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- Nephi City peruses long recreational planning list
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By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
Nephi has a long planning list when it comes to recreation.
"Nephi City based the definitions they used on the National Recreation and Parks Association standards and tailored them to the specific needs of the city," said Randy McKnight, city administrator.
According to the newly adopted General Plan, the city needs to increase facility planning and development; beautify and enhance the entrances into the community; preserve the natural beauty and environment; maintain the historic integrity; maintain the viability of city recreation areas; develop a sense of place for gatherings and events; adopt standards for development of parks; support property values and community growth; implement a trail system linking important areas of the community; develop a parks system; develop a plan which addresses the actual level of service, future needs, proposed capital improvements and associated costs, and identify funding sources available.
The city needs to maintain communication among administration, public officials and residents; give safety considerations top priority; plan to avoid dangerous situations such as developing narrow, hidden alleyways or areas
where trail users walk long distances without access to exit the trail.
This analysis considers mini-parks under one acre and private club areas as project improvements, unless developed by the city, along with parks dedicated to the city in return for increased density within certain zoning classes.
"Project improvements and system improvements have different criteria," said McKnight.
Project improvements cannot be funded through impact fees, receive credit for costs against impact fees, or be considered in the impact fee level of service.
System improvements are intended to benefit the community as a whole and can be funded through impact fees. Generally, these improvements are located outside specific developments unless the improvement is provided in addition to the parks needed for the developer to receive full density.
"A mini-park is a specialized facility that serves a concentrated or limited population or specific group, such as tots or senior citizens," he said.
Mini-parks less than one acre are not customarily included in the impact fee level of service for the city's parks because they are usually considered project improvements of a new development. In order for a park less than one acre to be considered in the impact fee level, it must be developed by the city.
A typical park size: 5,445 square feet—1.99 acre; centrally located in
neighborhoods and higher-density residential; the walking distance should not exceed one-quarter mile nor require the crossing of busy streets. Appropriate facilities include: children's playground equipment, grassy play areas, picnic tables and shelters and benches.
Neighborhood park sites should be suited for intense development, easily accessible to neighborhood populations, and geographically located for safe walking and bicycle access (service radius of one-half mile). These parks are included in the city's level of service with a typical park size: 2.0 to 7.99 acre.
Community Parks are areas of diverse recreational value including intense recreational facilities, such as athletic complexes and pools, as well as more passive uses such as picnicking, viewing, nature studying, and other types of recreational development.
"Community parks should serve the majority of residential areas with overlapping service area coverage," McKnight said. "These parks are considered system improvements with a typical park size of 8.0 to20.0 acres."
Regional park/park preserves which are areas of natural or ornamental quality for outdoor recreation such as picnicking, boating, fishing, swimming, camping, and trail uses, with much of the land reserved for conservation and natural resource management. While they sometimes contain traditional park facilities, like playground structures or tennis courts, regional parks are usually dedicated to one particular use, such as golf. These parks are considered system improvements and are 20 plus to 75.0 acres.
Public recreation facilities that are set aside for specific purposes include community recreation centers, swimming pools, gymnasiums, rodeo grounds, etc.
Special Use Areas are miscellaneous public recreation areas or land occupied by a specialized facility. Typical uses of these areas include small or special uses/or specialty landscaped areas, cemeteries, community gardens, streetscapes, viewpoints, or historic sites. Special use areas are not considered in the impact fee level of service.
"Open space can be categorized into two types: passive and natural. Open space can include sensitive areas within the city such as wetlands or parcels having slopes of thirty percent or greater," he said.
Passive open space consist of areas that have had minor, if any, improvements and are set aside, dedicated, designated, or reserved for public or private use.
Passive open spaces include plazas, greenbelts, buffers, landscaped parkways, peripheral landscaped tracts, water or lake features, and entrances into the city or other similar areas.
Natural open space consists of unimproved areas in their natural state and which are set aside, dedicated, designated, or reserved for public or private use. Minimal improvements are allowed in natural open spaces for trails, natural interpretive areas, and are limited revegetation or landform alterations for trail maintenance, aesthetics, visual relief, and environmental, public safety, and/or emergency purposes so long as the areas disturbed are restored to their natural appearance.
Linear parks are open spaces, landscaped areas, and/or trail systems that follow stream corridors, abandoned railroads, power line easements, or other elongated features. Linear parks and trails usually consist of open spaces with limited development.
Within the General Plan the parks and trails needs analysis was based on a resource publication produced for the State of Colorado, in 2003, entitled Small Community Parks and Recreation Standards. This analysis uses the National Parks and Recreation Association (NPRA) development standards and will only be considering the City's owned or leased recreation facilities to establish the "current level of service."
For this reason there may be an inconsistency in the number of acres of recreation facilities per 1,000 residents between the two plans. Within the plan the statement "number of acres" refers to park acreage as well as the facilities that are within that acreage.
"Therefore if we need to develop certain acreage to meet the goal of the community, that acreage would include facilities as well," McKnight said.
In a citizen survey, the baseball fields and the swimming pool were cited
most by residents as facilities requiring improvements.
In particular, individuals felt that there should be additional ball fields to accommodate growing demand and that the swimming pool should be more family friendly, with the ability to be indoor and available year round. In addition, numerous respondents related that they would like to see nine holes added to the golf course, as well as improvements to the Old Gym.
"Seventy percent of residents who completed the survey indicated that grants were their preferred source for funding additional services and facilities," said McKnight. "A slight majority supported increased user fees. Respondents were generally divided evenly regarding whether or not to raise sales or property taxes to pay for improvements."
A majority of people said that they favored improvements to the pool, with approximately 77 percent favoring or strongly favoring a covered pool and nearly 58 percent favoring or strongly favoring the addition of a splash pad to the outdoor pool.
"Nearly 69 percent said they support building a year-round pool even if the city has to pay the portion of operating costs that are not covered by revenues," he said.
Over 81 percent of respondents support financing the subsidy from user fees for those who use the facilities. Small majorities do not support increased taxes to pay for this.
For example, 55 percent said that they do not support an increase in property taxes and 59 percent indicated they do not support a surcharge on their utility bill.
"It is interesting to note; however, that although a majority of respondents do not support an increased property tax to subsidize the pool's operating costs, 59 percent do support bonds that would be paid off with property taxes," McKnight said.
As mentioned, a large number of respondents favored improvements to the swimming pool, including the addition of a splash pad. A majority of people also favored the construction of future walking paths and trails. Majorities also favored additional outdoor basketball courts and improvements to the fairgrounds but opposed the addition of any new park areas. |
