2010/05/26 Council Agenda Packet

Parks has adopted five guidelines for providing a condition standard for all facilities. The guidelines help determine capital improvement priorities, work schedules for maintenance and establish a benchmark for providing a quality experience to all park visitors. • No weeds in the parks • No litter in the parks • Well-maintained grass and hedges • Timely graffiti removal • Well -kept facilities (buildings, benches, play structures) Best Management Practices for Sustainability • Be responsive to local conditions, including topography 00 ~ and site context when managing facilities and W designing capital improvements • Encourage the use of environmentally sustainable park development practices, materials and green building techniques (LEED) • Promote environmentally sustainable landscape designs that minimize surface water runoff, the use of chemicals or equipment • Encourage naturalization of park spaces to provide habitat and reduce maintenance where appropriate • Develop accurate descriptions of the size, location and condition of the areas that are maintained to encourage efficiency in maintenance practices • Provide a level of stewardship of parks and open space that meet an appearance expectation of the public and protects the quality of the environment • Determine the amount of staff that are available, equipment condition and availability, volunteer recruitment and training capabilities and the condition of facilities to efficiently direct and balance resource allocation Safe Parks and CPTED "So-called undesirables are not the problem. It is the measures taken to combat them that is the problem... The best way to handle the problem of undesirables is to make the place attractive to everyone else." --William H. Whyte Park designers, maintenance staff, operations staff and citizens all have a vital role to play in creating safe park environments. The key factors to consider when dealing with park safety are summarized below: • Improve the park appearance to reduce the perceptions that a park is unsafe. That will increase park use and improve safety. Good maintenance is crucial to maintain perceptions that areas are low risk. Vandalism can contribute to perceptions of fear because litter, graffiti and broken furniture all suggest a place is uncared for and possibly unsafe. • Develop an easy to understand park layout that allows people to orient themselves and visualize escape routes and areas of possible hazards. • Provide lighting to enhance perceptions of safety and increased legitimate park activities which will allow for greater nighttime surveillance. • Clear sightlines enhance perceived and actual safety by helping park visitors to see what is ahead and around them. ® Physical access should be maximized by providing users with a choice of legible routes to and from areas. 41