MEETING DATE:
JUNE 26, 2018
SUBJECT:
Title
RESOLUTION NO. 2018-8532 - PARKS MASTER PLAN UPDATE
Body
Recommendation
Recommendation
ADOPT a resolution approving an update to the 1990 Parks Master Plan.
Body
Board or Commission Action
The Parks and Recreation Commission recommended approval on November 15, 2017 by a 6-0 vote.
The Planning Commission recommended approval on November 20, 2017 by a 7-0 vote.
Relevant Council Strategic Theme
Quality of Life
Planning for the Future
Relevant Department Goal
Complete and submit the Parks Master Plan Update for Commission and Council review.
Executive Summary
The City Council adopted a Parks Master Plan in 1990 to present a vision of the parks and recreational future for the City of San Marcos. It accepted an update to the Plan in December 2017, and asked staff to return with additional information about potential park sites and amenities before formal adoption.
The goal of this update is to identify potential improvements to the parks system, and as funding becomes available, suggest additional amenities for new parks and improvements to existing park facilities. It provides a buildable framework that the City can use to plan park system improvements through the year 2035.
This update is intended to be used as a policy document, and as funding becomes available, to suggest possible future park amenity changes based on the needs and input of the community. At the time when specific improvements are considered for any existing and/or future parks, further evaluation and environmental review will be required to analyze conformance with applicable planning, zoning, and environmental regulations.
Discussion
The update evaluates the City’s existing park facilities, programs, and services; analyzes the current and future demographic make-up of the city; assesses the community’s needs and desires; and provides recommendations to improve the current services provided to residents. This community-driven plan is intended as a policy guide for the City’s departments by identifying the existing levels of services and establishing recommendations for facility improvements and development, recreation programming, as well as potential financial resources and funding.
As explained in the December 2017 staff report and presentation to the City Council, this Plan is based on significant outreach and data to make the best recommendations for the community. It relies on national standards from the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) and data from a community-wide telephone survey. The recommendations are also based on results from widely advertised town hall-style meetings; meetings with City staff involved in parks or recreation programming; and meetings with small focus groups including the Trails Advisory Committee, members of the equestrian community, the arts community, older adults at the Senior Activity Center, the Friends of San Marcos Parks and Recreation, the San Marcos Youth Sports Council, and the San Elijo Women’s Club. The outreach process was extensive and provided opportunities for all segments of the San Marcos community to participate.
The Plan includes: information on population and demographic changes; park standards and dedication requirements; definitions of different types of parks; a complete inventory of current parks; a needs assessment and community input; as well as plan recommendations and associated costs and financing.
Service standards and needed improvements
The Plan shows that the City is currently meeting the general needs of the community with its current inventory of park amenities. By establishing new service standards specific to San Marcos for the first time, the Plan will also help the City measure how it is meeting its goals as its population increases through the year 2035. It demonstrates that the City will need to make the following amenity improvements in the future, including adding new tennis courts, basketball courts, sports fields, indoor recreation space, and service improvements for aquatics facilities.
Cost and Financing
The costs of building enhancements to existing parks, new parks, and the recommendations needed to keep the City’s high standards into the future are significant and will exceed $50 million. The City’s Park and Development Fees and other sources of revenue are not going to be sufficient to meet these financial demands but will cover a large majority of the costs. The Plan provides information on how much the City could receive if it hypothetically increased revenue to meet these remaining financial challenges. If those options are not feasible, it provides a list of other potential ideas, ranging from grants and sponsorships to advertising to other private partnerships that could help the City achieve its financial goal to improve the park system. Additionally, since the City is not building out everything in the Plan all at once, the large total cost should be looked at as something that will be spread out over a period of many years. However, as time goes on and inflation and property costs increase, delaying projects will only add to the total costs.
Changes/additions from the December 2017 Parks Master Plan Update
When the City Council first reviewed the Plan in December, it asked staff to return with information showing where potential parks may be located and information on potential amenities. Attachment C shows potential future parks sites as previously identified in the 2012 General Plan Update as well as subsequently approved site plans and development projects.
The additions and changes to the Plan, found on pages 70 to 75 and detailed below, list a menu of possible amenities for each park site that could be considered in the future.
It is infeasible at this time to specifically list definitive amenities due to the need for further environmental review of each individual parcel, since each has different constraints that will take time to resolve. That will be done when the City is ready to proceed with the park planning and development. Additionally, there are other factors that may limit defining exact amenities on those potential sites. Those factors include: the ownership of the properties; the San Marcos Unified School District’s interest in some of the parcels; private development on or near the properties; the City’s financial resources at the time of planning, development, and construction; and changing recreation trends in the future.
While the potential park locations below lists total acreage, the exact acreage for the portion used as parkland may be less due to the slope or other environmental factors on the properties.
|
Park |
Acreage |
Amenities as shown in the General Plan/1990 Parks Master Plan or site plans * indicates amenities not recommended by staff ** indicates potential additions not in the General Plan/1990 Parks Master Plan but may be considered based on recommendations by staff |
|
Bradley Park |
8.24 acre addition |
As identified in Bradley Park Master Plan and approved by the City Council in 2014, including: • Add one baseball field • Convert two baseball fields to overlay multipurpose fields • Dog park • Parking • Other amenities as determined at the time of planning and development |
|
Creek District area parks (Not all parcels currently owned by the City): • Creekside Promenade Linear Park • West End Gateway Park • McMahr Rd Linear Park • Discovery Park • Discovery Greenway • Town Center Plaza • East End Commons • Focus Area 3 neighborhood park |
29.84 acres total |
• Walking paths, plaza and gardens • Par course fitness areas** • Playgrounds and tot lots • Amphitheater seating • Other amenities as determined at the time of planning and development |
|
Focus Area 10 Park (Not currently owned by the City; southeast of Twin Oaks Valley Road/San Elijo Road) |
6.49 acres |
• Tennis courts • Playground and tot lot • Picnic areas and barbecue facilities • Fishing* • Restrooms • Other amenities as determined at the time of planning and development |
|
Grand Avenue/Rancho Santa Fe Linear Park (Not currently owned by the City) |
4.34 acres |
• Limited amenities due to space constraints. |
|
Highlands Park C (Not currently owned by the City but will be dedicated; identified as Buena Creek Park in the General Plan) |
1.16 acres |
• Tot lot • Cabana with seating area • Picnic tables and grills • Open lawn/play area and benches • Restroom facility • Connecting path with a trailhead • Parking • Other amenities as determined at the time of planning and development |
|
La Moree Park |
28.88 acres |
• Basketball courts • Tennis courts • Open field play area • Playground and tot lot • “Extreme sports” area** • Picnic and barbecue facilities • Community services complex • Other amenities as determined at the time of planning and development |
|
Rancho Tesoro area park (Land has been dedicated to the City but not yet accepted; not in the General Plan) |
41.85 acres |
• 1 large adult field** • 1 youth and overlay field** • Tennis and pickleball courts** • Basketball courts** • Aquatics facility** • Dog park** • Skate park** • Other amenities as determined at the time of planning and development |
|
South Lake Park (8.77 acres is owned by the City; the rest is owned by Vallecitos Water District.) |
54.24 acres |
Listed as “To be determined” in the General Plan. Amenities identified in the later City plan include: • Boat dock with non-motorized boat rentals • Fishing • Picnic areas • Natural viewing areas • Outdoor amphitheater* • Pedestrian trails • A dog run • 3 self-contained restrooms • A structure with a caretaker apartment over the restrooms* • Parking • Other amenities as determined at the time of planning and development |
|
Sunset Park expansion |
4.40 acres |
• This parcel is zoned mixed use, but it is possible a new building could be shared with a community center/gym.** • Other amenities as determined at the time of planning and development |
|
Twin Oaks Valley Neighborhood Park (Not currently owned by the City) |
26.45 acres |
• 1 large overlay field** • Softball fields • Tennis courts • Basketball courts • Playground and tot lot • Picnic and barbeque facilities • Other amenities as determined at the time of planning and development |
|
University District area parks (Not owned by the City but will be dedicated): • West Creek Park • Knoll Park and Neighborhood Green • East Creek Park • East Green |
20.96 acres total |
Amenities as identified in the Specific Plan: • Community Center • Basketball courts • Tennis and pickleball courts • Aquatics facility** • Adult multi-purpose field** • Picnic areas • Playground and tot lot • Skateboard park • Trail connections • Other amenities as determined at the time of planning and development |
|
Walnut Grove Park expansions (north and south) |
26.53 acres |
• Evaluate floodplain/floodway issues to relocate existing facilities for better use** • Add an adult multi-purpose field** • Other amenities as determined at the time of planning and development |
|
TOTAL |
253.38 acres |
|
Environmental Review
The project to update the City’s Parks Master Plan has been reviewed for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and it has been determined that this is not a project within the meaning of Section 15378 of the CEQA Guidelines because there is no potential for it to result in a physical change in the environment, either directly or indirectly. Even if the proposed project was considered a project subject to CEQA, it would be exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the update to the Parks Master Plan would have any significant effect on the environment.
Fiscal Impact
There is no fiscal year budget impact with this Parks Master Plan Update because it does not make specific commitments for any park projects at this time. However, the total cost of building out the potential recommendations in the Plan could exceed $50 million if all of the recommendations are followed. As with all park and development projects, the City Council will need to consider each future project individually, and consider potential sources of funding as identified with that specific project.
Attachments
Attachment A: Adopting Resolution
Attachment B: Parks Master Plan Update
Attachment C: Park Map
Prepared by: Michael Gordon, Administrative Services Manager
Reviewed by: Karen Brindley, Planning Manager
Reviewed by: Dahvia Lynch, Development Services Director
Reviewed by: Buck Martin, Parks and Recreation Director
Approved by: Jack Griffin, City Manager