Cedar Falls reviews draft Parks Master Plan; council takes no action, plans adoption vote at next meeting

Cedar Falls — City staff and consultant HKGI presented a draft Parks Master Plan at the Cedar Falls City Council Committee of the Whole meeting on Sept. 2, 2025, summarizing a yearlong engagement process, proposed park and trail projects, and an implementation framework. No formal action was taken; council members said the plan is expected to return for possible adoption at the next council meeting.

The plan, presented by Jody Breeder, project manager for HKGI, and city staff Michelle Peaslee and Mike Sope, lays out an inventory and needs assessment for the park system, recommends priority capital projects and neighborhood park replacements, and includes a proposed park dedication and subdivision ordinance. "Over the last year, we've been working together with staff and our steering committee and many members of your community to develop this draft master plan for your park system," Breeder said during the presentation.

The draft traces the project's timeline and outreach: the consultant selection process drew eight proposals; the team began public engagement in late 2024; chapters 1–5 were released in July for review and chapter 6 (implementation) was developed in July–August. Peaslee said the consultant and staff opened public review in November (project notes also reference October 2024 kickoff) and that the outreach effort produced detailed public input.

Why it matters: The plan sets near-, mid- and long-term priorities that will guide capital budgeting, maintenance, and partnerships. It identifies gaps in neighborhood park access, trail network connections, and recreation facilities that will affect future CIP decisions and budget priorities.

Key findings and recommendations

- Outreach and data: The project team reports 1,300 responses to the community survey, 63 public comments on the draft plan, more than 2,000 visits to the project website, and 822 visitors who left 217 comments on an interactive mapping tool (social pinpoint). "You've got a really engaged community," Breeder said.

- Needs assessment: The plan calls for additional neighborhood parks and trails to keep pace with residential growth, more athletic fields and multiuse rectangular fields, widespread playground replacements, low-cost trail maintenance, accessible entrances and signage upgrades, and expanded inclusive-play opportunities. The consultant's peer-city comparison and NRPA-based benchmarking show Cedar Falls is above average in park acreage per capita on many measures but below national averages for inclusive playgrounds and rectangular fields per population.

- Major initiatives: The draft highlights completing the recreational trail network and filling identified gaps (many overlapping with the 2022 Bike and Ped Plan); renovating Roger Birdsall Memorial Park in phases; considering renovation or expansion of the city recreation center; developing a Skate and Action Sports Park (respondents and skating community expressed strong interest); and creating a Cedar River Water Recreation Network linking about a dozen riverfront parks.

- Site- and facility-level priorities: The draft lists 10 neighborhood parks and playgrounds recommended for reinvestment, dog-park development, improvements at Gateway Park, inclusive-play development, and potential reinvestment or relocation at Pheasant Ridge Golf Course and Robinson Dresser Sports Complex. It also identifies seven future park search areas based on a half-mile walking-radius service analysis.

Implementation and funding

Chapter 6 organizes projects into tables with cost ranges, time frames (near term: within five years; mid term: five to 10 years; long term: 10+ years), and suggested funding approaches. The plan recommends an annual review of completed projects, a biennial community park and recreation survey, and a comprehensive five-year review to keep the plan a "living document." The consultant also included guidance for community-based project approaches and a draft park dedication and subdivision ordinance to be refined in October–November.

Council questions and discussion

Council member Schultz thanked the team and asked about the recommendation to "decommission the playground, not the park" at two floodplain sites (Policeman's Park on Lincoln Street and Central Park). "So, not decommissioning the entire park, but just looking at an alternative to investing in playground equipment," Schultz said. The consultant said those playgrounds see lower use and sit in floodplain areas, and recommended exploring alternate uses or lower-investment play features at those locations.

On aquatic amenities, Schultz and others noted the draft initially lacked detail on splash pads and water play; the consultant said winter survey timing likely suppressed initial interest but that public comments received on the draft prompted the team to add water-feature options as possible amenities for future neighborhood parks. "We did integrate the possibility of water features as part of future neighborhood parks," Breeder said.

Council members also asked about themed parks, and Breeder said feedback supported making neighborhood parks visually or programmatically distinct while retaining core features. Council member Hawbaker noted the skate community has formed an action-sports group to pursue fundraising and stewardship for skate-park improvements, an example cited by the consultant as fitting the plan's partnership and stewardship goals.

Next steps and context

No vote or formal action was taken at the Sept. 2 meeting. The presiding mayor said the council is "anticipating this being on our next council meeting" and that adoption will be considered then. Staff indicated the Capital Improvements Program and budget process will determine how recommendations are prioritized and funded, and that more detailed cost figures and funding strategies will be discussed during goal-setting and budget sessions.

The draft plan and the park-dedication ordinance remain available for public review; staff said they will continue work on finalizing ordinance language and implementation steps in October and November. The committee closed the agenda item and returned to the regular council meeting schedule.