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Consultants outline long‑range open space, conservation and recreation update for Glendale
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Summary
A consultant team told the commission the OSCAR general plan element will focus on 20–30 year policy goals, respond to population growth and equity gaps, and carry out a CEQA review; surveys show strong interest in trails and green space and over 1,000 residents participated so far.
Jessica Henson, a landscape architect with consultant firm Olin, presented an update to Glendale's Open Space, Conservation and Recreation (OSCAR) element, saying the city elected to update elements individually to give parks and open space focused policy attention. Henson said the team is developing a 20–30 year framework and coordinating the OSCAR update with the city's housing, mobility and environmental justice work.
Henson said current inventory work shows about 6,100 acres of parks and open space in the Glendale planning area, roughly 286 acres of developed parkland and about 5,800 acres of open space. She told commissioners the city's population is around 192,000 and projected to about 205,000 by 2050, which will increase pressure on park resources and influence priorities for acquisition and programming.
The consultants described a three-pronged outreach effort that included an online survey, traveling boards and a statistically valid mailed survey. Henson said the team received 562 online responses, achieved 607 responses for the mail-based statistically valid survey, and surpassed 1,000 total participants across all engagement methods. "We're trying to meet people where they are," Henson said, urging continued participation in the second-round survey and future draft-policy review.
Survey results, Henson said, showed paved multi-use trails as the top priority, followed by unprogrammed green space and non‑paved trails; indoor priorities included walking/jogging tracks and pools. Maintenance priorities rated highly were trash pickup, restroom upkeep, graffiti repair and playground safety. Henson also flagged equity concerns and tree canopy gaps in parts of south Glendale and said wildfire access and coordination with fire and public works are important for hillside and ridge planning.
Henson noted the OSCAR update will include environmental review under CEQA and that the team is expecting the process to extend into 2027. She said the next steps include a second-round survey with more detailed questions, draft policies posted for public review, and additional mapping that will calculate walking-distance access (using a 10‑minute/half‑mile benchmark from Trust for Public Land guidance).
Commissioners pressed Henson on senior programming and facility types. Henson said senior services ranked high in responses and acknowledged further analysis is needed to define whether communities prefer lap pools, recreation pools or shared multiuse approaches. She pointed to national and regional trends (for example, a marked increase in pickleball participation) and said the OSCAR work will examine policy options, funding needs, and potential multi‑benefit solutions such as joint use with school facilities.
The consultant team will return with additional analysis, maps of park access, and draft policies; commissioners and staff were asked to encourage broader public participation during the upcoming engagement windows.
