Vashon Island, Washington
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Whatcom County COMPREHENSIVE PARKS, RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE PLAN DRAFT Whatcom County Parks & Recreation Department April, 2008 Parks, Recreation & Open Space Planning Committee Whatcom County Council Ward Nelson, District 1A Laurie Caskey-Schreiber, District 2A Dan McShane, District 1B (Whatcom County Council Chairperson) Sam Crawford, District 2B Carl Weimer, District 3A Barbara Brenner, District 3B Seth Fleetwood, At Large Whatcom County Parks & Recreation Commission Dan Taylor, Whatcom County Parks & Recreation Commission, Chairperson Gary Chadwick, Whatcom County Parks & Recreation Commission Nancy Kaye, Secretary, Whatcom County Parks & Recreation Commission Walter Lockwood Jr, Whatcom County Parks & Recreation Commission Gordon Rogers, Whatcom County Parks & Recreation Commission Robert McKissick, Whatcom County Parks & Recreation Commission Del Lowery, Whatcom County Parks & Recreation Commission Whatcom County Agencies & Organizations – Planning Committee Scott Thompson, Bicycle Pedestrian Committee Doug McDonald, Lummi Nation Planner Tom Reed, Washington State Department of Fish & Wildlife Candace Johnson, Washington State Department of Natural Resources Paul Leuthold, Director, Bellingham Park & Recreation Department Terry Galvin, Director, Blaine Planning Department Rand Jack, Whatcom Land Trust Daniel Tepper, Whatcom Parks & Recreation Foundation John Cooper, Bellingham-Whatcom Convention & Visitors Bureau Ted Morris, Birch Bay State Park Scott Chalfant, Larrabee State Park Jim Darling, Director, Port of Bellingham Gordon Rogers, Director, Council of Governments Irene Waters, Point Roberts Park & Recreation District #1 Patrick Alesse, Northwest Park & Recreation District Glen Hallman, Council on Aging George Swanset, Nooksack Cultural Resources Technician Whatcom County Departments Michael McFarlane, Director, Parks & Recreation Department Lynne Givler, Operations Manager Parks & Recreation Department Rob Bunnett, Recreation/Senior Services Manager, Parks & Recreation Department Bruce Roll, Assistant Director, Public Works Department Hal Hart, Director, Planning & Development Services Troy Holbrook, Planning & Development Services Consultant Team Tom Beckwith FAICP, Team Leader Lee Springgate, Recreational Programmer and Finances Terry Reckord ASLA, Landscape Architect Brad Cornwall AIA, Architect Dick Anderson, Public Opinion Surveys Contents Chapter 1: Introduction 1.1 Objectives 1 1.2 Approach 1 1.3 Public involvement 2 1.4 Documentation 2 Chapter 2: Goals and objectives 2.1 Strategic approach to services 3 2.2 Resource conservancies 3 2.3 Historical resources 6 2.4 Resource parks 6 2.5 Trail and corridor access systems 7 2.6 Athletic parks 9 2.7 Community centers 9 2.8 Special purpose facilities 10 2.9 Recreational programs 10 2.10 Cultural arts programs and resources 11 2.11 Design and access standards 11 2.12 Financial resources and coordination 12 2.13 Human resources 13 Chapter 3: Plan elements - regional 3.1 Conservancies – saltwater, freshwater, forest, and farm 15 3.2 Conservancies – historical and cultural 37 3.3 Regional multiuse parks – beachcomb, fish, swim, boat, camp 51 3.4 Water trails – non-motorized craft 93 3.5 Multipurpose trails 103 3.6 Hiking trails 115 3.7 Horse trails 131 3.8 Off-road mountain biking trails 139 3.9 On-road bicycle touring routes 147 3.10 Winter trails - cross-country ski, snowboard, snowmobile 155 3.11 Off-road vehicle and atv trails 161 3.12 Scenic corridors, byways, and viewpoints 165 3.13 Athletic courts and fields 175 3.14 Recreation and community centers 183 3.15 Special use facilities – museums, golf, gun ranges 187 3.16 Support facilities 193 Chapter 4: Program elements - regional 4.1 Recreational clearinghouse 197 4.2 Program pricing and delivery options 200 4.3 Program proposals 201 Chapter 5: Plan and program elements – local 5.1 Local parks, recreation, and open space plans 205 5.2 Whatcom County community planning documents 205 5.3 Relationship of community plan to this plan 205 Chapter 6: Implementation 6.1 Adopt plan 207 6.2 Adopt project financing strategies 209 6.3 Initiate county-wide regional projects 213 6.4 Implement program financing strategies 215 6.5 Follow-up 217 Exhibits: Park planning sheets Whatcom County regional park planning sheets 219 Appendix A: Community setting A.1 Climate A- 1 A.2 Earth A- 1 A.3 Water A- 2 A.4 Wildlife habitat and species A- 3 A.5 Unique and threatened plant species A- 8 A.6 Wildlife habitat concerns A- 8 A.7 Land use implications A- 9 A.8 Historical development A-10 A.9 Population and socioeconomic characteristics A-13 A.10 Whatcom County rare plants A-17 A.11 WA endangered, threatened, and sensitive plants A-19 A.12 Population projections by nation, state, region, and county A-22 A.13 Socioeconomic characteristics A-23 Appendix B: Existing lands and facilities B.1 Whatcom County B- 1 B.2 Port of Bellingham B-10 B.3 Lummi Nation B-12 B.4 Cities and park districts B-13 B.5 School districts B-23 B.6 Washington State agencies B-28 B.7 Other publicly accessible facilities B-30 B.8 Inventory implications B-32 Appendix C: Opportunities C.1 Environmental resources C- 1 C.2 Public ownership C- 2 C.3 Private rail and utility ownership C- 7 C.4 Private land ownership C- 8 C.5 Private facilities C-10 C.6 Conclusions C-17 Appendix D: Land and facility demand D.1 Land requirements D- 3 D.2 Facility requirements D-10 D.3 Future growth implications D-19 Appendix E: Finances E.1 Expenditures – general government E- 1 E.2 Revenue prospects – general government E- 4 E.3 Expenditures – park, recreation, and open space E- 5 E.4 Prospects – park, recreation, and open space organization E- 6 E.5 Public revenue prospects – park, recreation and open space E- 8 E.6 Private revenue prospects – park, recreation, and open space E-12 E.7 General funding strategies E-13 E.8 Park Facility Funding Strategies 2006-2012 E-15 E.9 Park Facility Funding Strategies 2006-2026 E-19 E.10 Recreation Program Funding Strategies 2006-2012 E-20 E.11 Recreation Program Funding Strategies 2006-2026 E-23 E.12 Recommendations E-24 Appendix F: Public opinion F.1 Community charrette/workshop comments F- 1 F.2 Mail-out/phone-back survey results – narrative text F- 6 F.3 Mail-out/phone-back survey and statistical results F-15 Appendix G: G.1 Prototype facility development costs G1 -1 G.2 Prototype trail development costs G2 -1 G.3 Trail design standards G3 -1 Chapter 1: Introduction Whatcom County has grown since the last comprehensive planning effort was accomplished in 1991 and faces continued growth pressure. The choices that confront Whatcom County at the present time are significant and could alter the character and quality of open space, trail, and park facilities, and recreation programs and services if not adequately planned. This document outlines the choices that are available and the means for implementing preferred actions found to be of most benefit to Whatcom County residents. 1.1 Objectives The specific objectives of this planning effort were to: Define the setting – within Whatcom County including climate, environment, wildlife habitat, history, culture, population changes, and current development conditions. Inventory assets – existing public and private park facilities and recreational services that have been developed to-date within the Whatcom County by the county, cities, park and recreation districts, port, school districts, state, federal, and private non-profit and for-profit organizations. Forecast demand – for future open space, trails, and park facilities and recreation services that may be provided by the county or other agencies. Identify appropriate roles and responsibilities – that should be undertaken by Whatcom County to meet critical open space, trail, and park facilities and recreation program needs. Develop the elements of a regional countywide plan – for open space, trails, and park facilities and recreation programs including wildlife habitat and conservation areas, open spaces and natural resource areas, trails, athletic fields and facilities, indoor community and recreation centers, and other special purpose facilities. Determine the costs – involved in maintaining and/or improving open space, trails, and park facilities and recreation program levels-of-service (LOS), particularly the possible use of innovative financing tools or methods. Define an implementation program – outlining the actions necessary to realize the plan including supporting actions necessary to resolve agreements with the cities, park and recreation districts, school districts, state, federal, and other private and non-profit agencies. Determine public opinion – through a series of public participation events and resolve final project, plan, and financing particulars based on the results of public input. 1.2 Approach This study analyzed the supply, demand, and need for public and private open space, trail, and park facilities and recreation services within Whatcom County on a countywide basis and in the county’s urban growth and community planning areas. The proposed implementation strategies are the result of this comprehensive or holistic analysis. Generally, the proposed strategies recommend the county focus its resources where open space, trail, and park facilities and recreation needs are most critical, and the county most effective. 1 Chapter 1: Introduction Whatcom County Park, Recreation & Open Space Plan 1.3 Public involvement The Whatcom County Parks & Recreation Department, Parks & Recreation Commission, and an Advisory Committee composed