Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Spaces Master Plan topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Public Spaces Master Plan refresh: county reports high park use and prioritizes paved multi-use trails
Summary
Arlington staff and consultants reported survey and open-house findings showing 95% of respondents visited a county park in the past year and that residents prioritize paved multi-use trails, natural habitats and a mix of facility investments; staff said a mailed statistically valid sample plus online input will inform the refresh.
Peter reported back on a Public Spaces Master Plan (PSMP) refresh engagement meeting and open house, summarizing early survey results compiled by consultant ETC Institute.
According to the presentation summary shared with commissioners, 95% of respondents said they had visited an Arlington County park or public facility in the past 12 months, compared with a 81% national benchmark, and about 51% reported participating in a program or event run by Parks and Recreation or a partner over the same period. Peter said the team mailed a paper survey to over 4,000 Arlington households and received about a 17% response rate in the mailed sample (the project aimed for roughly 800 returned surveys to support a statistically valid random sample); an online open survey ran in parallel and was treated as self-selected input.
Consultants used the results to rank facility and program priorities based on perceived importance and current service gaps. Early findings highlighted resident interest in paved multi-use trails, improvements to natural habitat areas and continued investment in athletic courts and fields.
Peter and commissioners noted the difference between the mailed “statistically valid” sample used to gauge broader household sentiment and the self-selected online responses, and asked consultants to clarify method and distribution to ensure priorities reflect diverse user groups.
What’s next: staff said there will be another round of engagement and that committee-level and public input will be factored into PSMP recommendations ahead of fall committee meetings.
