The planning has begun…

In the spring of 2007, the City of San Carlos commissioned a consulting team to work with residents and City Staff to complete a Parks, Open Space, Buildings, and Other Recreational Facilities Master Plan.

The consultant team held its first meeting with the steering committee on June 27, 2007 to discuss the planning process, community outreach, and desired outcomes. Since then the team has been conducting an inventory and analysis of all of the parks and recreational facilities operated by the City. Interviews have been held with City Staff and City Council members, a demographic analysis has been prepared, and an analysis of parks and recreation trends has been conducted. Input was received from many community members via an interactive booth at Farmer’s Market on August 2, 2007.Over the next month the consultant team will be meeting with additional City Council Members, holding focus groups and stakeholder meetings, and meeting with the planning committee, all in preparation for the first public workshop to be held September 5, 2007.

The planning process will unfold in a series of phases:

Phase I - Facilities Inventory and Analysis
During this phase, parks and facilities will be evaluated for their potential opportunities and constraints, condition, and neighborhood distribution. A complete inventory of all recreational resources will be prepared, including an analysis of how well the resources serve the community.

Phase II - Needs Assessment
This phase will define the range of of San Carlos residents’ needs for parks and recreation facilities. An analysis of the demographics of the community and the parks and recreation trends that will have an influence on the plan will be conducted. This phase will also include an extensive community outreach effort, including interviews with leadership, focus groups, stakeholder meetings, public workshops, and a community survey.

Phase III - Action Plan
The action plan defines the specific improvements and modifications to the City’s parks and facilities to be undertaken through the year 2020. Priorities will be established and recommendations made for phasing and sequencing of the improvements.

Phase IV - Implementation Plan
Phase IV will develop a plan for funding, operating, and maintaining the prioritized improvements. This phase will identify estimated costs for capital improvements and for operation and maintenance. Potential sources and amounts of revenue generation will be outlined. A funding plan will identify the sources of revenue and financing necessary for achieving the plan’s recommendations.

Phase V - Final Master Plan
The final Master Plan document will be prepared and presented to the City decision-makers for review and approval.