York County committee asks staff to scope long-term parks and trails master plan

The York County Environmental and Healthy Environmental Protection Committee voted Sept. 18 to ask staff to prepare a scope for a long-term parks and recreation master plan and to return with options for consultant engagement.

Committee members front-loaded discussion on projects already under way at existing parks and recommended focusing next on completing design work so projects will be “shovel ready.” Catherine, Parks and Recreation director, told the committee, “one of the biggest things that we can do to set ourselves up for success is having shovel ready projects.” She listed priority capital items including remaining Greenway Trail mileage, a visitor center/maintenance facility, loop roads and parking at Catawba Bend, and design and construction phases for mountain bike and equestrian trails.

The motion asks staff to draft a long-term parks and recreation master-plan scope for committee consideration and possible consultant procurement. Assistant County Manager Tom Couch told the committee staff intends the planning work to…