Chesterton Parks & Recreation Master Plan Update – 2008-2012 Prepared for: Chesterton Parks & Recreation Chesterton, Indiana March 2009 Chesterton Parks & Recreation Master Plan Update – 2008-2012 This report documentation was prepared under Prepared for: contract for Chesterton Parks and Recreation by: Chesterton Parks & Recreation Department 1415 South 23rd Street Charles F. Lehman, ASLA, President Chesterton, Indiana 46304 Lehman & Lehman, Inc., Landscape Architecture and Planning Mishawaka, Indiana 46544 All Rights Reserved. Except as it is used by the client in direct relation to the master plan implementation, no part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any way without expressed permission by Lehman & Lehman, Inc. Copyright 2009 March 2009 Lehman & Lehman, Inc. Chesterton Parks & Recreation Master Plan Update 2008-2012 Section A: Credits & Study Team Section A: Credits & Study Team Town of Chesterton Chesterton Parks and Recreation Town Council Emerson DeLaney .......................................President Chesterton Parks & Recreation Board and Jeff Trout ............................................. Vice President Term Expiration James G. Ton ................................................. Member Vincent Emanuele, President .............................2013 David Cincoski............................................... Member John Kroft, Vice President .................................2010 Sharon Darnell............................................... Member Roy Flaherty, Secretary........................................2009 Eric Witt, Member ...............................................2012 Clerk-Treasurer Sharon Darnell.......................Town Council Liaison Charles Lukmann ..............................Town Attorney Gayle S. Polakowski Park Administrative Staff Plan Commission Bruce Mathias .................................... Superintendent Fred Owens...................................................President Hilary Thomas ...................Administrative Assistant Sigmund Niepokoj ............................. Vice President Jeff Trout ........................................................ Member Master Planning Task Force Michael Bannon............................................. Member George Stone.................................................. Member (RIF Advisory Committee) Thomas Kopko.............................................. Member Vincent Emanuele................Chesterton Park Board Emerson DeLaney ........................................ Member Paul Shinn..............................................Shinn Homes Rick Hokanson ...................... RE/Max-First Choice Board of Zoning Appeals Mike Orlich .....Chesterton Building Commissioner Bruce Mathias ........................... Park Superintendent Fred Owens ..................................................President Kimberly Goldak ............................... Vice President Master Plan Consultant Sigmund Niepokoj ........................................ Member James Kowalski.............................................. Member Charles F. Lehman, ASLA, FRSA Brandon Kroft .............................................. Member President, Lehman & Lehman, Inc. Gail Murawski ..............................................Secretary Landscape Architecture and Planning Charles Lukmann...............................Town Attorney Mishawaka, Indiana Page A – 1 Chesterton Parks & Recreation Master Plan Update 2007-2011 This Page Intentionally Left Blank Page A – 2 Chesterton Parks & Recreation Master Plan Update 2008-2012 Section B: Table of Contents Section B: Table of Contents Contents Page Section A – Credits & Study Team...............................................................................................................A – 1 Section B – Table of Contents ....................................................................................................................... B – 1 Section C – Foreword .......................................................................................................................................C – 1 Section D – Resolution ................................................................................................................................... D – 1 Section E – Executive Summary Introduction to Study’s Approach..............................................................................................E – 1 Public Participation.......................................................................................................................E – 1 Master Plan Highlights.................................................................................................................E – 2 The Five-Year Action Plan..........................................................................................................E – 2 Other Resource Studies................................................................................................................E – 3 Chesterton Recreation Impact Fee Study...........................................................................E – 3 Table 1 – Funding Distribution to fund Current Deficiencies .......................................E – 4 Table 2 – Implementation Schedule for Current Deficiencies ......................................E – 5 Table 3 – Applied Facilities Costs to overcome Current Deficiencies & Future Needs ...................................................................................................................................................E – 7 Table 4 – Implementation Schedule for Future Needs....................................................E – 8 Table 5 – Current and Projected Population and Building Permits Growth ...............E – 9 Figure 1 – Chart Illustrating Anticipated Population Growth 2007-2016 ....................E – 9 Benefits of Parks & Recreation.................................................................................................E – 10 Parks and Recreation: An Essential Service .....................................................................E – 10 Section F – Progress Evaluation Facilities and Equipment Progress Evaluation......................................................................... F – 1 Accomplishments and Changes 2002– 2007 ............................................................................ F – 2 Sources and Dollars Spent for Infrastructure Improvements, Land Donations, and Park Department Revenue Over the Last Five Years...................................................................... F – 3 Table 6 – General Description of Source and Amounts of Money Used to Pay for Infrastructure During the Previous 5 Years....................................................................... F – 3 The Planning Consultant ............................................................................................................. F – 4 Section G – Agency Profile History of the Chesterton Parks Department ......................................................................... G – 1 Chesterton Park Board Members ....................................................................................... G – 3 Goals & Objectives...................................................................................................................... G – 4 The Park Law................................................................................................................................ G – 4 Who’s Responsible — The Board or the Administrator? ..................................................... G – 5 Department Staff.......................................................................................................................... G – 6 Department Divisions ................................................................................................................. G – 6 Page B – 1 Chesterton Parks & Recreation Master Plan Update 2008-2012 Administrative ........................................................................................................................G – 6 Parks Maintenance.................................................................................................................G – 6 Town of Chesterton Organization Structure ...........................................................................G – 7 Compliance with State and Federal Regulation .......................................................................G – 7 American with Disabilities Act (ADA)...............................................................................G – 7 Department Budget Analysis......................................................................................................G – 8 Table 7 – Park Department Revenues – 2001-2006 ........................................................G – 8 Section H – Community Description History of the Town of Chesterton...........................................................................................H – 1 Location of the Town of Chesterton ........................................................................................H – 3 Natural Features............................................................................................................................H – 3 Topography and Drainage....................................................................................................H – 3 Floodplain ...............................................................................................................................H – 4 Wetlands..................................................................................................................................H