A Park Operations and Maintenance Agreement, or POMA, is an agreement between the City of Austin and an eligible partner that gives the partner rights and responsibilities to operate, maintain, and program specific parkland. Only organizations that meet Austin Parks and Recreation’s strict Partnership A criteria are eligible for a POMA. For more information on Partnership A, see the Partnership Configurations section of the Austin PARKnerships website.

A Park Operations and Maintenance Agreement, or POMA, is an agreement between the City of Austin and an eligible partner that gives the partner rights and responsibilities to operate, maintain, and program specific parkland. Only organizations that meet Austin Parks and Recreation’s strict Partnership A criteria are eligible for a POMA. For more information on Partnership A, see the Partnership Configurations section of the Austin PARKnerships website.

POMA partnerships are collaborative rather than transactional. The agreements do specify deliverables for both partners and the City of Austin, and Austin Parks and Recreation follows the department’s standard contract management policies and procedures to make sure that all parties comply. However, the partner and the City are a team. They work together to address needs, resolve problems, act on opportunities, and bring the community’s vision for the park to life.

The City of Austin currently has active POMAs with The Trail Conservancy and Pease Park Conservancy.

The Trail Conservancy

Bike rider rounding the curve on the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail with trees in the background

The Trail Conservancy (TTC) partnered with the City of Austin on the Rainey Street Trailhead of the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail. The project opened in July 2024, and TTC is responsible for its operations and maintenance under the POMA.

Established in 2003, The Trail Conservancy (TTC) is a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization with the mission to protect, enhance, and connect the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail at Lady Bird Lake for the benefit of all. TTC has a Park Operations Maintenance Agreement (POMA) with the City of Austin for the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail and Town Lake Metropolitan Park.

The organization was originally named Town Lake Trail Foundation. It adopted the name The Trail Foundation in 2008, following the renaming of Town Lake to Lady Bird Lake. Finally, it became The Trail Conservancy in 2022 to reflect its expanded role under the POMA.

TTC Community Benefit

The Trail Conservancy’s (TTC) POMA partnership provides many features and services that Austin Parks and Recreation could not provide on our own. The public enjoys access to these benefits at no cost.

  • Arts, culture, & programming: TTC offers a variety of events and art exhibitions on parkland in line with its Annual Programming Plans and Arts + Culture Plan, created in 2023 with extensive community engagement and approval by City Council. Regular programming includes education on local history and nature, fitness initiatives, live performances, and holiday and heritage celebrations.
  • Park improvements: TTC donates new infrastructure that address park needs and fulfills the community’s vision, such as the Holly fishing pier and a new signage system for the Butler Trail. Crucially, TTC commits to maintain everything it builds under the POMA, so the City of Austin does not have to limit upgrades according to Austin Parks and Recreation’s maintenance capacity.
  • Operations & maintenance: TTC not only maintains everything it builds under the POMA but also takes over many standard operations and maintenance tasks for preexisting features, which frees up Austin Parks and Recreation staff and budget for other parks.
  • Ecological restoration: TTC has primary responsibility for maintenance of natural areas under the POMA and dedicates substantial resources to their protection and restoration, including a robust volunteer program. TTC creates and maintains green stormwater infrastructure like rain gardens, removes invasive and noxious species, plants and seeds native species, and more. 
TTC Timeline

Development of agreement

City Council meeting | March 12, 2020

Resolution No. 20200312-041 directed the City Manager to work with established parks nonprofit partners, including The Trail Foundation (now The Trail Conservancy), to create opportunities for partnership agreements that benefit the community.

Board and commissions: August 2021

Austin Parks and Recreation presented the plan for a Park Operations and Maintenance Agreement (POMA) with TTC to the following boards and commissions:

City Council meeting: October 21, 2021

City Council unanimously voted to authorize negotiation and execution of a park operations and maintenance agreement with The Trail Foundation for the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail at Town Lake Metropolitan Park. The City Manager, or designee, was instructed to brief members of Council and the Parks and Recreation Board on the agreement terms before executing the final agreement and to allow at least one regular City Council Meeting and time necessary to post its agenda to occur before the briefing and execution of the final agreement. Additional direction was to include language in the final negotiation agreement that provides for annual Council notification prior to action if there are changes to the plan and agreement, additions of more concessions or planned special events.

Briefing of all Council Members: April to May 2022

Per City Council direction, all 10 City Council members were briefed on POMA terms and conditions.

Parks and Recreation Board: May 23, 2022

Per City Council direction, Parks and Recreation Board was briefed on POMA terms and conditions and presented with the final version of the POMA.

Execution of the POMA: June 10, 2022

Execution of agreement

Approval of Initial Programming Plan

Per the POMA, both the Initial Annual Programming Plan (for the first full calendar year following the agreement’s effective date) and the Annual Programming Plan for the year following required the approval of the City Council.

Approval of 2024 Annual Programming Plan

Per the POMA, both the Initial Annual Programming Plan (for the first full calendar year following the agreement’s effective date) and the Annual Programming Plan for the year following required the approval of the City Council.

Approval of Arts + Culture Plan

Per the POMA, The Trail Conservancy would work in collaboration with the City of Austin to deliver arts and culture vision plan(s) for the parkland it operates and maintains.

TTC Funding

The City of Austin does not make payments to The Trail Conservancy (TTC) for operations, maintenance, and programming under the POMA.

The POMA permits TTC to earn revenue on parkland, including concessions, event rentals, and other fees for goods and services provided. This revenue is restricted to a Park Operations Fund used only to manage, operate, maintain, and program the parkland. Salaries of the Chief Executive Officer, executive director, and development director are not paid by the Park Operations Fund.

Separate from the POMA, TTC may receive payments from the City of Austin for other services under other agreements and contracts. If any City provides any funding for a capital project, the project agreement must go through relevant boards and commissions and be approved by City Council. The project also must adhere to all City standards including the Code of Ordinances, permitting requirements, and departmental policies and procedures.

TTC Responsibilities

Under the POMA, The Trail Conservancy (TTC) is currently responsible for:

  • Management of natural areas
  • Maintenance of all projects built by TTC under the POMA, including the Butler Shores Exercise Equipment, Rainey Street Trailhead, and Holly Point fishing pier
  • Assistance with Austin Parks and Recreation maintenance of trails, trees, plantings, and all amenities except for trash and recycling receptacles
  • Regular community engagement for programming and projects
  • Programming, events, and volunteers on parkland
  • Implementation of projects in TTC’s 25-year Operations and Maintenance Plan (Exhibit D of POMA), including an Art and Culture Plan and a Comprehensive Signage Plan
  • Concession management of Epic SUP and Texas Rowing Center

The POMA assigns operations and maintenance responsibilities to TTC in phases over 10 years. TTC will take on additional duties when the City of Austin approves its request to enter the next phase.

TTC POMA Management

The POMA established the following mechanisms to ensure that partnership between The Trail Conservancy (TTC) and the City of Austin is compliant and successful.

  • POMA Management Committee: Representatives from TTC and the City of Austin meet quarterly to manage implementation of the POMA. Five City departments participate regularly, although other departments join when relevant.
  • Annual desk reviews: Austin Parks and Recreation tracks POMA deliverables on an ongoing basis and completes an annual desk review to formally document compliance.
  • Annual plan reviews: No later than October 1, TTC submits its Annual Programming Plan and Annual Implementation Document (for operations and maintenance) for the upcoming calendar year. Austin Parks and Recreation coordinates thorough interdepartmental reviews, and the Director approves these plans before implementation.
  • Annual financial audits: TTC has an independent certified auditor conduct an audit of its financial statements each year. TTC provides this audit to the City of Austin as required in the POMA and chooses to post the audit publicly on their website as well.
  • Communication: Regular meetings include biweekly operations check-ins with TTC and City of Austin field staff and quarterly update presentations prepared by TTC for the City of Austin. Additional communication, meetings, and site visits are coordinated as needed.
TTC Plans and Reports

Pease Park Conservancy

Overhead image of Pease Park showing trees, grass, basketball court, walking paths, and buildings

Pease Park Conservancy (PPC) partnered with the City of Austin on the revitalization of Kingsbury Commons at Pease District Park. The area reopened in July 2021, and PPC is responsible for its operations and maintenance under the POMA. Photo courtesy of Pease Park Conservancy.

Pease Park Conservancy (PPC) is a nonprofit with the mission to celebrate the diverse ecology and history that make Austin’s first public park valuable and unique and to work to restore, enhance and maintain this 84-acre public green space for the sustainable use and enjoyment of all. PPC has a Park Operations Maintenance Agreement (POMA) with the City of Austin for Pease District Park.

PPC began as the community initiative Trees for Pease in 2008 and became a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization in 2013.

PPC Community Benefit

Pease Park Conservancy’s (PPC) POMA partnership provides many features and services that Austin Parks and Recreation could not provide on our own. The public enjoys access to these benefits at no cost.

  • Arts, culture, & programming: PPC brings a variety of events and artwork to Kingsbury Commons, including the RISE! Celebration of Austin’s Black freedom communities and the Thomas Dambo troll sculpture Malin’s Fountain. Its Peasecology School Field Trips service learning program covers all costs for Title 1 schools including transportation, lunch, and a classroom curriculum.
  • Park improvements: PPC led the award-winning 2021 revitalization of Kingsbury Commons imagined in the Pease Park Vision Plan. Because PPC maintenance commitments under the POMA, the City of Austin did not have to limit new park features like the Treehouse or splash pad according to Austin Parks and Recreation’s maintenance capacity.
  • Operations & maintenance: PPC has responsibility not only for maintenance of features built as part of the Kingsbury Commons revitalization but also for many standard operations and maintenance tasks for preexisting features, which frees up Austin Parks and Recreation staff and budget for other parks.
  • Ecological restoration: PPC’s conservation work extends beyond Kingsbury Commons to the rest of Pease Park, including a robust environmental stewardship program and long-term projects like the Windsor Hillside restoration and 24th St. bamboo remediation.
PPC Timeline

Development of agreement 

City Council meeting: March 12, 2020

Resolution No. 20200312-041 directed the City Manager to work with established parks nonprofit partners, including Pease Park Conservancy (PPC), to create opportunities for partnership agreements that benefit the community.

Board and commissions: April 2021

Austin Parks and Recreation presented the plan for a Park Operations and Maintenance Agreement (POMA) with PPC to the following boards and commissions:

City Council meeting: May 20, 2021

City Council unanimously voted to authorize negotiation and execution of a park operations and maintenance agreement with Pease Park Conservancy for the operation, maintenance, and programming for certain portions of Pease District Park. Additional direction was to provide the Annual Programming Plan for Council review.

Approval of Initial Programming Plan

Per the direction of City Council, the Initial Annual Programming Plan required the approval of the Council.

Execution of the POMA: January 12, 2023

Execution of agreement

Approval of Annual Programming Plan

Per the POMA, the Annual Programming Plan for 2023 (the calendar year following that which was covered by the Initial Annual Programming Plan) required the approval of the City Council.

PPC Funding

Under the POMA, the City of Austin pays Pease Park Conservancy (PPC) an annual Management Fee of up to $36,000. The Management Fee can only be used as reimbursement for payments made in the previous fiscal year to Austin Water and Austin Energy necessary for operations and maintenance of Kingsbury Commons.

The City of Austin makes no other payments other than the Management Fee to PPC for operations, maintenance, and programming under the POMA.  

The POMA permits PPC to earn revenue on parkland, including concessions, event rentals, and other fees for goods and services provided. This revenue is restricted to a Park Operations Fund used only to manage, operate, maintain, and program the parkland. Salaries of the Chief Executive Officer, executive director, and development director are not paid by the Park Operations Fund.

Separate from the POMA, PPC may receive payments from the City of Austin for other services under other agreements. If any City provides any funding for a capital project, the project agreement must go through relevant boards and commissions and be approved by City Council. The project also must adhere to all City standards including the Code of Ordinances, permitting requirements, and departmental policies and procedures.

PPC Responsibilities

Under the POMA, Pease Park Conservancy (PPC) is currently responsible for:

  • Maintenance of Kingsbury Commons, with the exception of preexisting trails and trees
  • Land management (ecological work) in Pease Park
  • Regular community engagement for programming and projects
  • Programming, events, and volunteers on parkland
  • Concession management in the park

As required by the POMA, PPC is developing a Phase Plan in collaboration with the City of Austin that will assign additional responsibilities to PPC over time. This Phase Plan will require City Council approval.

PPC POMA Management

The POMA established the following mechanisms to ensure that partnership between Pease Park Conservancy (PPC) and the City of Austin is compliant and successful.

  • POMA Management Committee: Representatives from PPC and the City of Austin meet quarterly to manage implementation of the POMA. Four City departments participate regularly, although other departments join when relevant.
  • Annual desk reviews: Austin Parks and Recreation tracks POMA deliverables on an ongoing basis and completes an annual desk review to formally document compliance.
  • Annual plan reviews: No later than October 1, PPC submits its Annual Programming Plan and Annual Operations and Maintenance Plan for the upcoming calendar year. Austin Parks and Recreation coordinates thorough interdepartmental reviews, and the director approves these plans before implementation.
  • Annual financial audits: PPC has an independent certified auditor conduct an audit of its financial statements each year to provide to the City of Austin.
  • Communication:  Regular meetings include biweekly check-ins with PPC leadership and City of Austin staff and monthly operations check-ins with PPC and City of Austin operations and maintenance staff. Additional communication, meetings, and site visits are coordinated as needed. 
PPC Plans and Reports