HomeMy WebLinkAbout05 CHAPTER 4
PARKS, RECREATION & OPEN SPACE PLAN
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Chapter 4
Goals and Policy
These goals, objectives, and policy standards come from:
· Auburn resident input Community Attitude & Interest Citizen
survey
· public meetings
· analysis of recreation trends
· participation rates and interests
· evaluation of existing park conditions.
1 Serve all citizens
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This goal recognizes that in any city there is a wide variety of people
with many differing recreational interests and needs. We are aware
of the special needs of some segments of our population. Facilities
and programs designed to accommodate these special needs, while
providing a physical and mental challenge. Auburn is committed
to providing a broad range of programs and facilities in an
attempt to serve all its citizens regardless of age or ability.
A continuing issue for any recreational program or park system is
to ensure that people are aware that they are available. The City
continues to use marketing in traditional and innovative ways to
engage the citizenry.
Objectives - Serve all citizens
· Provide a variety of recreation facilities and programs that will
improve the physical and mental well being of community
members.
· Identify underserved segments of the population and
develop programs that will satisfy unmet needs.
· Develop marketing strategies allowing the widest possible
dissemination of information concerning park facilities and
recreation programs.
· Programs and facilities designed for maximum affordability
to local residents. The Fee Waiver Program and Scholarship
Program should be expanded, when possible, to allow more
. low income residents to participate at reduced rates.
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CITY OF AUBURN, WASHINGTON
· The City continues to maintain an open decision-making process
that allows opportunity for citizen input.
· Parks and Recreation Department staffing levels shall be sufficient
to maintain and improve the existing cultural and recreation
programs. As programs expand or additional parks are developed,
the impact on current staff and the need for additional staff will
be evaluated. Pay scales for both full-time and part-time staff
members are evaluated periodically to ensure equity with other
municipalities and to attract and retain high quality individuals.
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2 - Healthy Balanced Activities
Active recreation - activities, which are physically demanding
performed by groups or individuals and include many organized
sports. Activities such as softball, tennis, basketball,
skateboarding or running.
Passive recreation - physically demanding, and may occur
more spontaneously. Activities such as walking, picnicking, spray .
pools, bird watching, and attending music performances.
Historically Auburn Parks and Recreation Department emphasis
was on sports and active recreation. While the Department and park
facilities are still more oriented toward active recreation, recent
development has included walking trails and appealing natural
environments conducive to a quieter experience of our parks.
To provide a balanced mix of passive and active
recreation opportunities.
Objectives - Healthy Balanced Activities
· Develop a park system that provides facilities for social, cultural
and physical activities.
· Parks designed to accommodate passive activities, such as
picnicking and walking, as well as more active, sports-oriented
facilities such as ballfields, skate parks, spray parks, and tennis
courts. A balance between parks with specialized facilities, those
with passive activities and those devoted to active recreation.
· Track changing trends both local and national. Respond with
appropriate programs and facilities to meet changing needs as .
funding and budgets are available and meet the level of service
expectations of the Auburn citizens.
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PARKS, RECREATION & OPEN SPACE PLAN
· 3 - High Quality Parks
Parks are one of the most visible public features in a
community, their design and maintenance can influence people's
perceptions of the community. Long term maintenance, good
design and the use of high quality materials will all affect the
appearance of a park. These also influence how well the park
functions and for how long.
To provide a system of well-maintained, high quality
parks.
Objectives
· Parks shall be intentionally designed to require low maintenance,
and low water and energy consumption. Higher maintenance
features like fountains or annual beds are reserved for high
visibility locations or as appropriate.
· Materials shall be selected for their durability and aesthetic
appearance.
· Parks shall exhibit a "cared for" appearance through close
attention to maintenance. Develop maintenance
. management standards and schedules for each park.
· In order to maintain parks in a safe and attractive condition,
maintenance staff levels will be evaluated with additions of
new park land or facilities. Level of service standards will be
developed to assure citizen expectations are met.
4 - Renovate Current Parks
To upgrade existing parks to meet current
regulations, and recreation and aesthetic
expectations.
The passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in
1992 has dramatically changed how public places are to be
designed. We are required to retrofit existing parks, any new
construction must meet the new guidelines. It is the City's
goal to upgrade all facilities to meet ADA regulations
in the future as funding is available.
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Park users are savvy and increasingly influenced by travel,
photographs, internet, movies and television. Our citizens expect
attractive parks and up-to-date facilities.
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CITY OF AUBURN, WASHINGTON
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Objectives
· Improve access for the disabled and seniors by providing
wheelchair ramps and other facilities.
· Examine parks regularly and repair or upgrade as necessary to
ensure safe conditions.
· Renovate deteriorating features or plant materials. Identify
conditions that require redesign or construction of new facilities;
schedule and budget necessary changes in the City's Capital
Facilities Plan.
5 - Positive Image through
Parks
To have a park system that contributes to a positive city
image for Auburn.
Auburn's Comprehensive Plan contains a goal and objectives to
enhance the city identity by ensuring a quality visual environment.
Parks are an effective tool in improving visual appearance. However, .
many of Auburn's parks are tucked away in residential neighborhoods,
unseen and unknown except to residents. This lack of visibility hinders
the parks from effectively upgrading the city's overall appearance.
Increased visibility and high quality design are paramount to
"advertising" our community as a good place in which to live and
work.
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Aesthetic and environmental improvements, such as
increased numbers of trees, vegetation, and artwork,
can also play an important role in community
appearance.
One area, which gives a particularly strong image, of
the city is the downtown district. This is an area seen
and visited by most residents and many visitors. The
high visibility of downtown, and the need to strengthen
and renew the downtown district, make it an especially
desirable location for an urban park.
The following objectives are intended to improve the
image of Auburn through sensitive park design:
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PARKS, RECREATION & OPEN SPACE PLAN
Objectives
· Select new park sites that enjoy high visibility.
This may be accomplished by locating at least
one side of larger parks along arterial streets.
· Increase the quantity of trees, shrubs and ground
covers in parks to create an image of a "green
city". Continue to work on Tree City USA goals
for better Urban Forestry design and tree
preservation.
· Create a downtown urban park that will be a
focal point for community activities and stimulate
economic growth.
· Incorporate artwork as part of new park
development or when upgrading existing parks or
other public facilities.
6 - Open Space
To acquire and manage important open spaces in
the City of Auburn.
Green, open spaces contribute to the well-being of our community
in many ways. We value them for their ability to provide buffers
from urban encroachment; to provide opportunities for recreation;
to provide public access to creeks, rivers and other water bodies; to
create distinctive settings within the city; to provide connections
between different areas for both people and wildlife; as well as
offering health and safety benefits.
The open space major points of Chapter 7 are overviewed here.
Objectives
· To develop a Greenbelt Open Space System which would
be a network of interconnecting parcels of land that allow
movement of people and wildlife.
· To target significant open space areas in the City, with
emphasis on their planning and acquisition. Target areas include
the land along the Green and White Rivers, steep hillsides, Mill
Creek Corridor and West Hill Watershed.
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CITY OF AUBURN, WASHINGTON
· To protect and provide incidental open spaces throughout
the City by acquiring potential open spaces such as boulevards,
vacated streets, public rights-of-way, scenic views and the
downtown open areas.
· A funding mechanism should be established to enable the
acquisition of open space on a regular basis as it becomes
available.
· Publicly owned open space land shall be accessible wherever
possible and appropriate.
· To provide adequate management and maintenance of public
open spaces, ensuring their ability to provide environmental
benefits and wildlife habitat.
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7 - Trails
To create a pedestrian and bicycle network of
trails.
The needs of all citizens must be considered when developing a
comprehensive transportation system. Being able to move .
throughout the city and region without a car becomes more urgent
as we are increasingly aware of environmental pollution and traffic
congestion.
The following objectives are offered as ways to enhance our
transportation system to become a more truly multi-modal
environment:
Objectives
· A network of trails created or extended to provide adequate
coverage for both commuting and recreational cyclists. Locations
for east/west trails shall be identified and developed. Acquisition
of land for the proposed Green River Trail shall continue to be a
priority.
· Trail design and layout shall take advantage of unique natural
locations and shall provide safe and efficient settings for all
users.
· The City should participate in planning activities for regional
trails in South King County and North Pierce County. Explore
possibilities for new trail connections between neighboring
communities. .
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PARKS, RECREATION & OPEN SPACE PLAN
· A variety of trail types and lengths constructed to
meet the needs of different user groups.
8 - New Parks
To ensure the most appropriate development of
new parks.
The development of new parks gives the community the
unique ability to continue to shape the city in ways that are beneficial
to all.
Land acquisition is a fundamental requirement for new parks, and
becomes increasingly challenging in economically difficult times.
Optional methods for financing or aèquiring land must be explored
to meet the challenges ahead.
Objectives
· The City gives priority development to community parks and
linear parks with trail systems.
· The City improves its ability to acquire land needed to serve new
residents as the City grows.
· Acquisition of community amenities, such as shoreline property,
shall be emphasized, to preserve or allow public access to
these special places. Addition of an Environmental Park that
is educational as well as recreational is included in the parks
master plan.
· The City minimizes land use conflicts between parks and other
uses, and shall use sensitive design measures when locating
parks in residential neighborhoods.
· Criteria for new park development ensures consistent high
quality design meeting the needs of the community.
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