Parkland dedications are a type of impact fee that requires developers to provide public open space within their developments. As an alternative to a dedication, municipalities may give developers the option to contribute a fee-in-lieu of dedicated land to be used toward land preservation projects elsewhere, to construct recreational facilities, or to privately reserve land within the proposed development for park and recreation purposes.

Municipalities incorporate these rules into their subdivision and land ordinances. To justify adding dedication standards to their ordinances, municipalities must first adopt a recreation plan that contains a rationale for the dedication standard.