MECKLENBURG COUNTY PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT

2-YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM PRIORITIES

Citizen’s Capital Budget Advisory Committee Presentation February 21, 2007

James R. Garges W. Lee Jones, AIA Director Capital Planning Services Park and Recreation Dept. Park and Recreation Dept.

1

Key Departmental Planning Documents

1989 Parks Master Plan

1999 Greenway Master Plan

1997 Nature Preserve Master Plan

1998 Natural Heritage Inventory Program

Prior Year Capital Needs Assessments

Countywide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (CCORP)

Operational Needs Assessment (ONA)

Planning Commission Small Area Plans and other references

2

2006 County-wide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (CCORP) Conclusions

2006 Deficit: 7,866 acres of “developed” amenities

2015 Deficit: 10,957 acres of “developed” amenities

The County currently has a deficit of every outdoor recreational amenity. Since demand for outdoor recreation amenities is inextricably linked to population, no action will result in these deficits being significantly larger in 2015.

Parkland in Meck. Co. = 5.1% of all land, compared to the national average of 8.8% for cities of similar size and density.

3

CCORP Outdoor Recreation Amenity Analysis

AMENITIES

1 Baseball Fields

2 Softball Fields

3 Football Fields

4 Soccer Fields

5Multi-PurposeFields

6 Basketball Courts

7 Tennis Courts

8 Volleyball Courts

9 Disc Golf Courses

10 Golf Courses

11 Outdoor Pool

12 Spraygrounds

PrimaryProviderSupply

34

85

1

73

31

119

146

41

8

5

2

3

RecommendedStandard *

1 per 7,500

1 per 5,000

1 per 20,000

1 per 10,000

1 per 20,000

1 per 5,000

1 per 2,000

1 per 5,000

1 per 25,000

1 per 25,000

1 per 20,000

1 per 20,000

Demand

113

170

42

85

43

170

425

170

34

34

43

43

2006 Deficit of Primary

Providers Providers*

-79

-85

-42

-12

-12

-51

-279

-129

-26

-29

-41

-40

Additional Acreage

Needed in 2006

299

321

92

27

25

8

47

13

442

7,252

10

7

4

•Outdoor recreation amenity standards were developed by Park and Recreation Department planning staff in conjunction w/NRPA •and NCSU-Rec. Resources Services recommendations. They do not include nature preserve or greenway facilities/amenities.

Capital Improvement Program (CIP)Strategic Objectives

Updated annually w/input from citizens, advisory councils, staff, and Strategic Planning and Long Range Finance Sub-committee (SPLRF)

Department Senior Leadership completes final rankings and prioritization (after SPLRF identifies their priorities and information). This document is also presented to the Park and Recreation Commission for their information

Projects are ranked by their synergy with approved planning documents, other agency initiatives, timing, and critical need

Work closely with allied agencies, towns, and entities to identify and meet their needs

Land acquisition needs are a very high priority due to the rapid and explosive population growth Mecklenburg County is currently experiencing and the need to provide developed parks in under-served areas of the county.

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Strategic Partnerships

Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools (joint use including land acquisition) Flat Branch Elementary School/Park & Nature Preserve Hucks Road Elementary School/Park Berewick Elementary School/Recreation Center Ballantyne Elementary and Middle Schools/Park University Meadows Elementary School/Park

Towns Land Acquisition and joint development projects and opportunities

Quasi-Public Entities Center City Partners/City of Charlotte/Planning Commission/Private Sector/Others

Second Ward Neighborhood Park/Re-development project Bryant Park/ Small Area Plan

Discovery Place Freedom Park Nature Center expansion

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library System Little Sugar Creek Greenway/Nature Center/Library

6

CIP Priority Ranked Categories

1) Land Acquisition

2) Greenway Construction

3) Center City Parks

4) Improvements to Exist. Facilities

5) District Park Development

6) Neighborhood Park Development

7) Recreation Center Construction

8) Nature Preserve Development

9) Special Facilities

10) Community Park Development

11) Recreation Center Rehabilitation

12) Public Private Partnerships

13) Sportsplexes

14) Water Parks

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2-Year CIP Highlights

Land Acquisition 5 new community parks, 7 new district parks, 33 new neighborhood parks, greenways, nature preserves and remaining

properties identified in the 1989 Parks Master Plan

Continued Greenway Development Little Sugar, McAlpine, Irwin, Stewart, and Barton Creeks

New District Park Development Flat Branch, Hucks Road, and Sherman Branch

New Neighborhood Park Development Lincoln Heights, University Meadows, Big Rock, Second Ward and First Ward

New Recreation Center Development Bradford, RL Smith, Berewick Parks and Hwy.51/Sardis Road vicinity

Nature Preserve Development Flat Branch and Evergreen preserves

New Youth Sportsplexes Ezell Farms and Eastfield

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9

2-Year CIP Highlights

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Recreation Centers

Land Acquisition Strategic Priorities

Continue to purchase land to expand existing parks, greenways, and nature preserves Reedy Creek, Shuffletown, and McDowell parks, selected greenways, and other properties

Purchase new park sites to fill service radii “gaps” Work in conjunction with CMS for joint use sites

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Comparisons of Total Parkland Acreage per 1,000 Persons *

Jacksonville, FL

Oklahoma City, OK

Virginia Beach, VA

Kansas City, MO

Mecklenburg County, NC

Nashville, TN

Indianapolis, IN

64.0

27.8

26.5

23.4

20.7

17.9

15.0

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2006) – population statistics “The Excellent City Park System” (2003) -acreages

* Compared to other cities of similar population density

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20.7 acres/1000 pop. denotes total current acreage owned by County. The 1989 Parks Master Plan references 19 acres/1000 pop. for “developed” acreage standards.

1989 Master Plan Park Land Deficits

•All Parkland = Neighborhood Parks + District Parks + Community Parks + Nature Preserves; the 2007 total acreage amount is actually 17,613 acres - the difference is accounted for by excluding golf courses, greenways, and specialty facilities from this table because they

were not denoted in the 1989 Parks Master Plan..

 

All 1989 MP-Identified Parkland*

Nature Preserves*

Community Parks

District Parks

Neighborhood Parks

1989 Standard 19 ac / 1,000 6 ac / 1,000 5 ac / 1,000 5 ac / 1,000 3 ac / 1,000

2007 Acreage 12,329 5,818 1,128 3,799 1,584

Acres / 1,000 Pop. 14.50 ac. 6.84 ac. 1.33 ac. 4.47 ac. 1.86 ac.

Deficit (acres) 3,824 717 3,123 452 967

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*Nature Preserve acreage figures includes land purchased for watershed protection

1010

4169

2876

1217

5814

1573

37

858

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

Acres

Community Parks District Park Greenways Golf Course Nature Preserves NeighborhoodParks

Recreation Center Special Facility

Total Land Acquired: 17,613 acres

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15

16

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Strategic Greenway Development Priorities

Little Sugar Creek – 7th St. to 4th Street

Little Sugar Creek – 4th St. to Independence Blvd.

Little Sugar Creek – Midtown Mall to New Baxter St. Bridge

Irwin Creek – West Boulevard to Barringer Rd.

McAlpine Creek – Sardis Rd. to Providence Rd.

Stewart Creek – W. Trade St. to Irwin Creek

Little Sugar Creek – Tyvola Rd. to Huntingtown Farms Park

Little Sugar Creek – Huntingtown Farms Park to Sharon Rd. West

Little Sugar Creek – Sharon Rd. West to I-485

Barton Creek – J.W. Clay to Mallard Creek

Irwin Creek Greenway

Little Sugar Creek Greenway-Morehead Section

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Strategic ParkDevelopment Priorities

Develop new parks and facilities to fill service gaps Hucks Rd and Sherman Branch District Parks University Meadows, Lincoln Heights, Second and First Ward, and Big Rock Neighborhood Parks Evergreen and Flat Branch Nature Preserves

Complete two (2) new sportsplexes Ezell Farms and Eastfield Parks

Build four (4) new recreation centers Bradford Park, Robert L. Smith Park, Berewick Park, and Hwy 51/Sardis Road vicinity

Continue to re-invest in existing facilities by selected improvements and upgrades

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Proposed 2-Year Capital Expenditures by Park District (all categories-including land acquisition)

Central Park District 1 $ 5,380,000

Central Park District 2 $ 6,704,500

Central Park District 3 $ 32,100,000

North Park District $ 63,775,000

Northeast Park District $ 52,565,000

Northwest Park District $ 50,600,000

East Park District $ 74,875,000

South Park District $ 35,700,000

Southwest Park District $ 43,700,000

Grand Total $365,599,500

* Average per District = $40,622,166

Figures are not adjusted for inflation

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CNA Categories and Cost Estimates

2-Year CIP Total 10-Year Total Park Land Acquisition $ 219,615,000 $ 337,761,000 Greenway Construction $ 19,200,000 $ 67,750,000 Center City Parks $ 6,000,000 $ 15,000,000 Improvements to Existing Parks $ 16,780,000 $ 152,472,000 District Park Development $ 43,200,000 $ 70,900,000 Neighborhood Park Development $ 5,600,000 $ 6,560,000

Recreation Center Development $ 18,600,000 $ 46,100,000 Nature Preserve Development $ 1,000,000 $ 3,000,000 Special Facilities $ 100,000 $ 19,700,000 Community Park Development n/a $ 13,740,000

Recreation Center Rehabilitation $ 10,604,500 $ 22,304,500 Public-Private Partnerships $ 3,300,000 $ 14,210,000 Sportsplexes $ 21,600,000 $ 125,164,000 Special Facilities-Water Parks n/a $ 22,760,000 Grand Totals $ 365,599,500 $ 917,421,500

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Figures are not adjusted for inflation

Park District 2-Year CIP Requests by Category

CPD1 CPD2 CPD3 North Northeast Northwest East South SW Total

Land Acquisition

900,000 50,375,000 36,465,000 40,500,000 50,375,000 8,500,000 32,500,000 219,615,000

Greenway

Construction

2,600,000 9,800,000 900,000 5,900,000 19,200,000

Center City Parks

6,000,000 6,000,000

Improvements

To Exist. Facilities

1,280,000 200,000 14,400,000 200,000 200,000 500,000 16,780,000-

District Parks

Development

14,400,000 7,200,000 14,400,000 7,200,000 43,200,000

Neigh. Park

Development.

600,000 2,800,000 1,000,000 600,000 600,000 5,600,000

Rec. Center

Development

6,000,000 4,200,000 4,200,000 4,200,000 18,600,000

Nature Preserves

500,000 500,000 1,000,000

Rec. Center Rehabilitation

3,604,500 7,000,000 10,604,500

Partnerships 900,000 2,400,000 3,300,000

Sportsplexes

Special Facilities 100,000

7,200,000 14,400,000 21,600,000

100,000

Totals 5,380,000 6,704,500 32,100,000 63,775,000 52,565,000 50,600,000 74,875,000 35,700,000 43,900,000 365,599,500

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Figures are not adjusted for inflation