PUBLIC SPACES MASTER PLAN UPDATE (POPS) Joint Facilities Advisory Commission (JFAC) November 28, 2018 1
AGENDA POPS Planning Context Timeline Public Input Final POPS Draft Next Steps 2
PLANNING CONTEXT Arlington County Comprehensive Plan UPDATE Related Documents: CIP Sector Plans Area Plans Park Master Plans Neighborhood Conservation Plans, etc. Urban Forest Master Plan Public Art Master Plan Natural Resources Management Plan REFERENCE 3
POPS TIMELINE present vision, discuss + prioritize strategic directions, ask targeted questions to inform actions present preliminary recommendations PUBLIC MEETING SERIES Feb 2016 ADVISORY COMMITTEE ENGAGEMENT Spring / Summer 2016 FOCUS GROUP MEETINGS strategic directions, actions, action steps + implementation strategy POPS CHARRETTE Dec 2016 ADVISORY COMMITTEE ENGAGEMENT PUBLIC MEETING SERIES Summer 2017 ADDITIONAL PUBLIC ENGAGEMENTS Dec 2017 COMMISSION REVIEWS COUNTY BOARD ADOPTION Winter 2015-16 options forclassification + LOS standards vision statement + strategic directions Jul - Aug 2016 ADVISORY COMMITTEE ENGAGEMENT land acquisition strategy draft plan discussions draft plan Fall 2018 Winter 2018/2019 WE ARE HERE STATISTICALLY VALID SURVEY POPS POPPING UP EVENTS definitions, strategic direction prioritization present final draft plan FINAL DRAFT ONLINE + OPEN DOOR EVENTS 4
PUBLIC INPUT (COLLABORATIVE PROCESS) POPS Advisory Committee Statistically Valid Survey Winter 2015/2016 Public Meetings February 2016 Stakeholder Interviews Winter/Spring 2016 Focus Groups Spring/Summer 2016 POPS Popping Up Summer 2016 Charrette December 2016 Goal: 800 Actual: 1,470 Advisory Committee APS Aquatics BIDs & Partners Bike/Ped Dog Parks Gymnastics Natural Resources Urban Forestry Sports Millennials Seniors Teens Gen Xers Over 90 participants Public Meetings July 2017 Preliminary Draft Online Public Meetings December 2017 Work Session W/County Board February 20 th 2018 Final Draft Online + Open Door Events July-August 2017 Land Acquisition Athletic Fields Natural Resources, Trees & Casual Use Spaces Land Acquisition Athletic Fields Level of Service Natural Resources/Trees Casual Use Spaces October 24 December 9 2018 FINAL DRAFT IS ONLINE UNTIL DECEMBER 9 5
FEBRUARY 20 TH WORK SESSION WITH THE COUNTY BOARD Guidance received on the following: Land Acquisition Level of Service Fields: Synthetic Turf & Lighting Natural Resources & Trees Casual Use Spaces Presentation & Video: County Website 6
FINAL POPS DRAFT 7
FINAL POPS DRAFT & COMMISSION REVIEWS UP TO NOW Already Presented to: September: Lee Highway Alliance Park & Recreation Commission Urban Forest Commission October: Commission on Aging HALRB E2C2 Sports Commission November: Transportation Commission Open Door Event #1 Bicycle Advisory Committee NCAC POPS Advisory Committee 8
FINAL POPS DRAFT & COMMISSION REVIEWS November: Pedestrian Advisory Committee Commission for the Arts Disability Advisory Commission Park and Recreation Commission NAIOP- Northern Virginia JFAC Remaining Commission & Public Meetings: December: Open Door event #2 (December 3, 6:30-8:00pm) LRPC (December 12) POPS Advisory Committee Meeting (December 18) 9
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FINAL POPS DRAFT (SD1- PUBLIC SPACES) Sample recommendations: Land Acquisition 1.1. Add at least 30 acres of new public space over the next 10 years. TDR 1.1.6. Explore strengthening and expanding the use of the County s Transfer of Development Rights policy as a tool to create and consolidate future public space. Zoning Regulations 1.5.8. Review and consider updating the County s regulations and codes related to parks and public spaces Deck parks 1.1.7. Work with the Commonwealth of Virginia and County-owned street system network to explore opportunities to create new deck parks over I-66 or other highways and primary streets to mitigate highway widening or reclaim public space. 12
FINAL POPS DRAFT (SD1- PUBLIC SPACES) Sample recommendations: Community/Recreation enters 1.5.3. Consolidate recreation facilities and activities that are currently distributed throughout community centers into fewer, larger recreation centers Structured parking 1.5.9. Consider the use of structured parking to maximize the preservation of public space for recreation, casual use space and natural resources when the cost benefit analysis, including the cost of purchasing land, demonstrates it makes fiscal sense. Rooftops & Walls 1.5.10. Explore opportunities to add or relocate recreational amenities above structured parking and on roofs and walls of County buildings. 13
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FINAL POPS DRAFT (SD2- TRAILS) Sample recommendations: Expand connections 2.1. Expand Arlington s network of connected multi-use trails. Trail education & etiquette 2.2. Ensure trails function for a range of users. Hiking trails 2.3. Provide or make better connections to hiking trails. Signage 2.4. Develop and implement a consistent signage and wayfinding system. 15
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FINAL POPS DRAFT (SD3- RESOURCE STEWARDSHIP- NATURAL RESOURCES) Sample recommendations: Natural Resources & Trees 3.1. Update the Urban Forest Master Plan and the Natural Resources Management Plan through a combined process. 3.2. Protect, restore, and expand natural resources and trees. 3.3. Integrate natural resources, trees and natural resource interpretation into the design of public spaces. 3.4. Foster, develop and promote nature-based education, training and recreational programming across ages and skill levels. 3.5. Promote conservation stewardship volunteerism that enables individuals and organizations to leave a positive legacy in the park system. 17
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FINAL POPS DRAFT (SD4- FISCAL SUSTAINABILITY & PARTNERSHIPS) Sample recommendations: APS 4.1. Work with Arlington Public Schools to maximize availability and stewardship of public spaces. 4.1.1. Explore opportunities to improve joint-use facilities to maximize public access to amenities and use land and other resources more efficiently. Identify additional existing APS facilities that could be used as public space. 4.1.2. Work jointly with APS to analyze program participation annually and adjust facility scheduling accordingly. 4.1.3. Expand participation in planning for publicly- accessible amenities on APS property. 4.1.4. Use design solutions to overcome security concerns related to the use of APS facilities by the public outside of school hours. 19
FINAL POPS DRAFT (SD4- FISCAL SUSTAINABILITY & PARTNERSHIPS) Sample recommendations: APS 4.1. Work with Arlington Public Schools to maximize availability and stewardship of public spaces. 4.1.5. Ensure the contributions to capital costs and maintenance of public spaces on County and APS sites are commensurate with use. 4.1.6. Continue to collaborate with APS to preserve natural resources, athletic fields, outdoor learning areas and other public space when designing and building new schools. 4.1.7. Work with APS to expand educational and volunteer opportunities for students to learn about the value of public spaces and natural resources. 20
FINAL POPS DRAFT (SD4- FISCAL SUSTAINABILITY & PARTNERSHIPS) Sample recommendations: Regional partnership 4.2. Work with the National Park Service, NOVA Parks and other federal, state and regional bodies to elevate public awareness and access to their facilities and land in Arlington and ensure consistent experiences. Volunteer programs 4.4. Support and strengthen the County s volunteer programs for public spaces. Non-profit groups 4.3. Support the establishment of non-profit groups or umbrella foundations dedicated to public space advocacy, fundraising, and implementation of public spaces and programs. Funding 4.5. Secure funding to support development and maintenance of public spaces and ensure those public funds are efficiently and wisely spent. 21
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FINAL POPS DRAFT (SD5- PROGRAMS) Sample recommendations: Evaluation 5.1. Regularly evaluate program demand and adjust offerings. Diverse programming 5.1.4. Promote and increase the availability of programming that caters to diverse ages, interests, and abilities. Drop-in 5.1.5. Increase drop-in opportunities to allow more flexibility for residents and improve program participation. Health and wellness 5.5. Continue to strengthen the County s commitment to improving public health and wellness through public space programming 23
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FINAL POPS DRAFT (SD6- OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE) Sample recommendations: Standards 6.1. Ensure maintenance standards are clear, consistently implemented, and being met. 6.1.1. Define and regularly review levels of maintenance standards for each type of indoor and outdoor facility to ensure consistency with maintenance policies and guidelines. 6.1.7. Identify and encourage opportunities to share maintenance responsibilities with partner organizations and groups for efficiency. Sustainability 6.2. Strengthen sustainability policies. 6.2.3. Conduct pilot projects of innovative sustainability measures to test their effectiveness for County-wide implementation. 25
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FRESH APPROACHES 27
DEFINITIONS 28 28
LEVEL OF SERVICE Population Based Access 2 case studies: community gardens & diamond fields (Dog Parks Example) Conduct a public space needs assessment, including a statistically valid survey and level of service analysis, on a 5-year cycle. 29
ATHLETIC FIELDS- SYNTHETIC CONVERSION & LIGHTING Synthetic Turf Conversion Field Lighting Synthetic Conversion Criteria Ranking of All Fields Tested Against the Criteria Lighting Criteria Ranking of All Fields Tested Against the Criteria 30
DOG PARK & RUN STANDARDS 31
TRAIL LOOPS Preliminary POPS Draft: 2.1. Expand Arlington s network of connected multi-use trails. 2.1.1. Complete an inner loop of protected routes that connects the Custis, Four Mile Run, Arlington Boulevard, and Mount Vernon Trails. 2.1.2. Complete an outer loop of protected routes that connects the Four Mile Run, Mount Vernon, and Zachary Taylor Trails. 32
CASUAL USE SPACES Short Term Long Term (Include in the POPS document) (Implementation item after POPS adoption) Recognize the need- Casual Use Spaces Refine definition recommendations & description in SD1 Explore completing inventory Draft definition Explore opportunities to develop Design characteristics standards Fort C.F. Smith Park 33
PRIVATELY OWNED PUBLIC SPACES DESIGN GUIDELINES POPS Advisory Committee Meeting, April 2018 34
LAND ACQUISITION Land Acquisition & Methodology Potential acquisition sites- mapped (example) List of potential acquisition mechanisms & funding sources Inventory of past acquisitions 35
PART I: ALIGNMENT WITH OTHER COUNTY PLANS The site is identified within an existing approved park master plan. The site is identified as future parkland in an adopted comprehensive plan element or sector, area, phased development site plan, or corridor plan. The site is identified as future parkland in an existing neighborhood conservation plan. 36
PUBLIC SPACES IDENTIFIED IN ADOPTED PARK MASTER PLANS EXAMPLE: MOSAIC PARK MASTER PLAN (ADOPTED IN 2009) 37
PUBLIC SPACES IDENTIFIED IN SECTOR PLANS EXAMPLE: CRYSTAL CITY SECTOR PLAN (ADOPTED IN 2010) 38
PART II: GENERAL ALIGNMENT WITH PSMP Associated with existing public spaces: The site shares its perimeter with an existing public space and is essential to the expansion of that public space. The property is an infill property of an existing park, located on the corner of a park or would serve to normalize a park boundary or shape. The site will allow the creation of new pathway connections to improve pedestrian and bicycle access to the existing park. Creation of a new public space: The site has been identified as one of the sending sites eligible for the transfer of development rights. The site could be used to create a new park and offers future potential expansion opportunities that would result in a park of at least ¼ acre. The site is a Generational or unique opportunity that if not acquired at the point of time of availability, the site would likely redevelop and the opportunity would be lost for a generation or more. Examples of these Generational opportunities include a defunct private indoor or outdoor recreation facility (e.g., golf courses, swimming pools, exceptionally large lots, etc.) The site is located in one of the major planning corridors identified in General Land Use Plan (GLUP), such as, Rosslyn-Ballston, Jefferson-Davis and Columbia Pike Corridors, or any future identified corridors. 39
PART III: ALIGNMENT WITH PSMP PRIORITIES/SITE INTENDED PURPOSE Natural Resources Purpose (examples): The site could be used to enhance, protect, or expand natural resources, such as tree canopy, meadow, stream valley, forested natural area or other appropriate ecosystems. The site could protect or expand a Natural Resource Conservation Area Recreational/Leisure Purpose (examples): The site could be designed to support casual, impromptu use or connection with nature. The site could be used to create a new multi-use activity center to provide year-round access to indoor athletic courts and fields. The site is part of a planned joint-use facility with APS or could be used for co-locating complimentary public uses (e.g., library, etc.) Historic Preservation Purpose (examples): The site is called out for acquisition based on its historical and/ or cultural value by an accepted Neighborhood Conservation Plan. The site is listed on the County s Cemetery Inventory and/or the Arlington Genealogical Society s Cemetery List. 40
SITES THAT MEET CRITERIA FROM PART II & III EXAMPLE: LANG STREET COMMUNITY GARDEN EXPANSION (ACQUIRED IN FY2015/2016) Part II: The site shares its perimeter with an existing public space and is essential to the expansion of that public space. Part III: The site could facilitate adding or expanding recreational amenities that are needed based on the Level of Service Analysis (e.g., community gardens, athletic courts, etc.) 41
NEXT STEPS 42
FINAL POPS DRAFT & NEXT STEPS Final Draft Community Feedback: Fall: Online feedback until December 9 Public engagements (open door type events): November 2, 11:00am-12:30pm (Courthouse) December 3, 6:30pm-8:00pm (Arlington Mill CC) Fall/Winter: o November & December: Commission reviews o January/February 2019: RTA o February/March 2019: Planning Commission & County Board action 43