District Comprehensive Plan
During 2004 and 2005 the Bend Metro Park and Recreation District developed a new Park, Recreation and Green Spaces Comprehensive Plan. The Plan was adopted by the Board of Directors on September 20, 2005. You can download the BMPRD Comprehensive Plan here. Decisions made during the comprehensive planning project will have significant impacts on addressing the future park, recreation and facility needs of the community. For more information on the Comprehensive Plan and how it may affect future park and recreation facility development in your neighborhood, please contact Bruce Ronning, Director of Planning and Development, at 389-7275.
You can download the 2006-2010 Strategic Plan which provides direction regarding major initiatives during a five-year planning period.
FAQ's
What is a Comprehensive Plan?
A comprehensive plan is a tool used by park planners and the Board of Directors to anticipate and plan for growth in recreation demand. Essentially it is a road map for the District and speaks to issues identified by the Board and the community. It is important to know that the plan is community-based and is reflective of the desires and needs of District residents. The previous Comprehensive Plan was developed in 1994 and adopted in 1995. Since then the District has nearly doubled in population exceeding the 20 year population projection included in the 1995 Plan. These circumstances and the need to periodically update the District's long-range planning tools lead to the development and adoption of the 2005 Park, Recreation and Green Spaces Comprehensive Plan.
What does a Comprehensive Plan address?
The Plan primarily addresses the recreation facility needs of the District such as, how many neighborhood or community parks do we need? Where should they be located? How many sport fields are required and for which type of sport? It also anticipates and plans for the growing recreation program needs of District residents. The Plan considers the contributions of other public providers' to recreation services as well, including the importance of the use of school district facilities for recreation programs.
Does the Comprehensive Plan include community trail planning?
Yes, since 1995 the Comprehensive Plan has incorporated the Bend Urban Trails Plan and the Deschutes River Trail Action Plan jointly prepared and adopted by BMPRD and the City of Bend. The 2005 Plan will soon be amended to include a separate District-wide trails master plan that will identify the future need for additional primary trails as well as neighborhood connectors to parks and pathways within park facilities. Click on Bend Urban Trails Plan for additional information on District trails planning and development.
How are District development projects funded?
Most of the future needs identified in the Comprehensive Plan are development projects designed to meet existing and/or future community needs. Approximately 50 % these projects are requisite of recent community growth and will be funded with system development charges (SDCs). SDCs are fees paid when new homes are built. These fees can only be used to meet future park and facility needs demanded by community population growth. SDCs cannot be used to develop additional facility capacity to provide for existing need or to increase the level-of-service beyond that which current residents enjoy. Nor can SDCs be used for facility maintenance or rehabilitation. The non-SDC eligible projects identified on the District's Capital Improvement Plan utilize tax dollars and alternative funding sources. Some of the larger projects may require bond support voted on in a general election.
How were citizens involved in the comprehensive planning
process?
The Comprehensive Plan is community-based and an open public
process is crucial to its successful implementation. In the
development of the 2005 Plan, ten focus group meetings were
held in February 2004 that solicited input from more than 150
citizens. Three community-wide meetings were held that allowed
planners to gather more insight into the needs of the District.
In March 2004, a scientific Community Interest and
Opinion Survey was mailed to 1,500 households. The survey
tested issues identified in the focus group meetings and
helped to determine the overall need for recreation facilities
and activities offered by the District. In summer 2005, a
public comment period was provide for the community to evaluate
the plan and provide comments prior to adoption. On September
20, 2005, a public hearing was held and the final draft of the
Plan was adopted by the Board of Directors
