v An element of Public Spaces Arlington County’s Master Plan Comprehensive Plan Adopted XX PROPOSED APRIL 2019 (version April 11, 2019) II / ARLINGTON PUBLIC SPACES MASTER PLAN / / III PUBLIC SPACES MASTER PLAN Prepared for Arlington County by WRT with PROS Consulting, Barth Associates, the Trust for Public Land, Mary Means and Associates, ETC Institute, Recreation Accessibility Consultants and Pennington Biomedical Research Adopted by the Arlington County Board ________ __, 2019 IV / ARLINGTON PUBLIC SPACES MASTER PLAN / CONTENTS Acknowledgements................................... VI Introduction and Priority Actions.............VIII CONTEXT..............................13 The Value of Public Spaces.......................15 Planning Context..................................... 21 Trends..................................................... 27 Existing Public Space System.................. .35 STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS.......49 1. Public Spaces.......................................53 1.1 Land Acquisition........................................................................................ 55 1.2 Level of Service .........................................................................................58 1.3 Casual Use Spaces................................................................................... 61 1.4 Improving Efficiency ................................................................................ 64 1.5 Making Better Use of Existing Facilities............................................... 65 1.6 Support Services and Amenities .......................................................... 73 1.7 Universal Access....................................................................................... 76 1.8 Access to Potomac River, Four Mile Run and Tributaries................. 77 1.9 Sustainability ............................................................................................. 78 1.10 Temporary Uses...................................................................................... 80 2. Trails....................................................83 2.1 Expand Network of Trails........................................................................ 84 2.2 Improve Existing Trails............................................................................. 88 2.3 Trails for All Users..................................................................................... 88 2.4 Hiking Trails................................................................................................ 90 2.5 Signage....................................................................................................... 91 2.6 Coordination and Management............................................................. 92 3. Resource Stewardship....................................95 3.1 Update Urban Forest Master Plan & Natural Resources Management Plan.................................................................................... 96 3.2 Protect, Restore and Expand Natural Resources and Trees............. 98 3.3 Natural Resources and Design.............................................................102 3.4 Nature-Based Programming ................................................................ 106 / V 3.5 Conservation Stewardship & Volunteerism....................................... 106 3.6 Historic Resources................................................................................. 107 4. Fiscal Sustainability & Partnerships.... 111 4.1 Arlington Public Schools....................................................................... 112 4.2 Federal, State and Regional partners ................................................. 114 4.3 Support Groups ...................................................................................... 114 4.4 Volunteer Programs............................................................................... 116 4.5 Funding for Development & Maintenance ........................................ 118 4.6 Non-County Funding Sources.............................................................. 118 5. Programs........................................... 121 5.1 Evaluate Demand and Offerings.......................................................... 122 5.2 Program Life Cycles............................................................................... 123 5.3 Participation, Finances and Outcomes.............................................. 123 5.4 Programmed Uses of Indoor and Outdoor Spaces.......................... 123 5.5 Strengthen Health and Wellness Programs...................................... 123 5.6 Use Programming to Activate Parks and Public Spaces................ 123 6. Operations & Maintenance.................. 127 6.1 Ensure Maintenance Standards Are Clear, Consistent and Being Met......................................................................................... 128 6.2 Strengthen Sustainability Policies....................................................... 130 APPENDICES...................... 133 I. Definitions.......................................... 135 II. General Policies................................. 141 1. Land Acquisition........................................................................................ 141 2. Level of Service..........................................................................................171 III. Specific Policies............................... 197 1. Athletic Fields- Synthetic Turf and Lighting..........................................197 2. Dog Parks & Dog Runs............................................................................. 229 3. Privately Owned Public Space Design Guidelines...............................235 IV. Inventories........................................ 245 1. Existing Public Spaces and Amenities.................................................. 245 2. Adopted Park Master Plans.....................................................................259 V. Action Plan........................................ 263 VI / ARLINGTON PUBLIC SPACES MASTER PLAN / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Arlington County Board In Memory of Carrie Christian Dorsey, Chair Johnson, who served Libby Garvey, Vice Chair on the PSMP Update Katie Cristol, Member Advisory Committee for Matt de Ferranti, Member over 3 years as an at- Erik Gutshall, Member large member. For over three decades, Arlington County Manager’s Office Carrie Johnson helped to Mark Schwartz, County Manager shape and define Arlington’s Michelle Cowan, Deputy County Manager inclusive community Bryna Helfer, Assistant County Manager planning and policy processes. Carrie shared her PSMP Update Advisory Committee wisdom, energy, creativity, Caroline Haynes, Park and Recreation Commission, Co-Chair civility and integrity to this Jane Rudolph, Department of Parks and Recreation, Co-Chair planning process as well Claire O’Dea, E2C2 as the previous two public Dean Amel, Urban Forestry Commission spaces master plans, and Elizabeth Gearin, Park and Recreation Commission many other key planning Jane Siegel, Planning Commission processes. Her myriad Jim Feaster, Neighborhood Conservation Advisory Committee contributions provide a Justin Wilt, Sports Commission lasting legacy to the public Leo Sarli, Commission for the Arts spaces where we come Lisa Grandle, Department of Parks and Recreation together as a community. Toby Smith, At Large William Gillen, Arlington Public Schools PSMP Update Core Team Irena Lazic, Department of Parks and Recreation, Project Manager Bethany Heim, Department of Parks and Recreation Erik Beach, Department of Parks and Recreation Jeanette Ankoma-Sey, Department of Parks and Recreation Lyndell Core, Department of Parks and Recreation Robin Leonard, Department of Parks and Recreation Sylvia Liroff, Department of Parks and Recreation Brett Wallace, Department of Community Planning, Housing & Development / VII Cynthia Liccese-Torres, Department of Community Planning, Housing & Development Jennifer Smith, Department of Community Planning, Housing & Development Jill Yutan, Department of Community Planning, Housing & Development Helen Reinecke-Wilt, Department of Environmental Services Kelly Cornell, Department of Environmental Services Linda Collier, Department of Environmental Services Jill Hunger, Arlington Economic Development Karin Talley, Department of Management and Finance Michael DePalma, Arlington Public Schools Gale Koritansky, Arlington Public Libraries Other County Staff Alonso Abugattas, Department of Parks and Recreation Brian Keightley, Department of Parks and Recreation Cheryl E. Johnson, Department of Parks and Recreation Claude Williamson, Department of Community Planning, Housing & Development Elizabeth Hardy, Department of Community Planning, Housing & Development Greg Emanuel, Department of Environmental Services Greg Hudson, Department of Parks and Recreation Jennifer Fioretti, Department of Parks and Recreation John Chadwick, Arlington Public Schools Kris Krider, Department of Community Planning, Housing & Development Kevin P. Black, Arlington County Attorney’s Office Kevin Stalica, Department of Parks and Recreation Kurt Louis, Department of Parks and Recreation Lynne T. Porfiri, Arlington County Manager’s Office Megan Carney, Department of Parks and Recreation Peter Lusk, Department of Parks and Recreation Richard Viola, Department of Environmental Services Ryan Corcoran, Department of Environmental Services Samia Byrd, Arlington County Manager’s Office Susan Kalish, Department of Parks and Recreation Vincent Verweij, Department of Parks and