2015 Parks, Recreation, Open Space and Greenways Plan Plan Adopted by East Lansing City Council February 3, 2015 City of East Lansing www.cityofeastlansing.com 1 East Lansing Parks & Recreation 2 City of East Lansing Park, Recrea(cid:415) on, Open Space, and Greenway Plan February 3, 2015 Mayor & Nathan Triple(cid:425) , Mayor Diane Goddeeris, Mayor Pro-Tem City Council Ruth Beier Kathleen Corkin Boyle Susan Woods City Manager George Lahanas Cheryl Bartholic, Chair Parks & Recrea(cid:415) on Linda Hegstrom, Vice Chair Advisory Commission Gary Beaudoin EJ Buss Michael Townley Vacant (2) Tim McCaff rey, Director, tmccaff @cityofeastlansing.com Parks, Recrea(cid:415) on & Arts Wendy Wilmers-Longpre, Assistant Director, [email protected] Department Jane Stone, Administra(cid:415) ve Assistant, [email protected] Lois Fogarasi, Administra(cid:415) ve Assistant, [email protected] Thyra Foster, Administra(cid:415) ve Assistant, (cid:414) [email protected] Elaine Hardy, Community Center Coordinator, [email protected] Kathleen Miller, Recrea(cid:415) on/Youth Program Coordinator, [email protected] Jim Jennings, Sports & Athle(cid:415) cs Coordinator, [email protected] Julie Anne Jennings, School Aged Care Coordinator, [email protected] Bethanie Mazuca, Interim Early Child Care Administrator, [email protected] Carlos Barajas, Facili(cid:415) es Technician Coordinator, [email protected] East Lansing City Hall, 410 Abbot Road, (517) 337-1731 Recrea(cid:415) on Facili(cid:415) es East Lansing Hannah Community Center, 819 Abbot Road, (517) 333-2580 Bailey Community Center, 300 Bailey Street, (517) 337-7615 3 East Lansing Parks & Recreation T A B L E o f C O N T E N T S EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..........................................................................9 Chapter One COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION Statement of Purpose ...............................................................................11 Project Area ..............................................................................................11 Historical Background ...............................................................................12 Demographics ...........................................................................................13 Chapter Two ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE Department Organiza(cid:415) onal Structure ......................................................17 Role of Commissions and Advisory Boards ...............................................19 Role of Volunteers ....................................................................................21 Current and Projected Budget and Funding Sources ................................24 Capital Accomplishments .........................................................................29 Regional Factors ........................................................................................29 Chapter Three INVENTORY Park and Recrea(cid:415) on System .....................................................................36 Inventory and Assessment by Park ...........................................................36 Tennis Court Inventory and Assessment ...................................................36 Community Center Inventory ...................................................................43 Orchard Street Pumphouse ......................................................................44 Public School Facility Inventory ................................................................45 Chapter Four PLANNING AND PUBLIC INPUT PROCESS Comparison to Accepted Standards .........................................................46 Level of Service Analysis via Public Input ..................................................51 Demographics and Popula(cid:415) on Trends Analysis ........................................57 Chapter Five 5-YEAR PROGRAM Goals and Objec(cid:415) ves ................................................................................60 2015-2019 Focus Areas .............................................................................62 2015-2019 Ac(cid:415) on Program .......................................................................63 44 T A B L E o f C O N T E N T S SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION APPENDIX ONE Park & Recrea(cid:415) on Advisory Commission Ordinance and By-Laws .....72 APPENDIX TWO Status Update and Post Comple(cid:415) on Self Cer(cid:415) fi ca(cid:415) on Reports .....................79 APPENDIX THREE Joint Recrea(cid:415) on Use Agreement .................................................................121 APPENDIX FOUR Park Classifi ca(cid:415) on Descrip(cid:415) on and ADA Self Assessment ...........................149 APPENDIX FIVE Tennis Court Inventory and Assessment ...................................197 Orchard Street Pumphouse Use Agreement ...............................................207 LAP Respite Center Opera(cid:415) ng Agreement ..................................................211 APPENDIX SIX Survey .........................................................................................................217 Survey Findings ...........................................................................................231 APPENDIX SEVEN Community Forum Agendas........................................................................256 Agendas and Minutes from Public Hearings and Public Mee(cid:415) ngs ..............258 55 East Lansing Parks & Recreation 66 L I S T O F F I G U R E S A N D T A B L E S LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1.1 - Loca(cid:415) on Map ....................................................................................11 Figure 2.1 - Organiza(cid:415) onal Structure ...................................................................18 Figure 2.2 - Boards and Commissions ..................................................................19 Figure 2.3 - Historical Districts .............................................................................22 Figure 2.4 - Volunteer Data ..................................................................................23 Figure 2.5 - 2013/2014 Budget ............................................................................24 Figure 2.6 - Grant Funding History .......................................................................27 Figure 3.1 - Exis(cid:415) ng Bicycle Facili(cid:415) es Inventory ...................................................40 Figure 3.2 - Poten(cid:415) al Bicycle Routes ....................................................................41 Figure 3.3 - Park Inventory Matrix .......................................................................42 Figure 3.4 - Community Center Inventory Matrix ................................................44 Figure 3.5 - Public School Facili(cid:415) es Inventory ......................................................45 Figure 4.1 - Park Classifi ca(cid:415) on .............................................................................47 Figure 4.2 - Popula(cid:415) on Service Standards by Park Type ......................................50 Figure 4.3 - Popula(cid:415) on Service Standards by Recrea(cid:415) on Ac(cid:415) vity .......................50 Figure 4.4 - Demographics of Survey Par(cid:415) cipants ...............................................52 Figure 4.5 - Pa(cid:425) erns of Park Use..........................................................................53 Figure 4.6 - Sa(cid:415) sfc(cid:415) on Levels ...............................................................................54 Figure 4.7 - Community Forum Results ...............................................................56 LIST OF TABLES Table 1.1 - 2010 Age and Race Data ....................................................................14 Table 1.2 - 2010 Educa(cid:415) on A(cid:425) ainment Data .......................................................14 Table 1.3 - 2010 Household and Income Data .....................................................15 Table 1.4 - 2000 to 2010 Popula(cid:415) on Comparison ................................................15 Table 1.5 - 2010 Non-Motorized Transporta(cid:415) on Plan..........................................16 Table 2.1 - 2005/2006 - 2013/2014 Capital Accomplishments ............................31 LIST OF MAPS Map 2.1 - EL Parks System with NRTF Grant Moeny ............................................28 Map 2.2 - Ingham County Parks, Schools and Trails ............................................32 Map 2.3 - School Districts ....................................................................................35 Map 3.1 - Parks, Facili(cid:415) es, and Schools ...............................................................37 Map 3.2 - Wetland Inventory ...............................................................................38 Map 3.3 - Poten(cid:415) al Conserva(cid:415) on Areas ..............................................................39 Map 4.1 - Park Service Areas ...............................................................................40 77 East Lansing Parks & Recreation FORWARD CITY OF EAST LANSING The Home of Michigan State University January, 2015 Dear Community Members: We are pleased to present the City of East Lansing’s 2015 – 2019 Parks, Recrea(cid:415) on Open Space and Greenways Plan. This plan was compiled over the course of three years and involved data collec(cid:415) on, community forums, surveys and other public mee(cid:415) ngs. The purpose of the 5-year Plan is to assess the needs of the community for parks, recrea(cid:415) on, open space and greenways facili(cid:415) es, programs and services. The Plan also iden(cid:415) fi es the ac(cid:415) ons to be taken to improve and maintain these facili(cid:415) es and services. 410 Abbot Road A 5-year Plan is required by the State of Michigan for the City to be eligible for East Lansing, MI 48823 funds through the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) matching (517) 337-1731 grant programs. A signifi cant por(cid:415) on of our exis(cid:415) ng park system exists because of www.cityofeastlansing.com Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Land Acquisi(cid:415) on and Park Development Grants administered by the MDNR. Over the past 20 years the East Lansing community has supported a signifi cant fi nancial investment in our parks, recrea(cid:415) on, open space and greenways system. Voters approved 3 bond ini(cid:415) a(cid:415) ves between 1995 and 1998 that provided $13 million for park improvements, the Family Aqua(cid:415) c Center and the Hannah Community Center. The bond funds were leveraged into over $20 million for projects through the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Grants, fund-raising eff orts, generous individual and corporate contribu(cid:415) ons and the City’s General Fund. Between 2016 and 2019 these bond programs will re(cid:415) re. As these bonds re(cid:415) re we recommend that thorough evalua(cid:415) on go into determining the willingness of voters to again approve long term funding mechanisms to preserve our investments and con(cid:415) nue to improve our parks, recrea(cid:415) on, open space and greenways system. Your comments and/or sugges(cid:415) ons are always welcome. Please contact the Parks and Recrea(cid:415) on Administra(cid:415) ve Offi ce at (517) 319-6809 or by email at parks@ cityofeastlansing.com with any comments and/or sugges(cid:415) ons. Sincerely, Timothy M. McCaff rey Director of Parks & Recrea(cid:415) on 8 Executive Summary EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Execu(cid:415) ve Summary 4. Provide for Organized and Unorganized Recrea(cid:415) on opportuni(cid:415) es throughout the City of East Lansing The 2015 City of East Lansing Parks, Recrea(cid:415) on, Open 5. Preserve and enhance open spaces, natural systems Space and Greenways Plan (the Plan) iden(cid:415) fi es and and signifi cant natural features within the City of describes the current needs for community facili(cid:415) es, East Lansing programs and services that best serve the ci(cid:415) zens of East 6. Provide connec(cid:415) ons between Parks, Neighborhoods Lansing. The Plan is also necessary to maintain eligibility and Community Facili(cid:415) es throughout the City for State of Michigan grants that help fund capital improvements for parks and facili(cid:415) es. The 2015 Plan was 7. Recognize the need for the use and re-purposing of developed over the course of three years and will serve Public Spaces, Parks and Placemaking to support as a guide for the next fi ve year period unless updated the iden(cid:415) ty, use and brand that represents East sooner. Lansing 8. Encourage Community Partnerships and Joint Public involvement was a key component in developing Ventures with groups and organiza(cid:415) ons that have a the 2015 Plan and included the following planning eff orts: symbio(cid:415) c or suppor(cid:415) ve rela(cid:415) onship 1. 2011 Community Opinion Survey 9. Improve and expand communica(cid:415) on with the 2. Community input forums on March 7 and March 23, public to promote East Lansing facili(cid:415) es, programs 2011 and services, and to increase ci(cid:415) zen awareness and 3. Public Hearing at the January 18, 2012, Parks & involvement in programs and ac(cid:415) vi(cid:415) es Recrea(cid:415) on Advisory Commission mee(cid:415) ng 10. Plan and provide for future long-range needs to 4. East Lansing Planning Commission mee(cid:415) ng, acquire parkland, develop exis(cid:415) ng city owned January 11, 2012 property or expand exis(cid:415) ng facili(cid:415) es 5. East Lansing City Council mee(cid:415) ng, February 21, 2012 11. Provide sustainable funding for East Lansing park / facility opera(cid:415) ons, maintenance and capital 6. 2013 Workshops with Parks and Recrea(cid:415) on Advisory improvements Commissioners, Department Administra(cid:415) ve and Leadership Staff on January 9 and January 17, 2013 Addi(cid:415) onally, an accurate and up to date inventory of the various facili(cid:415) es, programs and services is documented in the Plan. The inventory includes informa(cid:415) on about the size, age, quality, and accessibility of the various parks and facili(cid:415) es within the City of East Lansing. An inventory of addi(cid:415) onal facility and service providers, regional off erings, and regional plans is also included in the Plan, as is demographic informa(cid:415) on about the ci(cid:415) zens of the City of East Lansing. Eleven Goals, with suppor(cid:415) ng objec(cid:415) ves, are iden(cid:415) fi ed in the 2015 Plan: 1. Ensure a safe and accessible East Lansing park system 2. Maintain and improve exis(cid:415) ng parkland, facili(cid:415) es and management within the City of East Lansing for East Lansing residents and visitors 3. Promote healthy and ac(cid:415) ve lifestyles through Parks and Recrea(cid:415) on 9 East Lansing Parks & Recreation EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The 2015 Plan also presents a Capital Ac(cid:415) on Program that provides a series of ac(cid:415) on steps to further the 11 goals of the plan and to meet the current and future needs of the community for quality and diverse park and recrea(cid:415) on programs and facili(cid:415) es. Each item in the Ac(cid:415) on Program is also given a priority of high, medium or low, based on how well they fulfi ll one or more of the following seven focus areas: 1. Maximize the poten(cid:415) al of exis(cid:415) ng facili(cid:415) es 2. Use environmentally sustainable prac(cid:415) ces and enhance natural areas and features 3. Use alterna(cid:415) ve funding and resources 4. Reduce opera(cid:415) ng costs 5. Plan for future parks and recrea(cid:415) on needs 6. Develop and maintain diverse and balanced parks and recrea(cid:415) on resources 7. Pursue partnerships, collabora(cid:415) ons and regional approaches 10