MECKLENBURG COUNTY PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT 1 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.

Key Departmental Planning Documents 2 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

3 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.

CCORP Outdoor Recreation Amenity Analysis 4 CCORP Outdoor Recreation Amenity Analysis AMENITIES 1 Baseball Fields 2 Softball Fields 3 Football Fields 4 Soccer Fields 5 Multi-Purpose Fields 6 Basketball Courts 7 Tennis Courts 8 Volleyball Courts 9 Disc Golf Courses 10 Golf Courses 11 Outdoor Pool 12 Spraygrounds Primary Provider Supply 34 85 1 73 31 119 146 41 8 5 2 3 Recommended Standard * 1 per 7,500 5,000 20,000 10,000 2,000 25,000 Demand 113 170 42 85 43 425 34 2006 Deficit of Primary Providers Providers* -79 -85 -42 -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 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 5 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.

Strategic Partnerships 6 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

CIP Priority Ranked Categories 7 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

2-Year CIP Highlights 8 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

9 2-Year CIP Highlights

10 Recreation Centers

Land Acquisition Strategic Priorities 11 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

Comparisons of Total Parkland Acreage per 1,000 Persons * 12 Comparisons of Total Parkland Acreage per 1,000 Persons * * Compared to other cities of similar population density 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 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. Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2006) – population statistics “The Excellent City Park System” (2003) -acreages

1989 Master Plan Park Land Deficits 13 1989 Master Plan Park Land Deficits   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 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 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.. *Nature Preserve acreage figures includes land purchased for watershed protection

Mecklenburg County Park Land Acquisition by Park Type 14 Total Land Acquired: 17,613 acres

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Strategic Greenway Development Priorities 18 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

Strategic Park Development Priorities 19 Strategic Park Development 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

20 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

CNA Categories and Cost Estimates 21 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 Figures are not adjusted for inflation

Park District 2-Year CIP Requests by Category 22 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 8,500,000 32,500,000 219,615,000 Greenway Construction 2,600,000 9,800,000 5,900,000 19,200,000 Center City Parks 6,000,000 Improvements To Exist. Facilities 1,280,000 200,000 14,400,000 500,000 16,780,000- District Parks Development 7,200,000 43,200,000 Neigh. Park Development. 600,000 2,800,000 1,000,000 5,600,000 Rec. Center 4,200,000 18,600,000 Nature Preserves Rec. Center Rehabilitation 3,604,500 7,000,000 10,604,500 Partnerships 2,400,000 3,300,000 Sportsplexes Special Facilities 100,000 21,600,000 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 Figures are not adjusted for inflation