⬚ figure

PUBLIC PLACES

PARKS, RECREATION, AND OPEN SPACE ELEMENT

PRINCIPLES

The core principles for the City of Fort Lauderdale Parks and Recreation Element target ensuring equity, accessibility, and equality in community programming in order to enhance local quality of life for residents and visitors of all ages and abilities.

Fort Lauderdale strives to be a community that leverages programming and inviting gathering places to create opportunities for new connections between people, community, and a collective future.

The City commits to maintaining proper care of the City's parks and open spaces, enhancing public access through the development and diversification of new open spaces as well as multimodal connections to existing green and blue spaces.

Ensuring quality spaces that preserves and creates beauty, this Element focuses on ensuring a safe experience that targets community unity and healthy lifestyles, with quality spaces for leisure.

PARKS, RECREATION, AND OPEN SPACE ELEMENT

GOALS, POLICIES, AND EVALUATION MEASURES

GOAL 1: Be a community where persons of all ages are able to partake in a fun and healthy lifestyle.

OBJECTIVE PR 1.1: Providing for Park Space

Ensure that the provision of parks, facilities, and programs adequately meets or exceeds the needs and desires of the City’s residents.

POLICY PR 1.1.1: The following parks and open space areas as defined below may count toward the park level of service as required by the City and in meeting the Level of Service conditions of BrowardNEXT:

⬚ figure

Community Parks - All park and open space acreage that is owned by the City and zoned and/or utilized for open space or recreation use, and which is accessible to the public on a regular or continuous basis for the purpose for which it is intended.

Recreational acreage that is part of the educational facilities of the Broward County School Board and is either leased or jointly used by the City for public recreational purposes or made available to the public by other agreement with the Broward County School Board shall count as Community Park Space.

Conservation Area - Acreage designated on the future land use plan map or deed-restricted as “conservation” shall be counted toward the community parks requirement if the “conservation” acreage is owned by or falls within the jurisdictional boundary of the City. Such “conservation” acreage may, due to a need to protect sensitive natural features and/or habitat, restrict regular or continuous public access but must be made available to the public when appropriate through designated public access granted to limited areas, or in conjunction with an authorized educational or recreational program.

Greenways - Linear open space established along either a natural corridor, such as a riverfront, stream valley, or ridgeline, or over land along a railroad right-of-way converted to recreational use, a canal, a scenic road, or other route; any natural or landscaped course for pedestrian or bicycle passage; an open space connector linking parks, nature reserves, cultural features, or historic sites with each other and populated areas; or a local strip or linear park designated as a parkway or greenbelt.

Medians or other rights-of-way which lend themselves to be accessible for safe public use and that have been adopted to be included in the park system through may counted toward the level of service.

Open Space - Publicly-accessible lands with surface open to the sky, other than covered arcades, suitable and adapted for utilization for preservation, planting areas, recreational opportunities or urban community functions such as green space, plaza or urban square. The City’s park and open space inventory will distinguish between private and public open space.

PARKS, RECREATION, AND OPEN SPACE ELEMENT

Regional Park - Publicly owned park acreage utilized by the Broward County Board of County Commissioners to meet the regional level parks requirement of the Broward County Land Use Plan, except that acreage used to help meet the Community Parks requirements of the Broward County Land Use Plan. This space is zoned and/or utilized for open space or recreation use, and which is accessible to the public on a regular or continuous basis for the purpose for which it is intended.

Waterways/Water - Water bodies located within the boundaries of an established park within the City shall be counted as meeting the City’s adopted Level of Service. Any additional waterway or water body that is counted as a part of a park must have sufficient safe public access from the landward side along the shoreline of the waterway/water body within the City’s boundaries. It is recognized that there may be several recreational/environmental purposes for a waterway/water body, and such may have different recreational/environmental purposes at different access points. 10% of such areas adjacent to a publicly accessible park or open space may be counted as contributing to the City’s Level of Service above 3 acres/1000 people. For the purposes of this calculation, the water area shall be defined as bounded by the edge of the water, and a natural extension of the park’s boundary to the opposite edge of water.

POLICY PR 1.1.2: To ensure that any privately held open spaces provided to serve the public are of adequate size and can accommodate required amenities, the City shall establish minimum dimensions and configurations, among other design standards as applicable, for public open space as part of its ULDR.

EVALUATION MEASURE PR 1.1.3: The City will provide parkland and open space to meet a Level of Service Standards of 4.5-acres of park and open space per one thousand residents at a service radius of less than one-half mile to parks, playgrounds and walking and biking trails for all residents. The 4.5-acre standard shall be comprised of a mix of parkland, open space and facility types.

EVALUATION MEASURE PR 1.1.3a: 3 acres of community level parks for each 1000 residents.

EVALUATION MEASURE PR 1.1.3b: The City shall ensure consistency in, in its requirements, among Florida Statues, Florida Administrative Code, BrowardNext, and the City’s Parks and Recreation System Master Plan. The City shall update its policies as applicable upon changes in Broward County LOS standards.

EVALUATION MEASURE PR 1.1.3c: The City will assess credit for private parks and recreational space towards the LOS standards based on the following criteria:

I. Up to 50% of the total acreage of publicly owned golf courses that are zoned for recreational use and semi-public golf courses that are either zoned and deed restricted for open space use or zoned and restricted by other development order, such as site plan or subdivision approval, for open space use. However, golf course acreage may satisfy no more than 15% of the total Community Park requirement. II. Other private recreational acreage or open areas over 0.5 acres that are zoned and deed restricted for open space use including a mixture of active and passive recreational facilities. Up to 100% of the total acreage may be counted provided the area does not exceed 3 acres/1,000 residents sharing the facilities. III. Total acreage of public or private Regional Parks located within municipal jurisdiction.

PARKS, RECREATION, AND OPEN SPACE ELEMENT

POLICY PR 1.1.4: Continue to review and revise, where necessary, the City’s land development codes and regulations to ensure that all new development in the City of Fort Lauderdale meets the established level of service standards.

EVALUATION MEASURE PR 1.1.4a: The City shall encourage publicly accessible open space through requirements for new residential development projects, in order to accommodate the City’s needs. Such open space shall include greenways, blueways, neighborhood trails, and other natural areas.

EVALUATION MEASURE PR 1.1.4b: The City shall amend the Comprehensive Plan within 12 months and the ULDRs within 18 months of adoption of any Parks and Recreation System Master Plan updates.

POLICY PR 1.1.4c: All designated park sites are to be zoned P for Parks, Recreation and Open Space and have a land use designation of Park-Open Space, where appropriate.

POLICY PR 1.1.4d: No parkland shall be diverted to other uses except in instances of overriding public interest.

POLICY PR 1.1.5: The City shall, by 2023, establish and begin to implement a Blueways System Plan for existing navigable waterways.

POLICY PR 1.1.6: Amendments to the Land Use Plan containing golf courses, including closed golf courses, shall address the following:

a. The impact of the loss of open space on the surrounding residential areas. The loss of open space must be mitigated through provision of parks and open space to serve the surrounding neighborhood.

b. Management of storm water retention taking into account the extent to which the golf course provided storm water retention for the surrounding development and how this will be mitigated, along with any additional storm water impacts created by the new development.

⬚ figure

c. Minimization of the impact on natural resources including wetlands, lakes, aquifer recharge areas and the tree canopy, including any historic trees on the site.

d. Mitigation of environmental contamination. The level of environmental contamination must be determined by conducting a Phase 1 environmental assessment. A Phase 2 environmental assessment may be required based upon the findings of the Phase 1 assessment.

e. Integration of the proposed development with the surrounding areas including how the development will tie into the existing neighborhoods through roads, sidewalks, parks/open space and greenways.

PARKS, RECREATION, AND OPEN SPACE ELEMENT

OBJECTIVE PR 1.2: Age Equity for Park Space

Ensure affordable recreation opportunities are available for individuals of all ages.

EVALUATION MEASURE PR 1.2.1: Utilize the Local Facility Guidelines (LFG) in the Parks and Recreation System Master Plan, where applicable, as minimum provisional requirements, when programming new and renovated recreational facilities and park spaces.

POLICY PR 1.2.2: Where the School Board of Broward County has facilities for recreation established, the City of Fort Lauderdale shall continue to propose agreements for joint use of these facilities. School facilities will be considered equivalent to a neighborhood park and as applicable to satisfy the conditions of EVALUATION MEASURE PR 1.2.1. This substitution may only be used where satisfactory interlocal use agreements have been negotiated and agreed upon. The City of Fort Lauderdale shall identify potential locations for joint use, with priority given to neighborhood areas experiencing a park space deficiency.

⬚ figure

OBJECTIVE PR 1.3: Accessibility for All Parks

Ensure accessibility to parkland, open space, playgrounds, trails and related facilities.

POLICY PR 1.3.1: In order to ensure that parklands are equitably distributed, the City of Fort Lauderdale shall give high priority in developing its park system based on gaps in service radii.

EVALUATION MEASURE PR 1.3.1a: This service radii is intended to be used in conjunction with the one-half (1/2) mile service radii, to provide the best service to the adjacent population, where applicable. The additional service radius for each park type will be as follows:

• Urban Open Spaces = 5-minute unobstructed walk
• Neighborhood Parks = 10-minute unobstructed walk
• Community Parks = 20-minute unobstructed walk
• Large Urban Park, and Special Use Facilities/Parks = 30-minute drive

POLICY PR 1.3.1b: Any parkland diverted to other uses shall be effectively replaced within its applicable park service area.

POLICY PR 1.3.2: All park facilities should be designed to accommodate safe and convenient pedestrian and bicycle access and connectivity.

EVALUATION MEASURE PR 1.3.2a: The City shall look for opportunities to ensure safe and convenient pedestrian and bicycle access to parks, playgrounds and other recreational facilities within one-half (1/2) mile of all residential dwellings, where applicable, especially in the case of neighborhood-serving sites, and where applicable, to regional pedestrian and bicycle trails and transit systems to encourage alternative transportation.

⬚ figure

PARKS, RECREATION, AND OPEN SPACE ELEMENT

POLICY PR 1.3.2b: Assure and improve continued public access to existing Recreation and Open Space, particularly as related to the public beach, and boating and fishing areas.

POLICY PR 1.3.2c: The City shall coordinate, with Broward County, to ensure connectivity between present and future recreation sites with existing and planned transportation systems (including transit-routes, the Broward County Proposed Greenways System, and other pedestrian and bicycle transportation facilities such as sidewalks, shared-use paths, and bike lanes).

POLICY PR 1.3.2d: Coordinate with Broward County to ensure facilities apply design principles that place pedestrians as first-priority.

POLICY PR 1.3.3: The City shall ensure and improve public access to the beach, Riverwalk, waterways, parks, and City owned open spaces.

OBJECTIVE PR 1.4: Accessibility for the Mobility Impaired

Enhance the accessibility for mobility impaired individuals for parkland, open space, playgrounds, trails and related facilities.

POLICY PR 1.4.1: The City will, when feasible, improve accessibility and linkage for mobility impaired populations by upgrading the existing infrastructure that provides access to and guidance within parks (e.g. sidewalks, walkways, bikeways, trails, directional markers, etc.).

POLICY PR 1.4.2: ADA accessibility requirements guidelines will be met or exceeded at every park or facility location.

POLICY PR 1.4.3: The City will require accessibility for all residents, including elderly, handicapped, and economically disadvantaged with special mobility needs, as a design criterion for new facilities and retrofit all existing park sites and facilities by 2023.

GOAL 2: Be a community with high quality parks and recreational facilities that highlight the character of our City.

OBJECTIVE PR 2.1: Preservation and Enhancement of Parks

Ensure a high level of maintenance and facility development to preserve and enhance quality of parks and recreational facilities.

POLICY PR 2.1.1: The Parks and Recreation Department shall continue to maintain a computerized inventory and map of all public recreational lands and facilities.

POLICY PR 2.1.1a: The City shall maintain a listing, including acreage information, of all privately owned and/or maintained, publicly accessible sites and facilities which have been provided for public use through appropriate mechanisms, and accepted by the City as such, as part of the parks system.

POLICY PR 2.1.2: The Parks and Recreation Department shall prepare and maintain an annually updated and coordinated five-year Parks and Recreation Capital Improvement Program.

PARKS, RECREATION, AND OPEN SPACE ELEMENT

POLICY PR 2.1.2a: Projects included in the Capital Improvement Program related to park and recreation facilities shall be arrayed in rank order, with a relative priority being determined, in order, by:

• Protection and maintenance of the City's investments;
• Public Safety;
• Upgrading and replacement of existing sites; and
• Need for new facilities and expansion (to meet LOS standards).

POLICY PR 2.1.2b: Within five (5) years of its last update, or if changes regarding parks and recreation occur within Florida Statutes or Broward Next, the City shall reassess, through the Parks and Recreation System Master Plan updates, the ability of existing sites and facilities to meet the changing needs of the population to be served.

POLICY PR 2.1.2c: The City shall, in the design of new public spaces, include the community throughout the planning and design process.

OBJECTIVE PR 2.2: Funding

Identify new funding sources for expansion of parks and recreation facilities and make use of all available funding sources and partnerships in the provision of quality recreation and open space opportunities.

POLICY PR 2.2.1: The City shall allocate the necessary funds to supervise and maintain existing parks and recreational facilities in a state of good and safe operational condition, to protect the public investment.

POLICY PR 2.2.2: The City shall continue and enhance use of subdivision reviews, Developments of Regional Impact (DRI), Planned Unit Developments (PUD)s, site plan review and other mechanisms to provide enhanced recreation and open space opportunities.

POLICY PR 2.2.2a: To ensure that land development contributes a proportionate share of the cost of Parks and Recreation Facilities, the City of Fort Lauderdale shall continue to implement the improvement, dedication, and impact fee requirements contained within the City's ULDR.

POLICY PR 2.2.2b: The City shall maintain and improve the existing recreation lands and encourage the dedication of properties for recreation and open space uses through incentives.

POLICY PR 2.2.2c: The City shall explore all regulatory mechanisms, as well as identify and implement alternative funding mechanisms (including, but not limited to conservation easements, covenants, options to purchase, and right of first refusal) for parks and open space.

⬚ figure

POLICY PR 2.2.3: The City of Fort Lauderdale shall consider the following criteria and objectives as park projects are undertaken, particularly with projects utilizing or attempting to obtain federal and/or state grants:

PARKS, RECREATION, AND OPEN SPACE ELEMENT

• The project’s ability to maintain or improve park levels of service, as defined in Goal 1 of this element;
• The protection of Endangered and Threatened Species and Species of Special Concern, including rare or threatened flora and fauna communities;
• The enhancement or restoration of natural areas and shoreline ecosystems, and the removal of nuisance and/or exotic vegetation;
• The creation or continuation of greenway systems utilizing environmentally sensitive lands, existing linear open spaces, or designated Brownfield areas;
• The preservation of healthy large canopy trees;
• The protection or improvement of groundwater quality and/or surface water quality;
• The protection of natural resources from potential adverse impacts associated with uses or activities on adjacent lands, including a land use compatibility analysis and the provision of wetland buffers and buffer yards in the Growth Management Plan and Land Development Code. Where applicable, the City shall ensure that the environmental systems mentioned above are protected, preserved, and/or enhanced;
• To provide for coordination between the local government and other federal, state and local agencies or nonprofit organizations in acquiring or managing natural areas or open space; and
• Climate change related projects, including those pertaining to sea level rise, flood mitigation, and Adaptation Action Areas (AAAs).

POLICY PR 2.2.4: The City shall continue and expand the use of cooperative public-private partnerships, or P3s, public and private schools, surrounding jurisdictions nonprofit agencies, houses of worship and the private sector to help ensure facilities for active recreational opportunities year-round.

OBJECTIVE PR 2.3: Park Safety

Ensure that parks and their facilities have adequate meet or exceed safety measures for visitors and users.

POLICY PR 2.3.1: Maintain and improve infrastructure within park properties to promote safe use of facilities and mitigate potential harm to patrons.

POLICY PR 2.3.2: Provide security measures (including lighting and other applicable infrastructure) to reduce after hour use of parks and facilities and the amount of crime criminal activity that occurs within or around park locations.

POLICY PR 2.3.3: Encourage Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) concepts/ guidelines for all recreational and open spaces in Fort Lauderdale. Where possible, the City shall encourage training on CPTED concepts for staff.

POLICY PR 2.3.4: Through policy initiatives and coordination with the Police Department, the City shall give high priority to public safety at park and recreation sites.

POLICY PR 2.3.5: The City shall continue to implement the policies and principles to achieve Vision Zero safe streets (i.e. the “five Es” - Engineering, Education, Encouragement, Enforcement, and Evaluation), which includes specific objectives intended to increase Fort Lauderdale’s walkability, bikeability, connectivity, and safety.

PARKS, RECREATION, AND OPEN SPACE ELEMENT

POLICY PR 2.3.6: Encourage intergovernmental coordination to improve the appropriate perception and awareness of safety within public park and recreation areas.

OBJECTIVE PR 2.4: Ensure Public Feedback on Programming

Engage in conversation with the public to ensure adequate levels of recreational programming and promote usage of parks and recreation resources.

POLICY PR 2.4.1: The City shall establish regularly occurring communication to obtain public input into key park planning and design decisions.

⬚ figure

POLICY PR 2.4.1a: The City shall conduct one annual citywide survey of the population to determine the adequacy and quality of services and to determine areas of dissatisfaction and need.

POLICY PR 2.4.1b: The City shall gather and analyze participation and usage data as a measure of programming success and utilization effectiveness.

POLICY PR 2.4.1c: The City shall administer survey sampling in all parks on an ongoing basis to update/address park maintenance concerns and recreational needs.

POLICY PR 2.4.2: The City shall utilize a variety of avenues, including social media and other technology-based communication systems, to communicate with and solicit input from the public.

OBJECTIVE PR 2.5: Promotion of Community Unity and Health

Create and leverage parks and recreation programming to promote community unity and health.

POLICY PR 2.5.1: The City shall research and initiate new recreation facilities and programs to expand recreational opportunities.

POLICY PR 2.5.1a: The City shall maintain and publicize a schedule of annual and special events open to the public.

POLICY PR 2.5.1b: The City shall utilize program evaluations to determine and document user satisfaction and preferences in recreational and special programming.

POLICY PR 2.5.2: The City shall strive to ensure that all youth residents should be able to participate in an out of school or summer camp programs.

POLICY PARK 2.5.3: The City shall incorporate healthy community programming through education and physical activity programming.

POLICY PR 2.5.3a: Promote nutrition education at parks through awareness and outreach campaigns such as community fruit tree planting programs.

PARKS, RECREATION, AND OPEN SPACE ELEMENT

OBJECTIVE PR 2.6: Promoting Economic Development

Integrate in parks and recreation planning the significant role leisure provision plays in economic prosperity of the community.

POLICY PR 2.6.1: The Parks and Recreation Department shall assist the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce and the Visitor and Convention Bureau in promoting recreation activities and facilities to our visitors and residents by providing maps, brochures, and up-to-date information as needed.

POLICY PR 2.6.2: The enhancement of open space recreational areas shall be used as incentives for redevelopment in deteriorating or underutilized areas of the City by giving priority to projects in eligible Community Development Block Grant Program Areas, or Community Redevelopment Areas.

GOAL 3: Showcase the natural beauty and spirit of Fort Lauderdale by highlighting our parks and recreational facilities and planning for resiliency to adapt to climate change.

OBJECTIVE PR 3.1: Park Beautification and Preservation

Enhance the beauty of green space, parks, major corridors, gateways, and medians.

POLICY PR 3.1.1: Proposed park sites, and existing park sites scheduled to be renovated, shall be evaluated as to their existing and potential environmental quality, the preservation of historical, cultural or archaeologically significant resources and their impact on the City's park levels of service.

⬚ figure

POLICY PR 3.1.2: The City's Land Development Regulations shall require landscaping of public projects, as well as private development. The City's adopted Land Development Regulations will be implemented consistent with F.S.163.3202 (1).

POLICY PR 3.1.3: Discourage development, within or adjacent to unique natural areas, where such activity will have significant detrimental effects on the aesthetic and environmental quality of the unique natural areas.

POLICY PR 3.1.4: Follow City of Fort Lauderdale design guidelines for all recreational and open space adhering to current definition of Natural Resource Protection Areas (NRPA).

POLICY PR 3.1.5: The Parks and Recreation Department shall utilize Florida-Friendly and/or native plant materials, where appropriate, in development of new parks, redevelopment of existing park sites, and at other public locations to achieve the benefits associated with such materials (lower maintenance costs, habitat provision, drought tolerance, etc.).

PARKS, RECREATION, AND OPEN SPACE ELEMENT

OBJECTIVE PR 3.2: Public Art in Parks

Encourage public art in parks, open spaces, and public spaces.

EVALUATION MEASURE PR 3.2.1: By 2021, the City shall fully evaluate the feasibility and funding structure necessary to establish dedicated public arts funding for future public art installments in parks, open spaces, and public spaces, and set benchmark goals for public arts installation in City parks and open space.

POLICY PR 3.2.2: By 2023, the City shall encourage public art by establishing an annually-updated list of premium locations for future public art installments in parks, open spaces, and public spaces.

⬚ figure

OBJECTIVE PR 3.3: Parks and Climate Change

Acknowledge the idea that parks, open spaces, and green spaces can be pivotal to climate change adaptation and resiliency.

POLICY PR 3.3.1: Parks and Recreation staff shall coordinate and participate in discussions, when appropriate, pertaining to the intersection of climate change, parks management, and resiliency, to support the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact.

POLICY PR 3.3.2: The City shall keep or obtain record of Parks and open spaces that are vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and its effects (e.g. flooding), including those located within City and/or County defined Adaptation Action Areas (AAAs).

POLICY PR 3.3.2a: Based on information and data gathered, the City shall consider acquisition of repetitive-loss properties in order to prevent future flood damage. Where possible, acquired properties shall be converted into multi-beneficial flexible space including stormwater features, recreational space or open space facilities.

⬚ figure

POLICY PR 3.3.3: By 2025, the City will create a plan and prioritize specific parks in which to install renewable energy infrastructure (e.g. solar panels).

POLICY PR 3.3.4: The City shall strive to ensure all new park facilities and projects are designed and built to a performance standard equivalent to meet a LEED rating of Silver or higher, where applicable.

POLICY PR 3.3.5: The City shall incorporate sustainable building and Florida Friendly landscaping design for all parks and recreation facilities (including retrofitting and/or renovation projects).

POLICY PR 3.3.6: The City’s provision of park and open space properties shall be consistent with the Goals, Objectives, and Policies of related climate change and resiliency Elements, including the Coastal Management Element and Climate Change Element.