Chatham County Public Findings Presentation May 7, 2018 Master - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Chatham County Public Findings Presentation May 7, 2018

Master Planning Process

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Demographic Snapshot 2017

Population 292,686 Median Age 35.5 Households 112,699 Median Household Income $48,699

Source: Esri Business Analyst

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Population Growth Trend

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, and Esri Business Analyst Projected 10 Year Increase 38,484

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Population Growth Trend by Age Group

Source: Esri Business Analyst

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Generational Participation

Source: Physical Activity Council 2017 Participation Report

Public Engagement

• Focus Groups – 6 (56)
• Stakeholder Meetings 10
• Leadership Summit
• Leadership Interviews

Random Mailed Survey

• 380 responses

Open Link Survey

• 1019 responses
• 6,000 reached by Facebook

Municipal Association Presentation

Information Gathering Summary

Priorities in the Next 5 Years

• Maintain, improve and repair existing facilities
• Indoor space for athletics
• Equitable distribution of facilities, programs and equipment
• Improve marketing and communications
• Address the plans that already exist - Thomas Avenue Plan
• Phase out old equipment
• Consistency of maintenance standards/practices for all

facilities

• Account for population growth and changes in density

Priorities in the Next 5 Years

• Continue to develop partnerships and engage: cities,

schools, youth organizations

• Address connectivity / expand bike trails and walking paths
• Continue to address safety and security
• Programs for outreach to youth and children
• Make Chatham County a destination for sports/recreation

– sport tourism

• Better communication with County staff
• ADA accessibility

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Importance of Existing Facilities

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Level of Needs Met By Existing Facilities

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Level of Service (LOS) Analysis

• A detailed assessment of the existing Chatham County parks and recreation

facilities available and comparison to the needs of the residents.

• Visited and assessed the 44 County facilities identified on the Chatham County

Park Services website.

• Facilities were scored on a scale of 1-3
• 1 = Poor / Below Expectations
• 2 = Average / Meets Expectations
• 3 = Excellent / Exceeds Expectations
• During site visits, parks and recreation facilities were photographed and notes

were taken to verify the quantity and condition of the existing amenities.

• The LOS analysis is used as a guide to identify areas of opportunity for

improvement within Chatham County’s parks and recreation program.

Inventory of Facilities

Chatham County, Georgia

• +/-440 square miles
• Approx. 293,000 residents
• 8 Municipalities
• Bloomingdale
• Garden City
• Pooler
• Port Wentworth
• City of Savannah
• Thunderbolt
• Tybee Island
• Vernonburg

Inventory of Facilities

Types of Facilities:

• Community Centers – 1
• Community Parks – 6
• Golf Courses – 1
• Multipurpose Trails – 2
• Nature Preserves – 4
• Neighborhood Parks – 10
• Sports Facilities – 7
• Swimming Pools - 1
• Weight Lifting Centers – 1
• Boat Ramps and/or Fishing Piers - 10

Inventory of Facilities

Examples of Park Inventory:

• Park Location & Description
• Park Acreage
• Outdoor facilities
• Playgrounds
• Multiuse Fields
• Baseball fields
• Basketball courts
• Drinking fountains
• Picnic tables
• Shade
• Boating/fishing access
• Dog park/facilities
• Indoor Facilities
• Community Centers
• Swimming Pools
• Weightlifting Facilities

Inventory of Facilities

Community Parks

• 6 facilities spread throughout County
• Average Rating = 1.8
• Lowest Rating = 1.2
• Highest Rating = 2.5
• Active and passive activities
• Unique features – garden plots,

archery range, historic significance, skatepark, RC park, disc golf, mountain bike trails

• Common Themes to be Improved

upon:

• General maintenance & upkeep
• f grounds (grass, plantings,

etc.)

• ADA Accessibility
• Update playground equipment,

pavilions, restrooms, etc.

• Improvements to one park currently

under construction, improvements to another are currently in design

Inventory of Facilities – Community Parks

Neighborhood Parks

• 10 facilities spread throughout County
• Average Rating = 1.2
• Lowest Rating = 1.0
• Highest Rating = 1.6
• Common Themes to be Improved

upon:

• General maintenance & upkeep
• f grounds (grass, plantings,

etc.)

• ADA Accessibility
• Vehicular and/or pedestrian

accessibility

• No restrooms available
• Update playground equipment,

pavilions, etc.

• No facilities for dogs
• During site visits a resident informed

Consultant of suspected drug activities

• Appears from tax records that some
• f the parcels are not owned by

Chatham County

Inventory of Facilities – Neighborhood Parks

Sports Facilities

• 7 facilities – predominately located on

south side of Savannah and Islands

• community. Only one facility located on

west side.

• Average Rating = 1.6
• Lowest Rating = 1.1
• Highest Rating = 2.2
• Common Themes to be Improved upon:
• General maintenance & upkeep of

grounds (grass, plantings, etc.) and fields – many fields appear worn down from constant play

• ADA Accessibility
• Improvements to restrooms,

concessions, water fountains, lighting

• Update playground equipment,

pavilions, etc.

• No facilities for dogs
• Hodge Turner Ballfield was noted as

being unplayable

• At the time of the assessments Memorial

Stadium was under construction and therefore not evaluated.

Inventory of Facilities – Sports Facilities

Nature Preserves

• 4 sites
• Average Rating = 1.7
• Lowest Rating = 1.1
• Highest Rating = 2.1
• Items to consider for improvement:
• Dog stations
• Security lighting in parking areas
• Improvements to vehicular access,

parking, ADA improvements

• Frank O Williamson Lake was noted

during the site visit as being closed – potential future opportunity Multipurpose Trails

• 2 sites
• Average Rating = 1.4
• Lowest Rating = 1.1
• Highest Rating = 1.6
• Items to consider for improvement:
• Dog stations
• Security lighting in parking areas
• Improvements to vehicular access,

parking, ADA improvements

• McQueen Trail was noted as being

damaged during the recent hurricanes.

Inventory of Facilities – Nature Preserves & Multipurpose Trails

Boat Ramps / Fishing Piers

• 10 facilities
• Average Rating = 1.4
• Lowest Rating = 1.0
• Highest Rating = 2.1
• Three sites located on/adjacent to

Intracoastal Waterway

• Two ramps appear to have been

constructed/improved within the last 5-6 years.

• Common Themes to be Improved

upon:

• General maintenance &

upkeep of grounds (grass, plantings, etc.)

• Installation/upgrade of

restrooms

• Update pavilions, grills, etc.
• Improve parking and access
• Dog facilities

Inventory of Facilities – Boat Ramps/Fishing Piers

Frank G Murray Community Center

• Rating = 2.3
• Facility serves its purpose well and is

well maintained Chatham County Aquatic Center

• Rating = 3.0
• Facility exceeded all expectations.

Very well maintained. Anderson-Cohen Weightlifting Center

• Rating = 2.7
• Facility exceeded all expectations.

Very well maintained. Al Henderson Golf Club

• Rating = 2.3
• Very nice public facility, well

maintained grounds

Inventory of Facilities – Indoor Facilities

• County has 6 community parks distributed throughout the MSA. Of those,

2 are rated at or above average and 2 are currently being improved (1 under construction & 1 under design).

• The neighborhood parks are in need of the most improvement to make

them “usable” to the community. Recommend review neighborhood parks for viability within the vision of the County’s Parks and Recreation Department moving forward.

• The sports facilities are older facilities and show their age. Based on
• bserved conditions, the fields are reconfigured based on the particular

sports being played and the fields are not allowed to recover.

• The County has 10 facilities offering its residents access to the coastal

waters for boating and/or fishing. The quality of these facilities ranges from below average to at or above average.

Inventory/LOS Summary & Findings

• The assessments consistently identified maintenance and equipment

upkeep/replacement as an item to be addressed.

• County has a well distributed network of facilities east of I-95 and south of

I-16. This is consistent with the historical population center of the

• community. As development has expanded to the west, the County has

not established any new facilities in this portion of the County. While this may appear as a gap in service, it should be noted that the City of Pooler (not part of this study) has constructed its own parks to serve its

• population. Additionally, there are 8 municipalities within the County
• ffering recreational activities and opportunities, often times with
• verlapping service areas with County facilities.
• Prioritization of improvements is necessary to ensure they are

accomplished.

Inventory/LOS Summary & Findings

Earth Economics, 2011

Park System Benefits

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Recurring Themes

 Maintain, improve and repair existing facilities / apply standard consistently  Increase availability for indoor space for athletics  Improve connectivity, develop trails, bikeways and walking paths  Need new facilities: gyms, another pool, dog park  Equitable distribution of facilities, programs and equipment  Continue to develop partnerships and engage: cities, schools, and youth organizations  Preserve open space  Improve Communication and Marketing  Address accessibility: ADA, neighborhoods, high growth areas of the county  Increase programming and outreach to youth and teens  Need additional funding sources: grants, impact fees, transient tax

Next Steps

• Visioning Workshop
• Develop Recommendation and Actions
• Public Presentation
• Development and present the Draft
• Present the Final Plans

Questions, Comments, Feedback?

Thank You!

Art Thatcher, MPA, CPRP Direct: 757.592.3013 artt@greenplayllc.com Pat O’Toole pattp@greenplayllc.com