Open Space Advisory Board Agenda and Packet 2025 09 10

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Board Updates: LOSA Community Group Drafted Letter Subject: Invest in All Louisville Green Spaces Dear City Council Members, We, the Louisville Open Space Advocates, deeply appreciate your ongoing support for our city's green spaces. Open Space and Parks together form the backbone of our community's connection to nature, environmental health, and civic identity. As you consider the 2026 budget, we urge you to invest in both —continuing strong support for Parks while also ensuring Open Space has the resources it needs to thrive. Currently, Open Space receives no external funding support from the General Fund or Conservation Trust Fund beyond its share of the Open Space & Parks Sales Tax Fund and impact fees. All Open Space operations and capital projects are restricted to this limited revenue stream. In contrast, Parks benefits from significantly broader financial support, including: • An annual transfer of over -$1 M from the General Fund • Full capital project funding from the General Fund Capital Project Fund and the Conservation Trust Fund (-$2.4M in 2026 alone) • A new annual transfer of -$100K from the Conservation Trust Fund beginning in 2026 through 2028 We support these investments in Parks. But we also ask that Council manage resources in a way that allows for meaningful investment in Open Space acquisition and restoration. This is not an either/or—it must be both. Open Space property acquisitions, despite strong community support, partnership funding, and viable city funding options, are often met with hesitation or rejection. These opportunities are time -sensitive: once lost, they are gone for good. Available funding sources include the OS Acquisition Reserve, OS Fund Balance, General Fund reserves, and the Conservation Trust Fund. Council has the ability to adjust program and project timelines and draw on reserves to make room for urgent acquisitions. To ensure Open Space can meet growing community needs and fulfill its mission, we respectfully request increased investment in the following priorities: • New Property Acquisitions, including the Gateway Property, Coal Creek Riparian Zone parcels, and OSAB-recommended opportunities • OSAB Operations and Capital Budget Recommendations Critical Capital Projects, such as: o Permanent water rights for Hecla Lake o In -stream flow protections for Coal Creek o Fishing pond restoration o Interpretation and education facilities o Trail connections • Strategic Staffing, including: o A Grant Coordinator to pursue and administer additional revenue sources 8