2018-2022 EMMET COUNTY PARKS & RECREATION PLAN Headlands International Dark Sky Park Waterfront Event Center & Observatory List of Contributors Emmet County Board of Commissioners (2018) Bill Shorter, Chair Jonathan Scheel, Vice-chair Neil Ahrens Toni Drier Charles MacInnis John Stakoe Betsy White Emmet County Planning Commission (2018) John Eby, Chair Thomas Urman, Vice-Chair James Scott, Secretary Kelly Alexander Toni Drier David Laughbaum Charles MacInnis Steve Neal Jonathan Scheel Parks and Recreation Board (2018) Bill Shorter, Chair Jim Rummer, Vice-Chair Neil Ahrens Toni Drier Paul Fairbairn Danna Marvin (Vacant seat) Emmet County Citizens Emmet County Township, City, Village Officials Various Emmet County Township, City, and Village Officials Emmet County Department of Parks and Recreation Sandy Hansen, Assistant Director Emmet County Office of Planning, Zoning, & Construction Resources Tammy Doernenburg, Director Nancy Salar, Assistant Planner Monica Linehan, Administrative Assistant Table of Contents STATEMENT OF VISION 3 1.0 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES 4 Goals 4 Objectives 4 2.0 ACTION PROGRAM 6 Top Priorities 6 Implementation 7 3.0 COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION 12 Social Characteristics 14 Physical Characteristics 18 4.0 ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE 25 Administration 25 Financial Plan and Methods 26 5.0 RECREATION INVENTORY 27 Emmet County Managed Recreation Properties 36 Dark Sky Coast 45 Springvale Township Manage Recreation Properties 46 Trails 49 Private and Semi Private Recreation 53 Indoor Recreation 54 6.0 PLANNING AND PUBLIC INPUT PROCESS 55 Planning Methods 55 Public Input Process 55 Results of Recreation Resource Surveys 55 FIGURES Figure 3-1: Regional Location of Emmet County 12 Figure 3-2: Emmet County Political Boundaries 12 Figure 5-1: Dark Sky Coast 45 Figure 5-2: Little Traverse Conservancy Properties 47 Figure 6-1: Waterfront Park 56 Figure 6-2: Public Lake Access 56 Figure 6-3: Importance of Recreational Uses 57 Figure 6-4: Frequency of Participation in Recreation 57 Figure 6-5: Frequency of Park Use by Age Category 58 Figure 6-6: Distance Traveled to Recreational Facilities 58 Figure 6-7: Distance Traveled by Age 59 TABLES Table 2-1: Implementation 7 Table 3-1: Population 14 Table 3-2: Population Projection for Civil Divisions in Emmet County 14 Table 3-3: Emmet County 2005 Seasonal Population 15 Table 3-4: Population by Gender – 2010, Emmet County and State of Michigan 15 Table 3-5: Age Distribution of Emmet County, 2000 16 Table 3-6: Persons with Ambulatory Difficulty- 2010 16 Table 3-7: Per Capita Personal Income (PCPI) 2000-2015 17 Table 3-8: Civilian Labor Force 17 Emmet County Parks and Recreation Plan 2018-2022 - 1 - Table 3-9: Land Use Acreage by Category, Emmet County 2007 22 Table 5-1: Public Park and Recreation Area Inventory 36 Table 5-2: Status Report on Grant- Assisted Recreation Acquisitions & Development 44 Table 5-3: Public Swim Beaches 51 Table 5-4: Private and Semi-private Recreational Facilities 53 Table 5-5: Golf Course Inventory, Emmet County 54 Table 6-1: 2010 Sports Participation 59 Table 6-2: 2010-2011 Sports with over 15% Change in Participation 60 MAPS Map 3-1: Emmet County Natural Features 21 Map 3-2: Emmet County Existing Recreation Areas & Lake Access 23 Map 3-3: Emmet County Existing Land Use 24 Map 5-0: Emmet County Park Facility Map 38 Map 5-1: Camp Petosega Trails 39 Map 5-2: Trails at The Headlands 43 Map 5-3: Emmet County Trails 48 Map 5-4: United States Bicycle Route 35 Michigan Section 52 Map 6-1: Emmet County Priority Trail Routes 61 APPENDIX A Recreation Survey questionnaire 62 APPENDIX B Public Meeting notices 63 Copy of Notices for Public Hearings 64 Parks and Recreation resolution 65 Planning Commission resolution 66 Board of Commissioners resolution 68 Minutes from the public hearing: Planning Commission 70 Minutes from the public hearing: Board of Commissioners 79 Emmet County Parks and Recreation Plan 2018-2022 - 2 - Statement of Vision Our vision is to provide enjoyable, safe, innovative, and quality public spaces, programs, and facilities. We shall strive to maintain a vibrant community that enhances the physical, mental, and social health of our residents and visitors in a fiscally responsible manner while being respectful of the rich cultural and natural resources entrusted to us. Emmet County Parks and Recreation Plan 2018-2022 - 3 - 1.0 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES The Parks and Recreation Board formulated the following goals and objectives based upon input received at recreation committee meetings, the recreation survey conducted in 2009 and during reviews of the Emmet County Master Plan, also based upon existing natural resources, analysis of accessibility, and trends. A goal is the purpose toward which an endeavor is directed. It is the most general level of recommendations and sets the broad framework for more specific Objectives. An objective is one of the mileposts which measures progress along the route by which the goal (destination) is reached. Objectives are intermediate or short-term targets which must be attained in order to reach the ultimate goal. They are more specific than goals and are susceptible to modification due to changing political, economic, and organizational forces in the community. Strategies are discussed in Section 2.0 Action Program. The order in which these goals and objectives appear does not represent a ranking of their importance or priority. Goals 1) Continue to improve parks, meet recreation facility needs, and provide diverse recreational opportunities for all age and ability groups. 2) Preserve, maintain, and enhance public lands for recreation. 3) Ensure pace of growth of parks and access to natural areas meets or exceeds the needs of Emmet County. 4) Protect, maintain and enhance the quality of natural resources within the County. 5) Create a healthy community by providing spaces for outdoor activities. 6) Protect and preserve historic property resources. 7) Expand a variety of recreational trails for enjoyment and alternate transportation. 8) Provide access to information identifying available recreational opportunities. 9) Support acquisition of land for passive and active recreation. 10) Continue to strive to provide ADA accessibility to all facilities. 11) Expand programs and interpretive activities to more parks. 12) Develop partnerships linking agencies and organizations promoting programming across multiple jurisdictions. 13) Support and promote development of dark sky coast. 14) Recognize economic benefits of recreation. 15) Provide safe outdoor recreation places. Objectives 1) Continue to maintain and improve the water travel system in Emmet County. 2) Continue to maintain, improve, and expand existing trails in Emmet County. 3) Identify opportunities for new or expanded public facilities which can enhance the overall recreational options within Emmet County. 4) Encourage school districts to allow for shared access of facilities for recreational or other public purposes. Emmet County Parks and Recreation Plan 2018-2022 - 4 - 5) Educate the community about the benefits of historic preservation to the community’s quality of life, economic development, and tourism. 6) Support trail connectors to schools and other community resources. 7) Maintain public land for hunting/gathering and other recreational uses. 8) Secure wilderness areas for wildlife corridors and/or preserves. 9) Provide and promote recreational areas for passive and active recreation. 10) Support facilities and programs that encourage those living in this community to want to be outside, engaging in physical, healthful, and educational activities that enhance their lives. 11) Maintain and expand recreational opportunities for residents and tourists. 12) Preserve, protect, and support acquisition of shorelines and streams for public access. 13) Identify and encourage accessibility improvements by incorporating Universal Design in new facilities and when upgrading existing amenities. 14) Create community awareness of countywide recreation opportunities. 15) Educate the public on the value the natural world. 16) Support intergovernmental cooperation to enhance recreational opportunities for the entire community. 17) Support the development of walkable communities. 18) Promote Emmet County as an eco-tourist destination. 19) Encourage nature based, low impact tourist attractions, such as eco-tourism, agri-tourism, astro-tourism, and tourism based on local history. 20) Promote alternative methods for land preservation/ open space. 21) Develop invasive plant species management plan for all county owned property. 22) Develop management plan for improved wildlife habitat on county property. 23) Maintain and improve recreation facilities. 24) All development conducted following local, State, and Federal regulations. 25) Continue to protect and promote the benefits of the Dark Sky Park at the Headlands. 26) Continue to improve access to bathing beaches. 27) Continue to improve quality of bathing beaches. 28) Encourage collaboration and communication between different organizations and agencies. 29) Continue to maintain and improve parks. 30) Monitor, improve and enhance safety throughout all public parks and recreational areas in Emmet County. 31) Continue to improve ADA accessibility in all county parks. Emmet County Parks and Recreation Plan 2018-2022 - 5 - 2.0 ACTION PROGRAM The following strategies were developed based on information gathered from public forums, public meetings and the recreation survey. They are grouped in Table 2-1 into one of four possible