of Greenbriar Local Park
Level-of-Effort Projects
Smaller projects that do not require extensive planning and design. Projects are reviewed each fiscal year and re-prioritized as necessary
Include mostly infrastructure maintenance projects
Generally, less than $300,000
Supported by a consistent annual funding level
Less likely to have an operating budget impact
Stay active indefinitely
Example: Planned Lifecycle Asset Replacement of Playground Equipment
Other examples of Level-of-Effort projects include:
Ballfield Initiatives: ballfield lighting, and reconfiguration and upgrades of existing fields.
Minor New Construction: a variety of new park amenities, such as new picnic shelters, dog parks, stormwater management, and drainage upgrades, parking lot expansions, retaining walls, and sewer improvements.
PLAR (Planned Lifecycle Asset Replacement): improvements to various existing park amenities such as playgrounds and tennis courts.
Pollution Prevention and Repairs to Ponds and Lakes: continuing efforts to update and maintain our existing facilities to meet today’s environmental standards.
Restoration of Historic Structures: the repair, stabilization, and renovation of some of the important historical structures and sites that are located in the parkland.
Resurfacing Parking Lots and Paths: the lifecycle renovation of parking lots, entrance roads, and paved walkways.
Trails: Hard & Natural Surface: Design & Construction: design and construction of new trails and extensions or connectors to existing trails, trail amenities, signage, and renovations along existing trails.
Facility Planning
The purpose of a facility plan is to produce a well-reasoned project cost estimate and takes the project through 30% design as required by County Council. Also known as “preliminary design,” a facility plan often includes a program of requirements (POR), engineering and environmental studies, feasibility studies, concept plans, and park management plans topographic surveys, traffic studies, conceptual site plans, schematic drawings, cost estimates, and most of all public input.
Land Acquisition
The CIP also includes funding for the acquisition of land for purposes of park development and conservation of open space. The following is a list of the different types of acquisitions as they are captured in the CIP:
Acquisition: Local Parks: Acquisition of land to develop urban, local, and neighborhood parks
Acquisition: Non-Local Parks: Acquisition of land to develop regional, recreational, stream valley, conservation, and special parks
Bethesda Park Impact Payment: A capital project that receives funds from development for new facilities and new parks within the Bethesda Downtown Plan boundary
Legacy Open Space: Acquisition of land of countywide significance that may be of exceptional natural or cultural value
Legacy Urban Space: Acquisition of valuable open space in the county’s most densely populated areas with a methodology for more equitably linking parks to populations in urban areas
ALARF (Advance Land Acquisition Revolving Fund): Revolving acquisition fund used to acquire rights-of-way and other property needed for future public projects
Funding Sources
Park and Planning General Obligation Bonds
County General Obligation Bonds
State Bond Bills, Grants, and Loans
Program Open Space
Contributions and Donations
Federal Grants
Enterprise Funds
Current Revenue
Factors to Consider
CIP Projects are prioritized based on several factors, including:
Planning Board criteria, including safety and environmental factors
Infrastructure Condition Assessment Study priorities
Facility planning evaluation matrices
Priorities assigned by field staff
Priorities assigned by a CIP evaluation committee, consisting of senior management
Public needs
New projects versus renovation projects
CIP capacity is limited by the following:
Fiscal Capacity
Available funding sources
Spending Affordability Guidelines (SAG)
Local Projects – SAG limits on Park and Planning Bonds
Non-Local Projects – All Montgomery County agencies compete for the same funding and SAG
Balancing a growing backlog of projects with new priorities and needs
County Executive’s Readiness Criteria
Implementation capability (limited resources, including staff)
Operating budget impact (OBI)
Park Construction
Once the preferred plan and cost estimate are approved by the Department, Planning Board or Montgomery County Council, as applicable, a detailed set of construction drawings and specifications are developed. The drawings and specifications outline all materials and processes necessary for construction. This phase includes:
All construction permits are applied for and obtained from the Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services (DPS) in Rockville.
Permits include, but are not limited to building permits, stormwater/sediment control permits, grading permits, electrical permits, etc.
The construction project is then publicly advertised and bid on by private contractors.
Some smaller projects are completed by M-NCPPC’s Facility Management Department.
It can take several years to complete a new park, park facility, or a major renovation. The length of time needed for preliminary design through construction varies by project. It depends on the project’s scale, the complexity, and also on available funding. If funding is not available at the time of the approval of the plan, the Montgomery County Council will set the schedule and the funding at a later date.
Once construction is complete, we can prepare the site for use by the public.
Public Participation
There are several opportunities for the public to participate in the CIP process:
Montgomery County Planning Board (MCPB) and Recreation Advisory Boards Joint CIP Public Forum (Spring of odd years)
Council CIP Public Hearings (February each year)
Public hearings for master plans and facility plans, and other MCPB hearings
Letters to MCPB, County Council, Park, and Planning staff