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Recreation Element
May 2006 - Draft Page 1
Recreation Element
“ Park improvement is among the most important of the undertakings now before the City. It should have the cordial cooperation of all.” San Diego Union Editorial on the City Park System, July 6, 1910
Purpose and Intent
To preserve, acquire, develop, operate/maintain, increase and enhance public recreation opportunities and facilities throughout the city for all users.
Plan Issues
♦ As resident and visitor population continues to grow, the demand on existing/remaining usable park and recreation resources/facilities will increase, especially in developed communities, as will the pressure to develop open space lands and resource-based parks for recreational purposes.
♦ Development of a comprehensive Parks Master Plan (PMP) which utilizes the standards set forth in the General Plan, recognizes community differences, and addresses existing deficiencies as well as future needs.
♦ Existing neighborhood and community park acreage are recreational facilities are insufficient to meet the current and anticipated population needs of most urbanized communities.
♦ Inequitable distribution of and access to park city-wide, especially in older, developed communities; in developed communities, park and other community uses must be balanced in order to achieve livable neighborhoods and communities.
♦ Long-term coordination and partnerships with schools, other public agencies or private entities have not been optimized to provide needed recreational opportunities where land is limited or not available.
♦ Alternative methods to evaluate/achieve City park standards/usable acres, especially in developed communities where land is limited or not available.
♦ Improving access and interconnectivity to and between parks, including joint-use and certain privatized facilities, for all residents within recommended service areas.
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♦ Recreational needs vary greatly throughout the city by community; policies and strategies to achieve city-wide goals and standards must recognize and address these differences.
♦ The mechanisms for collecting appropriate park fees are insufficient to meet population- based neighborhood and community park needs or existing and future residents.
Introduction
The city’s parks, open space, trails, and recreation facilities play an important role in the physical, mental, social, and environmental health of the city and its residents. They strengthen the body and assist in maintaining physical well-being. They provide the visual relief and relaxation that refreshes and restores the frame of mind. They create opportunities for social interaction and provide alternatives to crime. They improve air quality, reduce urban runoff, and decrease the effects of urban heat islands.
The City of San Diego provides three use categories of parks and recreation for residents and visitors: population-based, resource-based and open space, and amenity-based recreation. These three categories of recreation, including land, facilities and programming, constitute the City of San Diego’s municipal park and recreation system.
- Population-based parks, facilities and services are located in close proximity to residential development and are intended to serve the daily needs of the neighborhood and community. When possible, they adjoin schools in order to share facilities, and ideally are within walking distance of the residences within their service area.
- Resource-based parks are located at, or centered on, notable natural or man-made features (beaches, canyons, habitat systems, lakes, historic sites, and cultural facilities) and are intended to serve the citywide population as well as visitors.
- Natural open space lands are city-owned land located throughout the city consisting of canyons, mesas, and other natural landforms. This open space is intended to preserve and protect native plants and animals, while providing public access and enjoyment by the use of hiking, biking, and equestrian trails.
City of San Diego definitions for ‘park’ and ‘open space’ vary according to the context in which the terms are used (see Table RE-1, Types of Parks and Open Space in the City of San Diego). For purposes of this document , General Plan-designated open space and parks are those areas of the city that are identified in adopted land use plans as open space or parks. As such, these areas include population and resource-based parks, open space with natural or cultural value (including Multiple Habitat Planning Area [MHPA] lands), and areas identified in land use plans that may not contain natural or cultural characteristics, but instead function to provide a land use buffer, visual relief, or similar purpose. Figure RE-1 (Add in Major Open Space Area to Map), General Plan-Designated Open Space/Parks Map identifies open space and parks in this context.
The City of San Diego General Plan Recreation Element
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May 2006 - Draft
Table RE – 1
Types of Park and Open Space in the City of San Diego
Type of PolicyDocument/Process
Type of Park/Open Space
Definition/Description
Attributes/Examples
General Plan &Community Land UsePlans
GeneralPlan/CommunityPan DesignatedParks andOpen Space
Land identified in adoptedland use plan for use as eitherpopulation or resource-basedparks or open space.
Publicly or privately-ownedSatisfies park and open space objectives of a land use planMay be modified by City Council through a land use plan amendmentIncludes Multi-Habitat Preservation Area (MHPA) landsMay also include resources to protect public good (e.g., aesthetics, flood plains, historic)*E
XAMPLES
:^ Designated “Open Space” and “Park” lands that are controlled or held by private owners,
quasi-public agencies or various City Department. City Water Department reservoir lands (e.g., MSCPCornerstone Lands), MWWD lands around facilities, Del Mar Mesa Community Plan Open Space, etc.(ADD OTHERS/P&R Review).
City CouncilDesignatedParkland and OpenSpace
Land set aside by Cityresolution for park andrecreation purposes (includingopen space).
Publicly-owned and managed by Park & Recreation Dept.May be used for any public purpose deemed necessary by the City CouncilIncludes population-based and other types of parks and open space usesReviewed periodically for consideration as dedicated parklandMay be designated through subdivision process*E
XAMPLES
:^ Mission Trails Regional Park and Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve (portions not formally
dedicated yet), Rose Canyon, Marion Bear Park, La Jolla Shores Park/Cove, Rancho Encantada OpenSpace (a.k.a. Mission Trails North), etc. (ADD OTHERS/P&R Review).
Council Policy
City CouncilDedicatedParkland
Land dedicated by Cityordinance or State legislaturefor park and recreationpurposes only (including openspace).
Publicly owned and managed by Park & Recreation Dept.Limited to park, recreation, and cemetery useMay include population-based and other types of parks and open space usesTwo-thirds voter approval required to remove dedicationProposed dedications require recommendation by Park and Recreation Board prior to City Council action*E
XAMPLES
:^ Mission Trails Regional Park and Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve (portions formally
dedicated), Mt. Hope Cemetery, Tecolote Canyon Park, Mission Bay, San Diego Zoo (ADDOTHERS/P&R Review).
Development ReviewProcess/Exactions
OtherDevelopmentRestrictedParkland/OpenSpace
Land encumbered by openspace easement in favor of theCity, or identified in thesubdivision process as a parkor an open space lot.
Not publicly ownedFuture development controlled by restrictions placed on property by the CityCity Council action required to remove restrictionsMay also have an open space designation in community planSubdivision/project mitigation for habitat/species impacts (private owner retains ownership).*E
XAMPLES
:^ Rancho Encantada Open Space (a.k.a. Mission Trails North), Montana Mirador, Pacific
Highlands Ranch Open Space/Wildlife Crossing, Torrey Surf (ADD OTHERS/P&R Review).
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A. Public Access and Recreational Opportunities
Goals
♦ Provide a diverse range of active and passive recreation opportunities that achieves the needs and desires of each neighborhood/community which reinforces and//respects the city’s natural beauty and resources.
♦ Provide a park and recreation facilities that are designed to accommodate the needs of a diverse population.
♦ Provide a park and open space system that is integrated into and accessible to the community and adds to the citywide inter-connected Open Space/Park system.
♦ Effectively manage our regional and urban parks and open space system, including our bays, zoos, beaches, rivers, which gives our region identity, attracts tourism and enriches the quality of life for residents and visitors alike.
Discussion
San Diego’s mild climate, diverse topography, and unique location physically define the city and enhance its recreational opportunities. San Diego is fortunate to have a temperate climate that makes comfortable year-round outdoor recreation possible. The hillsides, canyons, mesas, and floodplains that define the city’s topography provide numerous and varied recreational opportunities. The city’s coastal location, its beaches, bays, and estuaries, provide a combination of active and passive recreation. San Diego is also defined by its diverse neighborhoods and communities. These neighborhoods and communities are reflective of the wide array of cultures, income levels, ethnicities, and household types that represent the city and influence its recreation choices.
Recreation and leisure-time activities are defined by the user, and include active and passive pursuits. While some residents and visitors may participate in active recreation such as organized or programmed sports, others may choose passive activities such as reading under a shade tree, strolling through a garden, or observing nature. Individual recreation choices are based on a number of factors including location, age, family composition, schedule, physical ability, and culture.
The city’s park and recreation system offers a broad range of recreation opportunities. It is a network of park lands, open space, recreation facilities, programs, and staff services designed to meet the specialized needs of individual neighborhoods and communities. The City provides numerous opportunities for recreation and leisurely pursuits throughout the city including sports fields and organized team sports, swimming pools, tennis courts, parks, beaches, picnic areas,
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Key to the preservation and enhancement of open space and parkland are the city’s resource- based parks which are home to many of the city’s cultural and natural resources. Cultural resources are man-made physical features associated with human activity. In addition to their historic value, cultural resources often function as recreation facilities. The Old Mission Dam (Padre Dam) in Mission Trails Regional Park and the Presidio and Fort Stockton in Presidio Park are examples of cultural resources that provide recreational value. Natural resources are the naturally occurring environmental attributes of the region. They include the beaches, canyons, mesas, rivers, floodplains, and associated plants and animals. These resources, like cultural resources, provide varying opportunities for recreation. Cultural and natural resources should be protected and preserved as reminders of man’s historic presence, the regions’ natural history, and to provide maximum educational, recreational, and aesthetic benefit for the citizens of, and visitors to San Diego.
Mission Trails Regional Park has been called the third jewel in the City of San Diego Park System (Balboa Park and Mission Bay Park are the first and second.) Started in 1974, Mission Trails Regional Park is one of the largest urban parks in the United States. Originally inhabited by the Kumeyaay Indians, it is the site of the Old Mission Dam, built to store water for the Mission San Diego de Alcalá. The park encompasses approximately 8,000 acres of rugged hills, valleys, and open areas which represent a San Diego prior to the landing of Explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo in San Diego Bay in 1542.
Mission Trails Regional Park provides San Diego residents and visitors a way to explore the cultural, historical, and outdoor recreational aspects of San Diego. The park is operated and maintained by the City of San Diego in close partnership with the Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation. With more than 40 miles of trails, boating on Lake Murray, camping at Kumeyaay Lake, numerous informative hikes, and a state-of-the-art Visitor & Interpretive Center, Mission Trails Regional Park has something to offer everyone.
Policies
RE-B.1. Protect existing parklands and open space from unauthorized encroachment by adjacent development though appropriate enforcement measures.
RE-B.2. Acquire land abutting exiting parks and open space lands to protect the integrity of the park, open space or resource, where appropriate.
RE-B.3. Protect, manage and enhance resource-based parks and open space lands through appropriate means which include sensitive planning, park and open space dedications and physical protective devices.
RE-B.4. Identify and secure funding sources necessary for protecting and preserving resource- based parks and open space.
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RE-B.5. Preserve all beaches for public-only purposes, including the protection of sensitive habitat and species.
RE-B.6. Design parks to preserve, enhance, and incorporate items of natural, cultural, or historic importance.
RE-B.7. Protect parks from over commercialization and over-privatization.
RE-B.8. Protect beaches and canyons from uncontrolled urban run off.
RE-B.9. Develop programs to educate the public on the variety, importance, and recreational uses of the city’s natural and cultural resources.
RE-B.10. Balance the needs for land for residential, commercial, and industrial use with the needs for land for parks and open space use.
RE-B.11. Require private recreation venues to clearly identify that the facility and programs are for public use to help maintain and expand recreation programs.
C. Accessibility
Goals
♦ Provide a park and recreation facilities that are designed to accommodate the needs of a diverse population.
♦ Provide park and recreation facilities that promote safe and timely access by foot, bicycle, public transit, automobile, and alternative modes of travel.
♦ Provide an inter-connected park and open space system that is integrated into and accessible to the community.
Discussion
Park and recreation facilities enhance the quality of life for all San Diegans. The Strategic Framework Element recommends that park and recreation facilities be integrated into the urban fabric so they become a convenient and easily accessible part of the daily life of San Diegans. San Diego’s recreation system is comprised of a large number of facility types and programs dispersed throughout the city.
Recreation access has three components: linkage, opportunity, and availability. Regarding recreation linkages, ideally, all facilities should be located within walking distance of residential
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RE-C.6. Provide safe and convenient linkages to and within park and recreation facilities and open space areas. a. Provide pedestrian and bicycle paths between recreation facilities and residential development. b. Designate pedestrian and bicycle corridors, and where appropriate, equestrian corridors, that link residential neighborhoods with park and recreation facilities, trails, and open space. c. Improve public access through development of, and improvements to, multi-use trails within urban canyons and other open space areas.
RE-C.7. Provide public access to open space for recreational purposes. a. Provide public access into Multiple Species Conservation Program (MSCP) open space for only those recreational purposes deemed compatible with the preservation goals of the MSCP Subarea Plan. b. Provide public access at locations consistent with the goals and policies of the Conservation Element. c. Provide new, and preserve, and enhance existing public beach access. Where private recreation is acceptable to satisfy community needs, it must be accessible and reasonably perceived to be open to the public.
RE-C.8. Balance the scheduling of programmed and non-programmed use of recreation facilities to provide access to a diversity of users.
D. Joint Use and Cooperative Partnerships
Goals
♦ Promote efficient use of land and facilities through sharing of public and private resources for active and passive recreation.
♦ Coordinate interagency public lands, facilities and infrastructure use for recreational activities and programs.
♦ Develop joint use and lease agreements that contribute to the recreational and physical education needs of the community.
Discussion
Creative methods for cost-effective and efficient use of public lands are required if recreation facilities are to be improved, enhanced, and expanded to meet existing and future needs. San
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Diego’s expanding urban development and its desire to protect and preserve parkland, recreation facilities, and open space have limited the availability of, and placed constraints on, developable lands. One creative means of providing additional lands and facilities for public recreation use is through joint use of public and non-profit facilities such as parks, swimming pools, and schools. Joint use facilities can include any land area or physical structure shared by one or more public or non-profit entities. An example of a joint use facility is a multi-purpose sportsfield at a secondary, or middle, school that is exclusively used for school purposes during school hours, but is available for public use when school is not in session. Joint use serves an increasingly important role in providing recreation facilities in the older, more densely populated urban communities.
San Diego has a well-established history of developing successful joint use recreation facilities. The City of San Diego entered into its first joint use agreement in September 1948 with the San Diego Unified School District. The city is now a party to approximately 100 similar agreements between it and the San Diego Unified, Solana Beach, Del Mar Union, Poway Unified, and SanYsidro School Districts. These agreements have accommodated the need for recreation space by designating school sites for off-hour recreation use. The agreements have resulted in space for multi-purpose courts, turfed playfields, lighted and unlighted multi-purpose sportsfields, children’s play areas and parking lots in communities throughout the city.
In addition to the continued pursuit of joint use opportunities with school districts, there are opportunities for new cooperative partnerships with governmental agencies and other entities with land holdings. Underutilized public facilities, such as surplus land, remnant parcels, rights- of-way, paper streets, structures, rooftops and underground facilities can provide recreation opportunities. Rights-of-way provide opportunities for trails that link recreation facilities. Unnecessary paper streets could be vacated and acquired for mini-park development. Surplus land and remnant parcels could be developed into population and resource based recreation facilities. Underutilized structures could provide space for recreation programs, and underground facilities could possibly provide recreation space at ground level, and rooftops could potentially provide additional recreational opportunities. Once identified and developed, such cooperative partnerships could provide needed recreation facilities and services.
The City Heights Urban Village is an outstanding example of joint use and cooperative partnerships between public and private organizations. The project is the result of a partnership between the City of San Diego, San Diego Unified School District, the San Diego Foundation, CityLink Investment Corp., Price Charities, and the San Diego Housing Commission. The City Heights Urban Village resulted from a redevelopment project that recreated the core of the City Heights community by establishing a pedestrian-friendly town square that includes important public facilities. The village includes the City Heights Weingart Branch Library, Rosa Parks Elementary School, the City Heights Recreation Center, playing fields, public tennis complex and swimming pool, municipal gymnasium, performance area, police substation, and an adult learning center. Also within the village are offices, a retail center, and 116 townhomes. The urban village covers 10 city blocks within the City Heights Redevelopment Project Area.
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- Utility and railroad companies
- Redevelopment agencies
- Non-profit youth and recreation entities
RE-D.10. Explore acquisition or utilization of government-owned surplus or remnant parcels for public park use.
RE-D.11. Negotiate and enter into joint use agreements with school districts to help implement population-based park recommendations (see also Table RE-3). a. Provide one acre credit to a subdivider for each usable acre, up to five acres, when an elementary school provides for on-campus, neighborhood-serving recreational facilities for joint use purposes. b. Provide one acre credit to a subdivider for each usable acre, up to seven acres, when a secondary/middle school provides for on-campus, community-serving recreational facilities for joint use purposes. c. In newly developing areas, lands identified for joint-use recreational facilities should be acquired and owned by the City to ensure its public use in perpetuity.
E. Open Space Lands and Resource-Based Parks
Goals
♦ Provide an open space system that provides for the preservation and management of resource-based parks, natural resources, enhancement of outdoor recreation opportunities, and protection of the public health and safety.
♦ Minimize alterations to the open space lands and resource-based parks by preserving and integrating the natural terrain and drainage systems of San Diego into the urban form as a central design element.
♦ Provide a system of pedestrian, bicycle, and equestrian paths linking communities, neighborhoods, parks, and the open space system.
Discussion
Open space may be defined as land or water areas generally free from development or developed with very low intensity uses that respect the characteristics of the natural environment. Open space is generally non-urban in character and may have utility for: park and recreation purposes; conservation of land, water, or other natural resources; historic or scenic purposes; or support of the mission of military installations as detailed in §65560 of the California Government Code. Open space that may be designated for outdoor recreation includes, but is not limited to: areas of
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outstanding scenic, historic, and cultural value; areas particularly suited for park and recreation purposes, including access to passive recreation space adjacent to waterfronts, rivers and creeks; urban canyons; specified areas within the city’s Multiple Species Conservation Program (MSCP); and areas that serve as links between major recreation uses and open space, such as utility easements, river banks, and trails. The Conservation Element further defines and expands on policies for preservation of open space.
As stated in the introduction of the Recreation Element, the City of San Diego definitions for ‘open space’ and ‘park’ vary according to the context in which the terms are used. Table RE-1, Park and Open Space Terminology, identifies the three contexts in which open space and parks are used, defines them in that context, and lists the general attributes for each. For purposes of this document, designated parks and open space lands are those areas of the city that are identified in adopted land use plans and referred to as either general plan parks or general plan open space lands.
Resource-based parks are sometimes located within open space, as previously defined. They are intended to preserve and make available to all residents and visitors those areas of outstanding scenic, natural, or cultural interest. Examples of resource-based parks are Mission Trails Regional Park, Mission Bay Park, and Balboa Park. Although resource-based parks are not developed to address the specific needs of any one community, portions of them can, and do function to fulfill the local neighborhood and community park needs of surrounding residents.
Mission Bay Park was developed from the 1940s through the 1960s using a tidal marsh that Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo named “False Bay” in 1542. In 1944, a Chamber of Commerce committee recommended development of Mission Bay into a tourist and recreation center to help diversify the city’s economy. In the late 1940s, dredging and filling operations began converting the marsh into the jewel that is today, Mission Bay Park. Twenty-five million cubic yards of sand and silt were dredged to create the land forms of the park, which now is almost entirely man- made.
Mission Bay Park comprises 27 miles of shoreline. Swimmers, boating enthusiasts, and sun lovers are drawn to Mission Bay’s beaches and water activities. The park offers a wide variety of recreation facilities and activities including boat docks and launching facilities, sailboat and motor rentals, 14 miles of biking and walking paths, basketball courts, and play areas for children. It's one of San Diego's most visited parks.
Policies
RE-E.1. Protect and enhance resource-based parks through planning and acquisition.
RE-E.2. Provide for sensitive development of recreation uses within and adjacent to City- owned open space lands.
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Discussion
As the city has grown, so have the quantity, quality, and distribution of recreation opportunities. New parks and open space have been acquired and facilities and services have been expanded in response to population-based needs. Recreation activities in the form of cultural, athletic, sport, social, and craft programs have been developed to serve a wide variety of the population throughout the city at parks, recreation centers, athletic fields, and public schools. Table RE-2, Existing Parks and Open Space Lands within the City of San Diego, provides a breakdown of the types and quantities of parks within the city..
The City of San Diego General Plan
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Table RE – 2
Existing Park and Open Space Lands Within the City of San DiegoPopulation
- Based
Parks
Joint Use
School
Sites (ac.)
District
Population*
Gross
Net
usable
Resource-Based
Parks (ac.)
Natural Open Space
Lands(ac.)
Designated (ac.)
Dedicated (ac.)
Gross
Net
Usable
Other Park Lands
**(ac.)****
Other Public
Agency Parks &
**Open Space (ac.)*****
Total Parks and
Open Space (ac.)
Central
316,
1,126.
1,272.
Coastal
141,
4,568.
4,967.
Eastern
253,
6,493.
6,093.
1,225.
North Central
208,
1,327.
Northern
272,
12,658.
9,338.
3,966.
Southern
99,
1,142.
1,215.
City Total
1,294,
6,
21,506.
17,142.
12,067.
Total acres per
Thousand *^
SANDAG population estimate for 2004
**
Includes cemeteries and stand alone facilities that are not within parks, such as swimming pools, recreation centers, and skate parks.
Includes the following:Border Field State Park and Tijuana Estuary National Park - 2,531 ac
Cabrillo National Monument – 160 ac.
Heritage County Park – 7.8 ac.
Old Town State Park – 29.0 ac.
Port of San Diego – 81.5ac.
San Pasqual Battle Field State Historic Park – 1.9 ac
Tijuana River Regional Park - ______
Torrey Pines State Beach – 61.36 ac.
Torrey Pines State Reserve – 1,446.2 ac.
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Although improving, a variation continues to exist between communities with respect to facilities provided, total population-based park acres, and existing population-based park acres per 1,000 residents. Of most concern is the relative lack of neighborhood and community facilities in portions of older urbanized neighborhoods. Reasons for this are related to the age of the communities, uneven distribution of facilities, and the types of facilities included in the calculation of population-based parks per 1,000 residents. First, the older urbanized communities were developed without specified park development guidelines or park fees. Second, large resource-based parks such as Mission Bay Park and Balboa Park, which serve the needs of the entire city and visitors, but also serve the neighborhood and community park needs of nearby residents have not been given credit towards meeting population-based park acreage recommendations. Compounding this dilemma is the current trend to “infill” the older urban areas of the city with more dense residential development, which add new residents to a given area, creating a greater demand for population-based park and recreation facilities than otherwise may have existed. Adding to the difficulty in developing new facilities in older urbanized communities is the lack of land readily available for development of parks. Retrofitting those neighborhoods with new parks must be achieved with solutions that balance the often competing needs of parks and housing. The Public Facilities, Services and Safety Element provides additional goals and policies related to provision of recreation facilities.
There are many recreation facilities within the City that, while not under the control of the City of San Diego, provide a wide variety of recreation opportunities for the public. These facilities come in many forms, from government-owned and operated parks to commercial endeavors, such as fitness clubs. Each serves to increase recreation opportunities, if only for a specified time. Of significant benefit to the public are those facilities that are owned, operated, and maintained by other governmental agencies and non-profit entities. These facilities tend to represent long term investments in recreation and are designed to be accessible to the widest breadth of the public. Examples of these are the Cabrillo National Monument, Torrey Pines State Park, the Salvation Army Corps Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center, YMCAs, Jewish Community Centers and the numerous non-profit recreation facilities located throughout the city. While not owned and operated by the City, it should be recognized that these facilities do provide a valuable asset to residents and assist in meeting their recreation needs.
On May 26, 1868, when San Diego consisted of only 2,301 residents and 915 houses, a 1, acre tract of nine city pueblo lots was set aside as “City Park.” Twenty-four years later, in 1892, Kate O. Sessions asked city officials to lease 30 acres of "City Park" for a nursery, and in return, she would plant 100 trees per year throughout the park. In 1902, the Park Improvement Committee employed landscape architect Samuel Parsons, to develop a comprehensive plan for the park. By 1910 the parkland began to look much as it does today. In that same year a contest was held to rename the park. Balboa, in honor of Spanish explorer Vasco Nuñez de Balboa, the first European to see the Pacific Ocean, was selected, in part, because the park also offered wide views of the Pacific Ocean.
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Balboa Park owes much of its development to two world fairs, the Panama-California Exposition of 1915-16, and the California Pacific International Exposition of 1935-36. The design of the 1915 Panama-California Exposition reflected Spanish Colonial Architecture. The Cabrillo Bridge, most of the Cultural Center buildings along El Prado, and the Spreckels Organ Pavilion were built for the Exposition, under the supervision of architect, Bertrum Goodhue. The development of the Southern Palisades grew out of the California Pacific International Exposition and was designed to represent a complete history of the Southwest, from prehistoric times to the modern era under the direction of Richard Requa, Director of Architecture and Landscaping. Many of the buildings were designed to be reminders of Indian Pueblo or Mayan building design.
Today, Balboa Park is comprised of more than 1,100 acres. It includes fifteen museums, various gardens, arts and international culture associations, recreation areas, and the San Diego Zoo. This urban park at the edge of downtown is renowned for its brilliant displays of seasonal flowers, shady groves of trees, and meandering paths through rolling lawns. It offers something historical, horticultural, educational, and recreational for everyone. Approximately 14 million visitors come to the park each year.
An ideal balance of recreational opportunities throughout the city is best achieved by considering a number of factors, such as numerical criteria for park acres and facilities, economic feasibility, community needs and desires, topographic conditions, changing demographics, and evolving trends in recreation. Park acreage, physical facilities, accessibility and distance, supervision and leadership should all be included in the total effort to achieve as much as possible the same degree of service of opportunity or need fulfillment in each community city-wide. Neighborhood and community facilities should take a variety of forms in response to the specific needs and desires of the residents involved. Neighborhood parks should be oriented toward achieving maximum neighborhood involvement in terms of interest, participation, and support. They should be an important element in creating neighborhood identity.
Community facilities should supplement those in the neighborhood parks and provide for a greater variety of facilities and active programmed uses. Table RE-3, Park and Recreation Guidelines, provides the standards and strategies for development of population-based recreation facilities. The purpose is two-fold: First is to provide a means of measuring the degree to which park and recreation facilities are developed; and second, to equitably provide facilities throughout the city. The guidelines should be used with discretion rather than mechanically. They are a basic tool for guiding and evaluating the adequacy of service to a given area and to the city as a whole. Their application should be related to economic feasibility and the nature or character of the specific neighborhood or community, and should allow for flexibility as opportunities arise or the needs and desires of the residents change. Table RE-4, Acreage Calculations for Population-Based Parks, provides the methodology used for establishing the guideline of providing 2.4 usable acres of population-based park per 1,000 residents. Based on the most current population data (2004) of 1,294,032 residents, population-based parks amount to 2.25 acres per 1,000 residents city-wide.
