PARKS AND RECREATION Comprehensive Park System Master Plan Citizen Advisory Committee, June 5, 2012 - Meeting Notes Transcription MIG met with the Parks Citizen Advisory Committee on Tuesday, June 5th, 2012 at the Matt Ross Community Center. After a brief presentation, MIG facilitated a discussion about the desired outcomes and priorities for the plan, what Overland Park is doing well, as well as what the CAC sees as needs and enhancements to the provision of parks and recreation services. The following is a transcription of the meeting notes, which were written on the wall in the front of the room. Notes: Woodbury, MN Trails example BRT on Metcalf Plan Outcomes Decisions for park land acquisition Capital commitments New park and reinvestment Guidance for long-term maintenance Connections with the trail system More bicycle lanes On street A plan is in the works to fund a strategy This plan can help identify connections Funding plan Requirement for developers to dedicate number of acres of land for parks not just setback from streams Look at the school closures for opportunities A strategy for the pools What OP Does Well Improvements in parks and greenways Community centers Soccer complex, Deanna Rose All the special use facilities Music in the park Trails Needs & Enhancements More community centers south Like Matt Ross 1
PARKS AND RECREATION More coordination with advisory groups More funding for music in the parks Winter activities need to be publicized More lighting to enhance safety More indoor aquatics activities for youth A larger aquatics facility in South Overland Park More coordination with the schools for public access Priorities Maintain the parks and trails Expanding park lands Solving the aquatics question Capital costs/operating costs Wallgraphic 2
Planning Process Phase 1: Phase 2: Phase 3: Phase 4: Where Are Where Do We How Do We Documentation We Now? Want to Be? Get There? And Adoption Market & Economic, Facility & Program Analysis Community Input, Recreation Needs Assessment Strategy Development Plan Adoption Process
Involving the Public
Public Involvement Phase 1: Where Are We Now? Community Recreation Survey 340 out of 400 responses. Results report in mid-june Public Comment: Online Questionnaire Report expected in the next week Sports Focus Group TAC & Steering Committee Project Webpage Overview Article
Public Involvement Phase 2: Where Do We Want to Be? Additional Focus Groups & Interviews Business Community Blue Valley Rec. Commission Johnson County Park Overland Park Arts & Recreation Foundation Aquatics Workshop Community Visioning Workshop TAC & Steering Committee
Public Involvement Phase 3: How Do We Get There? Online Questionnaire/Public Comment TAC & Steering Committee Phase 4: Documentation & Adoption Public Open House TAC & Steering Committee
Phase1:WhereAreWeNow? We
Parks, Recreation & Open Space Goals Phase 1: Where Are 1. Balance between Natural and Man-Made Elements 2. Protect and Expand the System of Parks, Recreation, and Open Space 3. Expand Greenway Linkage System 4. Criteria for the Location of Parks and Open Space We Now? 5. Compatible Transition from Recreation Facilities to Residential Land Uses 6. Compliance with Other City Policy
The Park System in Overland Park The City of Overland Park Provide park land Maintain park land and other public lands Provide recreation facilities Operate recreation facilities Manage contracts for services Multiple Other Providers Cities Non profit Pi Private
Park Inventory Facility Type # Sites Acres Play Parks 12 16.5 Neighborhood Parks 16 161.2 Sub-Community Parks 11 294.9 Community Parks 1 41.0 Civic Greens or Squares 3 5.0 Special Use Sites 13 938.2 Greenways 47 624.7 Undeveloped Parks 3 322.6 Total Park Land 106 2,434.2 Note: The City's 2012 population is 177,642.
Parks by Classification Play Park 12 parks 0.25 3 acres Kessler, Brown Park Neighborhood Park 16 parks 5 10 acres Kensington, Sapling Grove Park
Parks by Classification Sub Community Park 11 parks 15+ acres South Lake, Bluejacket (Pool) Community Park 1 park (Roe Park) 35+ acres
Parks by Classification Greenways 47 greenways 15 sites have play parks 654.7 acres Nottingham Downs, South Creek Park
Parks by Classification Civic Green or Square 3 sites Clocktower Plaza Special Use Site 13 sites 900+ acres Soccer Complex, Matt Ross Community Center, Golf Courses
Other Lands Other Public Land Almost as much acreage as greenways More acreage than subcommunity parks Undeveloped Park Land 3 sites 322 acres Public Land Type Acres Administrative Sites 40.1 Brookridge Square 0.4 Glenwood Square 05 0.5 Multi-use Trails (10' wide outside of park land) 53.0 Landscaping Areas (outside streets and admin. sites) 107.5 Parks and Rec. Maintenance 11.0 Street t Medians and Islands 214.22 Street-side Maintenance 79.0 Tomahawk Cemetery 0.4 Other Public Land Total 505.9
Facilities Within the System Typical park system features (playgrounds, courts, picnic areas) Sports fields 20 soccer 13 baseball/softball 7 swimming pools 6 outdoor seasonal 1 indoor @ Matt Ross 5 stocked fishing lakes 73 miles of multi use trail, 17 miles of internal pathways
Key Budget Observations Revenues and expenditures are organized by cost center $4.1 million annually to maintain and operate the park lands Higher workload than most agencies per maintenance employee Maintenance expenditures appear to be low on a per acre basis Overall, parks and recreation generates > $9 million in revenue annually Self supported Facilities Deanna Rose Farmstead Revenue generating Facilities/Services Leisure Services/Community Centers Golf Courses Soccer Complex
Comparable Communities Bloomington, Minnesota Proximity to a major city Des Moines, Iowa Strong economy and workforce Lawrence, Kansas Similar landscape and climate
Comparable Communities Overland Park s system is large in terms of total acres Most pools per population Most extensive trail system BUT Ratio of park land acres to population is lower More special use sites and acres Fewer neighborhood & community parks Fewer facilities/population: Sports fields Basketball courts Skate parks Spends the least on park maintenance
Questionnaire Results
Questionnaire Online 4/3 5/21 844 responses Most live in Overland Park Half work in Overland Park M/F responses balanced Age diversity Household composition 41% have children < age 18 17% adult with no children 9% retired All lengths of residency
Quality of Life Importance to Quality of Life Not Important Not very important Neutral Somewhat important Very Important 6 people: p Unimportant or not very important 7 people: Neutral Everyone had an opinion
Benefits Most important social benefits Health and fitness (46%) Activities for youth (42%) Neighborhood and family gatherings (36%) Property values and economy (27%) Most important environmental benefits Preserving green spaces (53%) Aesthetics (43%)
What are people doing? Top 5 activities are fitness related 7 of top10activitiesare are trail relatedrelated Swimming ranks in the top 10 Organized dsports Soccer (#11) Baseball/Softball (#13) Golf (#16) Other Field Sports (#17) Basketball, tennis lower
Improving the System Repair and maintenance (45%) Expand trails (35%) New indoor facilities (26%)
Important Close to Home Opportunities Trails (40%) Playfor children (37%) Exercise (30%) Experience nature (30%)
Activities and Programs More than half rate availability very good to excellent Another 27%: satisfactory Less than 5%: inadequate or unsatisfactory More programs or enhanced programs needed dd Youth sports Fitness programs Environmental education Adult sports Arts & culture
What would people like to be doing more? Concerts, festivals, special events Bicycling Nature walks, walking for exercise Arts & culture activities iii
Discussion Questions
1. What would a successful plan include, from your perspective? 2. What are the City s strengths? What is working well? 3. Are there areas that should be strengthened? Competitive Edge 4. What are the top two to three needs? 5. What is the top priority?