DEPARTMENT: Parks, Facilities, and Fleet Management
FILE TYPE: Regular Information
TITLE
title
Discussion And Direction On Parks, Greenways, And Natural Systems 2050 Vision For Great Places And Interim 2017 Visitor Service Plan Goal Targets
end
PURPOSE/ACTION REQUESTED
Discuss and provide direction on the Parks, Greenways, and Natural Systems 2050 vision and goals for Great Places and interim 2017 Visitor Service Plan goal targets.
SUMMARY
The Dakota County Parks Department is currently updating the 2030 Parks System Plan with a Parks, Greenways, and Natural Systems 2050 Vision Plan.
Link to 2030 Park System Plan: <https://www.co.dakota.mn.us/parks/About/ParkMasterPlans/Documents/ParkSystemPlan.pdf>
The current 2030 vision and goals for Recreation and Education in Dakota County Parks is:
Dakota County is known as a leader in providing exceptional nature-based recreation, with the following hallmarks:
• Balanced variety of quality, popular, year-round activities to promote healthy lifestyles
• Welcoming to visitors of all backgrounds and abilities to a conveniently accessed network of parks, trails, and greenways
• Innovative, sustainably designed recreation to protect our natural legacy
• Quality education that builds appreciation of natural and cultural resources and inspires greater stewardship
• Exceptional service delivery and excellent public awareness
The 2017 Visitor Services plan vision for visitor services seeks to improve the relevance and value of the park system to more visitors, by increasing awareness of the system, improving programs and events that provide an added reason for visiting the parks, and enhancing the quality of services. Additionally, the service vision advances efforts to realize the vision expressed in the Park System Plan to provide great places; which are year-round, destination parks with appropriate visitor services tailored to each park. Within this vision, new services will be selectively assigned to individual park units, and in some cases, to the system as a whole (e.g., awareness and outreach).
The 2017 Visitor Services Plan goals:
• Awareness and outreach goal: Build awareness of Dakota County Parks and its services across all communities, including current users, new users, and under-represented groups.
• Outdoor education goal: Enhance education programming to serve more residents and introduce a variety of education opportunities to more of the system beyond Lebanon Hills.
• Events goal: Increase events in more of the Park System, celebrating the unique aspects of the park units and the communities they serve.
• Equipment rentals goal: Expand a variety of equipment rentals to more parks in the system, building on park natural resources and recreational assets. Equipment rentals have a target of cost-neutrality for the County.
• Volunteerism goal: Provide training and a variety of volunteer opportunities to engage people who want to contribute to their parks.
• Facility rentals goal: Evaluate and make optimal use of facility rentals to provide program services, private group rental, and casual public use.
• Food and drink goal: Maintain opportunities for food and drink in the Park System, to serve current and new visitors. Food and drink should have a target of cost-neutrality for the County.
Since the 2030 vision and goals for Great Places were adopted in 2008, and the Visitor Services Plan vision and goals were adopted in 2017, much progress has been made. Staff seeks Physical Development Committee (PDC) direction for updates to the 2030 vision and goals for great places to ensure they reflect progress made and will meet park system needs looking forward to 2050 (Attachment: Background and Attachment: Discussion). The 2017-2022 Parks Visitor Services Plan is now seven years old. Interim goal targets reflecting County Board direction regarding service levels to continue to meet current plan goals are needed prior to the full Visitor Services Plan update in 2025. Staff seeks PDC direction on the interim Visitor Services goal targets in order to provide policy direction between now and the full Visitor Services Plan update in 2025 (Attachment: Interim Goal Targets).
PDC will discuss and provide direction on the vision for Protected Places and interim goal targets for the 2017 Natural Resources Management System Plan in May.
RECOMMENDATION
recommendation
Information only; no action requested
end
EXPLANATION OF FISCAL/FTE IMPACTS
☒ None ☐ Current budget ☐ Other
☐ Amendment Requested ☐ New FTE(s) requested
RESOLUTION
body
Information only; no action requested.
end
PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION
08-162; 04/15/08
17-541; 10/31/17
17-541; 05/23/17
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment: Background
Attachment: Discussion
Attachment: Interim Goal Targets
BOARD GOALS
☒ A Great Place to Live ☒ A Healthy Environment
☐ A Successful Place for Business and Jobs ☐ Excellence in Public Service
CONTACT
Department Head: Taud Hoopingarner
Author: Lil Leatham