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Commission to consider formal adoption of parks master plan; SDC update to follow
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Summary
Parks staff briefed the commission on the final adoption step for an updated parks master plan and a concurrent system‑development‑charge (SDC) methodology update; staff noted gaps between current service levels and NRPA benchmarks and said PRAC will help prioritize a 5‑year CIP.
Scott Archer, Parks and Recreation Director, and Deputy Director Tom Kissinger briefed the commission on May 13 about the final adoption steps for the city’s updated parks master plan and a parallel update to the system‑development‑charge (SDC) methodology.
Why this matters: the master plan, if adopted as an ancillary plan to the comprehensive plan, will guide park acquisitions, capital investments and SDC calculations for the next two decades and frame a five‑year prioritization for capital and maintenance funding.
Key findings from the plan: Kissinger said the plan’s level‑of‑service analysis used adjusted National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) benchmarks against a 2022 city population estimate of 37,967. "According to this analysis, the city needs to add 23.1 acres of neighborhood parks to meet the service level needs of the city," he said. The report estimates the city currently has about 13.21 miles of trails and would need about 2 additional miles to meet a 0.4 miles per 1,000 residents standard.
Process and timing: The planning commission held a public hearing and recommended moving the comp‑plan amendment to adoption; staff said the first reading of the comp‑plan amendment is scheduled for the May 21 city commission meeting. The SDC methodology update is expected to come back for adoption in mid‑June (staff noted June 18 as the likely date for SDC adoption).
Budget and prioritization: The plan contains a capital improvement program (CIP) and SDC‑eligible cost lists; staff said the CIP is the financial backbone of park priorities and that PRAC will assist staff in developing a prioritized five‑year CIP. Commissioners discussed the need to identify funding sources for both capital and ongoing maintenance. Staff said SDCs will fund a portion of identified projects; remaining needs will require grants or other funding mechanisms.
Buena Vista Club building: Commissioner Adam Marl asked whether language in the inventory that suggests focusing on preservation of the Buena Vista Club building represented a commission decision. Marl said, "I think there's an assumption in here that we have not had a discussion about as a commission. We had a work session on the topic, but we've never reached any decision." City staff responded that the inventory reflects facility status and that any major funding decisions would return to the commission; staff added that reopening the building would depend on securing sufficient funding.
Branding and park signage: Commissioners discussed standardized park signage; staff said a new standard sign at SportCraft Landing costs about $8,000 installed and that a typical sign package can range around $10,000–$15,000 depending on size and staff installation time.
Next steps: staff will present the comp‑plan amendment for adoption May 21 and the SDC methodology for consideration in June; PRAC will be engaged to prioritize capital projects and to consider funding strategies for maintenance and new assets.
Ending: The commission scheduled the formal adoption step and directed staff to continue working with PRAC and to return a prioritized five‑year CIP and recommended funding options.
