Park Planning, Design, and Open Space

About the Comprehensive Plan Park & Recreation Element
Benefits of Park and Recreation
Park Design and Standards
Programs
Open Space and Comprehensive Park Plans
Additional Information Resources
MRSC Related Pages
- Designing Transportation Facilities for Pedestrians and Bicycles (Trails)

About the Comprehensive Plan Park & Recreation Element

A mandatory requirement for a park and recreation element was added to the required GMA comprehensive plan elements during the 2002 legislative session. The new element must be consistent with the capital facilities plan element as it relates to park and recreation facilities. The element must include estimates of park and recreation demand for a ten-year period, an evaluation of facilities and service needs, and an evaluation of intergovernmental coordination opportunities to provide regional approaches for meeting park and recreational demand. (RCW 36.70A.070(8)). Although new or amended elements are to be adopted concurrent with the scheduled update provided in RCW 36.70A.130, that requirement is postponed until adequate state funding is available. The requirements to incorporate any such new or amended elements “shall be null and void until funds sufficient to cover applicable local government costs are appropriated and distributed by the state at least two years before local government must update comprehensive plans.” (RCW 36.70A.070(9)).

Benefits of Park and Recreation

City Beautiful ( 1 MB), by Gerald A. Carlino and Albert Saiz, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia Working Paper No. 08-22, December 6, 2008 - The paper quantifies the importance of leisure amenities and provides evidence that spending public dollars on leisure and cultural activities may offer more long-range benefit than traditional economic development focused on job creation.
The Economic Benefits of Parks and Open Space: How Land Conservation Helps Communities Grow Smart and Protect the Bottom Line, Trust for Public Lands Report
Economic Impacts of Protecting Rivers, Trails and Greenway Corridors: A Resource Book. Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance, National Park Service, 1995.
The Health Benefits of Parks: How Parks Help Keep Americans and Their Communities Fit and Healthy by Eric Gies, Trust for Public Lands, 2006
Measuring the Impact of Parks on Property Values, by Sarah Nicholls, Parks & Recreation, March 2004. Library Loan.

Park Design and Standards

General Reference

Guidelines for Developing Public Recreation Facility Standards, Ministry of Culture and Recreation, Sports and Fitness Division, Ontario, Canada , 2004
Parks/Open Space/ Recreation Facilities Standards ( 9.1 MB) in Level of Service Standards - Measures for Maintaining the Quality of Community Life, by Sue Enger, Report No. 31. Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington, September 1994.
Park, Recreation, Open Space and Greenway Guidelines, James D. Mertes and James R. Hall, National Recreation and Park Association, 1996. Library Loan
Park Planning Guidelines, by George Fogg, 3rd ed. National Recreation and Park Association, 1990. Library Loan
Planning for Parks and Open Space in Your Community ( 4.15 MB), by Susan C. Enger for CTED (Washington State Deptartment of Commerce) and Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation, 2005.
State of Colorado Small Community Park and Recreation Standards ( 1.29 MB) prepared by RPI Consulting, 2003, via Colorado State Publications Library

Local Government Design Standards

Seattle Parks Standards (Design)
- Seattle Parks Standards - Design Standards
- Seattle Design Intent for Park Boulevards and Trails
Vancouver-Clark County Park Standards and Performance
Woodinville Park, Recreation and Open Space Plan - Chapter 04 - Demand Analysis ( 850 KB), 2005 - Uses various measurements to identify the strengths and weaknesses of park inventory based on current and future needs.

Misc Design Resources

Accessible Recreation Facilities Guidelines - Access Board
Handbook for Public Playground Safety ( 372 MB) - National Product Safety Commission
NatureGrounds - A comprehensive program that provides best practice guidelines for creating and retrofitting play environments for parks and school grounds that integrate manufactured play equipment and the living landscape. The purpose of NatureGrounds is to create a dramatic shift in the standard playground development process by deliberately designing nature back into children’s lives, not only to benefit children’s play but also to engage communities in working together to create richer play experience for all users.
Field Building Standards - US Soccer Foundation
American Sports Builders Association (ASBA) - Formerly United States Tennis Court & Track Builders Association