Commissioners Hear $25M–$35M Parks Master Plan; County Seeks Input on Geese Control

Parks and Recreation director Matt Dennison and consultant Paul Tynion presented a long-range master plan to the Floyd County Board of Commissioners that lays out phased improvements for two sites: reinvestment in the existing Community Park and development of a new regional park. Dennison said the planning process included about 15 months of public input and noted early grant wins to start work on Shelter House No. 4.

The master plan breaks the community-park work into manageable phases aimed at upgrading playgrounds, pavilions and restroom buildings, stabilizing a hillside at the fairgrounds connection, improving parking, and boosting programming such as pickleball and other leagues. "This process began about 15 months ago, last May," Dennison said, noting a steering committee of parks board members, commissioners and other county officials helped shape the plan. Consultant Paul Tynion described the regional-park concept — nature preserve, loop trails, restored historic farmstead and a central hub with potential event space — and estimated major infrastructure needs could total about $35 million, with roughly $5–$10 million likely needed for roads and utilities for initial build-out.

Why it matters: Commissioners emphasized that the plan is a 10–20 year template rather than a fixed design, and that funding will come from a mix of grants, foundation support and phased county investments. Tynion said some federal Land and Water Conservation Fund money is already awarded for initial trail activation and the Jensen Trailhead, which will allow early work to begin.

Parks staff also requested support for a geese mitigation and control plan designed to reduce conflicts at Community Park. The plan begins with awareness and education, targets habitat modification ("no-mow" and planting buffers) to discourage a permanent resident population, and includes enforcement of no-feeding rules. Staff described a two-phase approach: immediate management of the current resident birds and longer-term nest and population management that may require DNR permits for removal of nests. Parks staff also said non-Canadian, barnyard geese found on site could be rehomed safely as an initial step. "We're not trying to get rid of them," Tynion said; the goal, he said, is to make the population manageable so the park can be used more broadly.

Commission response and next steps: Commissioners voiced support for the plan’s phased approach but asked for written recommendations and regular updates from the parks board before ordinance changes would move forward. The chair asked staff to email full plan documents to the commission and a local news outlet for public review. Parks staff said they would circulate the complete plan with figures and follow up with the parks board for a formal recommendation before any change to feeding ordinances or actions that require permits.

The county did not adopt final designs or commit capital funding at this meeting; commissioners reiterated that individual projects will be considered in stages and will require separate approvals and funding commitments.