11-13-2003 Council Work Session - Laserfiche WebLink

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I TO:Mayor Peterson and Council Members Cliiiir McDennoU ;uid P:uks, 0|K:ii Space :uul 'I'niils Cointnissioii Mciu Ikts FROM: DA'IE: Ron Mourse, City Adiniiiistralor N ovcih Ikt 12, 2(M);i SUBJECTF: Joint Workscssion —Council and P:uks, 0|)cn Space, and Trails Commission Tlic Parks, Open Space and 'I'raiis Commission has requested that a copy ol its “Strategic Plan" be included in the agenda packet (see attached) as die basis for providing the Council isidi an ouUinc of the dirccUon in which die Park Commission is moving, and die issues .and priorities it has idenlined. Aldiougli die Strategic Plan includes some long tenn go:ds and |>l;uis, it also includes a number of specific projects. It is important that the Council and Park Commission avoid getting bogge<l down in the deUiil of die Strategic Plan, such as the spccilic projects diat arc planned, die level of funding for parks, etc., so much th.it diey miss diis opportunity to address some of die deeper issues diat are important to die Council :uid die Park Conmiissioii working togedier elTectively to meet the community ’s parks, o(>en sp.ice, and trails needs. 'Hiesc <lee|ier issues include whether the vision and goals of die Park Commission and die Council regarding die parks system arc in synch; whcdier dierc is an accurate :md shared uiulerstaiidiiig of die needs of the conmiunity, in terms of parks, open .space, .md trails; and whedicr tlicrc is a shared understanding of die role of die Park Commission in relation to die Council and our citi/.ens. Although die first strategy listed for meeting the Conmiissioirs mission is to i<ientify recreation and open space needs of die city and its residents, .ind die lirst item in the list of actions in support of die mission is to evaluate current park, o|>eii space and trail options to determine if conmiunity needs are licing met, the strategic plan docs not include an action plan for identifying and prioritizing die needs of die community. A key element in aligning die vision iuid goiils of the Park Commission and die Council regiirding parks, open space and trails is a shared understanding of needs, and die level and priority of needs. A shared understanding of needs and priorities will provide the I'nuiiework necessar>' to lie able to edectively address, ami make decisions about, park issues, such as diosc in die Strategic Plan. The most comprehensive infonnation we have about park, open space, and trail needs is the Park Survey conducted in 1994. 'Fhe sunmuiry and conclusions sections of die survey, as well as a tabulation of die responses to the survey questions, are attached. Aldiou^i a number of changes have occurred in die City since the 1994 survey, we do not liavc updated information to indicate whedicr die needs and priorities have changed since diat time. It would be helpful to spend some time discussing how best to facilitate a shared understanding between die Council imd Park Conmiissioii regarding park, open space and trail needs aiul priorities.