ITEM 1Otsego Parks & Recreation Goals & Policies 12017
Mission Statement
Otsego Parks & Recreation, through its employees and volunteers, is committed to preserving
heritage while providing quality and innovative services, parks, and programs to its residents
and visitors.
The following are the goals & policies taken directly from the approved City of Otsego's
Comprehensive Plan.
Goal #1: Planning for the parks and trails system shall be a dynamic process that organizes
and addresses recreation activities in a comprehensive manner.
Policies:
The Parks and Recreation Department shall provide comprehensive park and recreation
programs and facilities for all residents and groups of the community.
The Parks and Recreation Commission will provide a forum for open discussion of issues
to insure early and continuing public participation in park planning and recreational
programing to continue to facilitate public awareness and encourage input on all
aspects of parks, trails, open space and recreation.
3. The Parks and Trails Plan will be based upon directions established by the Land Use Plan
and be implemented through integration with other City activities involving growth
management, economic development and provision for other public facilities and
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4. Parks and Recreation management and operations will be implemented based on City
Council and Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Committee policies, procedures
and ordinances.
5. Review and evaluate all programs to keep abreast of changing times and new ideas.
6. Support private recreational programs and facilities that offer opportunities to the
community.
7. Coordinate recreation programs and related facilities wherever practical with other
providers, both public and private, such as the School Districts, community education,
Otsego Parks & Recreation Goals & Policies 12017
civic organizations, health clubs, neighboring cities, athletic associations, cultural arts
organizations, etc.
8. Charge user fees where appropriate for participation in recreational programs as a
means of defraying costs.
9. Accept gifts and donations for recreation programs and supplies if they are free of
obligations or impacts which limit later use (by a condition of the gift), do not offend
segments of the community, or which do not come with delayed costs that cannot be
justified as being in the City's best interest or consistent with City policies.
10. Advertise City park facilities and recreation programs through the City newsletter,
brochures, newspapers, webpage, informational signs and other available media.
Goal #2: Acquire land for development of a park and trail system to fulfill the long term needs
of the present and projected population of the community.
Policies:
Acquire land for parks through dedication, purchase, eminent domain or donation.
2. Accept land to be dedicated for park and trail facilities in satisfaction of subdivision
requirements only when the parcel satisfies the needs of the community as determined
by the City.
3. Donations of lands that serve no previously defined system shall not be used to satisfy
required development dedications but may be accepted as a donation but only if they
are free of obligations or impacts that may limit their use.
4. Acquire parcels with high amenity value and unique landscape areas, such as river
frontage, water bodies, waterways, wetlands, ponds, streams, significant tree stands,
native prairie, bluffs or areas of rugged topography, as a amenities within in the
developing park system.
5. Include areas of cultural value within park lands when they exhibit qualities or have
opportunities to contribute to the park and trail system.
6. Locate trails along front property lines within a public right-of-way wherever possible,
except as part of larger linear park facilities.
Otsego Parks & Recreation Goals & Policies 12017
7. Require dedication of adequate right-of-way for sidewalks and trails during the
subdivision process or acquired as part of improvement projects.
8. Costs for the acquisition and development of park and trail facilities shall be borne by
those that benefit from the improvements.
9. Pursue grants and other alternative funding sources for the acquisition and
development of park and trail facilities.
Goal #3: Develop a comprehensive system of safe, aesthetically pleasing and parks,
greenways and trails geographically located throughout the community in a manner
compatible with surrounding land uses that provide a variety of facilities to all the people of
Otsego.
Policies:
Maintain a balance between active, passive and cultural recreational areas and activities
tailored to the needs of the entire community.
2. Integrate parks, greenways and trails as a comprehensive system for serving the
recreation needs of the community through physical connections and planned
development of a full variety of facilities and diverse uses during all seasons.
Site location, type and extent of park lands acquired by the City will be considered in
determining facility development.
4. Make improvements to the park and trail system based on a classification system of
park and trail facilities defined by the Comprehensive Plan.
5. Recognize the existence and function of private recreation facilities within the
community to avoid unnecessary duplication and conserve financial resources in
acquiring and developing public parks and trails.
6. Establish consistent design elements for park and trail facilities (buildings, play
equipment, landscape plantings, signage, fixtures, etc.) that promote community
identity and recognition of public facilities.
7. Consider long-term costs for maintenance and operation in a facility's design and
construction as part of the planning process.
Otsego Parks & Recreation Goals & Policies 12017
8. Park development shall minimize impacts upon adjacent land uses through provision
for, but not limited, to the following:
a. Appropriate location and orientation of activity areas and buildings.
b. Screening and landscaping site design elements.
C. Structures are to be designed with appropriate scale, design and color and
constructed of quality materials.
d. Adequate off-street parking.
9. Coordinate local facility development and related services with the needs and facilities
of surrounding communities, school districts, athletic associations, civic groups and
other organizations.
10. Preserve inherent natural amenities or cultural resources when planning the
development of specific park and trail sites.
11. Maximize accessibility to parks and other community destinations to best serve area
residents.
12. Provide sidewalks along at least one side of all local streets within residential
neighborhoods and on both sides of all streets within commercial subdivisions.
13. Establish greenway corridors to break up urban land use patterns, allow wildlife
movement, and preserve open space while allowing the community to enjoy the natural
amenities within Otsego.
14. Include both buildable land and environmentally sensitive areas with a greenway linear
park design to conserve and enhance areas such as forests, water bodies, waterways,
wetlands, ponds, natural prairies, bluffs or other natural amenities within the
community.
15. Coordinate greenway corridors with City stormwater management and other utility
plans.
16. Trails shall serve both transportation and recreational functions as connections between
activity centers or by providing access to natural areas, waterways, water bodies or
other natural areas.
17. Construct trails in conjunction with State, County or City street improvement projects to
minimize construction costs.
Otsego Parks & Recreation Goals & Policies 112017
18. Plan trail corridors that minimize conflicts between pedestrians, bicyclists and motor
vehicles.
19. Construction of trails in accordance with City design standards shall be required of
developers with land abutting major collector or arterial streets.
20. Plan for the long-term development of more intensive recreational facilities and services
to meet the needs of a growing urban population.
21. Provide for the efficient maintenance and operation of clean, safe, attractive park and
trail facilities.
22. The use of motorized recreational vehicles or riding horseback shall be limited to
designated areas.
23. Continue to allow regulated snowmobile street use in the City in accordance with the
City Code provided that snowmobile traffic does not becomes a hazard to public safety
and welfare.
24. Encourage continued support of the City's private snowmobile club in the maintenance
and upkeep of snowmobile trails and policing snowmobile use.
Goal #4: The Parks and Recreation Department will provide for the efficient maintenance and
operation of clean, orderly, controlled, safe and attractive park lands and recreation facilities.
Policies:
Provide effective management and staffing of all facilities through the annual budget
process to ensure delivery of quality recreational experiences to park users.
2. Parks and recreational facilities will be maintained according to generally accepted
standards of performance and comply with all applicable safety requirements.
3. Provide adequate maintenance of trail facilities to insure their availability for use
throughout the year and their safe condition for the protection of the user including
removal of snow from trails accessing school facilities and remove snow from all other
trails as established by priority ranking and as time allows.