park system master plan imagine arvada: the future of our ...€¦ · imagine arvada: the future of...

PARK SYSTEM MASTER PLANImagine Arvada:

The Future of Our Parks, Community, Nature and Wellness

July 14, 2015

1. Introduction

2. Park System Analysis

3. Your Keypad Polling Feedback

4. Draft Plan Key Themes & Big Ideas

5. Table Discussions

6. Wrap-Up

TODAY’S AGENDA

Photo: City of Arvada

MASTER PLAN PURPOSE

• Long-term vision

• Understanding of current community values and desires

• Address community changes and growth

• Identify new policies, maintenance approaches, community services, and prioritize investments


INTRODUCTION | WHY WE NEED THIS PLAN?

BUILD ON PAST SUCCESSES TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO COMMUNITY, PARKS, NATURE AND WELLNESS



TAKING LASTING CARE OF OUR CURRENT PARK SYSTEM



Arvada Population Growth 2015-2025Source: 2014 Arvada Comprehensive Plan, Steven B. Fisher

111,529 128,848

Arvada Total Population

Arvada

JeffersonCounty


Arvada Ethnic Distribution 2015-2035Source: 2014 Arvada Comprehensive Plan, Steven B. Fisher

Arvada Age Distribution 2010 and 2035 ProjectionSource: 2014 Arvada Comprehensive Plan, Steven B. Fisher


Photo: Wikipedia

BUILDING ON PAST PLANS AND STUDIES

• 2001 City of Arvada Parks, Trails and Open Space Master Plan

• 2009 City of Arvada Pedestrian and Bicycle Access Plan

• 2013 Arvada Citizen Survey

• 2014 City of Arvada Comprehensive Plan

• 2011 Sustain Arvada Plan

• 2011 Jeffco Citizen Survey and 2014 Open Space Master Plan

• 2013 Apex Recreation Survey and Vision Plan


2013 APEX SURVEY FINDINGS ON ACTIVE RECREATION NEEDS

Revealed strong support for:• An eastern community recreation center• Improvements to Apex Center• Improvements to Harold D. Lutz Sports

Complex• Long Lake Regional Park expansion

Identified need for:• More outdoor aquatics• More neighborhood based facilities and

programs• More athletic fields • An outdoor skating rink• A stadium quality venue• More synthetic turf fields


APEX IMPROVEMENTS

Potential Improvements:• Tennis facility renovation and court expansion

• An east side, neighborhood recreation center

• Improvements to Secrest Park and Fitzmorris Park

• Additional baseball and/or softball fields

• Additional multi-use fields, including rugby and lacrosse

Photo: Caroline Huller

MASTER PLAN PROCESS AND COMMUNITY FEEDBACK

PROJECT SCHEDULE

Phase 1: Developing a Context of Understanding

Phase 2: Creating a Shared Vision

Phase 3: Final Master Plan

MAY

JUNE

JULY

AUG

SEPT

OCT

NOV

DEC

EARLY 2016

July 14th Public Meeting & Online Survey

Outreach- Public Open House Event

Adoption Steps

Research & Round Table Meetings

Draft plan and review with City Staff and Arvada Parks Advisory Committee

August 10th City Council Master Plan Update & Arterial Beautification Presentation

WHAT HAVE WE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY

APACSteering

Committee

City of Arvada

Working Group

City Council & Planning Commission

July 14th

Public Meeting

Fall/Winter Open House Event

Community Roundtable Meetings

Website & Online Survey

Photo: Arvada Round table Meetings

SUMMARY OF COMMUNITY FEEDBACK

Strengths of Our Current System• Majestic View Nature Center offers incredible

variety of accessible environmental education

• Arvada has active volunteer groups

• Healthy Places has made great strides with public awareness and community agriculture

• Strongly connected east/west trails like Ralston Creek Trail offer a diversity of park and fitness experiences

• Variety of park types that capture suburban to more rural landscape beauty.


SUMMARY OF COMMUNITY FEEDBACK

Challenges of our Current System• North to south trail connectivity is not strong

• East to west wildlife corridors gaps

• The full range of existing Arvada Park, Trails and Open Spaces are not well-known to public

• Public wants more park amenities, programming and accessibility

• Southeast Arvada is underserved

• Current parks need continued maintenance

• Need for new kinds of urban parks in areas adjacent to the transit stations


PARK, TRAIL AND OPEN SPACE ANALYSIS


PARKS & OPEN SPACE TODAY

ARVADA’S PARKS

Arvada Parks InventoryClassification Developed Acres

Regional Parks 315.7

Community Parks 183.2

Neighborhood Parks 645.9

Urban Parks 0.6

Special Purpose Parks 212.7

Sports Complexes 241.6

Historical Sites 151.2

TOTAL ARVADA PARK ACRES 1,750.9

Note: Total includes parks constructed by developers but accessible to the public and parks maintained by the City but operated by others.

OPEN SPACE

Arvada Open Space InventoryClassification Developed Acres

Arvada Open Space 3,381.8

Arvada Trail Easements 748.0

TOTAL ARVADA OPEN SPACE ACRES 4,129.8

Surrounding Open SpaceClassification Developed Acres

Jefferson County Open Space, Conservation andTrail Easements 21,180.5

Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge 65.2

Westminster Open Space 3,080.3

Boulder Open Space 1,491.1

Denver Open Space 1,936.4

DO WE HAVE ENOUGH?

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Arvada

Westminster

South Suburban Parks and Recreation District(Centennial)

Boulder

Minneapolis Suburbs-St. Louis Park

Fort Collins

Park Acres Per Population

Per 1,000 Population

WILL WE HAVE ENOUGH IN THE FUTURE?

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

2000 2015 2025

Community Parkland Acres Per 1,000 Population


0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

2000 2015 2025

Neighborhood Parkland Acres Per 1,000 Population


Walking Distance to Parks

HOW ACCESSIBLE ARE OUR PARKS?

Areas Within Walking Distance of a Park

36

76

287

93

701/4 Mile

1/2 Mile

DO OUR CURRENT PARKS SERVE EVERYONE?

Source: U..S. Census DataUnderserved Areas

WILL OUR PARKS SERVE US WELL IN THE FUTURE?

Future Development Trends

MAJOR ISSUES THE PLAN MUST ADDRESS

• Providing equitable levels of service to all of Arvada, particularly in southeast

• Managing current and future Front Range growth and urban park needs, particularly around future commuter rail stations

• Managing current and future programming requests from public

• Maintaining and promoting existing parks, trails and open space

• Completing critical off-street trail gaps

• Taking on more sustainability goals for water, energy and materials use for existing and future parks

• Promoting wellness through parks and recreation through programs like community agriculture

• Creating audacious vision for 2015-25


MASTER PLAN THEMES AND KEYPAD POLLING

PARKS

NATURE

COMMUNITY

WELLNESS

MASTER PLAN THEMESImagine Arvada: The Future of Our Parks, Community, Nature and Wellness

MASTER PLAN THEMES | PARKS

• Management and maintenance policies

• Neighborhood park master plans and actions

• Locational recommendations for future recreation amenities

Existing Park Improvements

New Park Types for Urbanizing Areas

MASTER PLAN THEMES | PARKS

• Pocket Park (Less than 1 acre)

• Urban Plaza

• Mini Park (Less than 10,000 SF)

• Community Gardens

• Dog Parks

• Pedestrian Promenades

• Play Street

• Focal Points/Visual Resources• Visual Amenity (Art)• Gateway Feature (median, landscape

corner)• Building Entry (Entry plaza, seating)

COMMUNITY More programs and events in our parks, trails and open spaces

MASTER PLAN THEMES | COMMUNITY

MASTER PLAN THEMES | COMMUNITY

Events and programming recommendations might include:

• Promotion and Awareness Campaign for Parks & Trails

• Activation of Parks & Trails

• Community Events

• Volunteerism & Stewardship


Photo: Arches National Park

NATURE Connect gaps, acquire key lands to protect as open space, improve stewardship

MASTER PLAN THEMES | NATURE

Arvada’s Existing and Surrounding Open Space


MASTER PLAN THEME | NATURE

1. Continue to conserve lands of ecological value

2. Connect regional open space systems

3. Make nature accessible to everyone

4. Provide “green” infrastructure to improve how our city functions


1. Evaluate High Quality Natural Resources Suitable for Future Parks and Open Space

• Identified in advance of development

• Associated with recreation and/or conservation

Adding to our Open Space for Preservation & Outdoor Recreation




Environmental Quality Identification Process

Wildlife

Concentration Areas

Nest Sites

Ranges

Forage Areas

Land Characteristics

Potential Habitat

Hydrology

Land Cover

Views

Hazardous Areas

Flood Plains

Landslide Risk

Steep Slopes

Wildfire Risk

Environmental Quality Composite Map


Community Value Identification Process

Underserved Areas

No Open Space Within ½ mile

Urban Areas

Key Areas

Population Centers

Locations of High Visibility

Target Demographics

Community Value Composite Map


Arvada Open Space Suitability

Environmental Quality

Community Value

+


2. Prioritization of Lands

• Lands with High Priority for Preservation

• Connecting Existing Open Space

• Urban vs. Rural Priorities

• Redefine Urban/Suburban Open Space

• Park Preserves

• Natural Preserves

• Native Areas

• Urban Acquisitions:

• Transitional Industrial Lands

• School yards

• Riparian Corridor/Canal Connections


WELLNESS Equal access, experiences with nature, trail connectivity

MASTER PLAN THEMES | WELLNESS

Wellness Topics to Explore

• Equitable Access

• Increase Citizen Activity Levels

• Time Spent Outdoors/Connections to Nature

• Sustainability

• Trails


Existing Trail Connections


Where Do People Want to Go?


Reservoirs, Streams and Canals



Parks, Open Space and Recreation Centers

Where will connections to parks be most important?


Transit Stations, Schools, and Old Downtown



Desirable Destinations

Future Trails Goals

1. Connecting to national and regional trail systems

2. Fill gaps in the primary trail systems (especially the North/South connections)

3. Trails that link neighborhoods and key destinations

4. Trails that serve a recreational purpose

5. Resolve roadway crossing conflicts

6. Preserving corridors for future trails in areas that are developing (Green Line)

7. Brilliant, bold ideas that will make our trail system renown


BIG AUDACIOUS IDEAS

Cutting Edge Parks

Measured Excellence

Be Active & Diverse

Water Works

Green Lines

BIG AUDACIOUS IDEAS

CUTTING-EDGE PARKS

Photo: Dave Wright

Photo: Xauxa Håkan Svensson

Photo: Design Workshop

Photo: Ed Kohler Photo: Takayuki Kihara

BIG AUDACIOUS IDEAS

MEASURED EXCELLENCEPhotos: Design Workshop, John Severns, Jacopo

Werther & National Wildlife Federation

BIG AUDACIOUS IDEAS

BE ACTIVE & DIVERSEPhotos: Wikipedia-KF, Port of San Diego, ULI

BIG AUDACIOUS IDEAS

GREEN SPINESPhotos: Google Earth Arvada, City of Arvada, Bradford Van Arnum

BIG AUDACIOUS IDEAS

WATER WORKSPhotos: City of Arvada & Design Workshop

WRAP UP

IMAGINE ARVADA: THE FUTURE OF OUR PARKS, COMMUNITY, NATURE AND WELLNESS

Project Information and UpdatesOnline Survey https://arvada.org/arvada-park-system-master-plan or call 720-898-7393

Next StepsNovember 2015: Draft Document and Public Open HouseJanuary 2016: Plan Adoption

PARK SYSTEM MASTER PLANImagine Arvada:

The Future of Our Parks, Community, Nature and Wellness

park system master plan imagine arvada: the future of our ...€¦ · imagine arvada: the future of...

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