On Jan. 28, Austin City Council passed a parkland dedication ordinance that increases the amount of parkland required to be dedicated by new developments from 5 acres to 9.4 acres for every 1,000 residents.

The ordinance also changed how the city calculates the fee developers pay if fewer than 6 acres are required to be dedicated or their land does not comply with dedication standards.

In November 2014, parks and recreation department staff produced a report that showed the fee had not been raised since 2007 and did not cover acquiring and developing parkland. The report also found the formula for determining how much land should be dedicated was outdated.

The new ordinance will stay in place until PARD direction adopts Parkland Dedication Operating Procedures by administrative rule.

“We have so many people flooding into Austin; they’re using our trails,” said Linda Guerrero, a former member of Austin’s Parks and Recreation Board. “We deserve this.”