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Cooperative Joint Management of Corps Parks with a Cooperating Association

    Declining budgets and a growing demand for safe and updated recreation opportunities have provided Corps projects an opportunity to partner with cooperating associations to share management responsibilities. The Corps can benefit by sharing the management responsibility (costs) of parks and other public areas.

    Corps facilities may be operated in collaboration with cooperating associations through a cooperative agreement and appropriate real estate lease. Agreements may be entered into with a cooperating association for the purposes of managing public recreation areas, and fees may be collected. The Corps may retain operation and maintenance responsibilities on an area outgranted to a cooperating association, as long as the responsibilities are explicitly defined in the real estate agreement.

    Key Factors in Cooperative Management:

  • Corps facilities may be operated in collaboration with cooperating associations through a cooperative agreement AND an appropriate real estate lease.
  • Template cooperative agreement and standard lease documents are approved for use.
  • Cooperating Associations can collect fees and keep ALL of them, but they have to use them for purposes on site. This can include their administration expenses.
  • The Corps cannot have "constructive control" of the fees collected.
  • Cooperative Associations cannot charge fees that are prohibited by law. They CAN charge use fees, but not entrance fees.
  • If there is joint Cooperating Association/Corps O&M, the responsibilities shall be clearly spelled out in the lease.

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    Updated July 2013