Raleigh Parks and Recreation Department Master Plan Process

Council Invites Additional Public Comment

During its regular meeting on January 17, the Raleigh City Council accepted a status report from staff on the City Parks and Recreation Department’s Public Participation and Master Planning process. Council also approved the department’s request for additional time for public review and comment before submitting the final draft document to Council for approval.

The City contracted with the Natural Resources Leader Institute, a community-service program of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service at North Carolina State University, to evaluate the department’s master plan and public participation process.

The study is a comprehensive evaluation of public involvement in the park planning process. The study involved extensive interviews with approximately 70 stakeholders that have experience with the department’s past master plan efforts. The goal was to assure a high level of quality, transparency and capacity in all aspects of park planning.

Draft documents incorporating the recommendations were developed as a result of the interviews and public input. Public review in the spring of 2010 resulted in more than 260 additional detailed comments and suggestions.

The public comments have been incorporated into three new draft documents:

• Guidelines for broad, best-practice recommendations;
• A policy that clearly states the intent, roles and responsibilities in planning actions; and,
• A manual that spells out the details of the City’s park planning action process.

Together the three documents address the core principles, the situations and parties affected, roles and responsibilities, sample public participation formats and guidelines for their use, a glossary of terms, a public education document and plan, and a constant evaluation process.

The extended public review period will run for 45 days and will include a public meeting.