Parks and Recreation Master Plan 2010

Page 1

Page 2

Acknowledgements

PARKS AND RECREATION PLAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Chris Schmenk, Mayor Jillian Froment, City Administrator John Mitchell, Public Service Director Steve Conley, Parks and Recreation Superintendent Dianne Coon, Project Manager Deborah Groat, City Council and Former Member of Parks and Recreation Commission Crista Miller, Parks and Recreation Commission Alex Rozanski Jeannie Wolfe Suzy Zumwalde, Union County Family YMCA Joe Preston (past member) Ben Karn (past member) John Marshall, City Council and Parks and Recreation Commission Member (past member) Mike Aquillo, City Council and Parks and Recreation Commission Member (past member)

PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION

Russ Jones, Chairman Cathy Dwertman—Vice-Chairman John Groat John Howard Crista Miller Erin Walters Rowland Seymour Mike Aquillo (past member) Kalyn Humble (past member)

CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS

John Gore, President Dan Fogt, Vice President Mark Reams Nevin Taylor Deborah Groat Tracy Richardson Henk Berbee Leah Sellers (past member) John Marshall (past member) Mike Aquillo (past member)

Page 3

Page 4

Table of Contents

Page

Chapter 1: Introduction...... 7

Chapter 2: Overview of the Current Parks and Recreation System ...... 9

Chapter 3: Current Organization and Policies...... 19

Chapter 4: Community Input...... 23

Chapter 5: Recommendations...... 29

Chapter 6: Action Plan ...... 37

Appendix A: Definitions ...... 49

Appendix B: Ordinances ...... 51

Appendix C: Additional Detail on Key Issues ...... 59

Appendix D: Raw Data from Online Survey ...... 63

Published January 2010

Page 5

Page 6

Chapter 1: Introduction

Master Plan Purpose and Design

The City of Marysville Parks and Recreation Master Plan has been designed as a tool to guide future decisions and actions by the City of Marysville and the Marysville Division of Parks and Recreation (MDPR).

The plan’s purpose is to:  Evaluate existing programs, parks facilities and services;  Capture the key priorities as identified by the citizens of Marysville;  Based on these priorities, recommend new or enhanced programs, parks, facilities and ser- vices.

The plan will also create a framework to address those priorities over a period of time. The plan will identify the challenges that must be addressed, the resources required and action steps that should be used to achieve the key priorities.

The Planning Process

Historically, planning for the Marysville City park system (which includes both parks and recreation) has been a high priority for the city. As the community has grown, Marysville has used a combination of planning and intuition to create a parks system that meets or exceeds most of the National Recreation and Parks Association standards.

In the early 1970’s the Parks and Recreation Commission was created. This 7 member group was charged with studying, investigating, planning, advising, and reporting on items the Commission deter- mined to be necessary or advisable for the effective operation and maintenance of public parks and recreation facilities. This Commission continues to this day and regularly advises the City administration and City Council regarding the public parks and recreation facilities.

In 1977, a Land Use, Thoroughfare, and Open Space Plan was created for the City of Marysville. This plan suggested that Marysville should improve existing park facilities and begin to acquire land for fu- ture parks needs.

In the 1980’s, Development Guidelines were created to help manage land use and open space require- ments as neighborhoods were planned. In 1981, a Parks and Recreation Master Plan was created that helped to identify the need for more community parks. Many of the recommendations from this plan were completed and it was then set aside.

Because the citizens of Marysville highly value their park system and want to maintain a strong system for the future, the city administration initiated efforts in late 2008 to create a master plan for the park sys- tem. In order to complete this plan by December 2009, the following goals were set:

Page 7

 Utilize a project manager to develop the plan.  Involve all stake holders, including the mayor, city council, the parks and recreation commis- sion, staff, citizens, civic groups, volunteers, etc.  Assess the current parks system and land use regulations for new development, as well as rules and regulations for parks and recreations.  Gather community input through forums, surveys and stake holder interviews.  Summarize information to create a parks and recreation vision.  Develop a proposed action plan and estimated costs to execute.  Present recommendations to the mayor and city council.

This plan is a result of those efforts.

Page 8

Chapter 2: Overview of the Current Parks and Recreation System

History of the Marysville Parks and Recreation System

The City of Marysville has seen incredible growth over the last 20 years. In 1990, the city population was only 9,656. In 2009, the estimated population is 18,941— almost double the population of 20 years ago. The increased population was largely a result of large companies investing in the community. Honda opened its first manufacturing plant in Union County in 1979 and Goodyear expanded its Marysville plant. The Honda opening also resulted in Route 33 being expanded. The improved State route drew more commuters who now live in Marysville but work in Columbus and the surrounding areas.

As the city grew, parks were built throughout the city. Legion Memorial, Schwartzkopf, Lewis, McCloud, and McCarthy Parks had already been established by the time the first “Parks and Recreation Master Plan” was created in 1981. The existing parks were well-used, but as the population rapidly in- creased, there was a clear need for additional parks. This plan also prompted the elimination of unused or poorly maintained parks from the park system in the early ‘80’s.

As the population continued to grow, large developments such as Green Pastures and Mill Valley were established in Marysville in the 1990’s. As these developments grew, it not only drew new people to Marysville, but the developments also provided more housing options for those people who already worked in the Marysville area.

In anticipation of these developments being built and to ensure adequate park space in these new devel- opments, Marysville implemented an ordinance in 1988 that required builders to donate park land to new neighborhoods. The size of the land donation was based upon how many homes would be built. This ordinance created a number of parks for the residents of Marysville. Some of these parks were consid- ered “neighborhood parks” such as Trinity and Butterfly Parks located in Green Pastures. Neighborhood parks are primarily used by local residents living in the surrounding neighborhoods. The ordinance also resulted in larger parks, such as Aldersgate Park on the edge of Green Pastures. These larger “multi-use parks” have many amenities that draw residents from all over Marysville. The Mill Valley South and Central Parks and the trails by Mill Creek are additional examples of multi-use parks.

In 1999, Eljer Park, a large multi-use park, was dedicated to the City of Marysville. This park was made possible by the renovation of unusable land into park land that is leased to the city.

In 2002, as the city began to think about larger parks that could better serve more of the community, a new ordinance was created that allowed the city to request that developers provide money in lieu of park land for new developments. This was especially useful for those new development that may not benefit from a neighborhood park. An example might be a new neighborhood located next to an existing park or an elementary playground and fields. The money gained by this ordinance is utilized solely for the bene- fit of the parks and recreation system and funds infrastructure upgrades such as pool repairs or new paths/trails.

Although the housing market has slowed over the past year, Marysville continues to slowly grow with

Page 9

additional homes being built within the city limits. As the economy begins to recover, the growth rates are expected to increase. This master plan will need to consider the future improvement of the economy and the resulting growth.

Demographics of the City of Marysville

The Parks and Recreation System of Marysville not only serves Marysville residents, but it also draws people from the surrounding area. To evaluate the likely service population, the population of the local school district has been utilized. For 2007, the population for the Marysville Exempted Village School District was 28,549 which is approximately 10,000 more people than just those living within the city lim- its.

Table 1 POPULATION FOR MARYSVILLE, OHIO (1) 2000 2005-2007 ACS Change Census Census Study % %

Total population 15,942 17,622 (2) male 43% 46% 3% female 57% 54% -3%

under 5 9% 8% -1% 5-9 8% 8% 0% 10-14 6% 7% 1% 15-19 5% 6% 0% 29% youth 5110 20-24 7% 6% -1% young 25-34 21% 17% -4% 24% adults 4229 35-44 18% 18% 1% 45-54 11% 13% 2% 55-59 3% 5% 2% older 60-64 3% 3% 0% 39% adults 6873 65-74 5% 4% -1% 75-84 3% 2% -1% 85 or older 1% 2% 1% 8% seniors 1410 Median age 31 32

Page 10

(1) The 2000 Census data is for the City of Marysville. The ACS data is for the Marysville Exempted Village School District. As Table 1 illustrates, 29% of Marysville’s population is considered “youth” who tend to be heavy users of the parks. However, Marysville also has large segments of young adults (24%) and older adults (39%) who must be considered for the future of Parks and Recreation System. There is also a small segment of seniors (8%) who benefit from the exercise and social opportunities that the park system offers.

Demographically, the population of Marysville is primarily White/Caucasian (91%) with percentages of African American (6%), American Indian (1%), Asian (1%), and Hispanic 1%). (See Table 2) As Marys- ville plans for the future of the parks system, the different populations must be considered as research has shown that different races vary in how and where they spend their time within parks.

Table 2 Race in Marysville, OH (1)

White 91% 91% 0% Black or African -2% American 6% 4% American Indian 0% and Alaska Na- tive 1% 1% Asian 1% 2% 1%

Native Hawaiian 0% and Other Pa- cific Islander. <1% <1% Some other race 1% 1% 1%

(1) Race adds to more than total population because some people chose more than one race when answering the question

Current Status of Marysville Parks and Recreation System

The Marysville Parks and Recreation System currently provides over 347 acres of parkland within 17 distinct parks. The parks system includes such amenities as an amphitheater, swimming pool, lighted tennis courts, ball fields, trails, shelter houses and public restrooms. A complete list of the current parks and their amenities is included in the next page as Table 3.

Page 11

Table 3—Marysville Parks and Amenities

t

n

e

m

p

o

l

e

v

e

D

e

r

u

t

u

e F

v

r

e

s X e

r

P

e

r

u

t

a N

s

e X

o

h s

e

s

r

o

H

k

c

a

r

T

g

n

i

k

l a

W

a

e r

a

c

i

n

c i P

6"

g

n i

h s

i

F

o

b

e

z

a G

e

s

u

o

H

e

e

r

T

e

s

u

o

H

r

e

t

l

e

h

S

d

l

e

s i

t

F r

XX X

l

u

l

o a

b C

t

l

l o

a

o

b F

t

e

k

s

a

B

d

e

t St. - Cherry McCarthy McCloud - corner of West 4th and West 5th Streets St. Maple N. of off entrance - Millcreek CentralMill Valley - entrance off Mill WoodBlvd. Dr. from Creekview entrance - South Valley Mill Schwartzkopf- entranceoff of N. Maple Street Trinity - greenspace Carmel, by Grace, and Crown Drives

h

s g

i t

r L

u

o

C

s

l

l e

i

a

t

i

b

l t

i

e c

k a

s F

a

m B

o

o

r

t

s

e

R

c

i

l

b u

P

e General Location of Parks c

a

p

S

s

t

r n

e u

e o

r C

G

s

i

n

n

e X XX X

T

d

e

t

h

g

i

L

s d

l

e

i

F

r

e

c

c

o S

s d

l

e

i

F

l

l

a

l

B o

o

P

g

n

i

m m

i

w

S

e

r

u

t

c

u

r

t

s

y

a l P

XXXXXXXXX XXXXXX XXX X XX

l

i

a

r

T

r

e

t

a XXXX XXXXX XXX XX XXXXXXXXXXXX XXX XXXX X XXXXX XX XX XX XX XX XX

e

h

t i

h offW. Ave. Park on Entrance - Lower Park Legion American West on Street Entrance 5th - Upper Aldersgate Park - corner of Damascus and Emmaus Damascus of and Park - corner Aldersgate Butterfly - area of Apple, Restoration, and Morning Star Eljer - East 9th Street Greenwood- end of Collingwood Dr. Lewis - cornerof Grove St and Collins Ave. WoodsMacIvor - West Street 5th

p m A

XX X XX X X X

s

e r

c A

347.5

Note:XX denotesbe reserved "May for aminimal charge contacting by the Parks and RecreationSuperintendent's Office. 642-011

Eljer Park 25 Lewis ParkLewis 9 Trinity ParkTrinity 2 Central Park Butterfly ParkButterfly 2

ParkMcCloud 0.5 Reservoir Trail n/a McCarthy Park 15 Mill Creek Park Creek Mill 54 MacIvor WoodsMacIvor 25 Aldersgate ParkAldersgate 25 Greenwood ParkGreenwood 28

Park ParkSchwartzkopf 12 Total Parkland Mill Valley Park (South) Park Valley Mill 26 UCJRD Sports Complex 54 (Central) Park Valley Mill 53 American Legion Park-Lower Legion American 5 Park-Upper Legion American 12

Page 12

In order to benchmark the current status of our park system, the following table illustrates how the parks system compares to standards published by the National Recreation and Parks Association. Definitions can be found in Appendix A. Table 4

SUMMARY OF MARYSVILLE PARKS

acres/1000 pop recommended acreage (1) by NRPA Mini-Parks <1 acre Butterfly 2 McCloud 0.5 Trinity 2 Total 4.5 0.26 0.25 to 0.50

Neighborhood Parks 15+ Schwartzkopf 12 Lewis 9 McCarthy 15 Greenwood (2) 28 Total 64 3.63 1.0 to 2.0

Community Parks 25+ American Legion 17 Eljer 25 Mill Valley Central 26 Mill Valley South 26 Aldersgate 25 Mill Creek 54 Total 173 9.82 5.0 to 8.0

Sports Complex 25+ UC Joint Recreational District 54 Total 54 3.06 2.0 to 5.0

Trails Miles 1 MI/1,500 Eljer 1 Mill Creek to Mill Valley Central 3 Connector to Mill Valley North 1.5 McCarthy Park to Main St 0.5 Greenwood Park 0.75 Reservoir Trail 2.25 Total 9.00 11.75

(1) The population projection for the City of Marysville by the US Census for 2007 was 17,622. This is the number that was used. 17.622 number used per 1000 (2) Greenwood Park is a large park that currently only has walking trails. Future development is expected

Page 13

As Table 4 illustrates, Marysville compares very favorably to the national standards. The park system meets the suggested acreage for mini-parks and sports complexes. The City exceeds the standards for neighborhood and community parks. The only standard the city does not meet or exceed is the standard for trails. For a city having the population of Marysville, the recommendation is for at least 11.75 miles of trails. Marysville currently only has 9 miles of trails.

The parks were then further evaluated for the facilities that were offered. Table 5 shows those facilities as compared to the NRPA standard:

Table 5 - Marysville Park Facilities Versus the NRPA Standards

Std for

NRPA Standard Schwartzkopf Lewis McCarthy Legion American Eljer CentralMV South MV Aldersgate Creek Mill Marysville Total 17622 Baseball/softball 1 per 5,000 2 1 1 4 3.5 8 Basketball 1 fullcourt per 5000 1 1 1 2 2 3.5 7 Fishing 1 per 20,000 1 1 1 1 1 1 0.9 6 Football 1 per 20,000 1 0.9 1 Skating-ice 1 rink per 30,000 1 (winter) 0.6 1 Soccer 1 per 10,000 1 1 1 2 1 1.8 6 Pool 1 per 20,000 1 0.9 1 Tennis 1 court per 2,000 2 2 8.8 4 Theater-outdoor stage 1 per 20,000 1 0.9 1 1/4 mile running track 1 per 20,000 1 0.9 1 Volleyball-sand 1 per 5,000 3.5 0

Table 5 indicates that Marysville also compares favorably to the national standards in providing park fa- cilities for the citizens of Marysville. The only areas where Marysville did not meet or exceed the NRPA standards was for tennis courts and sand volleyball courts.

An overall assessment of each existing park was done to determine how the parks performed in 7 catego- ries. Table 6 indicates that, overall, the parks were in excellent condition with the exception of the wooded areas in McCarthy Park and MacIvor Woods. Some items of particular note:

 The visual quality of most parks was very good and maintenance was excellent with the ex- ception of weeds in some of the play areas.  There has been no attempt to define the access point or the trail for MacIvor Woods at this time. The woods within McCarthy Park need to be cleaned up, the paths need to be better de- fined, and access to ATV’s needs to be limited, if possible.  For access and parking, Butterfly, McCloud and Trinity Parks are mini-parks, so there is only on-street parking available which is sufficient the majority of the time. MacIvor Woods has land dedicated for parking, but a parking area has not yet been created.  For the links to other parks, the evaluation was based upon how well-connected the park was (by easily walking or riding a bike on safe paths) to other parks in Marysville. The Mill Val- ley, Mill Creek, and Schwartzkopf parks all scored well since they are connected to one an- other by the Jim Simmons Trail. Aldersgate, Trinity, and Butterfly parks are all within the same neighborhood, so they also scored well.  Level of use was a subjective rating based upon observation and then reviewed by the Parks Commission members.

Page 14

Table 6 City of Marysville Park Assessment Visual Street Linked to Maintain Perceived Level of Overall Comments Quality access & other Safety Use condition parking parks

Aldersgate Park 51 3 4 5 3 5 American Legion Park-Lower 54 2 5 5 5 5 American Legion Park-Upper 55 2 4 5 4 5 Butterfly Park 51 3 5 5 3 5 Eljer Park 55 1 5 5 5 5 44 3 4 5 5 4Seasonal use by football Lewis Park organizations MacIvor Woods 30 0 0 3 0 2Access and path are unclear. McCarthy Park (park/woods) 4/2 3 3 4/2 5/2 2 4/2 Wooded area requires attention McCloud Park 50 1 5 5 0 5 Mill Creek Park 55 4 5 5 5 5 45 4 4 5 3 4 Mill Valley Park (Central)

Mill Valley Park (South) 55 4 5 5 4 5Field use Trinity Park 51 3 5 5 3 5 Schwartzkopf Park 54 4 5 5 4 4 42 1 4 5 2 4 Greenwood Park

UCJRD Sports Complex 44 0 5 4 3 4 Marysville Reservoir Trail 55 0 5 3 1 5 Ratings are from 0-5 with 0 the lowest/worst rating and 5 the highest/best rating

Finally, the citizens of Marysville also have access to many playgrounds that are associated with the Marysville Exempted Village School System. These playgrounds can often be used by the public when not in use by the school system. Many of these playgrounds have excellent facilities. As the City of Marysville evaluates where new playgrounds are needed, these facilities should be considered so as not to duplicate facilities in close proximity. Table 7 on the next page shows the playgrounds and facilities that are readily accessible to the citizens of Marysville.

Page 15

Table 7 Marysville School Facilities (1)

Edgewood Elementary Raymond Elementary East Elementary Northwood Elementary Valley Mill Elementary Navin Elementary Creekview Intermediate MS Bunsold High School Playground

equipment x x x x x x x

Green Space x x x x x x x Court Games Volleyball x x Basketballxxxxxxx Four square x x x x x

Hopscotch x x x

Tetherball x x x x x Tennis x Shelter with picnic table x x (1) School facilities are only available to the public when the school is not using them.

Recreational Programs

The City of Marysville currently employs a part-time Parks Superintendent who schedules the city fields, manages the city pool, and coordinates the other parks events. Those events are listed in Table 8.

Table 8 Marysville Parks And Recreation Programs Event Location Age Group Served

All 5-9 10-14 15-18 Concerts in the Park American Legion Park x A Day in the Park American Legion Park x Shelter Rentals Various parks x Swimming lessons at the pool Municipal Pool x x x Recreational Swim Team Municipal Pool x x x Scuba Diving certification Municipal Pool x Pool Rental Municipal Pool x Adopt-A Park Various parks x

Summer Basketball Program Eljer x

Primarily the Jim Sim- Frozen Nose 4 miler Race mons Trail x

Page 16

Additionally, Marysville has a number of independent leagues and companies who support local athletics and programs. Independent sports organizations also coordinate leagues for baseball, softball, soccer, and flag and tackle football.

In addition to city sponsored recreational programs, there are multiple other private and/or commercial recreational opportunities in the local area. Local listings were reviewed of organizations who promote activities in the area. While this is not a complete listing, Table 9 on the below page provides an over- view of the various offerings in the Marysville area.

Table 9 Private/Commerical Facilities in Marysville, OH Who provide Exercise Opportunities

Golf Course s: Blues Creek Golf club - 18 holes Buck Ridge Golg Course - 18 holes Darby Creek Golf Course - 18 holes Marysville Golf Club - 18 holes Parkway Golf Practice Range Rolling Meadows Golf Club - 18 holes Timberview Golf Club - 18 holes

Gymnastics: Northwest Gymnastics and Cheer, LLC - Teaches Gymnastics, cheerleading, dance, and Tae Kwon Do Magic Gymnastics and Cheer Center- Teaches gymnastics and cheerleading

Dancing: Dance Extension - Teaches tap, jazz, ballet, etc. Patty Beery's School of Dance -Teaches dance, voice, and drama programs In-Step Dance Center, LLC - Teaches tap, jazz, ballet, etc.

Martial Arts: Sheeley's Iron Tiger The Masterway Institute

Various programs: Union County YMCA - Lap and therapy pools, gymnasium, fitness center, and multiple programs. See separate table

Conclusion

The City of Marysville continues to grow even as the economy slows down. This plan will need to plan for this growth and be able to accommodate the needs of the current and future residents.

The City of Marysville has a park system that meets or exceeds the NRPA standards for various types of parks and the acreage that should be offered for a city this size. The only standard the city does not meet is for miles of trails, which is an area that had already been identified by the city administration as need- ing improvement.

Page 17

The City of Marysville also has a few programs that are currently offered through the Parks and Recrea- tion Department. In the past, leagues and independent organizations have done a thorough job of provid- ing a number of activities for the citizens of Marysville. This master plan will need to identify those ar- eas that are needed but are not currently being served by these other groups.

Page 18

Chapter 3: Current Organization and Policies

Organizational Structure

The City of Marysville has a very lean organization to support the parks and recreation system. The pri- mary team currently includes:  a part-time parks superintendent;  a parks and recreation commission that meets monthly or as needed;  a combination of full-time and part-time employees on the Buildings and Grounds team; and  3 appointed positions for the Union County Joint Recreational District. However, the parks and recreation system is supported by multiple staff throughout the city on a project specific basis.

Staffing

The Marysville Parks and Recreation Division is part of the Marysville Department of Public Services. The Department of Public Services is overseen by the Public Services Director who in turn reports to the Director of Administration. The Public Services Director is also responsible for Buildings and Grounds, Streets, Stormwater, Sanitation, Wastewater and Water. Additionally, City Mechanic/Fleet Maintenance

Mayor

City Administrator

Public Service Director

Parks and Building and Recreation Grounds

Page 19

is also included under the purview of the Public Service Director. The two areas of responsibility that are pertinent to this plan are the Buildings and Grounds and the Parks and Recreation.

The Division of Buildings and Grounds is led by the Buildings and Grounds Superintendent who reports to the Public Services Director. The Buildings and Grounds Superintendent is responsible for maintain- ing all City parks, the municipal pool, City Hall, and the public service center facilities. The Division of Building & Grounds currently includes the Superintendent, four fulltime groundskeepers, three part-time groundskeepers from May though October, and one fulltime individual at City Hall.

The Division of Parks and Recreation has one part-time Superintendent who reports to the Public Service Director. The Parks and Recreation Superintendent is responsible for developing parks, establishing and managing recreation programs and sponsoring programs that promote a healthy citizen. During most of the year, the Parks and Recreation Superintendent works primarily with the Administrative support staff at the Public Service Department. During the summer, the Superintendent is responsible for all employ- ees at the Municipal pool. The Parks and Recreation Superintendent is also the staff liaison for the city on the Parks and Recreation Commission.

Parks and Recreation Commission

The Parks and Recreation Commission is appointed by City Council. This 7 member group is charged with studying, investigating, planning, advising, and reporting on items the Commission determined to be necessary or advisable for the effective operation and maintenance of public parks and recreation facilities. This Commission regularly advises the City administration and City Council regarding the public parks and recreation facilities. Currently, the commission gives each member the responsibility of one or two parks and they keep an eye on anything that is amiss at those parks. Each member reports on their park(s) at the meeting and then new business is discussed. Additionally, the Commission advises in the creation of the parks capital improvement plan. The Parks and Recreation Superintendent attends commission meetings and, quite frequently, the Director of Administration will also attend the meetings to provide information and/or to receive input from the commission on what is currently needed for the parks.

Union County Joint Recreational District

The Union County Joint Recreational District (UCJRD) is a facility designed to serve Marysville, Paris Township and Union County. The Mayor can appoint 3 individuals who represent Marysville on the UCJRD board. These individuals represent three-sevenths of the Board and their terms last for 3 years. The Board also has 3 members from Union County and one member from Paris Township. The Marys- ville appointees are representatives of the city and work with the city administration to ensure coordi- nated efforts between UCJRD and the Marysville Parks and Recreation Department.

As one can see, the current organization has several groups that need to work closely with each other. There are no official ties between the different organizations and this can lead to duplicative or disjointed efforts if communication is not maintained. Better definition of communication paths and expectations would ensure a unified effort for parks and recreation. A parks and recreation plan should also provide additional unity and solidify a vision for the future of Marysville’s parks and recreation system.

Ordinances and Guidelines

The City of Marysville has very few official ordinances that govern the Parks and Recreation System.

Page 20

This appears to be the norm with other comparable cities. Several cities have chosen to use guidelines rather than strict policies to guide their choices in the future.

The few ordinances that do exist for the parks and recreation system pertain mostly to developers, the structure of the parks and recreation commission, and conduct that is expected in the parks. Highlights of these ordinances include:  Requirement that developers must either donate land within new neighborhoods for new parks or donate money in lieu of land so that the city can create new parks  Establishment of compensation, terms and powers and duties of the Parks and Recreation Commission  Prohibition of vandalism of property or the destruction of shrubs and trees  Prohibition of removal and destruction of property and natural features of parks  Prohibition of depositing materials in a park  Protection of animals and regulation of hunting and fishing  Regulation of pets in parks  Regulation of conduct in parks  Regulation of camping, fires and picnicking  Prohibition of firearms and weapons  Regulation of commercial activity  Regulation of signs  Regulation of fireworks and explosives  Regulation of vehicles and traffic  Regulation of swimming  Regulation of Ice Skating  Regulation of hours of operation  Ability to eject persons from the parks

Actual Ordinances can be found in Appendix B.

Currently, the Buildings and Grounds Superintendent maintains the various parks and faculties using “unofficial” guidelines that have been established based upon past experience. Those guidelines are as follows: 1. Parks are mowed once per week during growing season as weather and manpower permits. 2. The fields for baseball, soccer, and football are mowed twice per week during the playing season as weather and manpower permits. 3. Baseball infields are dragged every day during the baseball/softball season. 4. The trails are kept clear enough to drive a truck down the trail without being hit with branches or underbrush. 5. Vandalism is addressed immediately.

While interviewing over 70 people who are associated with the Marysville Parks and Recreation system, there was overwhelming agreement that the Marysville parks are well-maintained. It appears that these unofficial guidelines are working well and the city may want to consider including these guidelines in some way if and when more formal guidelines are established.

Funding

The Parks and Recreation System receives its primary funding from the General Revenue Fund. The

Page 21

General Revenue Fund generates revenue primarily through income taxes. A portion of the Parks and Recreation System funding has been generated through user fees (primarily pool passes.) Capital im- provements are funded through fees paid by developers in lieu of, or in addition to, dedicating parkland in a new development.

Page 22

Chapter 4: Community Input

The public participation program was a critical element of the planning process. As the master plan for the Parks and Recreation system was being planned, it was essential that the citizens of Marysville be given an opportunity to have input in the direction that the P&R system took. The goal was to involve as many residents as possible in the process.

In order to gather this input, the following steps were utilized:

1. An Advisory Board of interested citizens, Marysville officials, and individuals with parks and recreation experience was created to help guide the process and serve as a conduit for information to residents.

2. Interviews were conducted of various officials and citizens to determine the key areas of interest for the City of Marysville. This interview group included: a. Members of the Marysville Parks and Recreation Commission; b. Staff from the City of Marysville who were directly or indirectly involved with the parks; and c. Leaders of some of the major sports organizations in Marysville.

3. Public forums were held on  Wednesday, April 22, 2009 at Union County Service Center  Thursday, April 30, 2009 at Creekview Intermediate. Participants at these public input meetings worked together to discuss ideas and identify opportu- nities and concerns. Specific topics included Fields and Courts; Facilities/Maintenance; Trails; Programming; Pool, Playgrounds and Buildings; and Special Interests.

4. Information garnered from steps 1-3 was then utilized as the foundation for a comprehensive online survey that was made available to all citizens of Marysville from July 16 to August 7, 2009.

Summary of Interviews and Public Forums

After interviewing nearly 70 people and engaging in two public forums, key issues began to emerge. These key issues are:

1. Improve Existing Parks and Facilities: Many people would like the City of Marysville to continue improving the existing parks and the city pool. These people were current users of the existing parks/facilities and felt that further improvements would make the existing parks more enjoyable to use. These improvements were typically smaller in nature such as adding more benches, paving paths, adding mileage signs on trails, creating more natural areas, and better control of mosquitoes. For the pool improvements, there was a desire to see more water features at the existing pool.

Page 23

2. Create Additional Fields: The people who represented the sports organization felt very strongly that Marysville is outgrowing the existing fields. Many of the soccer, baseball/softball, and football representatives predicted that in 5 years, Marysville would be out of space. Some of the baseball organizations were already playing in other cities due to lack of space.

3. Create Additional Facilities: There were a number of new facilities that came up during the interviews. These included a dog park, a city-run recreational building, and a brand new pool. Other new facilities that were mentioned included alternative outdoor activities such as sand volleyball, bocce ball, badminton, and shuffleboard.

4. Improve Programming: As seen in Chapter 2, the programming for the Marysville Parks and Recreation System is minimal. There is a desire to see more programming at the parks that would include more Marysville citizens in outdoor activities. The types of programming proposed included educational programs that would teach about the flora and fauna in the parks, sports programs that would encourage more adult recreational ac- tivity, walking clubs, and fun tournaments that would encourage more local participation.

5. Improve Trail System in Marysville: The general feeling was that Marysville does not provide a good way for a person who is walking or rid- ing a bike to safely move around the city. There is an excellent trail system along the creek on the Jim Simmons Trail, but one cannot travel from that trail to other parts of the city without having to use either the streets or sidewalks. In some areas of Marysville, sidewalks are not available. Additionally, the bike riders would really like to see longer trails and trails that connect to other trails outside of Marysville. The Rails to Trails program was mentioned numerous times.

6. Improve Marketing: There was general agreement that the Marysville Parks and Recreation Department needs to find a better way to communicate to the community. The only interviewees who had a clear idea of all the parks in Marysville were on the Parks and Recreation Commission. Few interviewees knew of the programs that were currently being offered by the parks and recreation program.

Additional detailed comments on each key issue captured during the interviews and forums can be found in Appendix C.

Online Survey Results

The online survey was designed to help determine our customers’ key issues related to the parks and rec- reation system. Using the information gathered from the interviews and public forums, a survey was cre- ated within the SurveyMonkey Tool and launched on-line.

The survey was made available to all residents of Marysville from July 16 to August 7, 2009. As it was launched, the city used multiple outlets to make residents aware of the survey. The city issued press re- leases to local newspapers, placed a notice in the utility bill and used email addresses to contact resi- dents who had previously completed online surveys.

Page 24

A total of 329 people responded to the survey. With this response rate compared to the current population of Marysville, the survey answers have a +/-5% probability of being accurate. This was considered to be an acceptable variation and the results were accepted as valid.

Respondent Demographics Nearly 95% of the respondents indicated that they were a resident of Marysville. There was a nice mix of people who had lived in Marysville for just 1 year to those who had lived here over 20 years. The highest percentage of respondents had lived here over 20 years.

Over half of the respondents lived near Creekview Intermediate which includes the Mill Valley area or near Edgewood Elementary which includes Green Pastures. The next largest group was on the south end of the city near Memorial Hospital.

The ages of respondents varied from 18 to over 65 with the largest group in the 35-45 age bracket. Of these people, over 64% had children still at home. Of the youth still living at home, over 75% were 12 or younger.

There was nearly a 50/50 split of male and female respondents.

Park Usage Respondents were asked which parks they and their families had visited in the last year, and the results were surprisingly low. The majority of respondents had either never been to a particular park or had only visited a particular park 1-5 times in the last year. The parks that appeared to have the greatest usage were American Legion, Eljer, Mill Valley Park South and Schwartzkopf Parks.

Other parks that appeared to have high usage ratings were Mill Creek Park, Mill Valley Park Central, and the Union County Joint Recreational District (UCJRD).

Program and Activity Usage Respondents were asked about their usage of park programs and activities available in the parks. The ac- tivities having the highest rating of use were the fields (soccer, baseball, and football), the trails for walk- ing or biking, the playgrounds and the pool. Other activities that were participated in by more than 25% of the respondents included picnicking, use of green space, use of courts (tennis, basketball), fitness course at Eljer Park, concerts in the park, and a day at the park

Activities that had very low usage by respondents (less than 10% indicated participation in the activity) included cross-country skiing, horseshoes, pool rental, summer basketball program, Frozen Nose 4 Miler and the summer neighborhood program.

Features in the Park Respondents were asked to value the importance of various features that are often present in the park, such as shelters and landscaping. Permanent restrooms were by far the most popular with over 72% of the respondents marking this as very important. Other very important items were natural areas, adequate parking, and drinking fountains.

Trails Based upon the input from the interviews and community forums, the survey had multiple questions re- lated to the trail system in Marysville. Survey respondents echoed the comments made during interviews

Page 25

and community forums by indicating the number one priority for the city parks and recreation system is to create more trails to connect the city and the parks together.

When asked specific questions about the trail system, the following were the top priorities with the num- ber of respondents in parentheses: a. Provide safe biking and walking access throughout the city (225) b. Require developers to create bike paths to connect new neighborhood to adjacent neighborhoods. (207) c. Develop more off-street, multi-use paths for biking and walking (197) d. Provide trails that connect to other longer trails. (176) e. Provide safe biking/walking access from neighborhoods north of 33 to the pool. (168) f. Request easements to create paths between parks and neighborhoods. (166)

Additionally, paved trails were preferred to unpaved trails. When asked if they and their families would ride their bikes more often if more accessible paths were created, nearly 81% said yes, they would ride more.

In general, there is a great desire to see the trails of Marysville expanded and connected throughout the city.

Additional Programs Respondents indicated a high interest in summer youth athletic programs. The next highest interest cate- gories included concerts in other parks, concert for youth and volunteer days at the parks.

Advertising Respondents were asked to indicate which sources of park information the respondent would be likely to see. According to the responses, the best ways to “always” reach people about the parks are through e- mail, newsletters mailed to their homes, and a flyer in the utility bill. Additional ways to reach many peo- ple are with the city website and newspaper coverage of upcoming events.

Top Priorities

One of the main purposes of the survey was to determine the key priorities of the residents. Comments provided during the interviews and community forums were primarily focused on improvement of the existing parks or the addition of facilities and programs to the parks system. Respondents to the survey confirmed that the City of Marysville should concentrate its efforts on improving the existing parks and finding a way to connect the existing parks to each other and to the neighborhoods. There was almost no interest in the creation of more parks. The one exception to this was the desire of many of the sports or- ganizations to have expanded fields for use by organized sports groups.

In order to drill further into the needed improvements of the existing parks, a specific survey question was developed. Using the comments received during interviews and community forums, a list of poten- tial specific priorities was compiled. Respondents were then asked to select their top 5.

Of the 329 respondents, 12 respondents elected not to answer this question. Additionally, of those re- spondents that answered the questions, not all actually selected 5 priorities. Finally, there were items that had significant splits in responses between the two ends of the spectrum - Not Important and Top Prior-

Page 26

ity. Accordingly, the data was analyzed in several ways in order to more accurately identify the top pri- orities.

First, the top eight priorities were identified from the “Top 5 Priority” column. Next, the top nine were listed from the “rating average” column in order to gauge overall interest in a the individual items. (The “rating average” column provides a numerical ranking to all choices, so the more people who indicated a topic was a “top 5 priority” or “very important”, the higher the rating was. If a large number of people indicated the topic was “not important”, then the rating was very low.) The top eight of these two catego- ries were then evaluated against one another and those that were found in either category were chosen as the top priorities for the City of Marysville.

In both categories, the top three priorities were identical: Additional multi-use trails; Build a recreational center; and Improve existing pool. These three items were identified as the Primary Priorities. The re- maining six items were identified as secondary priorities.

Table 1

Analysis of Top Priorities within the

Marysville Parks and Recreation Survey

Votes for Top Rat-

Top 5 ing Aver- Total Per-

priority ages centage Priorities

Additional multi-use trails 126 3.38 122.8 1 Build a recreational center 94 2.94 102.1 2 Improve existing pool 74 2.81 92.7 3 Dog Park 61 2.48* 80.5 N/A Acquire land for more fields 58 2.52 80.6 N/A Expand recreational programs 57 2.67 84.1 N/A Sled-riding hill 52 2.66 82.3 N/A More naturalized areas 51 2.62 81.0 N/A More mosquito control 48* 2.64 80.6 N/A

* Did not rank in the top 8 in this category.

The two categories that did not match up between the columns were “Dog Park” and “More mosquito control”. For the dog park, the top rating was lower because many people rated this item as “not impor- tant.” This lowered the average rating quite a bit. This shows that the dog park is a top priority for roughly 19% of the respondents, but that those who didn’t choose it as a top priority were more likely to rate it as very low in importance.

The other category that scored well in one category, but not in both categories, was “More mosquito con-

Page 27

trol.” While the average rating was fairly high, indicating that the majority of people favored the item, it was not one of the eight top priorities identified by respondents.

The category “Acquire land for additional fields” resulted in a lower ranking than was originally antici- pated. Although many sports organizations have voiced concern over the need for additional fields and raised this issue as a priority during interviews and open forums, additional fields did not rank as one of the top three priorities of survey respondents. Even though over 70% of the survey respondents indicated they have used the fields for organized sports, additional fields ranked as the seventh priority.

Additional comments Several of the questions allowed respondents to write in their own answers to questions. . Only two top- ics were shared by more than a dozen people. Roughly ten people each wrote about the need for im- proved/longer trails and the need for a dog park. Other respondents wrote specific comments about im- proving the existing parks and some shared new ideas for the parks.

See appendix D for the complete survey and the table of results.

Summary

The residents of Marysville are accustomed to having well maintained parks and multiple recreational opportunities available through the Marysville Parks and Recreation System. Members of the commu- nity consider recreational services important and want emphasis put on creating trails to connect the city and the parks together. There is almost no interest in creating new parks; instead focus should be placed on maintaining and improving the existing parks. Additionally, focus should be placed on expanding recreational opportunities.

Public input and participation received during the community input process indicates that citizens interest and demand for quality leisure services will only increase in the future. The primary priorities by the survey respondents were improving and connecting the trail system within Marysville building a recrea- tional center and improving the existing pool. Secondary priorities include expanding the recreational programs, creating a sled-riding hill, creating more naturalized areas, acquiring land for more fields, im- proving mosquito control and adding a dog park.

Page 28

Chapter 5: Recommendations

PRIMARY PARKS AND RECREATION RECOMMENDATIONS

The following items were identified as the primary priorities for the parks and recreation system.

Recommendation 1: Improve the Trail System

Although there is significant satisfaction with the parks and facilities, one general area of dissatisfaction is the trail system. Trails need to be expanded throughout Marysville and should be better connected to provide safe biking and walking access throughout the city. More off-street, multi-use paths should be developed for biking and walking and to provide safe access across Route 33 and access to schools, the pool, shopping and Uptown. Future trails should connect to existing trails in order to create a longer trail system. Future developments should include bike paths to connect new neighborhoods to adjacent neighborhoods. Additionally, utilization of trails could be improved through the provision of winter maintenance and trails available to residents for night use. Finally, communication regarding the loca- tion, type and accessibility of trails should be made available to the public.

Recommended Actions Steps:  Identify and prioritize areas of the community for trail extensions.  Assess potential routes and assess site opportunities and constraints.  Incorporate trails as a portion of the city’s transportation plan.  Promote sidewalk development within one-quarter mile of neighborhood and community parks (pedestrian priority zones.)  Ensure sidewalks meet ADA requirements.  Maximize connections to parks with bike trails.  Identify and apply for appropriate grants.  Identify and utilize appropriate materials for paths/trails internal to parks.  Investigate easement land acquisition to create paths between existing parks and neighborhoods.  Consider Land donations/gifts, easements, land exchanges, etc.  Be proactive in acquiring land in areas outside the city but located in the designated “future growth area.”  Work with public and private interests, including developers, utility companies, private owners, and civic organizations to link the trail system.  Initiate ordinance updates or additions to support uniform development of trail system; include developer requirements for providing trails.  Investigate ways to maximize trail usage  Consider winter maintenance, night use, communication regarding trails.

Page 29

Recommendation 2: Provide a Recreational Facility for Use by Residents

Many residents expressed the need for a recreational facility that could provide for indoor activities, es- pecially in inclement weather. Although the building of a new recreational facility may pose significant funding challenges, partnering opportunities may exist for the recreation center that allows this priority to move forward without the city funding it completely or at all. There may also be resources that already exist that could be utilized to meet this demand.

Recommended Action Steps:  Identify how a recreational facility would be used by residents.  Identify potential existing resources that would meet identified uses.  Investigate partnerships with existing providers and the school system regarding opportunities to utilize existing resources for use by residents.  Conduct gap analysis to identify potential uses of a “new” recreational facility.  Benchmark against comparable communities.  Evaluate cost of any potential facility.  Investigate funding options (grants, fees, etc.)

Recommendation 3: Improve existing pool and provide additional water park opportunities.

The pool has provided recreational opportunities to multiple generations of residents. However, the cur- rent facility could benefit from additional enhancements such as a water slide. Additionally, other water park opportunities, such as water play areas and splash pads, could be utilized in other park locations.

Recommended Action Steps:  Evaluate current state of pool.  Identify potential enhancements to existing pool.  Evaluate cost of potential enhancements.  Identify additional water park facilities utilized in other communities.  Evaluate resources needed (water supply) and appropriate locations.  Evaluate cost of potential water park opportunities.  Prioritize opportunities  Include feedback from residents as to preferences.  Investigate potential funding sources (grants, gifts, donations, etc.)

SECONDARY PARKS AND RECREATION RECOMMENDATIONS

The following items were identified as secondary priorities for the parks and recreation system. These items are not ranked or placed in any particular order of importance. Given likely resources and funding, progress may be made on some items more so than other items.

Page 30

Recommendation 4: Expand Recreational Programs

As seen in Chapter 2, the programming for the Marysville Parks and Recreation System is minimal. There is a desire to see more programming at the parks that would include more Marysville citizens in outdoor activities. Proposed programming includes educational programs that would teach about the flora and fauna in the parks, sports programs that would encourage more adult recreational activity, pre- school programming, senior/adult programming, walking clubs, and fun tournaments that would encour- age more local participation. Additionally, respondents indicated a high interest in summer youth athletic programs, concerts in other parks, concert for kids and volunteer days at the parks.

Recommended Action Steps:  Establish core recreation programs and develop consistent operational standards.  Develop and implement a recreation program strategy to service gaps in the community.  Partner with other service providers and school system to expand programming.  Ensure appropriate staffing to lead programming.  Implement Pre-Evaluations for all program and services to determine participant expectations and set goals for the program.  Implement Post-Evaluations for all programs and services to refine, improve, reduce or eliminate programs and to generate new program ideas.  Create tracking system for program participation to evaluate growth, decline or stable participa- tion in programs; targeting market efforts and developing participant profiles.  Implement Customer satisfaction surveys.  Implement multiple methods for customer input (suggestion boxes, web page message board, telephone logs of calls, etc.)  Establish cost recovery mechanisms, including pricing formulas, where appropriate.  Develop policy for resident/non-resident participation and variance in rates, if applicable.

Recommendation 5: Investigate Additional Sled-Riding Opportunities

Although residents have found several locations to enjoy the winter snow, a sled-riding hill located within the city parks would provide a specific destination on wintery days. With a primarily flat or wooded park system, a sled riding hill may present a challenge. However, opportunities should be ex- plored for potential future locations.

Recommended Action Steps:  Evaluate current topography to identify potential existing hill sites.  Identify improvements required for existing hill sites (parking, etc.)  Evaluate current park sites to identify potential build sites.  Identify improvements necessary to existing build sites (excavation, parking, etc.)  Investigate purchase cost of build sites and associated improvement costs.  Investigate improvement costs necessary to build a hill on an existing site.  Determine if additional sled hills are feasible in light of cost and topography.

Page 31

Recommendation 6: Increase Naturalized Areas

Although most residents agree that the parks are well-maintained, there is an increasing desire for natu- ralized areas. Not only do naturalized areas provide an opportunity to experience flora and fauna indige- nous to the region, but they also provide opportunities to reduce costs associated with mowing, watering and landscaping infrequently used areas. In utilizing naturalized areas, there must be consideration for surrounding properties that may be impacted by the naturalization.

Recommended Action Steps:  Provide access to MacIvor Woods.  Investigate national standards of maintenance and care as a basis for developing different mainte- nance levels.  Investigate types of naturalization.  Identify pros and cons of naturalization, including cost benefit analysis.  Coordinate with Bokes Millcreek Watershed Technician, MORPC and others to identify areas that would benefit from the Naturalization process.  Identify parks that could accommodate “natural areas”  Consider current use, impact on neighboring properties, etc.  Create educational materials for residents regarding Naturalization.  Provide interpretive signage

Recommendation 7: Optimize Use of Existing Fields and Pursue Development of Additional Fields

Many of the sports organizations feel very strongly that Marysville is outgrowing the existing fields. Many of the soccer, baseball/softball, and football representatives predicted that in 5 years, Marysville would be out of space. Some of the baseball organizations were already playing in other cities due to lack of space. However, there are opportunities for use of the Marysville fields that are bypassed because the open time is not the preferred time for practice or games. There is also concern regarding the availability of fields and open green space for use by residents on an individual basis. These needs must be harmo- nized to the extent possible to optimize the use of the existing fields. Additionally, development of addi- tional fields should be evaluated, quantified and pursued as needed in conjunction with the Union County Joint Recreation District (UCJRD) and other local governmental jurisdictions.

Recommended Action Steps:  Form Focus Group of representatives from sports organizations, the school system and the UCJRD to provide ongoing input.  Assess current fields serving Marysville, including size, location, useable hours, actual usage, constraints and opportunities.  Evaluate potential future use, including 5 and 10 year outlook.  Identify improvements to existing fields, such as lighting, that could improve or increase usage.  Identify estimated number and type of additional fields needed to meet future usage.  Evaluate current park sites to identify potential build sites.  Identify additional potential build sites.  Identify improvements necessary to existing build sites (excavation, parking, etc.)  Investigate purchase cost of potential build sites and associated improvement costs.

Page 32

 Investigate potential funding sources (grants, gifts, user fees, donations, etc.)  Ensure appropriate staffing to coordinate scheduling.  Formulate written field scheduling policies.  Provide online access to scheduling policies, schedules and scheduling.

Recommendation 8: Investigate Mosquito Control Options

The nature experience can easily become uncomfortable when faced with the bites of mosquitoes. The potential spread of West Nile Virus (WNV) raises this issue from one of discomfort to one of public health. However, the use of chemicals in suppressing mosquitoes can greatly impact residents, wildlife and the water supply. The City should investigate mosquito control options that might balance these competing interests. Any decision to expose residents to the broadcast use of pesticides and its associ- ated risks in an effort to combat WNV and other disease must be weighed against the greater benefits to the community, the possible risks to the long-term health of our residents and the environment, and whether spraying is effective.

Recommended Action Steps:  Form advisory group of stakeholders (health department representatives, medical personnel, envi- ronmental conservation organizations, residents, etc.) to assist with the creation of a comprehen- sive integrated pest management plan  Create a comprehensive integrated pest management plan that includes protocols for use by staff.  Provide educational material to residents.

Recommendation 9: Pursue Opportunities for the Creation of an Off-Leash Dog Area

The creation of an off-leash dog area is a priority for a significant segment of residents. Many of these residents have already been working with the Union County Humane Society (UCHS) and Union County Commissioners to pursue the creation of an off-leash dog area that would be managed by the UCHS. Not only would the off-leash dog area provide a higher quality of life for many residents, it would also increase visibility and awareness of the stray and homeless animals in Union County. The City should work with these two groups to support their efforts.

Recommended Action Steps:  Support Union County Humane Society and Union County Commissioners in their pursuit of an off-leash dog area.  Identify potential locations.  Identify cost of site acquisition.  Identify site improvement costs.  Identify ongoing operation and maintenance costs.  Identify potential funding sources (grants, donations, membership fees, etc.)  Draft agreement documenting obligations and responsibilities for each entity (if needed.)

Page 33

ADMINISTRATION OF PARKS AND RECREATION SYSTEM RECOMMENDATIONS

The following items were identified as administrative priorities for the parks and recreation system. These items are not ranked or placed in any particular order of importance.

Recommendation 10: Ensure Appropriate Staffing

In order to achieve many of these priorities, appropriate staffing must be in place to lead the efforts needed to coordinate the parks and recreation system (UCJRD integration, carrying out this plan, coordi- nation of plan leads, etc.), coordinate volunteers, apply for grants and spearhead initiatives to actively pursue the recommendations.

Recommended Actions Steps:  Evaluate current staffing and position descriptions to identify existing resources  Evaluate parks and recreation plan recommendations to identify needed resources to support ex- pectations and recommendations of plan.  Perform benchmarking against comparable cities offering similar parks and recreations programs as currently offered by the city and as envisioned by this plan.  Perform gap analysis to identify updates to current position descriptions and table of organiza- tions  Update Strategic Workforce Plan to reflect identified updates.  Set performance goals for staff that are aligned with achievement of the recommendations and action steps of this plan.

Recommendation 11: Assist Implementation of Recommendations By Designating Leads for Over- seeing the Plan

The City will need to ensure the implementation of the Parks and Recreation master plan by designating specific “leads” for overseeing the execution of the recommended action steps. There is currently no en- tity that represents the parks and recreation system that has both the time and authority to implement this plan. A combination of staff and the Parks Commission could work together to take responsibility of spe- cific projects. Additionally, leads would be responsible for recommending implementation steps needed to support these recommendations, such as guidelines or ordinances. Potential leads are identified in the Action Plan contained in Chapter 6.

Recommended Action Steps:  Identify specific staff person responsible for each action step.  Empower Parks Commission to work with staff persons to pursue and oversee the implementa- tion of the plan.  Revised Parks Commission Rules of Procedure as necessary.  Review and update plan periodically to reflect achievements and changes within the community.  Parks Commission and staff jointly produce annual report each December to chronicle achieve- ments, obstacles and future action steps needed to accomplish plan.  Allow for consistent and open dialogue among the city staff, Parks Commission and citizens on issues related to planning, capital improvements, and maintenance of parks and services.  Utilize external focus groups to provide input on specific action steps.

Page 34

Recommendation 12: Focus on Marketing Opportunities in Order to Communicate with the Com- munity

There is general agreement that the Marysville Parks and Recreation Department needs to find a better way to communicate to the community. Many residents were unaware of many of the parks or did not know of the programs that were currently being offered by the parks and recreation program. Communi- cation will be key to the future of the program. The City should focus on reaching residents through e- mail, newsletters mailed to their homes, and flyers in the utility bill. Additional ways to reach many peo- ple are with the city website and newspaper coverage of upcoming events.

Recommended Action Steps:  Create resources to have all park and recreation information easily accessible.  Create a brochure of the park system that includes a map of overall parks, trails, facilities and fields.  Expand use of current communication options.  Explore additional communication opportunities such as local realtors and the Chamber of Com- merce  Provide information on programs in a manner that ensures residents have accurate, timely and complete information.  Advertise programs with sufficient lead time and with appropriate detail that provides “new” par- ticipants with necessary information.

Recommendation 13: Implement an Organized Volunteer Program

The City should be more diligent in availing itself of individuals, organizations and companies who offer to donate time, resources and/or funding. These offers must be carefully managed and integrated with city efforts. Staff oversight will be needed to ensure the coordination, safety and effectiveness of volun- teers.

Recommended Action Steps:  Identify a staff person to organize volunteer efforts.  Revitalize and expand Adopt-A-Park Program.  Implement an Ambassador program to use neighbors and residents to inspect and report areas in immediate need.  Create comprehensive, publishable volunteer program, including procedures for becoming a vol- unteer.  Create a list of items that organizations could provide through fund-raising efforts or in memor- iam (e.g., park bench, playground equipment, etc.)  Create a list of special and ongoing projects for volunteers.  Develop partnerships with volunteer organizations that fit with park services such as gardening clubs, trail users, athletic associations, etc.  Develop web page to communicate volunteer opportunities.  Host “volunteer days” throughout the year.

Page 35

Page 36

Chapter 6: Action Plan

The City of Marysville Parks and Recreation Master Plan has been designed as a tool to guide future de- cisions and actions by the City of Marysville. The following action plan provides a framework to ad- dress the recommendations contained in this plan over the next two years. The action plan identifies spe- cific action steps, staff and timeline that should be used to achieve each of the recommendations. How- ever, this plan should be considered a “living document” and should be updated regularly by the Admini- stration in partnership with the Parks and Recreation Commission. Additional action steps may be iden- tified, limited resources may require adjustments to the timeline, and/or other modifications to the Action Plan may be needed as the City pursues the action steps.

Page 37

Recommendation 1: Improve the Trail System

Action Step Staff Responsible Estimated Timeline Identify and prioritize areas of the community for Engineering, Parks and Jan – Jun 2010 trail extensions. Recreation

Assess potential routes and assess site opportunities Engineering, Parks and Jan – Jun 2010 and constraints Recreation Incorporate trails as a portion of the city’s transpor- Engineering Ongoing tation plan.

Promote sidewalk development within one-quarter Engineering Jul 2010 – Jun 2011 mile of neighborhood and community parks (pedestrian priority zones.)

Ensure sidewalks meet ADA requirements. Engineering, Streets Ongoing

Maximize connections to parks with bike trails. Engineering Jul 2010 – Jun 2011

Identify and apply for appropriate grants. Grants Administrator Jul 2010 – Jun 2011

Identify and utilize appropriate materials for paths/ Engineering, Buildings and Jul 2010 – Sept 2010 trails internal to parks. Grounds, Streets, Parks and Recreation Investigate easement land acquisition to create Engineering, Administra- Jul 2010 – Jun 2011 paths between existing parks and neighborhoods; tion, Parks and Recreation Consider Land donations/gifts, easements, land exchanges, etc.

Be proactive in acquiring land in areas outside the Administration, Engineer- Jul 2010 – Jun 2011 city but located in the designated “future growth ing area.” Then Ongoing

Work with public and private interests, including Administration, Parks and Jul 2010 – Jun 2011 developers, utility companies, private owners, and Recreation, Engineering civic organizations to link the trail system. Then Ongoing

Initiate ordinance updates or additions to support Engineering, Administra- July 2010 – Jun 2011 uniform development of trail system; include devel- tion oper requirements for providing trails.

Investigate ways to maximize trail usage; Consider Parks and Recreation, Com- Jul 2010 – Jun 2011 winter maintenance, night use, communication re- munications, Buildings and garding trails. Grounds

Page 38

Recommendation 2: Provide a Recreational Facility for Use by Residents

Action Step Staff Responsible Estimated Timeline Identify how a recreational facility would be used Parks and Recreation, Com- Mar – Jun 2010 by residents. munications

Identify potential existing resources that would Parks and Recreation Jun – Aug 2010 meet identified uses.

Investigate partnerships with existing providers and Parks and Recreation Aug – Oct 2010 the school system regarding opportunities to utilize existing resources for use by residents.

Conduct gap analysis to identify potential uses of a Parks and Recreation Oct – Dec 2010 “new” recreational facility.

Benchmark against comparable communities. Parks and Recreation Oct – Dec 2010

Evaluate cost of any potential facility. Parks and Recreation, Engi- Jan – Apr 2011 neering, Finance Investigate funding options (grants, fees, etc.) Parks and Recreation, May –Jul 2011 Grants Administrator, Fi- nance

Page 39

Recommendation 3: Improve Existing Pool and Provide Additional Water Park Opportunities

Action Step Staff Responsible Estimated Timeline Evaluate current state of pool. Parks and Recreation, Jun – Sept 2010 Buildings and Grounds, Engineering Identify potential enhancements to existing pool. Parks and Recreation, Jun – Sept 2010 Buildings and Grounds, Engineering Evaluate cost of potential enhancements. Parks and Recreation, Jun – Sept 2010 Buildings and Grounds, Engineering Identify additional water park facilities utilized in Parks and Recreation Sept – Nov 2010 other communities.

Evaluate resources needed (water supply) and ap- Parks and Recreation Sept – Nov 2010 propriate locations.

Evaluate cost of potential water park opportunities. Parks and Recreation, Sept – Nov 2010 Buildings and Grounds, Engineering Prioritize opportunities; Include feedback from resi- Parks and Recreation, Com- Dec 2010 – Feb 2011 dents as to preferences. munications, Administra- tion Investigate potential funding sources (grants, gifts, Parks and Recreation, Feb 2011 – Ongoing donations, etc.) Grants Administrator, Fi- nance

Page 40

Recommendation 4: Expand Recreational Programs

Action Step Staff Responsible Estimated Timeline Establish core recreation programs and develop Parks and Recreation, Ad- Jun 2010 – May 2011 consistent operational standards ministration Then Ongoing Develop and implement a recreation program strat- Parks and Recreation Jun 2010 – May 2011 egy to service gaps in the community.

Partner with other service providers and school Parks and Recreation Ongoing system to expand programming.

Ensure appropriate staffing to lead programming. Administration, HR, Parks Jan – June 2010 and Recreation Then Ongoing Implement Pre-Evaluations for all program and Parks and Recreation, Com- Jun 2010 – May 2011 services to determine participant expectations and munications set goals for the program.

Implement Post-Evaluations for all programs and Parks and Recreation, Com- Jun 2010 – May 2011 services to refine, improve, reduce or eliminate munications programs and to generate new program ideas.

Create tracking system for program participation to Parks and Recreation, Com- Jun 2010 – May 2011 evaluate growth, decline or stable participation in munications programs; targeting market efforts and developing participant profiles.

Implement Customer satisfaction surveys. Parks and Recreation, Com- Jun 2010 – May 2011 munications Implement multiple methods for customer input Parks and Recreation, Com- Jun 2010 – May 2011 (suggestion boxes, web page message board, tele- munications, IT phone logs of calls, etc.)

Establish cost recovery mechanisms, including pric- Parks and Recreation, Fi- Jun 2010 – May 2011 ing formulas, where appropriate. nance

Develop policy for resident/non-resident participa- Parks and Recreation, Fi- Jun 2010 – May 2011 tion and variance in rates, if applicable. nance

Page 41

Recommendation 5: Investigate Additional Sled-Riding Opportunities

Action Step Staff Responsible Estimated Timeline Evaluate current topography to identify potential Engineering, Buildings and Apr – Oct 2010 existing hill sites. Grounds

Identify improvements required for existing hill Engineering, Buildings and Apr – Oct 2010 sites (parking, etc.) Grounds

Evaluate current park sites to identify potential Engineering, Buildings and Apr – Oct 2010 build sites. Grounds

Identify improvements necessary to existing build Engineering, Buildings and Apr – Oct 2010 sites (excavation, parking, etc.) Grounds

Investigate purchase cost of build sites and associ- Engineering, Buildings and Oct 2010 – Dec 2010 ated improvement costs. Grounds, Administration, Finance Investigate improvement costs necessary to build a Engineering, Buildings and Oct 2010 – Dec 2010 hill on an existing site. Grounds, Administration, Finance Determine if additional sled hills are feasible in Engineering, Buildings and Oct 2010 – Dec 2010 light of cost and topography. Grounds, Administration, Finance

Page 42

Recommendation 6: Increase Naturalized Areas

Action Step Staff Responsible Estimated Timeline Provide access to MacIvor Woods. Parks and Recreation, 2011 Buildings and Grounds, Engineering Investigate national standards of maintenance and Parks and Recreation, Feb – May 2010 care as a basis for developing different maintenance Buildings and Grounds levels.

Investigate types of naturalization. Parks and Recreation, Feb – May 2010 Buildings and Grounds Identify pros and cons of naturalization, including Parks and Recreation, Feb – May 2010 cost benefit analysis. Buildings and Grounds

Coordinate with Bokes Millcreek Watershed Tech- Parks and Recreation, May 2010 – Oct 2010 nician, MORPC and others to identify areas that Buildings and Grounds would benefit from the Naturalization process. Then Ongoing

Identify parks that could accommodate “natural Parks and Recreation, May 2010 – Oct 2010 areas”; Consider current use, impact on neighboring Buildings and Grounds properties, etc. Then Ongoing

Create educational materials for residents regarding Parks and Recreation, Nov 2010 – Ongoing Naturalization; Provide interpretive signage Buildings and Grounds, Communications

Page 43

Recommendation 7: Optimize Use of Existing Fields and Pursue Development of Additional Fields

Action Step Staff Responsible Estimated Timeline Form Focus Group of representatives from sports Administration, Public Ser- Apr – Dec 2010 organizations, the school system and the UCJRD to vice Director provide ongoing input.

Assess current fields serving Marysville, including Parks and Recreation, Apr – Dec 2010 size, location, useable hours, actual usage, con- Buildings and Grounds, straints and opportunities. Engineering, Focus Group

Evaluate potential future use, including 5 and 10 Parks and Recreation, Apr – Dec 2010 year outlook. Buildings and Grounds, Engineering, Focus Group Identify improvements to existing fields, such as Parks and Recreation, Apr – Dec 2010 lighting, that could improve or increase usage. Buildings and Grounds, Engineering, Focus Group Identify estimated number and type of additional Parks and Recreation, Apr – Dec 2010 fields needed to meet future usage. Buildings and Grounds, Engineering, Focus Group Evaluate current park sites to identify potential Parks and Recreation, Apr – Dec 2010 build sites. Buildings and Grounds, Engineering, Focus Group Identify additional potential build sites. Parks and Recreation, Apr – Dec 2010 Buildings and Grounds, Engineering, Focus Group Identify improvements necessary to existing build Parks and Recreation, Apr – Dec 2010 sites (excavation, parking, etc.) Buildings and Grounds, Engineering, Focus Group Investigate purchase cost of potential build sites Parks and Recreation, Apr – Dec 2010 and associated improvement costs. Buildings and Grounds, Engineering, Focus Group Investigate potential funding sources (grants, gifts, Parks and Recreation, Jan – Apr 2011 user fees, donations, etc.) Buildings and Grounds, Grant Administrator, Fi- nance, Focus Group Ensure appropriate staffing to coordinate schedul- Administration, HR Jan – May 2010 ing.

Formulate written field scheduling policies. Parks and Recreation, Com- May – Aug 2010 munications Provide online access to scheduling policies, sched- Parks and Recreation, Com- Jan 2011 ules and scheduling. munications, IT

Page 44

Recommendation 8: Investigate Mosquito Control Options

Action Step Staff Responsible Estimated Timeline Form advisory group of stakeholders (health depart- Administration, Public Ser- Mar – May 2010 ment representatives, medical personnel, environ- vice Director, Parks and mental conservation organizations, residents, etc.) Recreation, Buildings and to assist with the creation of a comprehensive inte- Grounds grated pest management plan

Create a comprehensive integrated pest manage- Public Service Director, May – Dec 2010 ment plan that includes protocols for use by staff. Parks and Recreation, Buildings and Grounds, Communications Provide educational material to residents. Parks and Recreation, Ongoing beginning Jan Buildings and Grounds, 2011 Communications

Recommendation 9: Pursue Opportunities for the Creation of an Off-Leash Dog Area

Action Step Staff Responsible Estimated Timeline Support Union County Humane Society and Union Administration, Parks and Ongoing County Commissioners in their pursuit of an off- Recreation, Buildings and leash dog area. Grounds

Identify potential locations. Parks and Recreation, Mar – Jul 2010 Buildings and Grounds Identify cost of site acquisition. Parks and Recreation, Engi- Mar – Jul 2010 neering, Finance Identify site improvement costs. Parks and Recreation, Mar – Jul 2010 Buildings and Grounds, Engineering, Finance Identify ongoing operation and maintenance costs. Parks and Recreation, Mar – Jul 2010 Buildings and Grounds, Finance Identify potential funding sources (grants, dona- Grant Administrator, Parks Mar – Jul 2010 tions, membership fees, etc.) and Recreation

Draft agreement documenting obligations and re- Parks and Recreation, Ad- As needed sponsibilities for each entity (if needed.) ministration

Page 45

Recommendation 10: Ensure Appropriate Staffing

Action Step Staff Responsible Estimated Timeline Evaluate current staffing and position descriptions Administration, HR, Public Jan – Feb 2010 to identify existing resources Service Director

Evaluate parks and recreation plan recommenda- Administration, HR, Public Jan – Feb 2010 tions to identify needed resources to support expec- Service Director tations and recommendations of plan.

Perform benchmarking against comparable cities HR, Public Service Director Feb – Mar 2010 offering similar parks and recreations programs as currently offered by the city and as envisioned by this plan.

Perform gap analysis to identify updates to current HR, Public Service Director Feb – Mar 2010 position descriptions and table of organizations

Update Strategic Workforce Plan to reflect identi- HR, Public Service Director Apr 2010 fied updates.

Set performance goals for staff that are aligned with HR, Public Service Director Apr 2010 achievement of the recommendations and action steps of this plan

Recommendation 11: Assist Implementation of Recommendation by Designating Leads for Overseeing the Plan

Action Step Staff Responsible Estimated Timeline Identify specific staff person responsible for each Administration Jan 2010 action step.

Empower Parks Commission to work with staff Administration, Council, Jan 2010 persons to pursue and oversee the implementation Parks Commission of the plan. Revised Parks Commission Rules of Pro- cedure as necessary.

Review and update plan periodically to reflect Administration, Council, Ongoing achievements and changes within the community. Parks Commission

Parks Commission and staff jointly produce annual Administration, Parks Com- December of each year report each December to chronicle achievements, mission obstacles and future action steps needed to accom- plish plan.

Utilize external focus groups to provide input on Administration, Council, Ongoing specific action steps. Parks Commission

Page 46

Recommendation 12: Focus on Marketing Opportunities in Order to Communicate with the Community

Action Step Staff Responsible Estimated Timeline Create resources to have all park and recreation Parks and Recreation, Com- Jan – Dec 2010 information easily accessible. munications, IT

Create a brochure of the park system that includes a Park and Recreation, Com- Mar – Jun 2010 map of overall parks, trails, facilities and fields. munications, Engineering, IT Expand use of current communication options. Park and Recreation, Com- Mar – Aug 2010 munications, IT Explore additional communication opportunities Park and Recreation, Com- Mar – Aug 2010 such as local realtors and the Chamber of Com- munications merce

Provide information on programs in a manner that Park and Recreation, Com- Jan – Dec 2010 ensures residents have accurate, timely and com- munications, IT plete information.

Advertise programs with sufficient lead time and Park and Recreation, Com- Jan – Dec 2010 with appropriate detail that provides “new” partici- munications, IT pants with necessary information.

Page 47

Recommendation 13: Implement an Organized Volunteer Program

Action Step Staff Responsible Estimated Timeline Identify a staff person to organize volunteer efforts. Administration Jan – Mar 2010

Revitalize and expand Adopt-A-Park Program. Parks and Recreation Mar – Jun 2010

Implement an Ambassador program to use Parks and Recreation, Com- Jun - Aug 2010 neighbors and residents to inspect and report areas munications in immediate need.

Create comprehensive, publishable volunteer pro- Parks and Recreation, Com- Mar – Jun 2010 gram, including procedures for becoming a volun- munications, HR teer.

Create a list of items that organizations could pro- Parks and Recreation, Mar – June 2010 vide through fund-raising efforts or in memoriam Buildings and Grounds, (e.g., park bench, playground equipment, etc.) Administration

Create a list of special and ongoing projects for Parks and Recreation, Mar – June 2010 volunteers. Buildings and Grounds, Administration Develop partnerships with volunteer organizations Administration, Parks and Ongoing that fit with park services such as gardening clubs, Recreation trail users, athletic associations, etc.

Develop web page to communicate volunteer op- Parks and Recreation, Com- Mar – June 2010 portunities. munications, IT

Host “volunteer days” throughout the year. Parks and Recreation Ongoing beginning July 2010

Page 48

Appendix A: Definitions

like water bodies. Easily ac- like water bodies. to neighborhoods cessible served. neighborhood, geographically geographically neighborhood, and walking with centered bike access. close proximity to those close served s/1000 pop pop s/1000 characteristics site Desirable 25+ 2.0 to 5.0 A illuminated Fields are often 25+ acres 25+ acres 5.0 to 8.0 A natual features May include 15+ acres 15+ acres 1.0 to 2.0A to Easily accessable APPENDIX 1 acre or less 1 acre or less .25 to 0.50 in and Within neighborhood Park Definitions Park Definitions several commu- several nities several several neighborhoods. 1 to 2 mile ra- dius 1/4 to 1/2 mile to serve radius a neighborhood less than 1/4- mile radius Consolidates heavily pro- Consolidates with fields athletic grammed facili- recreation associated ties. May include areas suited for areas May include facilitites intense recreational a pool. or athletics as such rec- for outdoor May be used as walking, such reatioan etc. viewing, picnicking, Area for intense recreational recreational Area for intense as filed acitvities, such play- games, court games, skating, apparatus, ground etc. a concentrated or limited a concentrated population Sports Com- plex Community Park Neighborhood Park

Mini parks facility that serves Specialized Use Service Area Size Desirable Acre

Page 49

Page 50

Appendix B: Ordinances

DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCES

1107.16 PUBLIC SITES, OPEN SPACE AND NATURAL FEATURES. (a) Generally. Parks, recreational facilities and public open spaces are necessary and desirable elements of public welfare. Public health, safety and welfare require at least ten acres of such land per 1,000 population, developed with the combination of facilities determined by the Parks and Recreation Commission to meet national standards tempered by specific needs of the community.

It is the purpose of this section to provide necessary authority to the Planning Commission to require developers and builders of individual residences and commercial buildings to share in the cost of obtaining land and developing parks, recreational facilities and open spaces.

At the option of the Planning Commission, a developer will be required to either: (1) Dedicate a portion of the land to be developed; (2) Pay a fee in lieu of such land dedication; and/or (3) Develop a park or recreation area per specifications provided by the Planning Com- mission.

Specifics for each of these options follow.

(b) Dedication. (1) Land dedicated shall be at the rate of ten acres per 1,000 population. Population of the area to be developed shall be estimated by using 2.6 people per multifamily dwelling unit and 3.6 people per single-family unit.

(2) Where a park or playground which is shown on an official map or in a City plan for future use, such as a comprehensive plan, is located in whole or in part in the proposed subdivision, the Planning Commission may require the dedication of such area within the subdivision or payment in lieu thereof as provided in subsection (c) hereof.

(c) Payment in Lieu of Dedication. (1) The Planning Commission may require payment in lieu of dedication when such pay- ment would better fit the overall recreational plans and needs of the community. (2) This payment in lieu of land shall be made to the City in the amount set forth in Sec- tion 1100.03, and shall be payable at the time of final plat approval or at the time of issu- ance of a zoning permit if no plat is required. Deposits shall be placed in a Parkland De- velopment Fund and used only for purchase, development and improvement of parks, recreational facilities and public open space. 31 Design Standards 1107.19

Page 51

(d) Construction. Parks or recreation areas shall be constructed by the developer per speci- fications provided by the Planning Commission. Appropriate deed restrictions are neces- sary for maintenance of the parkland and to ensure that the land will always be used for recreational use.

(e) Reservation. Where other parks, schools or public sites are shown on a map or in a City plan for future use, or are deemed necessary by the Planning Commission, and the developer has already met his minimum dedication requirements, then the Planning Com- mission may require the reservation of such land. The reservations shall not exceed six months. The appropriate public official shall be notified of such reservation before the preliminary plat is approved and may comment upon the location shown. If, at the end of the six-month reservation period, commencing from the preliminary plat approval date, the public body does not initiate, in writing, the purchase of such land, then the owner may develop the property for his own use in accordance with these Subdivision Regula- tions. (Ord. 15-88. Passed 7-28-88.)

PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION ORDINANCES

CHAPTER 131 Parks and Recreation Commission

131.01 ESTABLISHED: COMPENSATION; POWERS AND DUTIES. (a) Established. There is hereby created and established a Parks and Recreation Commission for the City, which Commission shall consist of the following seven members: a Council member appointed by the President of Council, a student member appointed by the Mayor from recommendations submitted by Marysville Exempted Village School District, and five residents who shall be appointed by the President of Council with the approval of Council. Public members shall represent all geographical sections of the City insofar as reasonable and practical. (Ord. 52-96. Passed 9-26-96.)

(b) Term of Office. The term of the original Council member shall expire December 31, 1976, and thereafter appointments shall be for a term of three years. Any vacancy shall be filled by the President of Council for the unexpired portion of such term. The term of the five persons to be appointed by the President of Council, with the approval of Council, shall be two terms expiring November 30, 1983, and two terms expiring November 30, 1984, and one term expiring November 30, 1985. Thereafter each appointment shall be for three-year terms. In the event that a vacancy occurs during the term of any member, his suc- cessor shall be appointed by the President of Council and approved by the Council, for the unexpired portion of such term. The term of the student member shall be one year beginning on June 1 and ending on May 31. Any vacancy shall be filled by the Mayor from the recommendations of the Marysville Ex- empted Village School District. (c) Compensation. Members of the Commission shall receive such compensation as is set by Council. (d) Powers and Duties. The Commission shall have the power to study, investigate, plan, ad- vise and report to Council, the Director of Public Service or the Director of Administration any action, program, plan or legislation which the Commission finds or determines to be nec-

Page 52

essary to advisable for the effective operation and maintenance of public parks and recreation facilities for use of the residents of the City. The Commission shall choose its own officers, make its own rules and regulations and keep a journal of its proceedings. A majority of the members shall be a quorum for the transaction of business. The Clerk of Council shall be ex- officio secretary of the Commission. (Ord. 21-88. Passed 9-22-88.)

Additional Ordinances Referenced in the Above Ordinances.

541.04 CRIMINAL MISCHIEF. (a) No person shall: (1) Without privilege to do so, knowingly move, deface, damage, destroy or otherwise improperly tamper with the property of another; 89 Property Offenses 541.05 (2) With purpose to interfere with the use or enjoyment of property of another employ a tear gas device, stink bomb, smoke generator or other device releasing a substance that is harmful or offensive to persons exposed, or that tends to cause public alarm; (3) Without privilege to do so, knowingly move, deface, damage, destroy or otherwise improperly tamper with a bench mark, triangulation station, boundary marker or other survey station, monument or marker.

(Not e: There are additional sections of this ordinance that are not listed here.)

541.06 DESTRUCTION OF SHRUBS, TREES OR CROPS. (a) No person, without privilege to do so, shall recklessly cut down, destroy, girdle or otherwise injure a vine, bush, shrub, sapling, tree or crop standing or growing on the land of another or upon public land. (b) In addition to any penalty provided, whoever violates this section is liable in treble damages for the injury caused. (ORC 901.51) (c) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. (ORC 901.99(A))

PARKS AND RECREATION ORDINANCES

951.01 DEFINITIONS. (a) "City" means City of Marysville, Ohio. (b) "City park" means all areas designated as park areas that are maintained or controlled by the City. (c) "Director of Public Service and/or Superintendent of Parks and Recreation and/or their designee" means the person(s) empowered by the City to cause the enforcement of the rules and regulations of the parks. (d) "Person" means any individual, company, partnership, corporation or association of any combination of individuals or any employee, agent or officer thereof. (e) "Park waters" means any lake, pond, reservoir, stream, channel, lagoon or other body of water, or any part thereof; whether natural or artificial, located in or adjoining a park. (f) "Fish" or "fishing" means taking or attempting to take fish by any method, and all other

Page 53

acts as placing, setting, drawing or using any device commonly used to fish whether resulting in such taking or not. (g) "Animal" or "animals" means and includes, but not limited to quadrupeds, birds, fish, rep- tiles, amphibians, crustaceans, mollusks and insects. (h) "Vehicle" means every conveyance with wheels, treads or other means or locomotion. (i) "Motor vehicle" means any vehicle propelled or drawn by power other than muscular power. This includes but not limited to ATV's, snowmobiles, go carts, motorized scooters or motorized skateboards. (j) "Noxious" means any material that is physically harmful or destructive to living beings. (Ord. 22-03. Passed 7-10-03.)

951.02 PUBLIC PARK RULES AND REGULATIONS. (a) Removal or Destruction of Property and Natural Features. (1) No person shall remove any property, natural feature or part thereof including, but not lim- ited to, any building, equipment, sign, rock, stone, mineral formation, earth, wood, tree, shrub, flower, plant from any park without the permission of the Director of Public Service and/or Superintendent of Parks and Recreation and/or their designee. A violation of this provision constitutes a misdemeanor of the first degree. (2) No person in a park shall injure, destroy, break, cut, chop, write upon, mutilate, set fire to, deface, dig, paint or damage in any manner any property, natural feature or part thereof, in- cluding but not limited to, any building, equipment, sign, rock, stone, asphalt, concrete, min- eral formation, earth, wood, tree, shrub, flower or plant. A violation of this provision consti- tutes a misdemeanor of the first degree. (3) No person in a park shall impound or cause to be impounded any park water or in any way alter or affect the normal flow of such waters without the permission of the Director of Public Service and/or Superintendent of Parks and Recreation and/or their designee. A violation of this provision constitutes a minor misdemeanor.

(b) Deposit of Materials. (1) No person shall deposit, discard, dump or leave behind any material of any kind in a park without the permission of the Director of Public Service and/or Superintendent of Parks and Recreation and/or their designee, except material arising from the normal use and enjoyment of a park and then only in receptacles which are provided by the City for this purpose. The first conviction violating this provision constitutes a minor misdemeanor. The second convic- tion for this provision constitutes a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. The third conviction for this provision constitutes misdemeanor of the third degree. (2) No person in/or adjacent to a park shall deposit, discard, dump or leave behind any nox- ious or waste material. A violation of this provision constitutes a misdemeanor of the first de- gree. 85 Parks 951.02 (3) No person in or adjacent to a park shall place or permit to be placed in any park waters any noxious or deleterious substance, either solid or liquid, which may render such waters harmful or inimical to the public health or to animal and plant life. A violation of this provision consti- tutes a misdemeanor of the first degree.

(c) Protection of Animals, Hunting and Fishing. (1) No person in a park shall hunt, capture, take, trap or in any other way abuse, molest, in- jure, pursue or destroy any animal, with the exception of fishing in accordance of the Rules and Regulations of the ODNR. A violation of this provision constitutes a misdemeanor of the first degree. (2) No person shall disturb the wildlife and their natural habitat. A violation of this provision

Page 54

constitutes a minor misdemeanor. (3) No person in a park shall fish in any park waters in violation of any sign or signs prohibit- ing fishing or a manner thereof. A violation of this provision constitutes a minor misde- meanor.

(d) Animal Control. (1) No large domestic or non-domestic pets or animals are permitted in a City Park with the exception of cats and dogs, without the permission of the Director of Public Service and/or Superintendent of Parks and Recreation and/or their designee. A violation of this provision constitutes a minor misdemeanor. (2) No pets shall be allowed in parks posted "No Pets". A violation of this provision consti- tutes a minor misdemeanor. (3) All pets must be controlled by a leash. A violation of this provision constitutes a minor misdemeanor. (4) No pets shall be permitted to cause damage to the park. A violation of this provision con- stitutes a minor misdemeanor. (5) Horses are prohibited in all City parks. A violation of this provision constitutes a minor misdemeanor. (6) Pet owners must clean up after their pets. A violation of this provision constitutes a minor misdemeanor. (7) No person in or adjacent to a park shall abandon any animal. A violation of this provision constitutes a minor misdemeanor.

(e) Aerosol Paint Cans. No person in a park, except City employees or their agents, shall carry on or about his or her person a container capable of propelling paint by means of a gaseous charge. A violation of this provision constitutes a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.

(f) Personal Conduct. (1) All park visitors must obey all posted signs. A violation of this provision constitutes a mi- nor misdemeanor. (2) No person in or adjacent to a park shall conduct himself, by work or act, in a riotous, dis- orderly, boisterous or other manner so as to disturb the peace and good order in the park. A violation of this provision constitutes a misdemeanor of the first degree. (3) No person in or adjacent to a park shall operate or play a radio, TV, musical instrument or amplifying or sound equipment so as to disturb the peace and good order in the park. The first conviction violating this provision constitutes a minor misdemeanor. The second conviction for this provision constitutes a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. The third conviction for this provision constitutes a misdemeanor of the third degree. (4) No person in a park shall solicit or procure participants for, engage in or promote any game, which is played for money or other things of value. The first conviction violating this provision constitutes a minor misdemeanor. The second conviction for this provision constitutes a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. The third conviction for this provision constitutes a misdemeanor of the third degree. (5) No person in a park shall use insulting, abusive, threatening, profane or indecent language. The first conviction violating this provision constitutes a minor misdemeanor. The second conviction for this provision constitutes a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. The third convic- tion for this provision constitutes a misdemeanor of the third degree. (6) No person in a park shall loiter in the vicinity of a toilet and no person over the age of six shall enter the toilet facilities provided for the exclusive use of the opposite sex. The first con- viction violating this provision constitutes a minor misdemeanor. The second conviction for

Page 55

this provision constitutes a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. The third conviction for this provision constitutes a misdemeanor of the third degree. (7) No person in a park shall assault or commit bodily injury upon another or engage in or abet or aid in any fight, quarrel or other disturbance. The first conviction violating this provi- sion constitutes a minor misdemeanor. The second conviction for this provision constitutes a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. The third conviction for this provision constitutes a misde- meanor of the third degree. (8) No persons or groups of persons shall assemble in or adjacent to any park for any unlawful purpose or in riotous assemblage or with any intent to annoy, harass, or inflict property dam- age or bodily injury upon another person or persons or inflict damage to a park. The first con- viction violating this provision constitutes a minor misdemeanor. The second conviction for this provision constitutes a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. The third conviction for this provision constitutes a misdemeanor of the third degree. (9) No person in a park shall solicit or attempt to solicit another to engage in any act of sexual perversion or solicit, or request another to commit, perform, engage in any lewd, lascivious, obscene or indecent act of behavior. A violation of this provision constitutes a misdemeanor of the first degree. (10) No person in a park shall appear in a state of nudity or commit, perform or engage in any lewd, lascivious, obscene, illicit, carnal or indecent act of behavior and no persons shall make any indecent exposure of his or her persons. A violation of this provision constitutes a misde- meanor of the first degree. 87 Parks 951.02 (11) No person in a park shall tamper with any security equipment that is temporarily or per- manently attached to the restroom or any other structure. A violation of this provision consti- tutes a misdemeanor of the first degree. (12) No person shall ignore or remove a posted reservation notice. The first conviction violat- ing this provision constitutes a minor misdemeanor. The second conviction for this provision constitutes a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. The third conviction for this provision consti- tutes a misdemeanor of the third degree.

(g) Camping; Fires, Picnicking. (1) No person in a park shall start or maintain a fire except in a place or site designated for this purpose. The first conviction violating this provision constitutes a minor misdemeanor. The second conviction for this provision constitutes a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. The third conviction for this provision constitutes a misdemeanor of the third degree. (2) No person in a park shall build a fire at a time or period of time when the Director of Pub- lic Service and/or Superintendent of Parks and Recreation and/or their designee has prohibited the building of fires. The violation of this provision constitutes a misdemeanor of the first de- gree. (3) No person in a park shall establish or maintain any camp or other temporary lodging or sleeping place within a park without a permit from the Director of Public Service and/or Su- perintendent of Parks and Recreation and/or their designee. The first conviction violating this provision constitutes a minor misdemeanor. The second conviction for this provision consti- tutes a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. The third conviction for this provision constitutes a misdemeanor of the third degree.

(h) Firearms and Weapons. No person in a park shall carry on his or her person firearms of any description, knives, bow and arrows, crossbows, air or gas guns, missiles or missile- throwing devices or other dangerous weapons. No person shall cause any of the aforemen- tioned weapons to be discharged in, into, and/or through any park area. The violation of this provision constitutes a misdemeanor of the first degree.

Page 56

(i) Commercial Activities. No person in a park shall sell or offer for sale any article, privilege or service unless such sale is pursuant to a contract or an agreement with the City through the office of the Director of Public Service and/or Superintendent of Parks and Recreation and/or their designee. A violation of this provision constitutes a minor misdemeanor.

(j) Erecting and Attaching Signs. No person in a park shall erect a sign or attach a sign to property owned or controlled by the City, nor shall any person display any placard, notice, advertisement, circular, banner or statement of any other kind other than a permanent sign on a vehicle without a permit from the Director of Public Service and/or Superintendent of Parks and Recreation and/or their designee. A violation of this provision constitutes a minor misde- meanor.

(k) Fireworks and Explosives. No person in a park shall have in his or her possession any fire- works or explosives, without the permission of the Director of Public Service and/or Superin- tendent of Parks and Recreation and/or their designee. A violation of this provision constitutes a misdemeanor of the first degree.

(l) Vehicles and Traffic. (1) No person in a park shall operate or park a motor vehicle in any area other than designated park drive or parking area. A violation of this provision constitutes a minor misdemeanor. (2) No person in a park shall operate any vehicle in a manner as to endanger any other person or property. A violation of this provision constitutes a minor misdemeanor. (3) No person in a park shall violate the posted speed limit of the park. A violation of this pro- vision constitutes a minor misdemeanor. (4) No person shall operate a motor vehicle on any pedestrian access/trail in a park. A viola- tion of this provision constitutes a minor misdemeanor. (5) No person shall park a motor vehicle overnight in any park. A violation of this provision constitutes a minor misdemeanor. (6) A motorized scooter or wheelchair may be used for the transportation of a disabled person.

(m) Swimming. No swimming shall be allowed in the parks. Exception: The Municipal Swimming Pool during hours of operation. A violation of this provision constitutes a minor misdemeanor.

(n) Ice Skating. Ice Skating shall be permitted only in designated areas. A violation of this provision constitutes a minor misdemeanor. (o) Drugs and Alcoholic Beverages. No person in a park shall violate any existing Federal, State, or City laws and ordinances pertaining to drugs and alcoholic beverages and their con- sumption and usage. A violation of this provision constitutes a minor misdemeanor.

(p) Hours of Operation. All parks shall open at sunrise and unlighted parks shall close at sun- set. Lighted parks shall be open according to hours posted. A violation of this provision con- stitutes a minor misdemeanor.

(q) Employee Exemption. (1) Acts of City employees and its agents shall be exempt from these rules and regulations to the extent necessary for the performance of their authorized duties. (2) Director of Public Service and/or Superintendent of Parks and Recreation and/or their des- ignee may, from time to time, conduct or permit activities, which may violate the adopted

Page 57

rules and regulations.

(r) Ejection from Park. Law enforcement officers, park employees, and other agents employed or contracted by the City to administer programs on behalf of the City may order any person violating these rules and regulations to leave the park, and no person shall ignore such an or- der. A violation of this provision constitutes a minor misdemeanor. (s) Penalty. The penalty for all of the above offenses are set forth and defined in Ohio R.C. 2921.21, and the above offenses will be enforced in accordance with the provisions of Ohio R.C. 2921.21. (Ord. 22-03. Passed 7-10-03.)

Page 58

Appendix C: Additional Detail on Key Issues

Specific Items in the Key Issues listed in Chapter 4:

1. Improve Existing Parks and Facilities: a. More picnic tables, grills, water fountains, and permanent bathroom at the parks b. McCarthy Park needs attention. ATV’s on paths, paths not marked, and has an eerie feeling. Part seems to be a BMX path already. c. Mosquito control in the parks. d. Long-range plan to replace equipment in existing parks as it wears out. e. As trees are damaged in the parks by age, weather, or construction, the parks should replace them. f. Provide more shelters in case of bad weather where the fields are located. g. More mutt mitts and trash cans in the parks and along trails. h. More parking where fields are located. i. Should have recycle bins at the parks. j. Improve existing pool to have more lounge chairs, slides, and water features. Heat the water so it isn’t so cold. k. Ensure that the parking areas have lines where people are supposed to park. Is there somewhere in the existing parks where a community garden could be established? (Access to water and park- ing are issues to consider.)

2. Create Additional Fields: a. Football, baseball/softball, and soccer associations all believe that they are already struggling with field space. b. Some of the travelling baseball teams are already playing games in other cities due to lack of space. c. The local baseball team is currently limited on practice time due to lack of field space. d. Many people suggested a sports complex with a number of fields in one place where tournaments could be played. This could draw many people to Marysville. e. There is another group who would prefer that any new fields be spread out. Whenever there are a large number of fields together, like at UCJRD, parking becomes a big issue. f. Currently, city fields are free for the teams to play on. The teams do not want to pay fees since they claim that many of their youth are Marysville citizens and the parents already pay taxes. But some of these youth have Marysville addresses but do not live in the city nor do their parents pay Marysville taxes. Some people believe that this needs to be addressed. How can the non-citizens who use the fields help to pay for new fields? g. If fees are charged, then it needs to be very clear on what is covered. Will the city line the fields, setting bases, or replacing nets for soccer? h. The fields at UCJRD were brought up. How the fields are scheduled and how teams get priority was questioned. i. Baseball would love to have a lighted field. Exciting for the youth and it extends practice times on that field. j. Rather than buy land for new fields, many people suggested that the city look to partner with lo- cal churches, the fairgrounds, and/or any other Marysville location where green space already ex-

Page 59

ists. That space could be used for practice and possibly even games. k. There was concern that with as full as the fields are, that new teams are struggling to form in Marysville. A Lacrosse team is trying to find space and the flag football folks are struggling to find room. l. With the number of youth on existing fields, there is also a concern with field fatigue. Some cities rotate off fields periodically to let them recover. Marysville doesn’t have that luxury.

3. Create Additional Facilities: a. The dog park seems to have a large following in Marysville. The Union County Humane Society has been trying to work with this group to create a dog park. It remains unclear if they will be successful at this time. b. A city-run recreational building has also come up a number of times. The YMCA does an excel- lent job of running winter programs but it leaves virtually no space for other organizations to come in to practice during the cold winters in Ohio. There is a desire to have another facility that would allow indoor soccer, year-round sports training, and other activities. c. There was also a group who would like to have a pool north of State Route 33. The Mill Valley youth have limited access to pool due to State Rte 33. The Jim Simmons trail by Mill Creek pro- vides access under the highway. But after emerging from the park, there is no safe path to the pool. There is some talk of a pool being built in Mill Valley by the neighborhood association, but the details of who will be able to use the pool are unclear at this time. d. Create more alternative activities in the parks such as: o Sand volleyball o Bocce Ball o Handball o Outdoor racquetball o Sled-riding hill o Tables to play chess or cards outdoors o Badminton o Shuffleboard o Roller Hockey/place to roller blade o Skate board park north of 33 o Batting cages o Remote-controlled planes and car area

4. Improve Programming: a. Consider having someone help the current parks superintendent or make the superintendent posi- tion full-time. Communication, coordination of volunteers, and partnering with organizations in Marysville requires more time than is currently available to a part-time person doing everything themselves. b. Create programs that draw the seniors to the parks. This could help seniors with their mental and physical health. c. Bring back the summer parks program. This was a program where older youth supervised activi- ties in the parks. d. Offer gardening and/or nature education classes in the parks. Possibly partner with the Master Gardeners. Put out bird feeders or other things to draw wildlife. e. Have environmental education classes in the park. Could tie this to naturalization efforts. f. Offer more youth programming in the parks in the summer.

Page 60

g. Offer music in the park for youth…a lollipop series. h. Have running or hiking groups for various age groups. i. Offer more coordinated events like the Frozen Nose race. j. Have an arts festival in the parks. k. Utilize the amphitheater for other things than the Sunday concerts. Have a theater in the parks program in the summer or even have local groups perform who sing or have ensembles.

5. Improve Trail System in Marysville: a. Add more benches along the existing trails b. Unpaved trails need to have gravel that is not too fine or too large. Specifically, the Greenwood trail came up numerous times as having too large of gravel. c. Add more trails that are much longer for the bikers (5-10 miles one-way). Link into trails from other cities. Look at using Rails to Trails. d. Create bike paths that allow people to get to downtown safely. e. Consider a pedestrian bridge over Route 33 so that people north of town can safely walk or bike to downtown or to the pool. f. Trails need to be paved and to be wide enough to allow both walkers and bikers to use safely. g. Natural paths not maintained enough (grow over with weeds) h. Running trails have obstacles like stumps that should be removed i. Need mile markers on trails j. Need to have trails that connect that the neighborhoods and the parks k. Need to create a map of the trails that people can easily access; include length of trails. l. Some people prefer a combination of gravel and paved trails since gravel is easier on the legs. m. Need more trails that are lit at night so that people who work all day can still walk the trails. This is especially true in the winter. n. For the longer trails like Jim Simmons, there should be more call boxes in case someone is in- jured and to ensure safety. o. As the trail system is expanded, the city needs a plan for how to maintain the paths in the future. p. As trails are created, is there a way to accommodate cross-country skiers? This has become more popular in Marysville in the last few years. q. Need to put no parking signs at trail head entrances so that cars don’t block them. Bikes can’t get through. r. As trails are created, consider having exercise stations along with way like Eljer has. s. Provide more educational information along the trails. Some people dislike having signs as the walk along the trails, though.

6. Improve Marketing: a. Need to have better publicity for the programs that take place in the parks. Tournaments for disc golf, competitions at the skate park, various races on the Jim Simmons Trail, concerts in the parks, and other activities need to advertised more. b. Can have billboards at the parks that notify people about upcoming events. Could also use this to post rules and guidelines for using the parks and trails. Some people don’t like lots of signs along the trails but maybe this could be in the parking lot. Vandalism is a concern. c. Could use the city web site or the cable channel more. d. Should the pool newsletter be expanded to more people? Or a second, smaller newsletter? e. Need more info on the existing parks so that people can easily see where the parks are and what they can do at the parks. f. Could the city partner with realtors and the chamber of commerce to provide parks info for new

Page 61

residents? g. Could the city have a quarterly parks report that was posted in the newspaper and online? h. Should use the utility bill since everyone sees this. Possibly include a community calendar with the utility bill. i. E-mail a newsletter to Marysville residents j. Directly mail newsletters or information to residents. k. Use the “About Town” newsletter to communicate more about the parks.

7. Other, General Comments: a. The master plan needs to take into where the growth of Marysville will occur and at what rate. b. The Parks and Recreation system needs to maintain good working relationships with the YMCA and UCJRD. The UCJRD appointees need to maintain communication with city administration. c. As the city locates new facilities, they should consider the impact to surrounding communities. How will the traffic, noise, dust and parking be managed? d. The city needs to utilize volunteers for the parks. This, however, requires staffing to coordinate the efforts. e. There is a belief by some that the city should cater more to the recreational leagues for field space since those leagues allow the most participation of the youth and have a higher percentage of lo- cal youth. However, many others believe that the parks should be equally shared by all residents.

Page 62

Appendix D: Raw Data from Online Survey

Page 63

Page 64

Page 65

Page 66

Page 67

Page 68

Page 69

Page 70

Page 71

Page 72

Page 73

Page 74

Page 75

Page 76

Page 77

Page 78

Page 79

Page 80

Page 81

Page 82

Page 83

Page 84