Parks and Recreation Policy Plan update

Policy Plan Remaining Schedule:

•Public Open House – June12th, 5:00pm to 8:00pm at the Northside Aztlan Community Center, 112 East Willow Street

•Request Council adoption of plan – July 08

April, 2008 information on the Policy Plan update:

Policy Plan Council Work Session Presentation. Presentation

March, 2008 information on the Policy Plan update:

News release requesting public input. News Release

February, 2008 information on the Policy Plan update:

Memorandum to Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. Memo

January, 2008 information on the Policy Plan update:

Review options, recommendations and actions items with Boards and interested community members for January.

Parks and Recreation Board Review Options

Parks and Recreation Board Presentation

February, 2008 information on the Policy Plan update: The Department's Three Options:

A downturn in the economy has impacted the City’s General Fund challenging the ability to sustain the current level of service standards for City services, including parks and recreation, without consideration of new funding sources. As part of the Policy Plan Update, City Council has asked the Department to present three options for the construction of future parks, with different needs for General Fund support for future park operation and maintenance costs. 

Three options were developed for this discussion:

A “Current Level of Service” option (status quo) calls for the development of parks at one every year through the build out of nineteen parks. This includes sixteen neighborhood parks and three community parks. Complete park build out would be in year 2024. This option includes the continuation of measures put in place to reduce reliance on the General Fund by $1M over the past four years, due in large part to: use of Conservation Trust Fund (CTF); increased emphasis on reduced operation and maintenance designs; staffing reductions; lifecycle reductions; delays in equipment replacement; and energy savings, etc.

A “Reduced Level of Service” option calls for developing a park every other year and combining some park sites resulting in the elimination of five park sites. Complete park build out would be in year 2028. This option includes a more aggressive approach to reducing operation and maintenance costs, saving the General Fund about $3.2M over the next ten years.

An “Austere Level of Service” option calls for developing a park every other year and combining some park sites resulting in the elimination of eight parks sites, including one community park. Complete park build out would be in year 2026. This option includes a much more aggressive approach to reducing operation and maintenance costs, including elimination of many facilities found in the parks. This option would save the General Fund about $3.7M over the next ten years.

The exercise also included looking at new operation and maintenance revenues including:

• A shift in the use of the Conservation Trust Fund from trail development to operations and maintenance of parks as they come on-line
• Park and Trail Maintenance Fee
• Trail Impact Fee

Recommendation

The needs assessment identified that Fort Collins citizens are very satisfied with the current park service levels. Ideally, the current service level should be maintained, while controlling maintenance costs. To this end, GreenPlay recommends:

• Keeping options open for the future – use available funding to acquire land for needed parks and trail waysides
• Concentrate turf grass area within the system to areas of high use
• Increase alternative landscaping within the system to reduce operation and maintenance costs
• Pursue new funding sources to preserve current level of service

In light of the current economic situation, and provided that new revenue sources would not be adequate to continue the current level of service, GreenPlay recommends the “Reduced Level of Service” option for the build out of the park system. This option:

• Creates a substantial savings for the General Fund over the next 10 years
• Delays the development of some future parks and combines some future park locations
• Maintains an acceptable Level of Service for future residents – reducing the overall number of park sites can be offset somewhat through a more “connected park” system using linear trails with small “nodes” of development, such as park benches or a small piece of play equipment, at strategic locations. With a “connected” system, access to the system, and therefore individual park sites, is improved for everyone.
• Generally provides a balanced and fair park system – further reduction of the level of service would result in areas of the City without adequate park service, creating a system of haves and have-nots.
• Would help prevent the potential overuse of existing facilities that would occur with the “austere” option – with such a limited future inventory it is likely that residents would put additional pressure on what is available causing increased maintenance expense and loss of quality.
• Is sustainable with projected General Fund revenues
• May require use of a majority, if not all of, the CTF requiring new sources of revenue to further develop the trail system. Community interest in trail systems and in “connectivity” is very high, as shown by the survey. Other sources of revenue such as grants and/or partnering are may offset some of the increased use of the CTF for this purpose.
• Can be combined with other measures to minimize maintenance costs including restroom construction design and materials options and the shifting of programmable game fields to community parks from neighborhood parks to consolidate expenses.

It is also recommended that the City should explore new revenue to support future park operation and maintenance costs. The need for parks operation and maintenance funding should be included in the City’s “Price of Government” discussion with the community. Funding options should consider:

• Creation of a dedicated park maintenance tax (price of government discussion).
• Creation of a community wide trail impact fee.
• Use CTF for operation and maintenance revenue stream keeping in mind that continued use of the CTF for operation and maintenance needs severely restricts a fund that otherwise has considerable flexibility. The Fund can be used for numerous recreation related projects such as seed money for future recreation centers, pools, etc. that is lost if funds are diverted to operation and maintenance.
• Focusing community park development on active, revenue generating areas in early phases.

September, 2007 information on the Policy Plan update:

Downloadable presentation for the Policy Plan Project, Council Work Session, which was presented to the public on September 11th. Policy Plan Council Work Session Presentation

June, 2007 information on the Policy Plan update:

Downloadable presentation for the first phase of the Policy Plan Project, the Needs Assessment, which was presented to the public on June 11th. Policy Plan Findings Presentation

May, 2007 information on the Policy Plan update:

The City of Fort Collins is updating its 1996 Parks and Recreation Policy Plan.   GreenPlay, LLC has finished the first phase of the project, the Needs Assessment, and will present their findings to the public on June 11th from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at the 215 North Mason City Building Community Room. The City building is located just across the street to the north of the Larimer County Courthouse.

The findings include information on community demographics and trends analysis, data gathered through public input (focus group meetings and the City wide mail-in survey), and findings from a comprehensive inventory and assessment of the City’s park and recreation system.  These findings indicate how well our parks, trails and recreation facilities are meeting the needs of the community. The second phase of the update will develop recommendations and an action plan, including priorities for what items should be added, expanded or improved to better serve the community.
 
The update will be completed in 2007. Watch for information on the City’s web-page at fcgov.com. You may also contact Craig L. Foreman, Manager of Park Planning and Development, by phone at 221-6618 or e-mail at for more information.

The City of Fort Collins will make reasonable accommodations for access to City Services, programs, and activities and will make special communication arrangements for persons with disabilities.  Please call 221-6618 for assistance.

March, 2007 information on the Policy Plan update:

The City has engaged the services of GreenPlay LLC., a nationally renowned park and recreation consulting firm, to help with the Policy Plan update. GreenPlay has completed, or is working on, the following items:

• GreenPlay has met with City staff and has become familiar with our existing parks, trails and recreation facilities and programs.
• GreenPlay discussed the Policy Plan update with the Parks and Recreation Board at the Board’s January 24, 2007 meeting.
• The City contacted over 70 user groups for focus group meetings on February 15th and 16th, 2007. Over 110 people attended the three meetings. GreenPlay conducted the meetings and asked the participants a series of questions such as: what are the parks and recreation system’s current strengths and weaknesses; how is the City currently meeting their needs; should the City add or eliminate any services; what facilities/programs should the City have in the future; what is the community’s satisfaction with the level of maintenance, and how do users rate the quality of outdoor and indoor facilities?
• GreenPlay has collected data on facilities and features in the existing parks and recreation system and has rated their quality. GreenPlay will compile a comprehensive inventory and assessment of not just the quantity, but also the quality of our system.
• GreenPlay has prepared a survey with questions similar to those given to the focus groups that will provide statically valid input from the community. This survey will be mailed to a random sample of 3,500 to 4,000 homes in Fort Collins in March.

GreenPlay will be busy in April and May analyzing the information from City staff, the Focus Groups and the statistically valid mail-in survey. In June the results of this analysis distributed to the community for review and input.

If you would like information on the update or want to provide input, please contact Craig L. Foreman, Manager of Park Planning and Development, by phone at 221-6618 or by .