ADMINISTRATION - Nate Monahan, Recreation Manager
Title
ACCEPTING THE PARK SYSTEM MASTER PLAN AS A GUIDING DOCUMENT FOR FUTURE PARK IMPROVEMENTS
Background
On April 5, 2018, the city hired WSB and Associates to conduct a Park System Master Plan at a cost of $89,981. This was funded out of the Park Development Capital Improvement Fund Budget. The Park System Master Plan is the first of its kind for the City of Blaine. Through this planning process, this master plan will provide a “vision” for the City as well as guide the future development and redevelopment of the park and trail system. As with any large-scale planning effort, community and stakeholder engagement is critical to understanding the community’s desires related to program and project priorities. This will help the city make wise decisions based on how the community and policy makers collectively view the priorities to be implemented based on available fiscal resources. With an ever-changing population that is increasing in age and becoming more diverse, it is anticipated that changes to how existing parks are used will require some form of continued re-evaluation. Such changes will be based on both current and projected needs / trends. The master plan development needs of Aquatore Park and Happy Acres Park are just two examples of known changes that will be necessary to reconcile current community needs within the context of an aging park system that was developed in a reactionary process rather than a visionary process. Improvements to these parks, as well as other parks within the City’s park system, must be considered during this master planning process to determine how system-wide modifications can maximize unique offering and service availability to the community while minimizing
overlap.
Intent of the Plan
The Park System Master Plan serves as a “Visioning Plan” for the future of its park and trail system. This plan is intended to help guide future improvements and aid in budgetary decisions. This planning document includes recommendations and implementation options to provide a 10 to 15-year vision for the city’s park and trail facilities including recreational facilities, special program uses, preservation areas, and communitywide trail linkages.
Planning Process
A thorough planning process was used that looked at the following areas:
• Inventory of existing park amenities
• Comparison of amenities with national metrics
• Discussion with focus and stakeholder groups to determine needs
• Discussion at public forums to review ideas and solicit additional comments
Goals
The following goals were identified in the 2040 Blaine Comprehensive plan. Specific elements and strategies relating back to these goals are identified throughout this plan.
• Goal #1 - Provide a wide spectrum of opportunities for community residents of all ages, incomes, abilities and interests to participate in quality, effective, and engaging recreational education activities and programs.
• Goal #2 - Develop better walking and biking connections between where residents live and where they desire to travel, including commercial areas, schools, parks, neighborhoods, regional facilities, and employment centers.
• Goal #3 - Focus on the improvement, enhancement, increased programming, maintenance of and connections to, existing park and trail facilities, especially Aquatore Park and the Wetland Sanctuary.
• Goal #4 - Round out the development of new park and trail facilities with new subdivision review and associated park dedication funding.
City Staff and the Park Board have reviewed this plan and are recommending it to the City Council for acceptance as a guiding document for future park improvements. The City Council has discussed and reviewed the Park System Master Plan on several occasions over the last two years and currently has directed staff to program park improvements within the two capital park budgets. Future projects will be brought forward for Council approval and authorization.
Recommendation
By motion, accept the Park System Master Plan as a guiding document for future park improvements.
Attachments
Park System Master Plan