CLARK COUNTY REGIONAL PARKS, RECREATION & OPEN SPACE PLAN JUNE 2000 Vancouver-Clark Parks & Recreation PO Box 1995 Vancouver, WA 98668-1995 360-696-8171 CLARK COUNTY REGIONAL PARKS, RECREATION & OPEN SPACE PLAN JUNE 2000 Clark County Board of Commissioners Craig A. Pridemore, Chair Betty Sue Morris Judie Stanton Vancouver-Clark Parks & Recreation Advisory Commission Maureen Pedone, Co-chair Alvin Berg, Co-chair Debbie Abraham Dale Erickson Phyllis Goldhammer Mary Herdener Todd Horenstein Kay McClaskey Alex Velico Florence Wager Vancouver-Clark Parks & Recreation Larry J. Smith, Manager Delbert Schleichert, Assistant Manager Jeroen Kok, Senior Regional Planner Dygert & Simpson William Dygert George Simpson TABLE OF CONTENTS A. INTRODUCTION PLAN APPROACH.....................................................................................................................................................................A-1 PLAN COORDINATION – OPEN SPACE, TRAILS, SPORTS FIELDS, HABITAT ....................................................................A-2 B. PLANNING AREA PHYSICAL SETTING.................................................................................................................................................................B-1 CLIMATE...................................................................................................................................................................................B-3 POPULATION.............................................................................................................................................................................B-3 SOCIOECONOMIC.....................................................................................................................................................................B-4 C. HABITAT AREAS INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................................................................C-1 CLARK COUNTY OPEN SPACE COMMISSION REPORT ........................................................................................................C-1 CLARK COUNTY CRITICAL AREAS DESIGNATIONS............................................................................................................C-2 WASHINGTON STATE PRIORITY HABITAT AND SPECIES (PHS) PROGRAM ....................................................................C-3 LIMITING FACTORS ANALYSIS..............................................................................................................................................C-4 LOWER COLUMBIA STEELHEAD CONSERVATION INITIATIVE (LCSCI) ..........................................................................C-5 D. WILDLIFE SPECIES INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................................................................D-1 GENERAL WILDLIFE POPULATIONS......................................................................................................................................D-1 PRIORITY SPECIES...................................................................................................................................................................D-2 SPECIES OF CONCERN.............................................................................................................................................................D-2 MIGRATORY SPECIES AND SUPPORTING HABITATS...........................................................................................................D-3 E. EXISTING AREAS & FACILITIES INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................................................................ E-1 PARK AND RECREATION AREAS............................................................................................................................................ E-1 F. PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................................................................ F-1 COMMUNITY-BASED PLANS.................................................................................................................................................. F-1 ASSESSING PUBLIC OPINION.................................................................................................................................................. F-3 PUBLIC OPINION SURVEY...................................................................................................................................................... F-5 G. DEFINITIONS & STANDARDS INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................................................................G-1 REGIONAL PARK......................................................................................................................................................................G-1 REGIONAL CONSERVATION AND GREENWAY SYSTEMS....................................................................................................G-1 REGIONAL TRAILS...................................................................................................................................................................G-2 REGIONAL SPECIAL FACILITIES............................................................................................................................................G-3 WILDLIFE HABITAT.................................................................................................................................................................G-3 H. BENEFITS OF RECREATION INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................................................................H-1 PERSONAL BENEFITS..............................................................................................................................................................H-1 SOCIAL BENEFITS....................................................................................................................................................................H-2 ECONOMIC BENEFITS..............................................................................................................................................................H-2 ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS..................................................................................................................................................H-3 I. GOALS, OBJECTIVES & POLICIES INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................................................................... I-1 PLANNING GOALS .................................................................................................................................................................... I-1 OBJECTIVES & POLICIES......................................................................................................................................................... I-2 J. DEMAND & NEEDS ANALYS IS INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................................................................... J-1 REGIONAL PARKS..................................................................................................................................................................... J-1 REGIONAL TRAILS.................................................................................................................................................................... J-4 CONSERVATION AND GREENWAY SYSTEMS........................................................................................................................ J-5 WILDLIFE HABITAT.................................................................................................................................................................. J-8 SPECIAL FACILITIES................................................................................................................................................................. J-9 K. FINANCING PROGRAMS INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................................................................K-1 FEDERAL & STATE FUNDING PROGRAMS............................................................................................................................K-1 LOCAL FUNDING PROGRAMS.................................................................................................................................................K-5 INCENTIVE PROGRAMS...........................................................................................................................................................K-9 REGULATORY PROGRAMS....................................................................................................................................................K-10 L. PARTNERSHIPS INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................................................................ L-1 CURRENT STATUS..................................................................................................................................................................