DEPARTMENT: Parks and Recreation
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Xavier D. Urrutia, Director
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT:
Briefing on the Final Draft SA Parks System Plan and Smoke/Tobacco-Free Parks
SUMMARY:
Briefing and update on the Final Draft SA Parks System Plan and Smoke/Tobacco-Free Parks
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The SA Parks System Plan will 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. The consultant team includes Bender Wells Clark Design along with MIG, Inc. and Ximenes & Associates, Inc.
From October 2017 through January 2018 the consultant 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 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 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 Smoke/Tobacco Free Park policy to model and support healthy lifestyles. The plan also recommends the School Park Program adopts targeting locations to support the 10 minute walk access goal as a means to expand park’s resources and achieve a more RESOURCEFUL park system.
The draft plan was released online through the Parks and Recreation Department’s website on December 17, 2018 and was provided to Mayor and Council the following day. Public feedback on the plan was accepted through February 15, 2019. Park staff conducted an email marketing campaign to promote the plan and solicit feedback. A public input meeting for the draft system plan was held on January 24, 2019. A presentation of the draft plan to the Parks and Recreation Board followed on January 28, 2019. To augment this input, the Parks and Recreation Department participated in the City’s second ever Telephone Town Hall on January 31, 2019.
Based on the input received during this period public comments fell into three categories: 1) subject matter addressed in the plan - natural resource protection and sustainability; 2) comments on specific park facilities to be reviewed by staff for further action but too specific to be included in the plan due to the document’s macro-level approach; and 3) text level changes that focused on grammar, punctuation and sentence structure, improving the flow of the document.
A common concern registered in the public’s comments was the need to protect our natural resources and wildlife habitat through use of resource-driven access, development and design. In an effort to address these concerns, several strategies were enhanced to incorporate this effort:
• 1.2.d Explore opportunities for park, natural area, and trail amenities in the public right of way, greenways, and tributaries, where compatible with resource protection. Establish processes that support setting aside adequate land in these areas for parks and recreation purposes.
• 1.2.e Promote the resource-sensitive use of aquifer protection land acquisitions and easements for nature based activities.
• 1.3.c Adopt trail width and design standards that consider increased future use, environmental impact, and safety for people of all ages and abilities on wheels, foot, and bike.
• 3.2.c Provide habitat and protection for pollinators, insects, and wildlife where appropriate.
• Priority Projects Park-Lands Table 5-1: Enhance and protect habitats and other natural resources in the park system.
Moreover, public feedback expressed the importance of maximizing resources to provide more multi-purpose facilities that incorporate water quality and flood control while providing outdoor recreation opportunities. In response, a priority project under the Plan Implementation section was modified to include, “Plant trees, enhance park landscapes, and create storm water management to enhance overall park function and user experience.”
Public feedback regarding sustainability was interwoven with natural resource protection. Much of Goal 3.) RESILIENT’s intent is setting the framework for the Parks and Recreation Department’s approach to infrastructure ensuring alliance with SA Tomorrow’s Sustainability Plan, TCI Guidelines and the San Antonio Trail Design Strategy (TDS). To enhance this commitment, additional language was added at the end of Strategic Implementation #5 to include, “The implementation of projects resulting from this plan will conform to the City’s adopted guidelines and strategies such as the TCI Guidelines and the Trail Design Strategy.”
The System Plan was presented to the Parks and Recreation Board on March 25, 2019, Planning Commission on March 27, 2019 and the Community Health & Equity Council Committee on March 28, 2019 where the Final Draft of the SA Parks System Plan received approval from all three groups.
ISSUE:
This briefing outlines the public engagement process for the draft SA Parks System Plan and highlights a variety of the document’s proposed revisions. Consideration for final adoption by the City Council is scheduled for April 11, 2019.
ALTERNATIVES:
This item is for briefing purposes only.
FISCAL IMPACT:
A briefing and update of the Final Draft SA Parks System Plan. There is no fiscal impact.
RECOMMENDATION:
This item is for briefing purposes only.