CITY of ALBUQUERQUE
TWENTY SIXTH COUNCIL
COUNCIL BILL NO. R-25-183 ENACTMENT NO. ________________________
SPONSORED BY: Dan Lewis
RESOLUTION
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Establishing An Emergency Parks Grass And Turf Replacement Funding Source To Address The Dying Turf Grass In Parks City-Wide (Lewis)
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WHEREAS, the City of Albuquerque recognizes that its system of neighborhood and regional parks is one of the community’s most visible and frequently used public assets; and
WHEREAS, much of the turf grass in the City’s parks show signs of significant deterioration, including large swaths of grass dying in parks city-wide; and
WHEREAS, investment in the systematic restoration and enhancement of parks, especially grass areas, is essential to protect these public assets, ensuring that residents of all ages and abilities have equitable access to safe, functional, and attractive recreational green spaces; and
WHEREAS, the City wants to avoid the total replacement of additional turf grass areas which would cost more, and take those parks offline for at least a year; and
WHEREAS, City parks are being overrun with weeds, including silverleaf nightshade, spurge and puncture vines; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has repeatedly identified concerns with the Parks and Recreation Department’s capacity to adequately address park turf grass deterioration through its existing resources and operational framework; and
WHEREAS, during the FY26 budget hearings, the administration testified their departmental budget was adequate, yet the visible and ongoing decline of City parks, especially the dying grass, demonstrates this statement was inaccurate and misleading, leaving the Council without a credible plan to restore these vital public spaces; and
WHEREAS, the absence of an intentional, dedicated strategy for restoring and enhancing the grass and turf areas has contributed to a growing backlog of needs; and
WHEREAS, without targeted investment in park restoration and renovation, the City risks further decline in the quality and safety of public parks, undermining community trust and diminishing the long-term value of these critical public amenities; and
WHEREAS, establishing an emergency Parks grass and turf replacement funding source will ensure a dedicated and transparent process for allocating resources to restore dying grass areas in City Parks for current and future generations.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL, THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE:
SECTION 1. Following the finalization of Fiscal Year 2025 financial reports, no less than two million dollars ($2,000,000) of fund balance shall be appropriated to an emergency Parks grass and turf replacement project.
SECTION 2. The Mayor’s Administration shall establish and execute an emergency Parks grass and turf replacement project, dedicated to revitalizing and enhancing City parks through targeted planning.
The scope of the project is to renovate, rehabilitate, restore, and reconstruct existing City parks grass and turf areas for the purpose of improving their appearance and public usability.
SECTION 3. REPORTING. The Mayor’s Administration shall provide a written report, in the form of an Executive Communication, to the City Council by December 1, 2025, detailing the project, parks in order of priority, budget allocations, and implementation timelines. Monthly updates shall be provided thereafter until funds are expended by Executive Communication.
SECTION 4. SEVERABILITY CLAUSE. If any section, paragraph, sentence, clause, word, or phrase of this Resolution is for any reason held to be invalid or unenforceable by any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions of this Resolution. The Council hereby declares that it would have passed this Resolution and each section, paragraph, sentence, clause, word, or phrase thereof irrespective of any provision being declared unconstitutional or otherwise invalid.