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City staff asks Plan Commission to set 30‑day review and public hearing for parks and recreation plan
Summary
A city staff member told the Plan Commission the parks and recreation plan has been updated using community outreach and that staff will ask the commission in March to approve posting the draft for a 30‑day public review and a public hearing; the update preserves eligibility for state grant programs and the current plan expires in December.
A city staff member briefed the Plan Commission on updates to the parks and recreation plan and said staff will ask the commission at its March meeting to pass a motion to post the draft plan for a 30‑day public review and to schedule a public hearing. The presenter said the last public outreach was Oct. 9 and that the plan is expected to be submitted in July or August.
The presenter said the draft reflects the planning process and public input, and that staff updated community profiles (demographics, income, race and population characteristics), reviewed administrative structure, budget and maintenance, and analyzed natural features, parks facilities, nonmotorized trails and water trails. The updates include goals, objectives and an action plan based on outreach findings and the current condition of the system.
Staff noted the updated plan is intended to preserve the city’s ability to apply for state grant programs. The presenter listed the recreation passport and a trust fund among examples and referenced other state conservation grant programs; the transcript did not provide formal program names beyond those references. The presenter also said the city’s current parks and recreation plan expires in December and that this update would function as a continuation to maintain grant eligibility.
The presenter said some goals are purposefully broad so they apply across the park system, while other objectives will be site specific. He added that changes to adopted goals would follow a separate amendment process and that staff will confirm the exact procedural steps with the relevant representative. The presenter said Commissioner Milton (not present) had provided feedback — including updating the cover photo to highlight a recent project — and that staff is considering map updates.
On the relationship with the city master plan, the presenter explained that the master plan provides a broader overview while the parks and recreation plan contains the specific goals, objectives and action items. Staff said next year they will consider whether to incorporate the parks plan into the master plan or to keep the documents complementary.
The Plan Commission did not take a final vote on the parks plan during this presentation; staff indicated a formal motion to post the draft for public review and to schedule a hearing will be requested at the next meeting. The presenter also said the mayor provided feedback on a section of the draft and that staff adjusted section 3.1, though the transcript text is unclear about the precise wording of that change.
