Clark County receives 2025 Parks & Recreation strategic plan, directs staff to amend master plan

The Clark County Commission on Oct. 22 received the county’s 2025 Parks & Recreation strategic plan and directed staff to amend the master plan so policy and zoning align with the strategy.

Martin Geese, project lead with Clark County comprehensive planning, introduced the plan and turned the presentation over to Mike Spetz of Pros Consulting, who said the effort took nearly two years and relied on extensive public engagement, a statistically valid survey and input from county departments and stakeholders. "Restroom maintenance was rated the lowest in terms of levels of satisfaction," Spetz said, adding that parks operations (RPM) has already made changes on restroom upkeep.

The plan recommends shifting from an acreage-per-capita standard to an access-based measure that maps park access at neighborhood and regional scales. Spetz said the county’s South and Southwest areas show the largest gaps for neighborhood parks and indoor recreation; Districts A and F hold the greatest number of identified priorities while District D will focus on reinvestment rather than expansion. He said short-term capital priorities include 144 projects identified for sustainability and 62 expanded/visionary projects to close equity gaps.

Commissioner Jones thanked staff and consultants as "very comprehensive," and asked whether updates to the county’s Public Facilities Needs Assessment (PFNA) would be timed to inform the FY27 budget. Sam Gabriel, director of planning, said a PFNA update will be kicked off soon and staff hopes any changes would take effect before the FY27 budget cycle.

Several commissioners pressed staff for specific follow-ups. One commissioner urged more engagement about restroom strategy and progressive approaches other jurisdictions use, saying restroom maintenance scores should prompt action. Another commissioner asked staff to consider park policing and security in parks where maintenance alone does not address safety concerns.

During public comment, neighborhood-watch member Al Rojas praised park staff and described community efforts to keep parks safe, including reporting RVs and coordinating with maintenance. "Our parks are for our kids. They're for our senior citizens who wanna exercise," Rojas said, and urged funding for mobile security cameras and enforcement support.

The commission formally received the strategic plan and directed staff to prepare amendments to the Clark County master plan to ensure consistency with the newly received strategic plan. Staff said next steps include coordinating PFNA updates and preparing implementation priorities for future budget cycles.