Why?
Why?
Shifts in lifestyles, demographics, technology, and patterns of community development have fundamentally reshaped recreation in the City of San Diego. These changes have transformed the way the City prepares for the future of housing, jobs, transportation, and the environment, and the way it plans for meeting recreational needs.
California Tower at Balboa Park
The 2008 General Plan identified the need for a new Parks Master Plan. The Parks Master Plan aligns parks planning with the City of San Diego’s vision to achieve the shared Citywide goals of sustainability and resilience, equity, livability, and connectivity. The development of the Parks Master Plan will help implement the Climate Action Plan by providing a framework for thriving public spaces to be enjoyed by residents and visitors throughout the City.
Parks Master Plan Vision
Parks Master Plan Vision
- Interconnected Citywide park system
- Provide thriving recreational spaces in areas with easy access to transit
- New recreational experiences
- Equitable investments in parks in areas with most need
- Easy walk, bicycle, and transit access to parks
- Opportunities for everyone to play outside and make social connections
Liberty Station - Popup Ice Skating
Tweet Street Mini Park
Little Italy Piazza
Public Outreach
Public Outreach
- Citywide statistically valid survey
- 13 workshops + 2 popup community events
- 2 online activities
- 7 presentations to advisory bodies
What We Learned
Satisfaction with Facilities and Programs
Satisfaction with Facilities and Programs
67% Very Satisfied and Satisfied, 25% Neutral, 6% Dissatisfied, 2% Very Dissatisfied
Just over two-thirds (67%) of residents were satisfied or very satisfied with the City's Parks and Recreation Facilities/Programs
Upgrades to Parks and Park Facilities
Upgrades to Parks and Park Facilities
96% of residents think upgrades to existing public restrooms are important, 94% of residents think upgrades to existing regional parks are important, 95% of residents think upgrades to existing public parks are important, 94% of residents think upgrades to existing beaches and shoreline parks are important, 92% of residents think upgrades to security of parks are important
How We Currently Plan
The City currently uses the General Plan acreage-based standard of 2.8 acres per 1,000 population to plan for future parks on a community plan area basis. As the City has developed, this current standard creates some challenges:
- Limits comprehensive planning for an interconnected Citywide parks system
- Urbanized areas lack available land
- Funding and staffing limits
- Can create further inequities in the distribution of parks throughout the City
City of San Diego Existing Parks
Parks Master Plan Recommendations
Parks Master Plan Equity Goals
Parks Master Plan Equity Goals
Acknowledges historical inequities in the City’s parks system experienced by people who live in communities of concern and promotes equal access to enjoy the many physical and social benefits of public parks and recreation services. Future park development and funding will be guided by the factors below.
Parks Master Plan Park
10-20-30-40 Minute
Access Goal
Parks Master Plan Park
10-20-30-40 Minute
Access Goal
Sets a travel time goal for reaching a meaningful recreational opportunity and promotes equity across communities to ensure all San Diegans have access to recreation. Also Identifies existing gaps to guide future park development.
- 10-minute walk
- 20-minute bike ride or micro-mobility ride
- 30-minute transit
- 40-at least 40 minutes enjoyed in the park (park activation)
Bankers Hills Open Space and Spruce Street Suspension Bridge
Walk Access to City of San Diego Existing Parks
New Recreational Value-Based Park Standard
How did we develop the new Park Standard?
How did we develop the new Park Standard?
How we collect park fees now
How we collect park fees now
The City currently sets and collects fees on a community planning area level. A few challenges we face are:
- Restricts City's ability to deliver parks sooner even when money is otherwise available
- While parks are to be enjoyed by all residents, the fees collected must be spent within the community it was collected
- Funds not always spent on parks
- Fees can greatly vary between communities
Citywide Park Development Impact Fee
Citywide Park Development Impact Fee sets a standard impact fee across the entire city allowing the City to:
- Deliver parks faster with access to a larger pool of funds
- Target the greatest needs across the City
- Efficient use of land to provide more recreational assets at lower cost
Conceptual before and after images of potential park upgrades on existing City land implemented with a Citywide Park impact fee
Complete Communities:
Play Everywhere
Complete Communities: Play Everywhere
The Parks Master Plan is part of the City of San Diego's Complete Communities initiative. For more information on Complete Communities please visit:
Other Elements of Complete Communities include:
Complete Communities: Housing Solutions
Feedback
Feedback
The public review period for the Parks Master Plan and General Plan Recreation Amendment was April 24 through June 11, 2020.
The Planning Department will review all comments received during and after the end of the formal comment period, and will present all comments received to decision makers. All comments submitted after the end of the comment period should be sent to Jonathan Avila at JOavila@sandiego.gov.
The draft documents were posted on April 24, 2020 and are available by clicking the button below:
Draft Parks Master Plan & Draft General Plan Recreation Element Amendment
If you have additional questions, please contact Jonathan Avila at JOavila@sandiego.gov.