CITY OF CHAMBLEE PARKS AND RECREATION COMPREHENSIVE MASTER PLAN 2016-2026 Acknowledgements The Lose & Associates, Inc. research and design team would like to thank all the City of Chamblee elected officials, staff and members of the community who participated in the development of this master plan. Through your commitment and dedication to the Parks and Recreation Department, we were able to develop this plan to guide the delivery of recreation services to the citizens of the City of Chamblee. Special thanks to: R. Eric Clarkson, Mayor John Mesa, City Council District 1 Leslie C. Robson, City Council District 2 Thomas S. Hogan, II, City Council District 3 Brian Mock, City Council At-Large Darron Kusman, City Council At-Large Jonathan G. Walker, City Manager Jodie Gilfillan, Parks and Recreation Director Chris Madden, Program Coordinator Parks and Recreation Department Staff City of Chamblee Staff Steering Committee Members Lee Hager Deb Hammell Dan Zanger Chris Poythress Joshua Heard Jeff Nichols Verle VanHoozen Citizens of the Community Consultants: Lose & Associates, Inc., is a multi-disciplinary design firm with offices in Nashville, Tennessee and Lawrenceville, Georgia. Our firm, which specializes in park and recreation planning, was selected to conduct this master plan. Throughout the Parks and Recreation Master Plan, the Lose & Associates team is also referred to as the researchers and/or the planning team. Using demographics, population projections, assessments of current facilities, national standards and public input, Lose & associates has developed this 10-year master plan. This document serves as both a strategic plan and an action plan, providing the City of Chamblee with guidelines for future program planning efforts and capital improvement projects. TABLE OF CONTENTS Section 1: Introduction and Demographic Analysis ……………….…..… 1.1 Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………… 1.1 Other Planning Studies …………………………………………………………………… 1.2 Demographic Analysis …………………………………………………………….……… 1.2 Population Trends by Year ………………………………………………………….…… 1.3 Comparison Communities’ Population Trends ………………………………………… 1.4 Population by Race and Ethnicity ……………………………………………………….. 1.6 Population by Age and Gender …………………………………………………..……… 1.6 Economic Trends ………………………………………………………………………..… 1.8 Health Trends ……………………………………………………………………………… 1.8 Transportation …………………………………………………………………………...… 1.9 Summary …………………………………………………………………………………… 1.11 Section 2: Citizen Engagement …………………………………………….…..…. 2.1 City Interviews …………………………………………………………………………...… 2.1 Steering Committee Meeting Summary and Findings ………………………………… 2.2 Focus Group Meeting Summary and Findings ………………………………………… 2.4 Public Meeting Summary and Findings ………………………………………………… 2.4 Public Input Event ……………………………………………………………………….… 2.5 Public Input Surveys ……………………………………………………………………… 2.6 Program and Activity Participation ………………………………………...………… 2.7 Park and Program Usage …………………………..………………………………… 2.15 Barriers to Park Usage …………………………………………………………...…… 2.18 Access to Parks …………………………………………..…………………………… 2.19 Facility Priorities ……………………………………………..………………………… 2.24 Overall Performance …………………………………………………………..……… 2.26 Funding …………………………………………………………………………….…… 2.29 Communication ………………………………………………………………………… 2.32 Respondents’ Demographics ………………………………………………………… 2.35 Respondents’ Additional Comments ………………………………………………… 2.39 Open Community-Wide Survey Summary ……………………………………..…… 2.42 Summary …………………………………………………………………………………… 2.43 Chamblee Parks & Recreation Master Plan Section 3: Staffing and Operations Evaluations ……………………….…... 3.1 Current Staffing Levels and Recommendations ……………………………………..… 3.2 Key Staffing Observations and Summary Recommendations …………….……… 3.3 Parks and Recreation Positions ……………………………………………………… 3.4 Staffing Level Comparison …………………………………………………………… 3.5 Key Staffing Observations and Summary Recommendations ……….…………… 3.6 Operations Assessment and Recommendations ……………………………………… 3.7 Parks and Recreation Office ………………………….……………………………… 3.7 Recreation Advisory Committee ………………………………………………...…… 3.8 Parks Maintenance Standards and Performance Measures ………...…………… 3.8 Parks Maintenance Plan ……………………………………………………………… 3.9 Marketing and Customer Service …………………………………………….……… 3.9 Policies, Procedures, Standards and Plans ………………………………………… 3.9 Volunteers and Friends Groups ……………………………………………………… 3.10 Key Operations Observations and Summary Recommendations ……..………… 3.10 Section 4: Program Analysis and Recommendations ………………..…. 4.1 Community Programming Benefits ……………………………………………………… 4.1 Chamblee Parks and Recreation Department Programs ……………………..……… 4.2 Youth Athletics ………………………………………………………………………… 4.3 Adult Athletics …………………………………………………………………….…… 4.3 Adults/Instructional Classes …………………………………………………..……… 4.3 Aquatics ………………………………………………………………………………… 4.4 Community Programs and Special Events ………………………………….……… 4.4 Youth Programs ……………………………………………………………………..… 4.4 Outdoor Programs …………………………………………………………………….. 4.4 Senior Programs ………………………………………………………………….…… 4.4 Therapeutic Recreation …………………………………………………………..…… 4.4 Programs Participation ………………………………………………………...……… 4.4 Partnerships: Athletic Associations / Franchise Leagues ..…………………….… 4.5 Partnership Recommendations ……………………………………………………… 4.5 Alternative Providers ………………………………………………………………..… 4.5 Alternative Provider Recommendations ………………………………………..…… 4.6 Recreation Trends ……………………………………………………………..……… 4.6 Population-Based Programming ………………………………………………………… 4.6 Youth ………..………………………………………………………………………..… 4.6 Older Adults ………….………………………………………………………………… 4.7 Universal Recreation ……………………………………………………..…………… 4.7 Activity-Based Programming ……………………………………………………..……… 4.7 Less Time for Recreation …………………………………………………………….. 4.7 Drop-In Programs ……………………………………………………………………… 4.8 Extreme Sports and Activities …………………………………………………...…… 4.8 ii Chamblee Parks & Recreation Master Plan Environmental, Outdoor and Nature-Based Recreation ………………...………… 4.8 Fitness and Obesity ……………………………………………………………….……… 4.8 Program Ideas from Other Communities …………………………………………..…… 4.9 Special Events ……………………………………………………………………….… 4.10 Youth Programs …………………………………………………………………..…… 4.10 Therapeutic Recreation …………………………………………………………..…… 4.10 Environmental and Outdoor Programs ……………………………………………… 4.11 Trends Overview and Recommendations …………………………………...……… 4.11 Recommendations Summary ……………………………………………….…………… 4.12 Development of New Programs ……………………………………………………… 4.13 Administrative ……………………………………………………..…………………… 4.13 Sections 5: Park Evaluations and Recommendations ….…………….... 5.1 NRPA Guidelines …………………………………………………..……………………… 5.2 Park Classifications ……………………………………………..………………………… 5.5 Mini-Park …………………………………………………………......………………… 5.6 Neighborhood Park …………………………………….……………………………… 5.6 Community Park …………………………………………..…………………………… 5.7 Large Urban Park ……………………………………………………………………… 5.7 Special-Use Park ……………………………………………………………………… 5.7 Natural resource Area / Preserve …………………………………………….……… 5.8 Greenways …………………………………………………...………………………… 5.8 School Parks …………………………………………………………………………… 5.9 Private Park/Recreation Facility and Church/Non-Profit Groups ………………… 5.9 Other Park and Recreation Service Providers ………………………………...…… 5.10 Community Green Space and Zoning Provisions ……………………..…………… 5.10 Service Area Analysis ………………………………..…………………………………… 5.11 Gap Analysis …………………………………………………………………………… 5.11 DeKalb County-Owned Parcels …………………………………………………………. 5.16 Proposed Greenway Routing ……………………………………………….…………… 5.16 General Park Evaluations, Observations and Recommendations …………………… 5.20 General Park Observations …………………………………………………...……… 5.21 American with Disabilities Act (ADA) ………………………………………...……… 5.21 Playground Safety Standards …………………………………………………...…… 5.22 Individual Park Assessments and Park Facility Recommendations …….…………… 5.23 Mini-Parks ……………………………………………………………………………… 5.23 Canfield Drive Parcel ……………………………………………………….……… 5.23 Clairmont Park ……………………………………………………………………… 5.25 Huntley Hills Park …………………………………………………………...……… 5.26 International Village Park ………………………………………………..………… 5.28 Peachtree Park ……………………………………………………………...……… 5.29 Shallowford Park …………………………………………………………………… 5.31 New Gainsboro Park ………………………………………………………………. 5.33 Chamblee Parks & Recreation Master Plan iii Neighborhood Parks…………………………………………………………………… 5.33 New Central Park …………………………………………………………………… 5.33 New South Chamblee Park ………………………………………………..……… 5.33 Community Parks ……………………………………………………………………… 5.33 Dresden Park ……………………………………………..………………………… 5.33 Keswick Park …………………………………………………...…………………… 5.35 Special Use Facilities ……………………………………………………………….… 5.41 New Indoor Recreation Center …………………………………………….……… 5.41 Outdoor Event Facility / Amphitheater …………………………………………… 5.42 General Recommendations ……………………………………………………………… 5.42 Develop Facility Design Standards ………………………………..………………… 5.42 Architectural ………………………………………………………………….………… 5.42 Athletic Amenity Standards ……………………………………………………...…… 5.43 General Site Amenity Standards ……………………………………………..……… 5.43 Parking, Circulation and Site Development Standards …………………………… 5.43 Sign Standards ………………………………………………………………………… 5.44 Greenways ………………………………………………………………………...…… 5.44 Park Development Priorities ………………………………………………………...…… 5.45 Tier One Priorities …………………………………………………………………...… 5.45 Tier Two Priorities ……………………………………………………………………... 5.46 Tier Three Priorities …………………………………………………………………… 5.46 Sections 6: Budget Analysis and Recommendations ...…………...……. 6.1 Budget Analysis …………………………………………………………………………… 6.1 Spending