DEPARTMENT: Parks and Recreation
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Xavier D. Urrutia, Director
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT:
Briefing and update on the Draft SA Parks System Plan
SUMMARY:
Briefing and update on the Draft SA Parks System Plan
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
In March 2017 City Council approved the development of the SA Parks System Plan through a professional services agreement with Bender, Inc. dba Bender Wells Clark Design. The consultant team includes Bender Wells Clark Design along with MIG, Inc. and Ximenes & Associates, Inc.
The SA Parks System Plan will continue to provide a foundation to guide future planning decisions impacting service delivery to the citizens of San Antonio concerning capital improvement needs, operations and recreation programs. The plan will also include an assessment of the Parks and Recreation Department’s Urban Forestry Program and will demonstrate consistency and implementation of the City’s SA Tomorrow Plan: Comprehensive, Sustainability and Multimodal Transportation Plans.
From October 2017 through January 2018 the project team conducted seven community workshops designed to provide the public with an opportunity to inform the consultant team their priorities for the park system through a series of park related activities. Translation services were offered at the workshops and all activities were provided in English and Spanish. To supplement this input, an on-line and paper survey was made available to the public. Five free community events were held at various parks to promote the public workshops and offer the community an opportunity to complete the survey. Park staff attended various city organized public events to promote the System Plan and solicit further survey input. The survey was offered in English and Spanish, and from October 2017 through April 2018 over 2,800 completed responses were received.
The draft system plan, that will be presented to the Community Health and Equity Committee on December 14, identifies four (4) primary goals to guide the parks system over the next ten years: 1.) San Antonio has a RESPONSIVE park system; 2.) The Park System is RESTORATIVE to the community’s health; 3.) San Antonio is more RESILIENT because of parks and recreation; and 4.) The City is RESOURCEFUL in creating, maintaining and changing the parks and recreation system. These goals are a reflection of the input received from the community, stakeholders, user groups and park staff. Each goal is complemented by a series of objectives and recommended strategies. In an effort to achieve a RESTORATIVE park system, for example, the plan recommends adopting a Tobacco Free Park policy to showcase and support healthy lifestyles. The plan also recommends modifying the School Park Program to target locations that support the 10 minute walk access goal as a means to expand park’s resources and achieve a more RESOURCEFUL park system.
Once the draft plan is presented to the Community Health and Equity Committee on December 14, the Parks Department will hold public meetings in early January to present the outcomes and recommendations of the Draft SA Parks System Plan to San Antonio residents and get their input. The outcomes and recommendations will also be made available on line to provide opportunities for additional feedback. Once the feedback from the community has been gathered, the Parks Department will return to the Community Health and Equity Committee in February to present the final draft plan which will include comments from the public and city staff.
ISSUE:
City Council approved the development of the SA Parks System Plan through a professional services agreement with Bender, Inc. dba Bender Wells Clark Design. Through a public and internal outreach process the consultant team has developed a draft of the SA Parks System Plan. The findings of the system plan draft will be presented to the public in January. Input received from the public will be utilized prior to final adoption in March 2019.
ALTERNATIVES:
This item is for briefing purposes only.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This item is for briefing purposes only.
RECOMMENDATION:
This item is for briefing purposes only.