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HomeMy WebLinkAboutParks and Recreation Element COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE 2024 1 Draft: 1.0 Staff Review  Draft Revised: April 1, 2024 Parks, Recreation, Natural Areas, and Trails - Creating and preserving Renton’s parks, recreation, natural areas, and trails - Renton Comprehensive Plan Update  Element Policies Draft Draft: 1.0 Staff Review Updated: April 1, 2024 Summary of Updates Washington State Law:  Include an evaluation of tree canopy coverage within the urban growth area. VISION 2050:  Identify open space, trail and park resources and needs, and develop programs for protecting and enhancing these areas. King County Countywide Planning Policies:  Provide parks, trails, and open space within walking distance of urban residents prioritizing underserved communities. Plans to be Adopted by Reference:  Renton Parks, Recreation and Natural Areas Plan (2020)  Renton Trails and Bicycle Master Plan  Downtown Civic Core Vision and Action Plan  Urban Foret Management Plan (2022-2032) Revision Guide  Added text  Removed text  Hyperlink  To be updated  The numbering system will be updated after the Planning Commission draft Element Review ▪ Parks, Recreation, Natural Areas, and Trails ▪ COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE 2024 2 Draft 1.0  Draft Revised: DATE Discussion 2015 Parks, trails, and natural areas create opportunities to recreate, connect people and build community, protect natural resources, and offer places for quiet reflection to experience nature. The City of Renton strives to provide access to parks, indoor and outdoor recreation facilities, natural areas and trails, and focuses on developing a unique and varied system. Renton’s natural areas are a critical link between people and their environment, build stewardship ethic and attract residents and businesses. Planning for natural areas provides a balance between public access to natural areas with the need to protect and conserve natural resources. Alternatively, Renton’s developed parks offer a wide range of indoor and outdoor recreation facilities supporting the vision for healthy and active lifestyles. Recreation programing connects people, builds community, fosters volunteerism and creates long term partnerships, especially with other major community resources. The goals and policies in the Comprehensive Plan are intended to illustrate the desired future for the community, while giving the Community Services Department the flexibility it needs to achieve these goals. Discussion Revised 2024 Parks, trails, and natural areas provide opportunities for individuals to connect with nature, recreate safely, and steward a healthy natural environment. recreate, gather, connect people and build community, protect natural resources, and offer places for quiet reflection to experience nature. The Renton Parks, Recreation and Natural Areas Plan (adopted in 2020) describes the City of Renton’s strives plan to provide equitable and affordable access to recreational programming, public parks, indoor and outdoor recreation facilities, and natural areas and trails., Renton aims to and focuses on developing offer a unique and varied parks and trails system that provides diverse recreational opportunities for all residents and visitors. Natural Areas Renton’s natural areas provide are a critical link between people and the environment that builds a stewardship ethos and attracts residents and businesses to the community. Renton’s natural areas provide important ecosystem services that protect habitat, conserve fragile natural resources, and support community resilience to climate change through carbon sequestration and flood mitigation. Tree canopy also has a modulating effect on urban surface temperatures during hot weather. Careful management of natural areas aims to provides a balance between public access with the need to protect and conservatione of natural resources. Parks Renton’s developed parks offer a wide range of indoor and outdoor recreation facilities supporting community need for healthy and active lifestyles. Element Review ▪ Parks, Recreation, Natural Areas, and Trails ▪ Goals COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE 2024 3 Draft 1.0  Draft Revised: DATE Recreation Programming Recreation programing connects people, builds community, fosters volunteerism, creates safe spaces, and generates long term partnerships, especially with other major community groups. The goals and policies in the Comprehensive Plan illustrate the desired future for the community, while giving the Parks and Recreation Department the flexibility needed it needs to achieve these goals. Urban Forest Renton’s 2022-2023 Urban Forest Management Plan “Rooted in Renton” complements Renton’s Parks, Recreation and Natural Areas Plan (adopted in 2020) with a focus on the City-owned trees in public rights-of-way, natural areas, and parks. The City enjoys nearly 117,000 City street, park, and natural area trees which contribute significantly to Renton’s sense of place and have a replacement value of an estimated $122.6 million. Renton has a tree canopy of 29.3%, an increase of 0.6% since 2010. Goals Table 1. Goals Row # 2015 Goal Proposed Language Change Purpose or Rationale 1 P-A: Parks, Recreation, and Natural Resource Areas provide the opportunity for the community to connect to, participate in, support and encourage a healthy environment and active lifestyle. P-A: Create and enhance Pparks, Rrecreation, and Nnatural Rresource Aareas to provide the opportunity for the community to connect to, participate in, support, and encourage a healthy environment and active lifestyle.  Edited to have consistent structure with other goals and alignment with capitalization preferences. 2 P-B: Support a city where residents and visitors can recreate and exercise, contributing to a healthy lifestyle and where using an integrated trails/road network becomes a realistic transportation alternative. P-B: Support a city where residents and visitors can recreate and exercise, contributing to a healthy lifestyle and where using an integrated trails/road network becomes to be a realistic transportation alternative for residents and visitors and contributes to a healthy lifestyle.  Revised to reduce redundancy; emphasize trails/road network. 3 -- P-X: Prioritize new and upgraded facilities in underserved areas of the community to ensure parks, trails, and open space in close proximity to all Renton residents.  Added goal for consistency with King County Countywide Planning Policies. Element Review ▪ Parks, Recreation, Natural Areas, and Trails ▪ Policies COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE 2024 4 Draft 1.0  Draft Revised: DATE Row # 2015 Goal Proposed Language Change Purpose or Rationale P-X. Partner with residents and other governmental organizations to improve well-being, human health, local economies, and urban forest sustainability to achieve environmental justice.  Added goal to reflect adopted Urban Forest Management Plan, to incorporate equity, and meet the GMA requirements for intergovernmental coordination (item (d) of Parks Element requirements). Policies Table 2. Policies Row # 2015 Goal Proposed Language Change Purpose or Rationale 1 Policy P-1: Expand parks and recreational opportunities in new and existing locations with an identified need, in order to fill gaps in service and keep pace with future growth. Policy P-1: Expand parks and recreational opportunities in new and existing locations areas with an identified need, in order to fill gaps in service and keep pace with future growth.  Updated to reflect Renton Parks, Recreation and Natural Areas Plan (adopted in 2020) 2 Policy P-2: Create a connected system of parks corridors, trails, and natural areas that provide nearby and accessible opportunities for recreation and non-motorized transportation. Policy P-2: Create a connected system of parks corridors, trails, and natural areas that provides equitable, safe, multi-modal access to recreation opportunities. nearby and accessible opportunities for recreation and non-motorized transportation.  Updated to reflect Renton Parks, Recreation and Natural Areas Plan (adopted in 2020) 3 Policy P-3: Cultivate strong, positive partnerships at the local and regional level with public, private, and non-profit organizations in order to unite community efforts to develop and sustain the park system. Policy P-3: Cultivate strong, positive partnerships at the local and regional levels with public, private, and non-profit organizations in order to unite community efforts to develop and sustain the park system.  Updated to reflect Renton Parks, Recreation and Natural Areas Plan (adopted in 2020) 4 Policy P-4: Create a distinct identity that celebrates the natural, historic, and diverse character of the community through park and facility design, recreation programming, interpretation, and education. Policy P-4: Create a distinct identity that celebrates the natural, historic, and culturally diverse character of the Renton community through park and facility design, recreation programming, interpretation, and education.  Updated to reflect Renton Parks, Recreation and Natural Areas Plan (adopted in 2020) Element Review ▪ Parks, Recreation, Natural Areas, and Trails ▪ Policies COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE 2024 5 Draft 1.0  Draft Revised: DATE Row # 2015 Goal Proposed Language Change Purpose or Rationale 5 Policy P-5: Ensure long-term economic and environmental sustainability in system planning, design, operation, maintenance, and decision making. Policy P-5: Ensure long-term economic and environmental sustainability in system planning, design, operation, maintenance, and decision making.  Updated to reflect Renton Parks, Recreation and Natural Areas Plan (adopted in 2020) 6 Policy P-6: Promote healthy and active lifestyles and build community through programs that are inclusive, fun, and accessible for a diverse population. Policy P-6: Promote healthy and active lifestyles and build community through programs that are inclusive, fun, and responsive to the needs and preferences of Renton’s accessible for a diverse population.  Updated to reflect Renton Parks, Recreation and Natural Areas Plan (adopted in 2020) 7 Policy P-7: Protect, conserve, and enhance the area’s diverse natural resources for the long-term health of ecosystems, and for the benefit and enjoyment of future generations. Policy P-7: Protect, conserve, and enhance the area’s Renton’s diverse natural resources for the long-term health of ecosystems, and for the benefit and enjoyment of future generations.  Updated to reflect Renton Parks, Recreation and Natural Areas Plan (adopted in 2020) 8 Policy P-8: Proactively manage public trees, continue to grow and expand a healthy canopy, maintain public safety, and optimize urban forest benefits.  Added to reflect adopted Urban Forest Management Plan and to meet state requirements.