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16-500Trails, Parks, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan City of Menifee FINAL DRAFT REPORT February 2016 Margarita CornejoManagement Analyst Allen YunSenior Administrative Analyst Robert LennoxDirector of Community Services Community Services Department Matt Liesemeyer Councilmember, District 2Greg AugustCouncilmember, District 1 John DenverMayor Pro Tempore , District 4Scott MannMayor Menifee City Council December 2015 Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan City of Menifee Lesa SobekCouncilmember, District 3 Edna AguilarOfﬁ ce Worker Jason HendrixCommunity Services Supervisor Erica ToneyCommunity Services Coordinator Kenneth RodgerPark/Landscape Maintenance Specialist David BrooksPark/Landscape Maintenance Specialist Bryce HowellPark/Landscape Maintenance Specialist Mark CooperPark/Landscape Maintenance Supervisor Kristina HernandezCommunity Services Coordinator Aisha Jemmot-WilsonCommunity Services Coordinator Robert JohnsonCity Manager Prepared for City of Menifee29714 Haun RoadMenifee, CA 92586http://www.cityofmenifee.us/ Prepared by December 2015 Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan City of Menifee Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 7 Special thanks to our stakeholders and communitymembers who participated in the planning process. Project Team Menifee Parks, Recreation & Trails Commission Menifee City Council Scott Mann, Mayor John Denver, Mayor Pro Tem, District 4 Greg August, Councilmember, District 1 Matt Liesemeyer, Councilmember, District 2 Lesa Sobek, Councilmember, District 3 Robert Johnson, City Manager Mr. Martin H. Rosen, Commission Chair Mr. Bill Zimmerman, Commission Vice Chair Mr. Ken Gaunt, Commissioner Mr. Richard Croy, Commissioner Mr. Tom Giedroyce, Commissioner Community Services Department Robert Lennox, Director of Community Services Margarita Cornejo, Management Analyst Allen Yun, Senior Administrative Analyst Edna Aguilar, Ofﬁ ce Worker Jason Hendrix, Community Services Supervisor Erica Toney, Community Services Coordinator Aisha Jemmot-Wilson, Community Services Coordinator Kristina Hernandez, Community Services Coordinator Mark Cooper, Park/Landscape Maintenance Supervisor Bryce Howell, Park/Landscape Maintenance Specialist David Brooks, Park/Landscape Maintenance Specialist Kenneth Rodger, Park/Landscape Maintenance Specialist Design and Planning RJM Design Group Robert Mueting, Principal, RJM Design Group Inc. Zachary Mueting, Project Manager, RJM Design Group Inc. Andrew Steen, Landscape Architect, RJM Design Group Inc. Greg Moeser, Job Captain, RJM Design Group Inc. Pam Wooldridge, Telephone Survey Specialist Chris Coman, Demographic and Demand/Needs Specialist Tim Gallagher, Operations and Maintenance Specialist Acknowledgements Table of Contents Table of Contents 9 Table of Contents (Continued) 10 Appendix (Under Separate Cover) 10 List of Figures 11 Executive Summary 13 1. Introduction 1.1 Purpose of the Parks, Trails, and Open Space and Recreation Master Plan 19 1.2 Beneﬁ t of Parks and Recreation 19 1.3 Approach and Document Organization 20 1.4 City of Menifee Physical Setting 22 1.5 City of Menifee Demographic Context 23 1.6 Relationship to Other Documents 27 2. Existing Recreation Resources 2.1 Park Deﬁ nition 33 2.2 Menifee Park Types 33 2.3 Existing Recreation Facilities 35 2.4 Joint Use School Agreements 38 2.5 Adjacent Parks and Recreation Facilities 40 2.6 Private and Commercial Recreation Facilities 42 2.7 Existing and Planned Trails 43 3. Recreation Facility Needs Assessment 3.1 Community Participation 48 3.2 Resident Telephone Survey 56 3.3 Recreation Demand and Needs Analysis 59 3.4 Service Area Analysis 65 3.5 Acreage Analysis 67 3.6 Existing Recreation Facilities Maintenance Condition 68 3.7 Program Needs Analysis 70 3.8 Facility Needs Summary and Prioritizations 71 4. Recreation Program Needs Assessment 4.1 Recreation Beneﬁ ts 76 4.2 Existing Programs and Services 78 4.3 Other Service Providers/ Existing Programs and Services 79 4.4 Program Needs Assessment 80 4.5 Program Needs Summary 85 4.6 Program Recommendations 86 4.7 Program Recommendations Summary 94 Table of Contents (Continued) 5. Recreation Facility Recommendations 5.1 Overall Concept 97 5.2 Park and Recreation Key Strategies 97 5.3 Sustainable Management Plan 102 5.4 Dedication of Land for Park and Recreation Purposes 108 5.5 Opportunity Sites / Acquisition Plan 109 5.6 Summary of Recommendations at Existing Parks 118 6. Funding and Implementation 6.1 Funding Sources for Parks and Recreation 123 6.2 Potential Funding Sources by Facility Type 129 6.3 Current Operating and Capital Project Budget 131 6.4 Proposed Capital Costs for Existing Facilities 134 6.5 Six-Year Capital Plan 136 Appendix (Under Separate Cover) 1 Phone Survey Report 4 2 Phone Survey Final Question List 29 3 Final Cross Tabulations 38 4 Demographic Trends Analysis 87 5 Demographic Trends Exhibit 1 92 6 Demographic Trends Exhibit 2 93 7 Recreation Programming Assessment 94 8 Trends Report 120 9 Executive Interview Summary 134 10 Public Workshop 1 Summary 136 11 Public Workshop 2 Summary 142 12 Public Workshop 3 Summary 150 13 Sports Organization Summary 154 14 Demand Needs Analysis 160 15 Parks Report Data Sheets 172 16 Parks Assessment of Current Maintenance Conditions 214 17 Sustainable Management Plan 241 18 Sustainable Guidelines Checklist 249 19 Building and Site Accessibility Review 254 List of Figures Figure 1.4-1: City of Menifee Vicinity Map 22 Figure 1.5-1: Demographic Trends in the City of Menifee (2000 to 2014) 23 Figure 1.5-2: Population Change by Age Group, (2000 to 2010) 24 Figure 1.5-3: Population Change by Race/Ethnicity, (2000 to 2010) 25 Figure 1.5-4: Population Estimates and Projections, City of Menifee 26 Figure 2.3-1: Menifee Existing Facility Map 36 Figure 2.3-2: Menifee Existing Facility Matrix 37 Figure 2.4-1: Menifee School Facility Map 39 Figure 2.4-2: Menifee School Facility Inventory Matrix 40 Figure 2.7-1: C-4 Proposed Bikeway and Community Pedestrian Network 44 Figure 3.3-1: Facility Demand Analysis 2015 Levels 60 Figure 3.3-2: Facility Demand Analysis 2035 Levels 61 Figure 3.3-3: Comparison of City of Menifee Need Ratios to Other Areas 61 Figure 3.3-4: Facility Needs Analysis 2015 Levels 62 Figure 3.3-5: Facility Needs Analysis 2035 Levels 63 Figure 3.3-6: Change in Demand for Recreation Facilities, 2015 to 2035 64 Figure 3.3-7: Cumulative Surplus / Deﬁ cit Analysis 64 Figure 3.4-1: Service Area Analysis Map 66 Figure 3.6-1: CFD / CSA Revenue 69 Figure 3.8-1: Facility Prioritization 71 Figure 3.8-2: Facility Needs Summary 72 Figure 4.4-1: One Change Desired in Menifee 82 Figure 4.4-2: Most Used Recreation Facilities 82 Figure 4.5-1: Program Needs Summary 86 Figure 5.5-1: Trail Recommendations 110 Figure 5.5-2: Trail Recommendation Priorities 111 Figure 5.5-3: Mt. San Jacinto College Potential Joint Use Improvements 112 Figure 5.5-4: LDS Potential Gym Partnership 113 Figure 5.5-5: Riverside County Flood Control Opportunity 114 Figure 5.5-6: Future City Sites Amenities 115 Figure 5.5-7: Evans Park Recommendation Option A 116 Figure 5.5-8: Evans Park Recommendation Option B 117 Figure 5.6-1: Recommended Projects for Existing Parks 118 Figure 6.1-1: Proposed Development Impact Fees 125 Figure 6.1-2: CFD / CSA Revenue 128 Figure 6.2-1: Funding Sources by Project Type 130 Figure 6.3-1: Proposed Organizational Chart for Community Services Department 132 Figure 6.3-2: Parks Capital Funding 133 Figure 6.4-1: Recommended Projects for Existing Facilities 134 Figure 6.5-1: Six-Year Capital Requirements 137 Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 13 Executive Summary The Menifee Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan serves as a guide and implementation tool for the management and development of parks and recreational facilities and programs for the City. The Master Plan Process is part of the deﬁ ned goal of the City’s General Plan: “A comprehensive system of high quality parks and recreation programs that meets the diverse needs of the community.” - OSC-1: Parks and Recreation The Master Plan Process The Master Plan process commenced with an examination of the characteristics that deﬁ ne the community, and an inventory of the existing recreational opportunities and resources available within the city. The inventory and analysis provides the foundational understanding of the community, and serves as the starting point from which community members are engaged and their needs are identiﬁ ed. Established methods of community involvement including a Menifee-speciﬁ c telephone survey, stakeholder interviews, online questionnaires, and community workshops provide multiple opportunities to engage the community members, and multiple measures from which a broad understanding of community issues, recreational facility and program usage patterns and the community needs for parks and recreation facilities is developed. Identiﬁ ed needs, facility usage patterns, recreation standards and population projections provide the basis for the quantiﬁ cation of facilities required to meet identiﬁ ed community needs. Facility recommendations are derived based on priority of needs, general cost for recommendations are also identiﬁ ed. Existing Recreation Resources The City of Menifee has twenty-eight (28) parks with over 152.79 acres of parkland currently, with plans to develop additional parks / facilities as of November 2015. Parks within the system include mini parks, neighborhood parks, community parks, and regional parks containing a variety of recreational opportunities including sports ﬁ elds, tennis courts, and picnic areas, as well as access to the trails and open space areas. Community ParticipationThe community outreach process utilizes a variety of methods to gather community information to ensure the process is as inclusive as possible and has the greatest beneﬁ t to the community. Information was gathered from residents and stakeholders through a variety of methods including stakeholder interviews, community workshops, a sports organization questionnaire, and online questionnaire, and a Menifee-speciﬁ c telephone survey. Stakeholder Interviews:One-on-one stakeholder interviews were conducted with selected individuals to establish an initial impression of relevant issues related to parks with the City of Menifee. Executive Summary Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan14 Workshop one participants summarizing their ideas for the “City’s Roll” in Parks and Recreation. Workshop two participants discussing the best sports facilities in Menifee. Community Workshops:Three community workshops were held at different locations during the months of March 2015 and May 2015. Each workshop had a separate goal and topic. Workshop #1 focused on community character and issues; Workshop #2 involved sports organization user groups; and Workshop #3 included community feedback and prioritization. Sports Organization Questionnaire:Eight (8) sports organizations responded to a questionnaire designed to gather information about organization participation, needs, and facilities used. The survey provides quantitative information on how sports organizations use parks and recreation facilities within the city, and qualitative information that allows for feedback from sports organization representatives on issues and concerns related to facility use and needs. City of Menifee Telephone Survey:A total of 300 interviews were completed. Respondents were contacted through use of a random digit dial sample. The purpose of the survey is to obtain statistically valid, community-wide input on a variety of issues related to the Master Plan including community characteristics, ratings of parks and recreation facilities, parks and recreation facility use, desired facilities and programs, and issues and challenges facing the community. City of Menifee Online Questionnaire:The 15 question online questionnaire was made available through the city website for the month of May 2015. No restrictions were placed on the website allowing anyone to participate in the questionnaire. A total of 616 valid responses were collected. The purpose of the questionnaire is to obtain input on a variety of issues related to the Master Plan including community characteristics, ratings of parks and recreation facilities, parks and recreation facility use, desired facilities and programs, and issues and challenges facing the community. How Many Fields, Courts, Swim Facilities, and other Recreation Elements Does the City Need Now and in the Future? Knowing “how much” and “how often” residents use parks and recreation facilities and the speciﬁ c types of recreational activities in which they participate, is essential to establishing the type and number of facilities in which to plan. Some of the most important information derived from the telephone survey highlights how Menifee Executive Summary Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 15 Workshop three participants prioritizing their program and facility needs. residents actually participate in parks and recreational activities. Information from the telephone survey, along with the usage data from the sports organization survey, provide the basis for calculations which quantify how many parks and recreation facilities are actually needed to by the community. Are Neighborhood Parks Conveniently and Appropriately Distributed throughout City? In addition to providing appropriate quantities and types of recreation facilities, the location and accessibility of facilities inﬂ uences how they will be utilized by the community. The City of Menifee strives to provide access to parks and recreation facilities to all members of the community. The Service Area Analysis analyzes the distribution of parks within the city, and their accessibility to residents. What Are the Top Priority Facility Needs for Menifee? Utilizing a variety of methods and tools of community engagement and analysis provides the greatest amount of feedback and ensures that the Master Plan is as inclusive as possible. The Facility Needs Summary (Figure 3.8-2) combines these methods to together and highlights and the speciﬁ c facilities identiﬁ ed by each process as being needed by the community, and provides a means for prioritization.Top priority facility needs for the city include: Highest Priority Facilities •Trails, Biking •Trails, Walking / Jogging / Hiking / Sidewalks •Aquatics Facility / Swimming Pool / Competitive Pool / Water Park •Soccer Fields •Baseball •Softball High Priority Facilities •Playgrounds / Tot Lots •Community Center / Regional Multi-Use Inter-Generational Center •Sports Complex / Regional Park / Artiﬁ cial Turf •Cultural Arts Center / Performing Arts Center / Theatre •Football •Lighting Sports Fields RecommendationsBased on the needs identiﬁ ed in the Master Plan process, key issues are identiﬁ ed and recommendations are made and addressed in detail in Section Five. The process for continuing development of the Menifee Parks and Recreation system will necessitate a multi-phase approach including maintenance improvements, park renovations, as well as new facility and programming opportunities. Funding sources are also identiﬁ ed and paired to the speciﬁ c recommendations in section Six. Executive Summary Introduction Neighborhood parks like McCall Canyon Park allow residents to walk to recreation within their own community. Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 19 Section ONE: Introduction 1.1 Purpose of the Parks, Trails, and Open Space and Recreation Master Plan The City of Menifee’s Parks, Trails, Open Space, and Recreation Master Plan (hereafter referred to as Master Plan) is a guide and implementation tool for the management and development of parks and recreational facilities and programs within the City of Menifee. The Master Plan provides a clear set of objectives to provide direction for the maintenance, development, re-development, expansion and enhancement of City’s park system, open spaces, trails, and recreation facilities program and services for short term, mid-term and long term.The Master Plan builds on previous planning efforts and provides an up-to-date understanding of the current and future recreation and program needs and opportunities within the City. This document is intended to be ﬂ exible, and presents ﬁ ndings and recommendations that should be evaluated, and/or modiﬁ ed every 5 to 10 years as the City responds to unforeseen opportunities and constraints as well as changes in residents’ needs and demands in the context of other City priorities. 1.2 Benefi t of Parks and Recreation The California Park and Recreation Society (CPRS) Vision Insight and Planning Project—Creating Community in the 21st Century identiﬁ ed the mission of California’s park and recreation agencies as: To create community through people, parks and programs. The plan also identiﬁ ed beneﬁ ts of park and recreation services including: •Foster Human Development. Parks and recreation services foster social, intellectual, physical and emotional development. •Promote Health and Wellness. Participation in recreation improves physical and emotional health. •Increase Cultural Unity. Parks and recreation increases cultural unity through experiences that promote cultural understanding and celebrate diversity. •Facilitate Community Problem-solving. Park and recreation professionals have skills in facilitation and leadership that can be applied to resolve community problems and issues. •Protect Natural Resources. By acquiring and protecting valuable resources as open space, such as rivers, streams, greenways, view sheds, forests and other habitat areas, natural resources are protected and habitat required for the survival of diverse species is preserved. •Strengthen Safety and Security. Park and recreation professionals provide safe environments for recreation and design programs and services speciﬁ cally to reduce criminal activity. Section ONE: Introduction Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan20 •Strengthen Community Image and Sense of Place. Parks, recreation facilities, programs and community events are key factors in strengthening community image and creating a sense of place. •Support Economic Development. Recreation programs and facilities attract and retain businesses and residents, as well as attract tourists. Parks and recreation provides jobs and generates income for the community and for local businesses. A study conducted by Pennsylvania State University, “The Beneﬁ ts of Local Recreation and Park Services - A Nationwide Study of the Perceptions of the American Public,” compiled a listing of the beneﬁ ts of local recreation and park services as perceived by the American public. The conclusion of the study included: •The vast majority of the American public uses local recreation and park services. •Playground use is the most common use. •Park and recreational service use continues throughout the individuals life. Recreational participation declines with age, but park use does not. In fact, people between the ages of 65 and 74 use local parks more frequently than any other age group except those 14 and under. •Local parks and recreation are associated with a sense of community. Community level beneﬁ ts are considered more important than individual or household level beneﬁ ts. 1.3 Approach and Document Organization The Master Plan document is organized into the following sections: Section One: IntroductionThis section summarizes the Master Plan’s purpose, organization, beneﬁ ts of parks and recreation, and a brief summary of the City’s physical and demographic context. A list of related documents that were reviewed as part of the Master Plan is also identiﬁ ed. Section Two: Existing Recreation ResourcesSection Two provides inventory and classiﬁ cation of existing City parks and recreation facilities, key recreational resources available, and potential sites for future parks and recreation facilities. Section ONE: Introduction Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 21 Section Three: Recreation Facility Needs Assessment Section Three outlines the methods utilized during the Master Plan process to assess the recreation facility needs speciﬁ c to the City of Menifee. These methods include: •Community Involvement: provides direct responses from the local community and stakeholders; including stakeholder interviews, online questionnaires, community workshops, and sports organization questionnaires. •City of Menifee Resident Telephone Survey: provides statistically valid information regarding the types of recreation facilities most often utilized by residents. •Recreation Demand and Needs Analysis: estimates current and future facility needs based on the City of Menifee Resident Telephone Survey and the sports organization questionnaire. •Online Questionnaire: made available online for residents to provide feedback on their recreation needs and desires. •Service Area Analysis: examines how parks and recreation facilities are distributed throughout residential areas in the City. •Acreage Analysis: evaluates the parkland acreage needs in the City based on established standards and speciﬁ c facility needs of the City. •Assessment of Current Maintenance Conditions: report identiﬁ es the existing conditions of park facilities and outlines issue the City will be faced with over the next several years due to emerging recreation activity demands. •Program Needs: as identiﬁ ed in the program inventory and analysis outline the need for new facilities to support them. Section Four: Recreation Program Needs Assessment and RecommendationsSection Four outlines the methods utilized during the Master Plan process to assess the recreation program needs speciﬁ c to the City of Menifee concluding with recommendations for continued program development. These methods of investigation included: •Assessment of Current Recreation Programming: examines the City’s existing recreational programs and services, program revenue rate, as well as identiﬁ es other service providers within Menifee. •Recreation Trends Analysis: reviews the current literature and studies on state and national, social and recreational trends and patterns, and discussion of potential impacts on recreation in the City. Section Five: Recreation Facility RecommendationsThis section provides facility recommendations, which are intended to address the recreation needs identiﬁ ed in the demand needs analysis as well as short and long term recreation strategies. Section Six: Funding and ImplementationThe ﬁ nal section outlines the Capital Improvements Strategy for the implementation of this Master Plan. Section ONE: Introduction Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan22 Figure 1.4-1: City of Menifee Vicinity Map Appendix (under separate cover) The Appendix contains all of the original reports in their entirety (workshop summaries, trends analysis, demand and needs analysis, etc.), which have been summarized in the Master Plan. A complete list in available in the table of contents at the beginning of this document. 1.4 City of Menifee Physical Setting •The City of Menifee is located in Western Riverside County, along the I-215 corridor. Menifee encompasses nearly ﬁ fty (50) square miles and includes the communities of Sun City, Quail Valley, Menifee Valley and Romoland. •The City of Menifee incorporated on October 1, 2008. Since incorporation, Menifee has established a full set of directly provided and contracted municipal services. In addition, Menifee has many opportunities for future development and recently created its own land use plan through the City’s ﬁ rst General Plan, adopted December 18, 2013. •Menifee’s Parks system includes eight City owned facilities. Additionally, Valley Wide Recreation and Park District owns and operates twenty parks within the City boundary. Over six new parks are proposed for addition to the system in the next few years including 248 acres of open space preserve Section ONE: Introduction Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 23 Figure 1.5-1: Demographic Trends in the City of Menifee (2000 to 2014) 1.5 City of Menifee Demographic Context Understanding the demographic context of the City can create a valuable perspective for understanding current parks and recreation facility and program requirements and, moreover, for anticipating parks and recreation facility and program needs in the future. Demographic characteristics such as age, presence of children, ethnicity and income have been demonstrated in past research to have a relationship to recreating patterns and needs. For those reasons, historical change and emerging directions of the resident population and demography of the City are important considerations as the City plans for and moves forward into its preferred future. Four demographic analyses have been prepared as a foundation for understanding City residents’ recreation needs and preferences now and in the future. •A review of historical population growth. •A review of historical household (occupied housing unit) growth. •A review of historical demographic trends for residents. •A forecast of population and household growth to 2035. Section ONE: Introduction Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan24 Figure 1.5-2: Population Change by Age Group, (2000 to 2010) Historical Population Growth Figure 1.5-1, Demographic Trends in the City of Menifee presents a fourteen-year history of population growth within the City and County. As Figure 1.5-1 illustrates, population growth in the City during the 2000 to 2010 time frame occurred at a 68.6% rate, with over 3,150 new City residents documented each year on average. The City growth rate of 68.6% between 2000 and 2010 compares with a 41.7% rate of growth for the County as a whole. Thus, the City population growth during this time frame was faster than the County overall. Historical Household GrowthFigure 1.5-1 also presents a fourteen-year history of household growth within the City and County. As Figure 1.5-1 illustrates, household growth in the City during the 2000 to 2010 time frame occurred at a 51.2% rate, with approximately 930 new City households documented each year on average. The City household growth rate of 51.2% between 2000 and 2010 compares with a 35.6% rate of growth for the County as a whole. Thus, the City household growth during this time frame was well above the rate in the County overall. Historical Demographic TrendsTo enhance the analysis of population and household growth previously provided, a collection of demographic characteristics for the resident population was compiled for 2000 and, for comparison, 2010 and 2013. This collection of characteristics has been prepared for the City and the County and is presented in Figure 1.5-2. Figure 1.5-2 highlights the following demographic trends. •Average household size in the City grew markedly in the decade from 2000 to 2010; from 2.53 persons per household in 2000 to 2.82 persons per household in 2010, mirroring the trend observed in the County (from 2.98 in 2000 to 3.14 in 2010). Estimates for 2013 and 2014 suggest a continued growth in population per household for the City and the County. Section ONE: Introduction Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 25 Figure 1.5-3: Population Change by Race/Ethnicity, (2000 to 2010) •The median household income in the City was 9% below the median ﬁ gure for the County in 2010. However, the median income ﬁ gure in the City grew faster during the 2000 to 2010 period (36% vs. 31% in the County.) •As Figure 1.5-2 reveals, during the 2000 to 2010 time frame, the greatest growth in population by age group was evidenced among City residents 20 to 24 years of age (180%), among those 45 to 54 years of age (122%), and among those 25 to 34 years of age (118%). •The pattern of growth in the City’s population by age group was not directly comparable to the pattern among County residents where the highest rates of population growth were documented among residents 55 to 64 years of age (up 84%), among those 45 to 54 years (up 66%) and for residents 20 to 24 years (up 60%). •Examining the population of the City by age further, the share of all residents who were 5 to 14 years of age (the primary youth sports population group) fell from 15% in 2000 to 14% in 2010. Adult recreation consumers aged 20 to 54 years constituted 36% of City residents in 2000, growing to 42% in 2010. Seniors 55 and over comprised 37% of City residents in 2000 and fell to 29% in 2010. •As a result of the changes in the distribution by age, the median age in the City declined from 42.5 years in 2000 to 38.1 years in 2010. •Examining the City population by race and ethnicity reveals that the fastest growing group from 2000 to 2010 (at 359%) was population describing themselves as Asian or Paciﬁ c Islander. Menifee residents who described themselves as Black also experienced substantial growth (310%.) It should be noted, however, that each of these resident groups comprised fewer than 1,000 residents as of the 2000 Census. Therefore, in growth volume terms, the growth in these two groups was far outpaced by the portion of the population describing themselves as Hispanic or White (which grew 171% and 24%, respectively) between 2000 and 2010. These differing population growth rates by race and ethnicity are presented in Figure 1.5-3. Section ONE: Introduction Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan26 Figure 1.5-4: Population Estimates and Projections, City of Menifee •Examining County trends of growth in population by race and ethnicity revealed similar signiﬁ cant population growth among those describing themselves as Asian/Paciﬁ c Islander (up 117%) as well the Hispanic population (up 78%). •Approximately one-third of City households (35%) in 2013 were households with children less than 18 years, up from a 30% rate documented in 2000, revealing a trend of growth in households with children. The Countywide share of households with children stood at 42% in 2013. •The City’s proportion of renters has grown at a faster rate than homeowners over the ten-year period between Censuses (94% vs. 42%, respectively). However, a majority of 2010 households are homeowners in the City (75%) and the County (65%). •The median housing value of $216,200 in the City in 2010 was 19% below the median value of $266,800 in the County as a whole. •The 2010 median rental rate in the City was 5% above the median in the County. Forecast Population Growth Figure 1.5-4 presents a forecast of population growth within the City extending to 2035 based on the WRCOG 2011 Growth Forecast and SCAG 2012 Regional Transportation Plan Growth Forecast. As Figure 1.5-4 illustrates, population growth in the City between 2015 and 2035 is expected to occur at a rate that ranges from 1.6% to 1.9% per year, with a range of approximately 1,560 to 1,743 new City residents anticipated each year on average, roughly half the volume documented between 2000 and 2010. Section ONE: Introduction Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 27 Forecast Housing Unit Growth Figure 1.5-4 also presents a forecast of household growth within the City. As Figure 1.5-4 illustrates, household growth in the City during the 2015 to 2035 period is expected to occur at 710 units per year, on average, roughly 75% of the volume documented between 2000 and 2010. 1.6 Relationship to Other Documents City of Menifee General Plan – Vision 2030Each City in California is required by State law to adopt a comprehensive, long-term General Plan for its physical development. The General Plan consists of mandatory and discretionary elements including land use, housing, circulation, conservation and open space, safety, noise, air quality, and economic development. California State law requires that the day-to-day decisions of a City should follow logically from, and be consistent with, the General Plan. Preparation of the PTOSRMP is one of the open space and conservation implementation actions developed to carry out the goals and policies of the General Plan, in order to “identify potential sites for new park, assess demand for park land based on approved development, and develop a strategy for potential park site acquisitions, expansions, and improvements.” The General Plan identiﬁ es the following goal for parks and recreation: a comprehensive system of high quality parks and recreation programs that meets the diverse needs of the community. The General Plan also identiﬁ es a number of policies to meet the City’s goal for Parks and Recreation: •Provide parks and recreational programs to meet the varied needs of community residents, including children, youth, adults, seniors, and persons with disabilities, and make these facilities and services easily accessible and affordable to all users. •Require a minimum of 5 acres of public open space to be provided for every 1,000 City residents. •Locate and distribute parks and recreational facilities throughout the community so that most residents are within walking distance (1-half mile) of a public open space. •Enhance the natural environment and viewsheds through park design and site selection while preserving sensitive biological, cultural, and historic resources. •Make parks as safe as possible by promoting the latest developments in facility design and equipment technology. •Partner with school districts and other agencies and organizations for the joint- use, maintenance, and development of parks and recreational facilities and programs. •Ensure that parks and recreational facilities are well-maintained by the responsible agency. •Explore conventional and creative funding options for park and program development and administration. Section ONE: Introduction Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan28 •Encourage all residents to participate in recreational programs regardless of age, economic status, disability, or other factor. •Develop a regional park of at least 25 acres within the City of Menifee. The General Plan identiﬁ es the following goal for recreational trails: a comprehensive network of hiking, biking, and equestrian recreation trails that do not negatively impact the natural environment or cultural resources. The General Plan also identiﬁ es a number of policies to meet the City’s goal for recreational trails: •Develop recreational trails for hiking, biking, and equestrian use throughout the City, making them, to the extent feasible, accessible to people of different neighborhoods, ages, and abilities. •Locate and regulate recreational trails so that they do not negatively impact the City’s sensitive habitat, wildlife, natural landforms, and cultural resources. •Recognize ﬂ ood control facilities as potential locations for recreational trails, and pursue these opportunities in coordination with the Riverside County Flood Control and Conservation District. •Explore new acquisition opportunities for abandoned railroad rights-of-way, natural waterways, ﬂ ood control rights-of-way, public utility easements, and public lands for potential designation as recreational trails. •Equip trailheads and trail staging areas with adequate parking, restrooms, signage, or other facilities, and amenities as appropriate. •Protect existing equestrian trails, including those in the City’s rural neighborhoods, and encourage connections to new trails in other parts of the City. •Coordinate with adjacent jurisdictions to establish recreational trails that connect to other trail systems and major destinations found outside of the City, such as Lake Elsinore, Kabian Park, and Diamond Valley Lake. •Develop appropriate consultation protocols with local Native American Tribes who have ancestral territories within the City to ensure recreation trails are located to avoid impacts to cultural resources. •Ensure safety along recreational trails through appropriate lighting, signage, and other crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) strategies. Section ONE: Introduction Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 29 The current version of the City’s General Plan was adopted on December 18, 2013. Park Development Design GuidelinesThe Community Services Department developed the Park Development Design Guidelines to establish general standards, guidelines and criteria for the design and development of improvements in City parks, trails and open spaces. The Park Development Design Guidelines help ensure quality parks by basing designs on aesthetics, function, economics, and health and safety. Recommendations for improvements in the Master Plan are also subject to the established design guidelines and standards in the Park Development Design Guidelines. Landscape Standards The City of Menifee has developed landscape standards, which are intended to inform developers, landscape architects, architects, planners, irrigation designers, project applicants, contractors, and the general public regarding requirements and procedures within the City of Menifee for landscape development. The standards provide a framework for developments to successfully achieve its goals. The City promotes sustainable landscapes that enhance community character, improve health and livability, protect and restore natural ecosystems, promote efﬁ cient use of water, minimize soil erosion, and diminish wildland ﬁ re danger. The City conducts compliance reviews for improvements in private developments and public rights– of–way. Plans subject to review include planting plans, irrigation plans, concrete sidewalks, multipurpose trails, fencing, thematic signage, median paving, and play areas. Recommendations for improvements in the Master Plan are also subject to the standards and requirements established in the City’s Landscape Standards. Section ONE: Introduction Existing Recreation Resources Wheatﬁ eld Park hosts a variety of recreation amenities with ballﬁ elds, tennis courts, and playground facilities. Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 33 El Dorado Park: A Mini Park 0.34 Acres in size. Section TWO: Existing Recreation Resources 2.1 Park Defi nition The City’s General Plan does not recommend a park classiﬁ cation system. Within the approved and adopted document Park Development Design Guidelines, January 2015, limited park classiﬁ cations have been developed and published. For purposes of this Master Plan report, the term “park” is broadly deﬁ ned. This report will use the term “park” and “recreational facility” interchangeably and, consistent with the General Plan, the terms refer to all recommended City park types described in section 2.2. Areas not generally considered as “parkland” include: street medians and parkways; natural preserved or conserved open space areas without access or improvements; unimproved land zoned for uses other than recreation; and ﬂ ood zones. 2.2 Menifee Park Types Park classiﬁ cations are generally driven by park use, purpose, and size. The classiﬁ cations are not grouped by maintenance frequency or the presence of a particular asset. This classiﬁ cation system serves the following purposes: •These classiﬁ cations will provide a general guideline for future development options. The combination of descriptors for each park type represents what has generally been successful on a certain sized plot of land located in a certain type of physical environment. These guidelines can help to set community expectations for a given site. •These classiﬁ cations may serve as a basis for policies around appropriate programming in different park types. •These classiﬁ cations may inform functional planting design standards and other design standards Recommended classiﬁ cation deﬁ nitions are: Pocket/Mini Park (0-2 acres): These are typically smaller developed urban open space at the very small scale. Usually only a few house lots in size or smaller, pocket parks can be tucked into and scattered throughout the urban fabric where they serve the immediate local population. These parks act as scaled- down neighborhood parks and often offer a variety of amenities including turf, planters, walkways, plazas, play areas for Section TWO: Existing Recreation Resources Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan34 Mira Park: A Neighborhood Park 5.0 Acres in size. Marion V. Ashley Community Center is a Special Use Facility that offers classes and special events to the community. children, and picnic facilities. Pocket Parks do not provide restroom facilities nor on-site parking. Pocket/Mini Parks generally serve three categories: •Downtown destination parks which are signature parks of interest to the broad community •Downtown parks where neighborhood involvement in activities and programming is most appropriate •Small public spaces or beauty spots which are small islands within the urban environment and present opportunities to enhance the City’s character and identity. Neighborhood Park (2.1 -10 acres): Typically these parks serve the surrounding neighborhood for multiple uses. Park development may include play areas, small ﬁ elds, benches, picnic tables, and improved paths and should include restroom facilities. Geographic range of users is up to one-half-mile. Community Park (10.1 – 25 acres): A Community Park meets the recreational needs of several neighborhoods and may also preserve unique landscapes and open spaces. These parks serve multiple uses and provide recreational facilities and accommodate group activities not provided in neighborhood parks. Community park sites should be accessible by arterial and/or collector streets. Geographic range of users is up to 3 miles or City-wide if park contains a recreation complex. Recreation Area/Regional Parks (25.1 – larger) These parks supplement neighborhood and community parks, serving broader citywide recreation needs. The parks contain various assets, often for active recreation, and are programmed accordingly. Many also have designated natural areas. Restroom facilities and off-street parking are generally provided for users. Geographic range of users is citywide. Special Use Facility: This category refers to stand-alone parks or facilities that are designed to serve one particular use such as a golf course or senior center. These parks may serve a secondary or third use, but the primary use is prioritized with regard to design, maintenance, and funding decisions. Section TWO: Existing Recreation Resources Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 35 Natural Area/Greenbelt: Established for the protection and stewardship of wildlife, habitat, and other natural systems support functions. Some natural areas are accessible for low-impact use. Minimal infrastructure may include access and signage, where it will not adversely impact habitat or natural systems functions. Larger natural areas may have small sections developed to serve a community park function. Linear Park Established as an aesthetically-pleasing transportation corridor which includes trails, green streets, and boulevards. Linear parks often provide safe pedestrian routes as well as recreation opportunities. Desired assets include improved path, lighting, and landscaping. Optional assets may include benches, play area, viewpoint, public gathering space, ﬁ tness stations/par course and ﬂ at grassy area for informal activity. An additional classiﬁ cation could be considered if the City of Menifee enters into a joint-use agreement with another public agency and funds improvements which allow the city the right to expanded hours of use. This additional classiﬁ cation is: Joint Use Facilities These parks supplement community parks, serving broader City-wide recreation needs. The parks contain various assets, often for active recreation, and are programmed accordingly. Restroom facilities and parking are generally provided for users. Geographic range of users is City-wide. 2.3 Existing Recreation Facilities Unique and diverse recreational opportunities are available throughout the City of Menifee, including numerous facilities for active and passive recreation activities. Figure 2.3-1 is a map showing the location of each existing park and recreation facility operated by either the City of Menifee or Valley-Wide Recreation and Park District. Figure 2.3-2 is a matrix that describes size and amenities of existing public parks and recreation facilities with the City of Menifee. Current breakdown of acreage for the City of Menifee park and recreation facilities is: •Pocket 0.00 Acres •Neighborhood 19.50 Acres •Community 8.30 Acres •Recreation Area 11.29 Acres •Special-Use 1.45 Acres •Natural Area/Greenbelt 0.00 Acres •Linear Park 0.00 Acres •Spirit Park 8.78 Acres Total Acreage—City of Menifee 49.32 Acres Section TWO: Existing Recreation Resources Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan36 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 26 27 28 29 3031 32 43 34 35 38 39 40 41 42 44 45 46 36 33 8 9 10 11 13 14 15 16 1718 12 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 47 37 48 49 CITY PARKS 1. Audie Murphy Ranch Sports Park2. E. L. Peterson Park 3. La Ladera Park4. Lazy Creek Park & Rec. Center 5. Lyle Marsh Park6. Nova Park 7. Rancho Ramona Park8. Spirit Park VWRPD PARKS 26. Aldergate Park 27. Autumn Breeze Park28. Desert Green Park 29. Discovery Park30. El Dorado Park 31. El Dorado Pocket Park32. Eller Park CITY FACILITIES A. Lazy Creek Park Recreation CenterB. Kay Ceniceros Senior Center LEGEND VWRPD FACILITIES C. Marion V. Ashley Community & Recreation Center D. Wheatfield Park Gym & Recreation Center X 33. Grand Vista Park34. Heritage Park 35. Hidden Meadows Park 36. La Paloma Park 37. Mahogany Creek Park 38. Marion V. Ashley Park 39. McCall Canyon Park 40. Menifee South Tot Lot 41. Mira Park42. Pepita Square Park 43. Richmond Park44. Rolling Hills Park 45. Sunrise Park46. Wheatfield Park CITY PARKS IN PROGRESS 9. Golden Meadows Parks 10. Hidden Hills Park 11. Central Park 12. Menifee Heights Park 13. Cimmaron Ridge Park 14. Evans Park 15. Sunwood Park (Tr. 31856) 16. Eagle Crest Park (Tr. 34037) 17. Diamond Bros. Park I (Tr. 32101) 18. Diamond Park Bros. II (Tr. 32102) 19. Talvera Park (Tr. 29777) 20. Cottonwood Park (Tr. 28788) 21. CV Communities Park (Tr. 29835) 22. Strata Park (Tr. 31098) 23. Cantalena Park (Tr. 33732) 24. Quail Hill (Tr. 32794) 25. (3) Fleming Ranch Parks (Tr. 36513) VWPRD PARKS IN PROGRESS 47. The Lakes 48. Mosaic Park 49. Heritage Lake Park (Tr. 34406) ##X ## Figure 2.3-1: Menifee Existing Facility Map Section TWO: Existing Recreation Resources Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 37 Pa r k l a n d A c r e a g e Cla s s r o o m s Co m m u n i t y B u i l d i n g Do g P a r k Gy m n a s i u m Mu l t i - P u r p o s e R o o m s Pa r k i n g Pla y g r o u n d / T o t L o t Pic n i c S h e l t e r s / G a z e b o s Pic n i c T a b l e s Re s t r o o m Sk a t e P a r k Wa l k i n g / F i t n e s s T r a i l Ba s e b a l l F i e l d Ba s k e t b a l l C o u r t ( F u l l ) Ba s k e t b a l l C o u r t ( H a l f ) Ho r s e s h o e P i t s Op e n F i e l d Pic k l e b a l l So f t b a l l F i e l d So c c e r F i e l d Te n n i s C o u r t Vo l l e y b a l l ( I n d o o r ) Vo l l e y b a l l ( S a n d ) KEY CITY RECREATION FACILITIES TYPE LOCATION 1 Audie Murphy Ranch Sports Park Community Newport Road 11.29 68 1 3 20 1 1 1 1L 1 1L 2 E. L. Peterson Park Neighborhood 29621 Park City Avenue 4.81 1 30 2 2 1 1 1 2 1 3 La Ladera Park Neighborhood 29629 La Ladera Road 8.30 19 1 3 7 1 1 1 1 1 4 Lazy Creek Park & Rec. Center Neighborhood 26480 Lazy Creek Road 3.40 1 32 2 7 2 1 1 5 Lyle Marsh Park Neighborhood 27050 School Park Drive 6.07 OS 2 9 1 6 Nova Park Neighborhood 25444 Nova Lane 3.35 OS 1 1 7 Rancho Ramona Park Neighborhood 28050 Encanto Drive 1.87 OS 1 3 9 1 1 1 1 8 Spirit Park Neighborhood 25507 Normandy Road 8.78 OS 2 3 9 1 1 2 2 2 1 9 Aldergate Park Neighborhood Aldergate & Menifee 8.10 1 25 1 1 1 2 10 Autumn Breeze Park Mini Park Autumn & Cordero Lanes 1.48 OS 1 6 11 Desert Green Park Mini Park Painted Desert Drive 0.45 OS 12 Discovery Park Community Calm Horizon Drive & Heritage Lake Drive 7.34 37 1 1 6 1 1 2 13 El Dorado Park Neighborhood Rustic Glen Street & Trailhead Drive 3.12 OS 2 2 1 14 El Dorado Pocket Park Mini Park Longleaf Street & Rustic Glen Street 0.37 OS 1 1 15 Eller Park Community Antelope Road & Highway 74 5.13 35 2 1 6 1 1 1L 2 16 Grand Vista Park (Richmond Park) Mini Park Grand Vista Drive & Promenade Road 0.30 OS 2 17 Heritage Park Neighborhood Heritage Lake Drive & McCall Boulevard 4.82 22 2 2 2 1 18 Hidden Meadows Park Neighborhood Highland Court 2.39 9 1 1 19 La Paloma Park Neighborhood Bayport Lane & Menifee Road 4.36 8 1 11 1 20 Marion V. Ashley Park Community 25625 Briggs Road 11.36 1 145 1 1 1 2L 21 McCall Canyon Park Neighborhood Almont Way & Crestwood Street 3.03 12 1 2 1 22 Wheatfield Park Community La Piedra Road & Menifee Road 26.87 52 2 1 4, 2L 2 2 2L 1 23 Menifee South Tot Lot Mini Park Eickhoff Drive & Feather Creek Drive 1.11 OS 2 5 24 Mira Park Neighborhood Mira Street & Wickerd Road 5.66 OS 1 1 1 2 25 Pepita Square Park Mini Park Camino Pepita Drive 0.54 OS 26 Rolling Hills Park Neighborhood Pacific Bluff Street 2.46 OS 1 1 2 27 Sunrise Park Community Lindenberger & Simpson Roads 11.19 46 2 1 1 1 2 2 1 Lazy Creek Recreation Center Facility 26480 Lazy Creek Road n/a 32 1 2 Kay Ceniceros Senior Center Facility 29995 Evans Road 1.45 2 2 80 1 3 Marion V. Ashley Comm. Center Facility 25625 Briggs Road n/a 1 1 28 1 1 1 4 Wheatfield Park Comm. Center Facility La Piedra Road & Menifee Road n/a 1 52 1 149.40 DEFINITIONS L = Lighted Field OS = On Street Parking TOTALS FOR CITY PARKS AND FACILITIES CITY PARKS SPORTS FACILITIES COMMUNITY BUILDINGS PARK FACILITIES VALLEY-WIDE REC. & PARKS DISTRICT CITY OF MENIFEE EXISTING CITY PARKS & RECREATION FACILITIES Figure 2.3-2: Menifee Existing Facility Matrix Valley-Wide’s classiﬁ cation system within the Menifee City limits only includes neighborhood and community parks. The District currently operates three community parks and 16 neighborhood parks with the city limits. Current breakdown of acreage operated by Valley-Wide is: •Neighborhood 59.44 Acres •Community 49.42 Acres •Total Acreage—Valley-Wide 100.08 Acres •Total Acreage with City limits 149.40152.79 Acres Section TWO: Existing Recreation Resources Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan38 Note: School ﬁ elds are reportedly not maintained to modern soccer / ﬁ eld designs 2.4 Joint Use School Agreements The City of Menifee is served by Mt. San Jacinto College, Perris Union High School District, Menifee Union School District, Romoland School District, and privately operated Santa Rosa Academy. The City has a joint-use agreement in place with Santa Rosa Academy for the use of their facilities. To minimize duplication and/or competition, the City should coordinate with school districts and other public and non-proﬁ t agencies to provide for the best use of public and private resources to meet recreation demands. In general, the City has just initiated steps to develop partnerships between the City and the various school districts for joint utilization of public facilities for public beneﬁ ts. With only one joint use agreement in place, the decision makers and staff from the various organizations should continue to develop a relationship leading to agreements that meet the changing needs and demands of the community. Current recreation facilities at school sites within the City of Menifee include: Mt. San Jacinto College •(1) Baseball Field •(1) Multi-purpose Field •(6) Tennis Courts--Lighted Perris Union High School District Heritage High School •(3) Softball Fields •(2) Baseball Fields •(1) Football Field—Lighted/synthetic •(3) Soccer Fields—Overlaid on softball/baseball ﬁ elds Paloma Valley High School •(2) Softball Fields •(2) Baseball Fields •(1) Football Field—Lighted/synthetic •(8) Tennis Courts Menifee Union School District Bell Mountain Middle School •Joint-use Gymnasium •(8) Outdoor Tennis Courts--lighted Hans Christensen Middle School •(1) Multi-Purpose Field •(2) Softball Fields—size constraints •(6) Outdoor Basketball Courts Menifee Valley Middle School •(1) Multi-Purpose Field—Small •(3) Outdoor Basketball Courts (7) Elementary Schools Romoland School District Ethan Chase Middle School —Adjacent to Discovery Park •(1) Multi-use Field (4) Elementary Schools Santa Rosa Academy—Joint Use Agreement Phase II (timing is to be determined) will include: •(1) Ballﬁ eld •(1) Multi-Use Field •(3) Outdoor Basketball Courts Section TWO: Existing Recreation Resources Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 39 Figure 2.4-1: Menifee School Facility Map Section TWO: Existing Recreation Resources Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan40 Figure 2.4-2: Menifee School Facility Inventory Matrix 2.5 Adjacent Parks and Recreation FacilitiesWithin Menifee city limits and in close proximity are a number of State, County Parks, and recreational facilities operated by other cities and Valley-Wide. Center is not funded by LLMD-VW. Marion Ashley Community Center—Valley-Wide Recreation and Park DistrictThe 25,000 square foot community center offers a variety of programs and classes including Zumba, martial arts classes, youth and adult sports classes including basketball, volleyball and soccer clinics, gymnastics, dodgeball, and mom and me classes. Marion Ashley Community Center has rentable space and is also home to a Child Development Center location serving 18 months to 5 years of age. Care is provided for a partial day or full day, private and state subsidized. Center is not funded by LLMD-VW. Section TWO: Existing Recreation Resources Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 41 Menifee Community Center—Valley-Wide Recreation and Park DistrictThe Menifee Community Center located at Wheatﬁ eld Park is a small out dated facility offering a limited number of programs including dance, jazzercise, yoga, martial arts, and art classes. Valley-Wide also offers programming based at Wheatﬁ eld Park and at the Menifee Gym, a joint-use facility located at Bell Mountain Middle School. This programming includes open gym, youth volleyball and basketball, men’s softball and tennis lessons at the park. Facility is funded by VW LLMD. Special Needs Playground—City of TemeculaLocated within Margarita Community Park in the City of Temecula the newly opened $1.2 million special needs playground features a splash pad and playground enclosed inside a fence that is intended to restrict access to one way in and one way out. The playground features specially-designed swings, gliders, play areas, a sensory garden, and rubberized padding for comfort and safety. Additional equipment makes it easy for children to slide, sway, crawl, and play. The new enclosed playground is open to all children, but utilizes specialized play features that are more welcoming and safe for children with special needs. Lake Perris State Recreation AreaLake Perris is located in Riverside County between the communities of Moreno Valley and Perris and features campgrounds, group camp, hunting zone, picnic areas, 2 swim beaches, Indian museum, equestrian camp, and equestrian/ multiuse trails. It is the southernmost State Water Project Facility and the southern terminus of the California Aqueduct. The Lake Perris State Recreation Area is one of the state’s most popular recreation destinations. In 2005, California Department of Water Resources identiﬁ ed potential seismic safety risks in a section of the foundation of Perris Dam. To ensure maximum public safety until repairs are made, the lake level was lowered about 25 feet. This drop coupled with the 2 year drought and drinking water demands has had an impact on our lake levels. As of spring 2015 only one remaining 6 lane launch ramp is operational with just 6 vertical feet of water on top of it. The lake is at the lowest level in over 40 years. Lake Elsinore Recreation AreaThis 3,300-acre recreational lake is located near the community of Lake Elsinore west of Menifee. In addition to camping the lake is popular for a variety of passive and active sports. Due to warm thermals that blow in from the neighboring Ortega mountains, Lake Elsinore is a major center for skydiving, hang-gliding and a favorite venue for jet skiing, wake-boarding, and water skiing. Additionally the lake offers boating, ﬁ shing, wakeboarding, water skiing, windsurﬁ ng, sunbathing, picnicking, and hiking. Section TWO: Existing Recreation Resources Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan42 Double Butte County ParkDouble Butte County Park is distinguished by the 2,579-foot mountain summit, adjoined by a slightly small second butte about 2,480 feet. The park is the western most summit of a mountain range north of Winchester, California, east of Perris Valley and west of the San Jacinto Valley. Two hiking trails exist on the mountain, one to the peak and the other along its west face . 2.6 Private and Commercial Recreation Facilities Within the City of Menifee and in close proximity there are a number of private and commercial operators of recreational facilities. Drop ZoneDrop Zone Water Park is a $24 million, 12-acre project located immediately adjacent to Menifee at 2165 Trumble Road in Perris. The facility opened in spring of 2014 and operates seasonally mid-May through mid-September, operating seven days a week in June and July. While this facility apparently does not currently serve the needs of Menifee residents, it may fulﬁ ll a demand as new residential communities are developed in the northern Menifee area in the future. Drop Zone Water Park includes: •A 50 meter pool with integrated timing system and electronic scoreboard. The pool includes two 1-meter diving boards and one 3-meter board. The pool is being used by new swim teams at Paloma Valley and Heritage High Schools. •Two large water slides. •An open-air water slide and a tube slide. •A “Lil’ Jumpers” water play structure for kids from toddlers to 10 years. •Ground Geysers that shoot up from the concrete. •The Meridian Springs pool, utilized for beginning swim lessons with a 4 foot maximum depth. •A “lazy river” attraction in which guests can ﬂ oat slowly around a large island. •Locker rooms. •The Flow Rider which allows guests to body surf and stand-up surf. •Beach volleyball. •Snack bar and covered eating area. •Banquet rooms and cabana areas available for rent. Section TWO: Existing Recreation Resources Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 43 Field of DreamsIn January, 2012 Perris held the grand opening of the Big League Dreams (BLD) Sports Parks after and year and one-half under construction. This 35 acre, $25 million facility features two playground areas, four Major League replica ﬁ elds (Anaheim Stadium, Dodger Stadium, Fenway Park, Yankee Stadium), two AAA replica ﬁ elds (Durham and Pawtucket), a 20,000 square foot indoor soccer pavilion, restaurant complete with a full bar and numerous big screen televisions, batting cages, and other amenities. The facility is located on 2155 Trumble Road in Perris adjacent to the Drop Zone Aquatic Center. Sun CitySun City is an active adult community located in Menifee, California. Sun City was the ﬁ rst master-planned community of its kind and today is made up of 4,762 residences. Sun City offers a variety of indoor and outdoor amenities. Indoor amenities include the Civic Hall, North Town Hall, and Webb Hall, the latter two able to host up to 500 people. Additionally there is a woodworking shop, lapidary studio and ceramics studio. There is also a card room, ﬁ tness center, billiards room, table tennis, and indoor shufﬂ eboard courts. Outside amenities feature two outdoor pools, an amphitheater, 10 horseshoe pits, 6 bocce ball courts, 2 lawn bowling greens, and tennis courts. 2.7 Existing and Planned Trails In April 2012, the City of Menifee Trails Committee convened to inventory existing trails in the City. In a report dated April 15, 2012, the committee provided the City with detailed observations on the community’s various trails and, in some cases, made recommendations related to future trail locations and opportunities to close trail gaps. The committee’s ﬁ eld work and recommendations set the foundation for the goal and policies related to recreational trails in the Open Space and Conservation Element. The City’s General Plan identiﬁ es regional and community trails as multipurpose recreational trails intended for the use of equestrians, hikers, joggers, non-motorized bikers, as well as the casual walker. Regional trails are deﬁ ned as connecting parks and providing linkages between open space areas and regional recreation areas. Comparatively, community trails create linkages similar to regional trails, but are local serving. Overall, the development of regional and community trails also supports connections to a larger network of hiking and biking trails established in the Circulation Element of the General Plan (including Class I, II, and III bike routes). Section TWO: Existing Recreation Resources Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan44 Figure 2.7-1: C-4 Proposed Bikeway and Community Pedestrian Network Section TWO: Existing Recreation Resources Recreation Facility Needs Assessment A Workshop Three Participant presenting the group’s top programs in Menifee. Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 47 Section THREE: Recreation Facility Needs Assessment The purpose of the facility needs assessment is to identify the current recreation facility needs within the community, to identify which are met and which are unmet, and to suggest the relative priority of each identiﬁ ed need. Needs have been identiﬁ ed and prioritized by evaluating a series of community inputs and other analysis tools. The process involved gathering both qualitative input (e.g. executive interviews, community workshops, and portions of the sports organization questionnaire) and quantitative input (e.g. telephone survey, sports organization questionnaire, and demand analysis). Each need identiﬁ cation tool and each bit of information gathered is a piece of the puzzle leading to a deeper, more thorough understanding of the community. All of the pieces, taken together, complete an overall picture of recreation needs speciﬁ c to Menifee. The following methods and processes were utilized to conduct the facility needs analysis and are addressed in this section: •Community Involvement: provides direct responses from the local community and stakeholders; including stakeholder interviews, community workshops, an online questionnaire, and sports organization questionnaires. •City of Menifee Resident Telephone Survey: provides statistically valid information regarding the types of recreation facilities most often utilized by residents. •Recreation Demand and Needs Analysis: estimates current and future facility needs based on the City of Menifee Resident Telephone Survey and the sports organization questionnaire. •Online Questionnaire: made available online for residents to provide feedback on their recreation needs and desires. •Service Area Analysis: examines how parks and recreation facilities are distributed throughout residential areas in the city. •Acreage Analysis: evaluates the parkland acreage needs in the city based on established standards and speciﬁ c facility needs of the city. •Existing Recreation Facilities Maintenance Condition: report identiﬁ es the existing conditions of park facilities and outlines issue the city will be faced with over the next several years due to emerging recreation activity demands. •Program Needs: as identiﬁ ed in the program inventory and analysis outline the need for new facilities to support them. Section THREE: Recreation Facility Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan48 3.1 Community Participation What are Menifee residents saying about recreation? Menifee’s community outreach ranged from lively evening group discussions to one-on-one telephone interviews with 300 households representing 870 residents. The community input portion of the Needs Assessment provided a number of opportunities to obtain perspective from residents, users and providers of facilities and programs. Within this section, community feedback has been organized into four (4) separate categories: 1. Executive Interviews 2. Community Workshops (3) 3. Online Questionnaire 4. Sports Organization Survey The information received from each of these sources has been included in the overall prioritization of needs and recommendations. A summary of each community input is provided below. Complete summary reports can be found in the Appendix Document. Stakeholder InterviewsThe following summarizes the results of interviews conducted with twenty-seven (27) stakeholders as part of the public outreach efforts of the Parks, Trails, and Open Space and Recreation Master Plan. Participants included the City’s Mayor, City Manager’s Ofﬁ ce staff, members of the City Council, Parks, Recreation and Trails Commission, Senior Advisory Committee, Planning Commission, and the Youth Advisory Committee. 1. What are the most important issues in the Community related to the Parks, Trails, Open Space and Recreation Services currently provided? •Equal distribution of parks and overall lack of park space. •Size of parks and lack of larger regional facility(ies). Need for lighted sports ﬁ elds. •Delivery of services and communication between City and Valley-Wide, •Lack of major draw in town and people are going outside to recreate. Taking tax dollars with them. •Senior Center, small size and lack of programming, especially related to outdoor activities. 2. What are the most important services and facilities for residents in the future? •Programs for seniors, especially walking and hiking. •Development of a Community Center to hold large events possibly tied in with development of hotel/convention center. •Development of Regional Park(s) with lighted multi-use sports ﬁ elds. Section THREE: Recreation Facility Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 49 •Development and connectivity of trails system. •Development of easements under power lines into passive parks/trails. 3. What does the Community Services Department and/or Valley Wide Park and Recreation District do best in providing facilities, programs, and services to community residents? •Valley-Wide has a long tradition and large variety of programs. Existing structure in place. •City through the Community Services Department has started to put on signature programs for the community. They think outside the box. 4. How can the Community Services Department and/or Valley Wide Park and Recreation District improve in providing facilities, programs, and services to community residents? •Valley-Wide does not connect with the community. Same old ways of doing things. •Take over full control of Valley-Wide operations. •Valley-Wide charges more in assessment districts than the city does. •City should take over operations and build the necessary infrastructure. •Parking is an issue at the larger parks. •Improved lighting to reduce vandalism. 5. What is your vision for park and recreation services and facilities in 2025? •City running all community service functions in Menifee. Valley-Wide out of Menifee. •Development of Regional Park(s). •Community Center that is large enough to hold major functions—multi-generational. •Aquatics facility. •Coordinated trails plan with connectivity and linkages between parks, schools, and other public facilities. •Parks are a focal point of the community and if well-maintained speaks to the quality of the city. Section THREE: Recreation Facility Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan50 6. What is the one program, class or activity you would most like to see added in Menifee to meet the needs of the community? •Day Care programs. •Aquatic programs. •Expanded programming for seniors, especially outdoor related. 7. What is the one recreation facility you would most like to see added in Menifee to meet the needs of the community? •Regional Park. •Regional Multi-use Center that is inter-generational. •Aquatic Facility. •Equestrian trails and facility. Community Workshops Community Workshop #1 – Community Characteristics and Issues The ﬁ rst community workshop was held Monday, March 30th, from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM at the Kay Ceniceros Senior Center in Menifee. The Consultant Team worked with City Staff to develop and coordinate the workshop. Forty- two (42) residents attended the workshop. The purpose of Workshop #1 was to identify what community characteristics make the City of Menifee a great place to live, work, and play; what issues or trends may negatively impact those important community characteristics; and what role can parks, recreation and community services play in addressing those issues. According to the workshop participants, the most important community characteristics that make the City of Menifee a great place to live, work and play are: •Open Space / Rural Community •Low Crime Rate / Safety •Small Town Atmosphere •Active Family Oriented Section THREE: Recreation Facility Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 51 The issues or trends that may be negatively impacting the community and should be considered in the Parks, Trails, Open Space and Recreation Master Plan are: •Trafﬁ c / Safety •Long-Term Planning / Overdevelopment / Zoning •Communication / Coordination to and Within the Community •Lack of Sidewalks / Bike Lanes / Trail System Connectivity The role parks, recreation and community services can play in addressing those issues, and support the community characteristics that make the City of Menifee a great place to live, work, and play: •Communication / Coordination to and within the Community •Monitor Development •Park Master Planning •Regional Sports Park / Facility Community Workshop #2 – Sports User Groups The second workshop was held Monday, April 20th from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM at the Menifee Gym at Wheatﬁ eld Park in Menifee. The Consultant Team worked with City Staff to develop and coordinate the workshop. Thirty-Two (32) residents attended the workshop. This workshop identiﬁ ed the best and worst sports facilities, the top sports facility needs, opportunities to address those needs, and the most important improvements to parks, trails, and/or open space. According to the workshop participants, the best public sports facilities in the City of Menifee are: •Wheatﬁ eld •Audie Murphy Ranch •Marion Ashley The worst public sports facilities in the City of Menifee are: •Pete Peterson •Wheatﬁ eld •Eller Section THREE: Recreation Facility Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan52 The top sports facility needs in the City of Menifee are: •Community Pool •Lights for Fields •Restrooms •Regional Sports Complex •Soccer / Multi-Purpose Fields The opportunities for meeting current and future sports facility needs in the City are: •Upgrade City Facilities / Redesign •Build Large Parks •Partnership / Joint Relationships The most important improvements to make in the City of Menifee to parks, trails, and/or open space are: •Lights •Restrooms •More Regional Parks / Sports Complexes Community Workshop #3 – Needs Summary and Prioritization Residents of the City of Menifee, including participants from previous workshops, were invited to an overview of the Master Plan process, and summary of the recreation program and facility needs in the City. Twenty-Five (25) attendees participated in the evening’s workshop discussions in one of ﬁ ve separate groups. According to workshop participants, the top recreation programs needed in the City of Menifee are: •Swimming •Youth Programs •Football Other program needs identiﬁ ed include: •Baseball •Senior Programs •Fine Arts / Theater •Concerts •Tennis •Biking •Sports Field Allocating •Music / Instrument Classes Section THREE: Recreation Facility Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 53 The top recreation Facilities needed in the City of Menifee are: •Regional Sports Complex •Aquatic Facility •Open Space / Multi-use Fields Other program needs identiﬁ ed include: •Community Center / Multigenerational Facility •Full size Football Field •Mini-Golf •Theater •Picnic / Restrooms •Arts Cultural Center •Trail System •Sports Lighting •Ice Rink Online QuestionnaireAs part of the outreach process conducted for this master plan an online questionnaire was developed to solicit community wide input. The 15 question online questionnaire was made available through the city website for the month of May 2015. No restrictions were placed on the website allowing anyone to participate in the questionnaire. A total of 616 valid responses were collected. Responses were validated through two initial questions: What is your zip code, and What City or Community do you live in? Out of the 616 valid responses the data was further evaluated for repeated submittals, duplicate responses, as well as submittal time frame. While some similarities existed between responses, there was no direct evidence of the online questionnaire being hijacked leading to erroneous fabrication of data. Subjects explored in the online questionnaire were designed to parallel the phone survey. This would allow a similar set of questions to be made available to the community at large via the internet. Online information cannot be regulated in the same manner as a phone survey would; however, the data still has a qualitative beneﬁ t, as there exists a possibility with the online questionnaire to capture more people than the phone survey would. The following are the key ﬁ ndings of the online questionnaire: Section THREE: Recreation Facility Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan54 Recreation Facilities Use: •More than one-third of the residents polled (73%) stated they were Frequent Users (at least 3 times per month) of parks and recreation facilities in the last year. •The nine recreation facilities most often identiﬁ ed as most used included Wheatﬁ eld Park and Community Center (34%), La Ladera Park (7%), Diamond Valley Lake (6%), Audie Murphy Ranch Sports Park (5%), E.L. Peterson Park (4%), Heritage Park/Heritage Lake (4%), and Sunrise Park (4%). •Residents evidenced a likelihood that they most often recreate in the area of the City where they reside. More than eight out of ten residents living East of the 215 (87%) stated they most often recreate East of the 215. Conversely, more than six of ten residents living West of the 215 (64%) stated they most often recreate West of the 215. Recreation Programs Use: •More than half the residents polled (53%) stated they were Frequent Users (at least 3 times per month) of programs in the last year. In contrast, only a quarter of residents (25%) stated they had not used programs in that time frame. Facilities and Recreation Programs Satisfaction: •More than six in ten residents polled (68%) stated they are Very or Somewhat Satisﬁ ed with existing park and recreation facilities and programs in the City of Menifee. •One-third of residents polled (36%) stated that park and recreation facilities and programs offered East of the 15 are better than those located to the West. An additional one in four residents (26%) think that services in the East are worse than those to the West. The remainder rated the facilities and programs on either side of the 15 to be the same. Section THREE: Recreation Facility Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 55 Improvements Desired: •Nearly half of the respondents (49%) identiﬁ ed a desire for a new recreation facility. The facilities most often mentioned were various types of Baseball / Softball, Trails, Aquatics, and Soccer Fields. •Eight in ten respondents (87%) identiﬁ ed a desired recreation program. One in ten (8%) stated they desired no new recreation programs. The facilities most often mentioned were Swimming, Softball, Classes for Kids. •Less than one quarter of respondents (15%) identiﬁ ed a preference for Fine Arts or Performing Arts Facilities and Programs. An additional three in ten households (29%) preferred Open Space Preservation and Enjoyment. Active Recreation and Sports Facilities and Programs were preferred by 45% of those polled while 11% of respondents chose Classes, Lessons, and Community Events. Sports Organization Questionnaire To supplement the information regarding participation in organized sports which was obtained from the telephone survey, a questionnaire was designed and distributed to the organized sports organizations that are located in Menifee. This questionnaire obtained information regarding the number of players and teams in the league or sports organization, age ranges of the players, what seasons they play, if they travel outside Menifee to play, if they participate in tournaments, ratings of ﬁ eld/facility maintenance and scheduling, projections of growth and facilities they have the greatest need for both now and in the future. The questionnaire was distributed by the City staff and eight sports organizations responded. Some of the factual information is summarized in Figure 1. The information regarding the number of players, size of teams, seasonality and turnover of facilities for both games and practice are used to better deﬁ ne peak day demand and convert that to the number of facilities required to meet the needs of this segment of the recreation market. Information regarding which of the facilities are currently being used by the sports groups provides input to the inventory of sports facilities regarding usage for adult sports, youth sports and practices. Section THREE: Recreation Facility Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan56 Another question addresses the percentage of the players in each organization that live within the City of Menifee. This varies by type of sport and in Menifee reﬂ ects that a high percentage of the participants in youth sports reside within the City of Menifee. As will be discussed below, demand for facilities to accommodate organized sports are adjusted to accommodate all players in the leagues, regardless of whether they are living in Menifee. The results are tabulated below: Organization Percent of Players from Menifee Menifee Little League 98%Menifee Pony Baseball 90%Menifee ASA 90% Menifee Senior Softball League 50%Valley-wide Recreation Adult Slo-Pitch Softball 90%AYSO 80%Menifee Youth Soccer League, Inc. 85%Menifee American Youth Football and Cheer 95% Additional, more qualitative, information regarding respondents rating and comments on facility maintenance and scheduling, assessment of usage fees and the perceived needs for additional facilities both currently and in the future as well as desired enhancements in future facilities is summarized in Figure 2. These responses will be used by City staff and the Consultant team to better understand the usage patterns and needs of the active sports groups. 3.2 Resident Telephone Survey The resident survey was part of the preparation of the City of Menifee Parks, Trails, Open Space and Recreation Master Plan. The purpose of the survey was to obtain statistically valid, community-wide input on a variety of issues. The resident survey is one of several methods being undertaken to involve the community in the Parks, Trails, Open Space and Recreation Master Plan process. The purpose of gathering community input through a variety of methods is to ensure that the Master Plan is as inclusive as possible and that it reﬂ ects the views, preferences, and recreating patterns of City of Menifee residents. Section THREE: Recreation Facility Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 57 A statistically-valid Community-wide Survey was completed including interviews completed with a total of 300 resident households representing approximately 870 residents. Interviewing took place between April 5 and April 11, 2015. This sample of interviews carries a sampling margin of error of + 5.8% at the 95% Conﬁ dence level.Subjects explored in the context of the resident survey included: •One Change Would Most Like to See in the City of Menifee •Frequency of Recreation Facility and Programs Usage •Park or Recreation Facility Most Often Used in Last Year •Most Often Recreate East or West of 215 •Frequency of Recreation Activities Participation •Satisfaction with Recreation Facilities and Programs •Preferred Improvements in the City of Menifee •One New Recreation Facility and Program Desired •Rating Recreation Facilities and Programs East and West of 215 Selected Demographic Characteristics Key Findings: Community Attitudes: •Nearly seven in ten residents polled (68%) identiﬁ ed “Parks and Recreation Facilities,” “Trafﬁ c Congestion on Freeways,” “Road Improvements,” “Retail Stores/Services,” “Trafﬁ c Congestion on Surface Streets,” and Population/Housing/ Growth Management” as the issues of greatest concern. Recreation Facilities Use: •More than one-third of the residents polled (35%) stated they were Frequent Users (at least 3 times per month) of parks and recreation facilities in the last year. •The nine recreation facilities most often identiﬁ ed as most used included Wheatﬁ eld Park and Community Center, Audie Murphy Ranch Sports Park, Heritage Park/Heritage Lake, Murrieta, Elsinore, Temecula, Winchester Parks, La Ladera Park, E.L. Peterson Park, Sunrise Park, Lazy Creek Recreation Center, and Diamond Valley Lake. •Residents evidenced a likelihood that they most often recreate in the area of the City where they reside. More than nine out of ten residents living East of the 215 (93%) stated they most often recreate East of the 215. Conversely, nearly eight of ten residents living West of the 215 (78%) stated they most often recreate West of the 215. Section THREE: Recreation Facility Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan58 •Of the seven recreation activities tested, the participation by residents (in order) included “Walking/Jogging/Running/Hiking on Public Trails for Recreation,” “Bicycling on Public Trails or Paths for Active Recreation or Fitness,” “Swimming in Public Pools for Recreation,” “Use of Play Equipment, Tot Lots in Public Parks,” “Organized Softball for Youth or Adults,” “Organized Soccer for Youth or Adults,” and “Organized Youth Baseball.” Recreation Programs Use: •One of four residents polled (24%) stated they were Frequent Users (at least 3 times per month) of programs in the last year. In contrast, over half of residents (53%) stated they had not used programs in that time frame. Facilities and Recreation Programs Satisfaction: •More than eight in ten residents polled (86%) stated they are Very or Somewhat Satisﬁ ed with existing park and recreation facilities and programs in the City of Menifee. •One-third of residents polled (36%) stated that park and recreation facilities and programs offered East of the 15 are better than those located to the West. An additional one in four residents (28%) think that services in the East are worse than those to the West. The remainder rated the facilities and programs on either side of the 15 to be the same. Improvements Desired: •Nearly nine in ten City of Menifee households (85%) identiﬁ ed a desired recreation facility. One in ten (13%) stated they desired no new recreation facilities. The facilities most often mentioned were various types of Swimming Pools and Trails. Section THREE: Recreation Facility Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 59 •Seven in ten City of Menifee households (71%) identiﬁ ed a desired recreation program. Two in ten (23%) stated they desired no new recreation programs and an additional 6% volunteered a recreation facility rather than a program. The facilities most often mentioned were programs, classes or lessons for Dance, Swimming, Arts and Crafts as well as Fitness. •More than one-third of City of Menifee households (35%) identiﬁ ed a preference for Fine Arts or Performing Arts Facilities and Programs. An additional three in ten households (29%) preferred Open Space Preservation and Enjoyment. Active Recreation and Sports Facilities and Programs were preferred by 19% of those polled while 17% of respondents chose Classes, Lessons, and Community Events. 3.3 Recreation Demand and Needs Analysis The participation rates in each of the active recreation activities analyzed (based on the telephone survey) provide a basis for calculating demand for active recreation facilities in relationship to the population served. These participation rates are shown in the ﬁ rst column of Figure 3.3-1 and are taken directly from the participation rates as reported in the phone survey. In order to convert these demand estimates into facility requirements, it is necessary to make some assumptions regarding design standards for the peak level of demand. Calculation of peak day demand involves multiplying the population estimates (current population and population projected to 2035) by the participation rate in each activity. These estimates of gross annual demand are then adjusted to allocate part of the demand to private recreation facilities and part to government or public facilities, if applicable, using California Department of Parks and Recreation data regarding patterns of facility usage. Similarly, a locational adjustment is made to account for those activities which participants would normally engage in at locations outside of Menifee. Peak day demand is determined on the basis of the seasonality of participation in each of the various activities and, within peak seasons, the peak days of usage. The calculations of peak day demand included in Figure 3.3-1 (excluding those for ﬁ elds or courts used for organized games) are designed to accommodate all but three to eight days per year of peak activity for most of the activities analyzed, in order to avoid overbuilding. Section THREE: Recreation Facility Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan60 Figure 3.3-1: Facility Demand Analysis 2015 Levels The actual facility requirement, however, is less than the aggregate of peak day demand to allow for daily turnover in the use of recreation facilities. Peak day demand was modiﬁ ed as shown in Figure 3.3-1 by the anticipated turnover and capacity for each type of facility. These estimates of daily turnover and capacity on peak day usage periods are derived from studies conducted by the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation, U.S. Department of the Interior regarding optimum recreation carrying capacity as well as from sports group surveys, discussions with City staff and other park studies in which the Consultants have been involved. For sports leagues operating within the City of Menifee, allowance is made to calculate demand from the entire league, regardless of where the players are living. The calculations in Figure 3.3-1 are based on the current (2015) population level in the City of Menifee of 85,310. Included in the Figure is an estimate of the number or size of facilities required to accommodate peak day demand in the context of the peak day design standards discussed above. Similar calculations were carried out to determine the demand levels in 2035, when the City reaches the projected population of 119,400. These calculations are shown in Figure 3.3-2. Adjustments were made to some of the participation rates for the 2035 projection based on the trends in the demographic proﬁ le of the City. It is anticipated that there will be a fairly stable percentage of youth under 14 years, a somewhat growing population in the 20-55 year age cohorts, slower than average growth for residents in the 55 and over age group, and a more diverse ethnic mix. The adjustments are based on the same data base which was used to estimate the current year participation rates – the cross-tabulations of telephone survey data regarding participation rates and demographic measures. Section THREE: Recreation Facility Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 61 Figure 3.3-2: Facility Demand Analysis 2035 Levels The relationship of the current need for facilities in Menifee to the current population level is the basis for the “facility need ratio” or the measure of the level of population in Menifee that creates the demand for one facility or one unit of measure such as miles or acres. This ratio for each of the types of facilities analyzed is also presented in Figures 3.3-1 and 3.3-2 and is calculated by dividing the total population by the number of facilities demanded. This will be the basis for the needs analysis presented in the following section. Comparisons of Menifee’s current “facility-need-ratios” to those found in selected other cities in California are presented in Figure 3.3-3 in order to add perspective to the analysis. Figure 3.3-3: Comparison of City of Menifee Need Ratios to Other Areas Section THREE: Recreation Facility Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan62 Facility Needs Analysis Methodology The level of population in Menifee that creates the demand for facilities is derived from the telephone survey data as described in the previous section. This “facility need ratio” is shown again in Figure 3.3-4. The current facility needs are determined by multiplying the current population by the “facility needs ratio.” These needs, in terms of the number or size of facilities demanded, are then compared with the total of existing City, School District, and other facilities located outside of the City, that are currently used by the Menifee sports leagues, to determine whether the existing inventory of facilities is adequate in terms of demand conditions. In order to focus on the adequacy of the facilities owned to meet the needs of the residents, the column reﬂ ecting the Surplus or Deﬁ cit of City owned facilities has been highlighted. Figure 3.3-4: Facility Needs Analysis 2015 Levels As an example of the analytical process, the needs ratio for organized youth baseball ﬁ elds for games in Menifee is one ﬁ eld for every 5,450 residents (as shown in Figure 3.3-4). Based on the 2015 population of Menifee, the required number of ﬁ elds is an estimated 15.6. The existing inventory of ﬁ elds within the City is 11 leaving a deﬁ cit of 4.6 ﬁ elds, if the inventory of organized youth softball ﬁ elds for games in Menifee were to match the peak day requirement as deﬁ ned. The youth baseball league uses ﬁ elds outside of the City to meet its current needs. Even counting the ﬁ elds they use outside of the City, the analysis shows a current deﬁ cit of 1.6 ﬁ elds. This is primarily due to the fact that they currently have to share ﬁ elds with other leagues. Section THREE: Recreation Facility Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 63 Facility RequirementsThe needs analysis presented in Figure 3.3-4 indicates existing deﬁ cits in several of the types of facilities that were analyzed. The facilities showing deﬁ cits of 0.5 facility or greater, in addition to youth baseball game ﬁ elds, are adult softball game ﬁ elds (1.8), youth soccer game ﬁ elds (6.6), swimming pools (1.5 pools), (walking/jogging paths (23.4 miles), and bicycling paths (36.1 miles). It should be noted that the City has not completed an inventory of the existing walking/jogging paths and bicycle paths, so these deﬁ cits are only assuming there are currently no public paths and can be adjusted once an inventory is available. Also the deﬁ cit in soccer ﬁ elds does not count ﬁ elds being used outside of Menifee by one of the leagues, which would be playing in Menifee if ﬁ elds were available. Figure 3.3-5: Facility Needs Analysis 2035 Levels The need for facilities was projected to 2035 and these projections together with the current supply of facilities (no adjustments were made for any planned facilities, with the exception of one City soccer ﬁ eld which was just recently completed) are presented in Figure 3.3-5. The deﬁ cits in the facilities in the projection year include youth softball game ﬁ elds (3.1 ﬁ elds), adult softball game ﬁ elds (3.3 ﬁ elds), youth baseball game ﬁ elds (7.8 ﬁ elds), youth soccer game ﬁ elds (15.0 ﬁ elds), tot lots/playgrounds (8.4 facilities), swimming pools (2.2 pools), walking/jogging paths (32.8 miles), and bicycling paths (52.7 miles). Section THREE: Recreation Facility Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan64 Figure 3.3-6 summarizes the change in demand between 2015 and 2035 or the demand resulting solely from the growth expected to occur during this period. This Figure describes the number or size of facilities by type that will be required just to accommodate the future growth in the City of Menifee. The existing 2015 surplus or deﬁ cit in facilities is combined with the growth projections in Figure 3.3-7 to provide the cumulative estimate of the additional number or size of facilities by type that will be required in the City of Menifee between 2015 and 2035. Figure 3.3-6: Change in Demand for Recreation Facilities, 2015 to 2035 Figure 3.3-7: Cumulative Surplus / Deﬁ cit Analysis Section THREE: Recreation Facility Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 65 The scope of the analysis does not allow for addressing the need for practice sports ﬁ elds. To provide some insight into these needs, the Consultant analyzed the ratio of demand for practice ﬁ elds to game ﬁ elds based on studies performed in other cities. Averages were calculated after eliminating extreme cases. Only youth game ﬁ eld demand was used in the ratios, as in most cases adult sports do not hold practices except at game time. The demand in Menifee for additional practice facilities for each sport was then calculated and the results are shown below. It is assumed in the analysis that all game ﬁ elds are also used as practice ﬁ elds, so that the needs shown represent only additional ﬁ elds/courts required for practices. Sport Ratio of Demand Game Facility Add’l Practice Practice/ Game Demand in H.B. Facilities Needed Facilities 2015Softball 2.7 5.4 9.2Baseball 2.0 15.6 15.6Soccer 1.8 19.6 15.7 2035Softball 2.7 8.1 3.8Baseball 2.0 21.8 21.8Soccer 1.8 29.0 23.2 The tabulations of the results of the sports organization surveys shown in Figure 3.3-1 lists the ﬁ elds/courts the leagues are currently using for practice. In addition, there may be ﬁ elds/courts on the inventory that are not being used for games and may be available for use as practice facilities. That determination is outside the scope of this analysis. 3.4 Service Area Analysis Where are the people and where are the parks? In addition to providing appropriate quantities and types of recreation facilities, the City of Menifee strives to provide them in useful and appropriate locations. A Service Area Analysis was conducted with respect to all Menifee Parks and Recreation facilities including those operated by Valley-Wide. Proximity to parks is more than a convenience issue. It helps to establish an excellent park system by providing improved circulation, air quality, and development of neighborhoods. Further, those with access were nearly twice as likely to be physically active as those without access to parks. One-half (.5) mile is approximately a 15-minute walk for most people. Most residences should be within one-half mile, a convenient walkable distance for most people, of a neighborhood park or other park that may satisfy common recreation needs. This one-half (.5) mile radius around parks and recreational facilities is noteworthy in a community in which families, neighborhoods, and active-living are central issues. Section THREE: Recreation Facility Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan66 LEGEND 1/2 MILE SERVICE RADIUS PARKS IN PROGRESS SERVICE RADIUS CITY PARKS 1. Audie Murphy Ranch Sports Park2. E. L. Peterson Park3. La Ladera Park4. Lazy Creek Park & Rec. Center5. Lyle Marsh Park6. Nova Park7. Rancho Ramona Park8. Spirit Park VWRPD PARKS 26. Aldergate Park27. Autumn Breeze Park28. Desert Green Park29. Discovery Park30. El Dorado Park 31. El Dorado Pocket Park32. Eller Park 33. Grand Vista Park34. Heritage Park35. Hidden Meadows Park36. La Paloma Park37. Marion V. Ashley Park 38. McCall Canyon Park39. Menifee South Tot Lot 40. Mira Park41. Pepita Square Park42. Richmond Park43. Rolling Hills Park44. Sunrise Park 45. Wheatfield Park CITY PARKS IN PROGRESS 9. Golden Meadows Parks10. Hidden Hills Park11. Central Park12. Menifee Heights Park13. Cimmaron Ridge Park 14. Evans Park15. Sunwood Park (Tr. 31856)16. Eagle Crest Park (Tr. 34037)17. Diamond Bros. Park I (Tr. 32101)18. Diamond Park Bros. II (Tr. 32102)19. Talvera Park (Tr. 29777) 20. Cottonwood Park (Tr. 28788)21. CV Communities Park (Tr. 29835)22. Strata Park (Tr. 31098)23. Cantalena Park (Tr. 33732)24. Quail Hill (Tr. 32794)25. (3) Fleming Ranch Parks (Tr. 36513) VWPRD PARKS IN PROGRESS 45. The Lakes46. Mahogany Creek Park47. Mosaic Park48. Heritage Lake Park (Tr. 34406) ## ## UNDER SERVICED AREA 1 23 4 5 6 7 26 27 28 29 3031 32 43 34 35 38 39 40 41 42 44 45 46 36 33 8 9 10 11 13 14 15 16 1718 12 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 47 37 48 49 Figure 3.4-1: Service Area Analysis Map Section THREE: Recreation Facility Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 67 To analyze the distribution of existing and planned Menifee Parks and Recreation facilities, a service area radius map is provided (see Figure 3.4-1). A one-half (0.5) mile service area radius is generated around the park boundary, representing the residential areas, which are within the one-half (.5) mile service area of the park. The service area boundaries also reﬂ ect the physical obstructions to pedestrian travel created by arterial roadways, which limit easy access to the park, and are reﬂ ected by truncated shapes in the service areas show on the ﬁ gure. When areas zoned for residential use fall outside graphic service area designations, it can be said that the area may be underserved by the existing parks. 3.5 Acreage Analysis How Much Parkland Acreage is Needed for Menifee? The City of Menifee operates seven parks, the Kay Ceniceros Senior Center, and “Spirit Park” currently in ﬁ nal stages of development, for a total of 49.32 acres. By the proposed park categories, the park acreage for the City of Menifee includes: • Pocket 0.00 Acres• Neighborhood 19.50 Acres• Community 8.30 Acres• Recreation Area 11.29 Acres• Special-Use 1.45 Acres • Natural Area/Greenbelt 0.00 Acres• Linear Park 0.00 Acres• Spirit Park 8.78 Acres • Total Acreage—City of Menifee 152.79 Acres Additionally, Valley-Wide operates 19 parks within the city limits including 3 community parks and 16 neighborhood parks. Park acreage for those parks within the city limits includes: • Neighborhood 50.66 Acres• Community 49.42 Acres • Total Acreage—Valley-Wide 100.08 Acres • Total Acreage within City limits 149.40 Acres The Menifee General Plan identiﬁ es a standard of 5 acres of parkland per 1,000 residents. Based on a 2015 population of 85,385 acres the City has a current ratio of 3.54 acres per thousand, somewhat below the recommended standard. This includes Valley-Wide acreage within the City limits. In order to reach the recommended standard the City would need an additional 124.66 acres of parkland. Section THREE: Recreation Facility Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan68 The City is forecast to have a population of 101,867 by 2025. Based on that ﬁ gure if the City adds no additional park acreage, they will have 1.46 acres of parkland per thousand, again, substantially below the recommended standard. An additional 359.94 acres of parkland would be needed to reach 5 acres per thousand. It should be noted that:Facilities and populations outside the city limits are not included in this analysis. Private recreation facilities, such as homeowner association parks, are not credited. 3.6 Existing Recreation Facilities Maintenance Condition Park and Recreation facilities within the City of Menifee were found to be well maintained in generally clean and safe conditions. Lyle Marsh and La Ladera Parks were examples of facilities found to be visually attractive and in excellent condition. Others, such as Lazy Creek Recreation Center and Kay Ceniceros Senior Center were maintained in fair to good condition with obvious signs of deferred maintenance within facilities and grounds, and need for capital upgrades to these older facilities. Based on ﬁ eld observations and discussions with staff, it appears that the level of maintenance as of November 1, 2015 is currently in the lower range of Mode I, a maintenance category established by the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) which is considered an above average operating standard for municipal parks and recreation systems the size of the City of Menifee. Still Menifee is faced with numerous challenges including an aging infrastructure of Menifee’s park system, potential incorporation of additional parks, tremendous population growth, development of new park facilities, and the demand for new and upgraded park facilities. Currently, the Community Services Department maintains approximately nine facilities with a combination of general fund dollars and revenue from a variety of Community Service Areas (CSA) and Community Facilities Districts (CFD). These facilities include seven parks, the Kay Ceniceros Senior Center, and new Spirit Park recently completed. Overall, the current level of resources available for park maintenance appears to be adequate for the current level of operations and maintenance but inadequate to fully fund long-term capital upgrades and development. Figure 3.6-1 shows the revenue realized from the CSA’s and CFD’s for Fiscal Year 2014/2015 . The NRPA standards are through CAPRA—Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) MODE I State of the art maintenance applied to a high quality diverse landscape. MODE II High level maintenance associated with well-developed park areas with reasonably high visitation. MODE III Moderate level maintenance-associated with agencies that, because of budget restrictions, are unable to maintain at a high level. MODE IV Moderately low level of maintenance. Section THREE: Recreation Facility Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 69 On April 15, 2015, the City Council of the City of Menifee adopted a Resolution of Intention to form Community Facilities District 2015-2. It is estimated, upon full completion of the development, there will be an annual collection of special tax revenues of approximately $293,823 to be used to pay for maintenance costs within the development. This amount includes $75,150 speciﬁ cally to maintain public park improvements in the Menifee Heights Sub-division. Council approved CFD 2015-2 in May 2015 although the initial formation only included TR32277 (Menifee Heights, Zone 1), the District was designed to incorporate all new facilities and developments coming online City-Wide after May 2015, unless they had already been annexed into a pre-existing district via approved maps and conditions. Since then, the City has started to incorporate new tracks and facilities into the CFD. Since the Great Recession, which started in late 2007, the City of Menifee has added several new parks, such as Audie Murphy and Rancho Ramona. Maintenance of the city facilities, street landscaping, and operation of recreation programming at the Kay Ceniceros Senior Center and Lazy Creek Recreation Center was handled under contract by Valley-Wide. This former contract was for $738,000 for basic services and an additional $100,000 contract to cover items such as irrigation repair, grafﬁ ti abetment, turf renovation, and general repairs. That contract ended on June 30, 2015 with the City taking over responsibility for parks maintenance and recreational programming. The Community Services Department manages park and landscape maintenance, park development and improvement, recreation and leisure activities, senior services, community outreach, grants and scholarships, coordination and management of special events, communication and promotion, volunteer management, and program evaluation. General Fund support for the Community Services Department for Fiscal Year 2015/2016 is $647,293. This is partially offset by projected recreation revenue that is return to the City in the amount of $190,000. Valley-Wide manages 20 park facilities within the City of Menifee, primarily on the eastern side of the community. For the ﬁ scal year 2015/2016, the District is scheduled to receive levy enrollment funding from various Landscape Maintenance Districts assessments within the city limits in the amount of $3,765,589 dollars. This amounted to nearly 40% of the operating revenue for Valley-Wide but coming from just 2.8% of the District boundaries. Figure 3.6-1: CFD / CSA Revenue Section THREE: Recreation Facility Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan70 The City is faced with signiﬁ cant issues over the next few years, changing demographics, needed upgrades to existing infrastructure, increased demand for additional sports ﬁ elds to meet emerging recreational activities, and a disjointed operational system. Clearly control of Menifee Park and Recreational facilities and programming would be best served under a single organization with a mission to directly serve and meet the needs of the residents of the City of Menifee. Resolution of this issue should become a high priority for the City of Menifee. Despite these and other issues, the City has the opportunity to improve on the level of park maintenance and recreation services while modernizing and improving current practices and procedures. As an example, development of sustainable practices will help to maximize available resources and create a more sustainable City for the future while demonstrating to the public the practices, duties, and tasks associated with environmentally sound park maintenance. The City of Menifee has recently developed Park Development Design Standards. Additionally, the City has developed park maintenance standards and practices in place through contractual arrangement with a landscape vendor in-house maintenance staff. These standards, with continual modiﬁ cations and improvements, will form the foundation for the development of enhanced operations and maintenance practices by the City of Menifee. 3.7 Program Needs Analysis Program needs identiﬁ ed in this Master Plan indicate what type of facilities will be needed to support these program and activity needs. Detailed information on how the program needs were identiﬁ ed are described in section four. High priority program needs and the associated new facilities which will serve them are: •Aquatics/Swimming •Biking •Community Events •Day Care •Multi-generational programming •Senior Programs •Youth Programs Section THREE: Recreation Facility Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 71 3.8 Facility Needs Summary and Prioritizations The Facility Needs Summary and Prioritizations a key element of the Master Plan that brings together information from various public and staff input, as well as other relevant studies and analysis, and distills them into a broader overall picture of recreation in the form of recreation facilities that can support the needs of the Menifee citizenry to achieve the community vision. Since all of the needs identiﬁ cation tools are directly or indirectly based on community input, it is fair to say that all of the needs identiﬁ ed are signiﬁ cant and important to some portion of the community. However, it is generally helpful to attempt to determine which needs have the highest priority as perceived by the largest number of residents. The Facility Needs Summary (Figure 3.8-2) uses a numerical ranking system to establish relative priorities; the more needs identiﬁ cation tools that indicate a particular need, the higher the ranking. For instance, “Trails / Biking” is identiﬁ ed as a need by ten (10) tools and therefore has a higher relative priority than, say, “Parking” with one (1) tools shown. In determining the overall numerical total, the analysis gives greater weight to quantitative tools (statistically valid) by counting each as double the value of a qualitative tool. This is reﬂ ected in the top header (Qualitative x2 vs. Quantitative x1). Based on Figure 3.8-2 and for the purposes of this summary, needs are highlighted in purple or orange. The colors also reﬂ ect a relative ranking of priority; purple indicates that the need was ranked by eight (8) or more, suggesting the highest priority. Orange indicates a high priority need with a rank of 4-7. Figure 3.8-1: Facility Prioritization Section THREE: Recreation Facility Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan72 Figure 3.8-2: Facility Needs Summary Section THREE: Recreation Facility Needs Assessment Recreation Program Needs Assessment Participants from Workshop 3 assess the City’s Program Needs. Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 75 Section FOUR: Recreation Program Needs Assessment The City of Menifee 2015/2016 ﬁ scal year budget states the functions of the Community Services Department as: “Community Services is responsible for improving and sustaining the quality of life of Menifee residents. This is achieved through community improvement and enhancement projects, creating recreational opportunities by developing diverse services and programs that promote citizen involvement and a strong sense of community while striving to increase the social, cultural, and physical well-being of the city’s residents and visitors, and maintaining and improving parks and recreation facilities. Community Services is also responsible for coordinating City signature and City sponsored events, including coordination and management of special events, communication and promotion, volunteer management, and program evaluation.” Prior to incorporation in 2008 residents of the Menifee area received park and recreation services from multiple agencies. Riverside County through County Service Area 145 was responsible for parks and recreation services on the west side of Interstate 214 and Valley-Wide Recreation and Park District was responsible for parks and recreation services on the east side of the 215. Upon incorporation, the City of Menifee assumed parks and recreation services from the former CSA 145. Initially, the City contracted with Riverside County Economic Development Agency (EDA) for maintenance and recreation services for all city owned parks on the west side of the 215 freeway. The City executed a service agreement with EDA in the amount of $510,010 annually. During that time EDA billed added costs to the City for additional programming above the contracted amount. Valley-Wide continued to provide services primarily east of the 215 freeway. This effort has been supported by the collection of tax revenue from the City of Menifee residents. For the most recent ﬁ scal year, Valley-Wide collected over $3.6 million from Menifee residents. Overall, Valley-Wide serves an area of approximately 800 square miles that encompasses all or portions of the cities of Menifee, Hemet, San Jacinto, Winchester, French Valley, and surrounding unincorporated areas. The $3.6 million in tax revenue represents 40% of Valley-Wide’s revenue while the area served within the Menifee City limits represents just 2.8% of the Districts total area. Since incorporation and the initial contract with EDA, the City has been in the process of evaluating parks and recreation services and what opportunities exist to provide comprehensive citywide community services. The expressed concern was and continues to be that the split in boundaries between the City and Valley-Wide in the delivery of park and recreation services has created differing levels of services as well as costs through property taxes to the residents of Menifee. The City has continued to slowly develop the Community Services Department, which is now taking a much more active role in programming of special events, park design and planning, and in the evaluation of the best model for the delivery of park and recreation services to the residents of Menifee. Section FOUR: Recreation Program Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan76 4.1 Recreation Benefi ts In addition to providing open spaces, parks, and historic facilities for recreation, the City of Menifee through the Community Services Department has initiated the move in the direction of centralizing operations to ensure that a wide range and balanced level of services and programs are provided and geared towards meeting the recreation needs and interests of various age levels. Initial level of recommended programs and services which should be provided through the Community Services Department include: •Recreation Classes and Activities - In addition to classes geared towards recreation and ﬁ tness, programming should offer a variety of cultural and special interest classes and activities including music, dance, art, computer technology, and science for youth, teens, and adults. •Environmental Education Opportunities – Menifee’s proximity to open space parks, such as Roy W. Kabin Memorial Park, Double Butte Park, and Salt Creek, provide unique environmental education opportunities as well as walking and hiking opportunities. •Organized Team Sports Activities - Numerous organized sports groups such as Little League and Youth and Adult soccer leagues, softball leagues, and other sports utilize Menifee facilities and ﬁ elds. •Community Programs – Active recreation programming should provide accessible programs geared towards assisting individual age and special needs groups such as seniors and before and after school childcare. •Kay Ceniceros Senior Center- The Kay Ceniceros Senior Center currently offers programs, classes, and services for both adults’ ages 50+ and community members of all ages. •Special Events - Menifee works with other jurisdictions and community organizations to provide seasonal, special, and educational Menifee events for the community such as Birthday Gala, Breakfast with Santa, Holiday Tree Lighting, and July 4th Events. •Day Camps and Sports Camps - Menifee’s recreation programs could include numerous special interest or activity day camps, as well as sports oriented camps. •Commissions and Foundations – Menifee’s Community Services Department currently supports a number of Commissions including the Park Recreation and Trails Commission, Senior Advisory Committee, and Youth Advisory Committee. In the future the City should explore the opportunity to develop and support a Parks and Recreation Foundation. Section FOUR: Recreation Program Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 77 Recreation programs and services that are developed, designed, and delivered effectively can provide the following beneﬁ ts: •Foster Human Development •Promote Health and Wellness •Increase Cultural Unity •Facilitate Community Problem-solving •Protect Natural Resources •Strengthen Safety and Security •Strengthen Community Image and Sense of Place •Support Economic Development Recreation pursuits range from organized activities such as sports, classes, youth activities, family programming, and community events to more passive endeavors such as picnics, hiking, cycling, and walking. Effective recreation programs promote the positive use of leisure time and a lifelong commitment to a healthy lifestyle, personal development, and a strong community. The Citywide telephone survey found that one of four residents polled (24%) stated they were Frequent Users (at least 3 times per month) of programs in the last year. In contrast, over half of residents (53%) stated they had not used programs in that time frame. When compared with statistics derived from thirty other California municipalities where similar work has been conducted the share of City of Menifee residents who reported no recreation programs use in the past year was above the State median. An examination of reported usage of recreation programs among City of Menifee residents revealed statistically signiﬁ cant differences among users with frequent users were more often found among households with children (35%) and among households with a head of household less than 45 years of age (37%). When asked about preferred community improvements more than one-third (35%) identiﬁ ed a preference for Fine Arts or Performing Arts Facilities and Programs. An additional three in ten households (29%) preferred Open Space Preservation and Enjoyment. Active Recreation and sports Facilities and Programs were preferred 19% of those polled while 17% of respondents chose Classes, Lessons, and Community Events. These priorities will be important to consider when forming the recommendations for new activities and programs. Section FOUR: Recreation Program Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan78 4.2 Existing Programs and Services As the City moves in the direction of operating recreation facilities and providing programming there is currently a limited number of opportunities available to the community through the programs and services provided by the Community Services Department. Currently recreation activities and programs are provided at the following locations: City Facilities—Community Services Department •Kay Ceniceros Senior Center •Lazy Creek Recreation Center Valley-Wide •Marion Ashley Community Center •Menifee Community Center •Bell Mountain Middle School Gym Boys and Girls Club •Menifee Valley Middle School In July 2015, the City of Menifee took back the operations and delivery of recreation programming at the Kay Ceniceros Senior Center and Lazy Creek Recreation Center. The Community Services Department added a total of six new staff, a Supervisor, two Coordinators to manage Lazy Creek Recreation Center and Kay Ceniceros Senior Center. Current level of programming at these facilities includes: Kay Ceniceros Senior CenterThe Kay Ceniceros Senior Center offers programs and services for ages 55+. For 2013-2014 over 7,000 individuals were served. Most popular programs based on attendance include Exercise, Geri-Fit Strength, Soul Line Dancing, Weight Watchers, and Movie Day. Programs and activities included: •Senior Clubs & Organizations--The Center is home to various independent senior citizen clubs. •Senior Congregate Meal Program and Nutritional Lunches. Program is sponsored by Riverside County Aging and averages up to 1,000 lunches a month. •Health & Wellness Workshops and Programs—The Center offers an array of workshops and programs including regular blood pressure checks, strength training and conditions, and special workshops such as Geri-Fit, Exercise, Chair Volleyball, Riverside County Mobil Health Clinic and a variety of Health and Wellness Classes. •Resources and Referrals—A variety of regular programming is offered including AARP Income Tax Preparation Assistance, HICAP Health Insurance Counseling/ Advocacy, Paralegal Service, Peer Counseling, Veterans’ Assistance, Hearing Aid Services, Notary Public, and AARP Safe-Driver Classes. Section FOUR: Recreation Program Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 79 •55+ Enrichment Programming—A variety of programming ranging from Bereavement Group to Fundamentals of Art. Lazy Creek Recreation CenterThe Lazy Creek Recreation Center features programming primarily aimed towards youth ages 2-17 years of age and mostly based on the TREK program. Programming included: •Preschool Theme Days—Up to 200 enrolled for various dates and times. •Camp TREK Junior—Up to 200 enrolled as children sign up for various days. •Wee Folk—Parent and Me—Average attendance of 20 per week •Camp TREK and Field Trips—Summer, winter, and spring. Summer program has a maximum of 100 children. Winter and spring have a maximum registration of 30. •Leaders in Training—for ages 9th through 12th grade. •Family Night—once per month with average attendance of 50-100. 4.3 Other Service Providers/ Existing Programs and Services Within the City of Menifee and in close proximity there are a number of private and commercial operators providing recreational programming. Boys and Girls ClubLocated at Menifee Valley Middle School on Garbani Road, the mission of The Menifee Valley Boys & Girls Club is to provide a safe, positive, and affordable place for children, especially those who are at risk. The Club offers a variety recreational programming including after school programming, youth sports, and a variety of classes including dance, tumbling, taekwondo, guitar, vocal lessons and keyboard. The Club offers after school transportation from various schools in Menifee to the Club. Transportation is provided from Chester W. Morrison, Callie Kirkpatrick, Ridgemoor, Freedom Crest, Oak Meadows, Evans Ranch, Southshore, Herk Bouris, Menifee Middle, and Bell Middle School. Section FOUR: Recreation Program Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan80 Child Care CentersChild development centers in Menifee vary in size as well as in scope. While some offer progressive curriculums and the latest advancements for preschools, others are more intimate daycare centers that take a more relaxed approach to childcare. Centers operating in Menifee include: •Menifee Preschool •Callie Kirkpatrick Child Development Center •Southshore Child Development Center •Menifee Child Development Center •Evans Ranch child Development Center •Freedom Crest Child Development Center •San Jacinto Child Development and Education Center Private Recreation ProvidersPartly due to the proximity to the large areas of open space and a variety of outdoor activities, Menifee is home to numerous commercial health, ﬁ tness, and dance operators. Several of the ﬁ tness clubs also feature swimming pools. A partial listing includes: •Fitness 19 •Menifee Fitness •Elevated Fitness •Trim Fitness •Diana’s Dance Studio 4.4 Program Needs Assessment In the Master Plan process, a variety of methods and processes were utilized in obtaining public input. The purpose of gathering community input through a variety of methods is to ensure that the Parks, Trails, Open Space, and Recreation Master Plan is as inclusive as possible and that it reﬂ ects the views, preferences, and recreating patterns of City of Menifee residents. The data derived from the public input process was the foundation upon which the program analysis and recommendations were developed. Those methods included: Community Input: Information gathered from Menifee residents through Executive Interviews, Resident Telephone survey, and three Community Workshops. Recommendation Trends Analysis: Current demographics are compared with regional and national recreation trends. Section FOUR: Recreation Program Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 81 Stakeholder InterviewsThe Stakeholder interview participants stated the most important recreation programs to provide the City of Menifee are: •Aquatics •Bicycling •Child Care •Cultural arts •Equestrian Programs •Fitness •Performing Arts •Senior Programs •Youth Programs City Telephone SurveyThe resident survey was part of the preparation of the Parks, Trails, Open Space, and Recreation Master Plan. The purpose of the survey was to obtain statistically valid, community-wide input on a variety of issues. Methodology included a telephone survey of 300 households, representing 750 residents. This sample size has a margin of error of +5.8% at the 95% Conﬁ dence Level. Interviewing took place between April 5th and April 11th, 2015. Subjects explored in the context of the resident survey included: •One change would most like to see in the City of Menifee •Frequency of recreation facility and programs usage •Park or recreation facility most often used in last year •Most often recreate East or West of I 215 •Frequency of recreation activities participation •Satisfaction with recreation facilities and programs •Preferred improvements in the City of Menifee •One new recreation facility and program desired •Rating recreation facilities and programs East and West of I215 •Selected demographic characteristics Nearly seven in ten residents polled identiﬁ ed “Parks and Recreation Facilities,” “Trafﬁ c Congestion on Freeways,” “Road Improvements,” “Retail Stores/Services,” “Trafﬁ c Congestion on surface Streets,” and “Population/Housing/Growth Management” as the issues of greatest concern. Section FOUR: Recreation Program Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan82 More than one-third of the residents polled stated they were Frequent Users (at least 3 times per month) of park and recreation facilities in the last year. One of four residents polled (24%) stated they were Frequent Users of programs in the last year. The recreation facilities most often identiﬁ ed as most used included Wheatﬁ eld Park and Community Center and Audie Murphy Ranch Sports Park. Residents evidenced a likelihood that they most often recreate in the area of the City where they reside. More than nine of ten residents living East of the I 215 stated they most often recreate East of the I 215. Conversely, nearly eight of ten residents living West of the I 215 stated they most often recreate West of the I 215. Figure 4.4-1: One Change Desired in Menifee Figure 4.4-2: Most Used Recreation Facilities Section FOUR: Recreation Program Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 83 Of the seven recreation activities tested, the participation by residents (in order) included: •Walking/Jogging/Running/Hiking on Public Trails •Bicycling on Public Trails or Paths •Swimming in Public Pools •Use of Play Equipment, Tot Lots in Public Parks •Organized Softball for Youth or Adults •Organized soccer for Youth or Adults •Organized Youth Baseball Nearly nine in ten households (85%) identiﬁ ed a desired recreation facility. The facilities most often mention were various types of swimming pools and trails. Seven in ten City of Menifee households (71%) identiﬁ ed a desired recreation program. The facilities most often mentioned were programs, classes or lessons for dance, swimming, arts and crafts, and ﬁ tness. Community Workshop—Needs Summary and PrioritizationIn 2015, representatives of the community participated in three workshops which involved the prioritization of recreation program needs that were identiﬁ ed through all community inputs. Information from each of the community inputs described in this Section was provided to participants in an effort to obtain their idea of the priority of community needs for recreation programs. Participants were given the opportunity to add any program needs that they felt were missing from the list of needs. Participants were organized into groups. Group responses were tabulated and the overall workshop results present to the participants. According to the group consensus results, the top recreation program needs in Menifee included: •Swimming •Youth Programs •Football Other program needs identiﬁ ed include: •Baseball •Senior Programs •Fine Arts / Theater •Concerts •Tennis •Biking •Sports Field Allocating •Music / Instrument Classes Section FOUR: Recreation Program Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan84 Recreation Trends AnalysisToday, our country and the world has become more transient, fast paced, with consistent, rapid, and dramatic changes. Therefore, understanding the trends that affect the park and recreation industry is very important as the City moves through the process of developing a Parks, Trails, Open Space, and Recreation Master Plan to ensure sustainability and to meet the future community service needs of the community. An awareness of trends affecting the future economy, facility operation, and program participation will not only enhance the ability to meet growing and changing needs but open doors to new opportunities. Paying attention to current issues and understanding future issues will assist the City of Menifee in achieving sustainability and positioning parks and recreation as an essential service to the community. In the appendix of this report there is a section entitled Recreation Trends Analysis. Based on those trends and the implications that are indicated, there are a number of Recreation Programs that should be highlighted, for the City of Menifee. Emerging trends can be organized into ﬁ ve major subject areas: •Demographic Shift—Americans are aging, becoming more culturally diverse, and living in smaller household sizes. •Changing Life Styles—Generations “X” and “Y” and the changing world of electronics and communication is having a major impact on our lifestyle and our recreational pursuits. •Society and Economy-- Nationally, there is an emerging recognition that parks and recreation services play a signiﬁ cant role in improving the quality of life of the City, and that parks and open space are catalysts for both community building and economic development. Americans continue to be concerned with economic growth and crime within their community. •Sustainability-- There is a renewed awareness and sensitivity to the preservation of our natural environment. Many cities such as Seattle, Portland, and San Francisco have developed best practices and strategies to address open space and urban forest preservation, wildlife habitat and natural area restoration, invasive plant management and shoreline/wetland/critical area management. •Park and Recreation-- Urban parks are on the rise to address open space and leisure walking needs within the compact built environment. At the same time, traditional sports such as baseball continue to see decline in participation rates while emerging sports such as lacrosse and pickleball are experiencing tremendous growth. Section FOUR: Recreation Program Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 85 As these emerging trends are explained and discussed, it will become clear that there will be signiﬁ cant impacts on current facilities and the development of new park and recreation programs. Foremost among these changes are: •“Intergenerational” programs that address needs of all of the community’s population regardless of age. •Facilities that support programs, and provide positive, safe, and secure recreational alternatives for healthy lifestyles and to combat obesity. •Facilities that support programs and activities, promote personal connections, and allow the community to highlight and share their cultural heritage. •Neighborhood parks and facilities that allow for increased community connectedness. •Facilities that support increased multi-cultural family and art events. •Access to programs, with ﬂ exible hours to accommodate user needs. •Facilities in which teens can call “home,” program, and operate under teen leadership. •Facilities in which children can experience, learn, and develop an appreciation for nature and open space. 4.5 Program Needs Summary The Master Plan brings together information from various public and staff input, as well as other relevant studies and analysis, and to provide a broad overall picture of recreation in the form of recreation programs. Figure 4.5-1 is a listing of all of the program needs identiﬁ ed through the community process. While all of the needs on the table were identiﬁ ed by the community as needed, the programs and/or services with a higher priority of need were identiﬁ ed in three or more of the assessment processes. The highest priority recreation program needs, listed alphabetically, in Menifee are: •Aquatics/Swimming •Biking •Community Events •Day Care •Multi-generational programming •Senior Programs Section FOUR: Recreation Program Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan86 Based on qualitative and quantitative data collected during the Master Plan process and the review and analysis of current programs, there are signiﬁ cant number of gaps in programming as currently provided primarily by VWRPD. City of Menifee staff has begun to program to meet the program interests and needs of the community. With the transition from Valley-Wide to the City in recreation programming, it is timely to review current program offerings by multiple agencies, eliminate any duplication, focus on core programs, and strengthen existing program offerings to respond to changing demographics and recreation preferences. 4.6 Program Recommendations The following program recommendations address the top program needs based on the assessment process. These may address needs of a speciﬁ c age group or the community in general. There may be some overlap or interdependency among the recommended actions. There is also a relationship between program needs and park and facility needs discussed in other section of the Master Plan. Figure 4.5-1: Program Needs Summary Section FOUR: Recreation Program Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 87 In July 2015, the City of Menifee took back operation of the Kay Ceniceros Senior Center and Lazy Creek Recreation Center, now providing recreation programming at those two facilities. Until that time, the City was involved in the delivery of recreation programming only through the development of special events. Therefore, these recommendations are based on the development and growth of the Community Services Department and recreation programming over an extended period of time. In the appendix of this report there is a section entitled Assessment of Current Recreation Programming which details a full range of potential recommendations. AquaticsA recent study commissioned by the USA Swimming Foundation and conducted by the University of Memphis found that nearly 70% of African American children and nearly 60% of Hispanic children have low or no swim ability, compared to 40% of Caucasians, putting them at greater risk for drowning. Participation in formal swimming lessons can reduce the risk of drowning by 88 percent among children aged one to four years. (Source: Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine 2009) Results from the Community Needs Assessment Survey for the Parks, Trails, Open Space, and Recreation Master Plan showed that more than 85% of City of Menifee households identiﬁ ed a desired recreation facility. A little over one in ten (13%) stated they desired no new recreation facilities. For those respondents who identiﬁ ed a facility, 22% identiﬁ ed swimming pools as their preferred facility. Swimming pools was the most desired facility followed by walking/jogging trails. When asked “what is the one recreation program, class, or lesson your household would most like to see added in the City of Menifee to meet the needs of your household,” the number one response identiﬁ ed was identiﬁ ed swimming. Recommended Actions •City should explore opportunities to plan for and construct an Aquatic Facility. This facility could be located at a new park site or jointly built and operated in conjunction with a local School District and/or private commercial operator. •Evaluate options and work with private ﬁ tness businesses providers to expand swimming programs for city residents especially learn to swim and water awareness programs. •Explore the opportunity to partner with a private business to program advanced aquatic programming including level 4 swimming lessons and up, lifeguard training classes, additional SCUBA programming, water polo, and kayaking. Section FOUR: Recreation Program Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan88 Children and Youth Programming The City offers recreation activities and classes, special events and childcare services geared towards a variety of grade levels: preschoolers, elementary, middle, and high school. Youth programs are a signiﬁ cant component of the City’s services, highlighted by ASAP after school program. Children and youth services remain important, as Menifee saw an increasing number of young people during the 2010-2013 period. For those 14 and under the population increased by 2.3% to an estimated total of 16,109 youth. According to the Community Care Licensing website there were over 55,000 licensed child care spaces in Riverside County as of 2009. Approximately 37% of the spaces are subsidized by federal, state, and local funds. The remaining spaces, approximately 63% are utilized by private pay families in child care centers and family care homes. The need for early childhood care and education in Riverside County has continued to increase over the years due to a rise in the population of families with young children, increases in the number of families where both parents work, and the increased awareness of the beneﬁ ts of quality early education. The Riverside County Child Care Needs Assessment and Strategic Plan, 2010-2013 developed by the Riverside County Child Care Consortium, found a signiﬁ cant shortages of child-care providers. The assessment found that there are over 456,801 children ages 0-13 in Riverside County. Of those children, 55-60% have parents who work, indicating a child care need in Riverside County of approximately 251,000 to 274,000 children. With just 55,000 child care spaces in Riverside County, only about 20% of the children can be served in licensed child care. Recommended Actions •Examine the opportunities, potential locations, funds required, costs per parcel, and steps necessary to develop a home location for teens, either as a stand- alone center or in conjunction with development of a Community Center. •Consider expanding the City’s role in teen programs offering an array of programs that might include social recreation, tutoring, mentoring, and non-sports activities. •Work with health care associations, to incorporate healthy eating and exercising habits into after-school recreation programs and camps for young children that model healthy living. •Develop a standard that meets state nutritional standards identifying healthy snacks which will be provided at all City sponsored programs, day camps, and special events that meet state nutritional standards. Section FOUR: Recreation Program Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 89 •Collaborate with local School Districts to ensure state standards for physical education are implemented and supplement school programs with physical activity and skill development in recreation offerings. •Provide indoor and outdoor spaces for supervised but unstructured free play for youth. •Develop a program to provide ﬁ nancial assistance support for youth who cannot afford program fees. Often scholarship programs are sponsored by a local foundation. •Continue to establish cooperative efforts with youth sports organizations to provide safe and accessible programs that develop sports skills, good sportsmanship and provide youth experiences in organized sports such as the popular baseball, softball, basketball, and football. New sports interests to be addressed may include pickleball, cricket, rugby, and lacrosse. •Consider programming “high risk” adventure activities such as laser tag, kayaking, mountain biking, scuba diving, and rock climbing. •Work with the Riverside County Library’s within Menifee such as the Sun City Library to develop homework programming designed speciﬁ cally for teens. •Develop a training and volunteer program of Play Stewards who would receive training and instruction on the aspects of play and recreation. Play Stewards would then coordinate with city staff on the delivery of recreation programming for youth and teens. Healthy Menifee Many Park and Recreation agencies offer programming aimed to encourage residents to ﬁ nd opportunities to participate in events and activities to improve health and ﬁ tness. When agencies partner with other local organizations they can promote physical, social, and economic environments that promote well-being. Residents then have the opportunity to learn how to maintain a productive, high quality of life, including access to healthier ways to eat and exercise, nutrition, and ﬁ tness, and to use community parks and facilities towards a healthier lifestyle. Section FOUR: Recreation Program Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan90 If started, the focus areas of a Healthy Menifee program could include: •Community empowerment and education •Supporting the community to make healthy choices. •Family individual and citywide engagement •Engaging youth and families through schools, sports, and community activities. •Promoting sharing and enhancing community resources which improve the wellness of residents. •Advocating resources from Menifee stakeholders both the business and non-proﬁ t sector. •Evaluation and Sustainability •Collaborate with and educate the community on health based initiatives to sustain a healthy Menifee for the future. •Establish performance measures to evaluate impact and sustainable efforts. Recommended Actions •Develop a Healthy Menifee program that is a community collaborative that focuses on health and nutrition, creating a sustainable approach to wellness that will positively impact current and future generations through forming partnerships with committed community stakeholders •Develop multi-disciplinary health partnerships with schools, local hospitals, and health care providers, private health clubs, and other agencies to bring public information and educational programs that prevent obesity and successfully promote physical activity across entire communities. •Work with Riverside County and other public agencies to determine the needs of the Menifee community and initiate a strategic planning effort for the Healthy Menifee program. •Report on an on-going basis to the public and policy makers the health and wellness outcomes of the City’s programs and facilities. •Collaborate with Riverside County agencies, School Districts, Mt. San Jacinto College, and the Audubon Society to maximize opportunities to share resources in providing outdoor recreation and health and wellness programs. •Modify existing contracts to require that all concession operations and vending machines sell at least 75% of the product that meets state nutritional standards. Section FOUR: Recreation Program Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 91 Menifee Arts Council Arts Council Menifee is a 501c3 non-proﬁ t organization dedicated to promoting the arts in the Menifee community. They support the area’s visual arts, music, theater, dance, and literary arts by collaborating with local organizations, businesses, school districts, Mt. San Jacinto College, and the City of Menifee to promote local talent. This past spring, the City entered into an agreement with the Arts Council to utilize the North Annex which includes ofﬁ ce and community space for community art club activities. This lease extends through June 2016 at $1 per year plus prorated utilities for 3 years. Menifee Arts Council delivers numerous programs within the community including: •Menifee’s Got Talent where performers of all ages present their talent. •Menifee Arts Showcase – artists, musicians, singers, dancers and authors perform for the public outdoors at the Countryside Marketplace •Summer Youth Art Institute – Art instruction is provided to children in targeted elementary schools through the City of Menifee’s Community Development Block Grant Program, funds from So Cal Edison, and support from several local businesses and community members. •Art Gallery Receptions at the Kay Ceniceros Center held bi-monthly. Recommended Actions / Commissions •Continue to explore ways to expand the role of the YAC and involvement from Department staff so that they advise the City Council on all matters affecting the youth of Menifee. Examples of additional programs or activities could include joint meetings with Youth Commissioners from adjoining cities and hosting a Youth Town Hall with the City Council. •The YAC and Senior Advisory Committee should provide the Menifee City Council with an annual report detailing accomplishments, next year’s goals, and areas of concern. •Explore opportunities for the Youth and Senior Advisory Committee to sponsor “inter-generational programming” bringing various age groups together to enjoy recreation events and activities. •The Menifee Arts Council should work to develop an Art in the Park Program where the City through their park system fosters the creation and installation of temporary public art in parks. The works could be displayed in parks and trafﬁ c islands and be temporary installations deﬁ ned by an exhibition period of three months to one year. •The Community Services Department should coordinate with members of the Menifee Arts Council to explore partnership opportunities in the delivery of recreational programming dedicated to the arts. Section FOUR: Recreation Program Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan92 Seniors/Active Adults Menifee’s population models the national average with a median age of 37.6 in 2013 with nearly 40.9% of the population over 62. Menifee has a very sizeable senior population, attributed primarily to Sun City, a master-planned 55+ senior community within the City’s boundaries. Senior services remain important, as Menifee saw an increasing number of seniors during the 2010-2013 period. For those 55 and over the population increased by 6.5% to an estimated total of nearly 24,000 seniors. Further the population 45-54 grew by nearly 12% during that same period. This mirrors many California and Riverside County communities and is an indication that senior services and facilities will be in high demand over the next several decades. Recommended Actions •Work with Riverside County and other public agencies to determine the needs of older adults in the Menifee area and initiate planning to take a more active role in programming and service needs for older adults. •The City of Menifee should develop a Strategic Plan for 2015-2025 to guide future programs, services and stafﬁ ng levels, and established goals in ﬁ ve planning areas: •Facility needs •Programs and services •Outreach to seniors •Communication with a larger community •Interaction at the Kay Ceniceros Senior Center •Evaluate the opportunity and costs to develop a new Senior Center adding additional space for classes, computer lab, ﬁ tness center, and potentially a second multi-purpose meeting room. Evaluation process should consider the potential involvement of private partners to provide the required programming for the new facility space. Section FOUR: Recreation Program Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 93 •Due to State budget reductions and the loss of Adult Education programs continue to offer expanded health and ﬁ tness programming, aimed to meet the needs of mature adults from 50 and older. These programs could be offered at the existing facility or by the formation of partnerships with local businesses involved in health and ﬁ tness. •Work with Riverside County and other public agencies to determine the needs of older adults in the Menifee area and initiate planning to take a more active role in programming and service needs for older adults. •Address the needs of an aging population by expanding programming and encouraging participation in physical activity with an emphasis on the gentler aerobic activities. •Within existing programming market to older adults with an emphasis on well balanced ﬁ tness programs including gentler aerobics such as yoga, tai chi, and Pilates that offer a variety of beneﬁ ts for health and disease prevention. •Identify partners or collaborators to assist in developing an increase in programs for older adults. Possible partners may include AARP, faith based organizations, health care providers, and educational institutions. •Offer additional lifelong learning programs such as creative arts, technology classes, lectures, short courses, and leisure classes that cater to the adults and particularly the aging baby boomer cohort. •In conjunction with local health providers evaluate potential roles for the City in helping meet the needs of the growing population of 85+ seniors. As reported by the California Department of Aging, the fastest growing population is those over the age of 85 which quadrupled between 1990 and 2010, and projected to increase by 143% by 2020. •Offer educational travel opportunities and cultural outings with an emphasis on “off the beaten path,” scheduled to attract the working retiree. •Continue to provide “inter-generational programming” to bring various age groups together to enjoy recreation events and activities. Special Events Special events are a unique community service that generate revenue through facility rental, admission fees, and concessions and revenue to the community through increased business activities and tourism. The current budget identiﬁ es an objective for the Department to: “Provide seasonal city-wide special events to encourage community participation, pride, and economic stimulus. Events intended as regional attractions to draw visitors to town and make Menifee a travel destination.” The Community Services Department working in conjunction with numerous civic organizations, businesses, and other public agencies provides facilities, staff support, and miscellaneous services for a number of special and seasonal events in the community. These recreational and cultural special events includes the annual celebration of the City’s incorporation, Independence Day celebration and parade, Veteran’s and Memorial Day events, community clean-ups such as the Quail Valley Section FOUR: Recreation Program Needs Assessment Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan94 Clean Up and Menifee Better Together, the lighting of the City’s Christmas tree in December, Spring Fest, and Fall Festival. The largest of these special events is the annual July 4th event with over 15,000 in attendance. Attendance at other special events at the Birthday Gala, 7,500 for the Tree Lighting held at the City Oak Tree near by the future Central Park, Spring Fest with 3,000 in attendance, Father’s Day Campout with a full capacity of 70 families, Fall Festival with 5,000 in attendance, and Breakfast with Santa with 1,000 in attendance. Recommended Actions •The City should continue to play a role and work in cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce and the business community, School Districts, civic organizations, and businesses, to produce community-wide special events. •Menifee should conduct and report to governing bodies economic proﬁ le reports of major tournaments and swim meets held at city facilities. 4.7 Program Recommendations Summary The Department is challenged to keep up with the changes in population and the public’s demand for diverse recreation programs. The demand increases on many fronts from different age segments. There is a keen interest in aquatics, health and ﬁ tness programming, expansion of senior programming and services, cultural arts programs, and special events that provide entertainment such as concerts as well as those that develop skills in dance, drama, music, and the arts. This interest will continue to grow as residents of all ages seek these opportunities close to home. The Department will, over the next several years, need to slowly develop a solid foundation and increase both the quantity and quality of programs offered to the community as it moves forward to implement the Master Plan and achieve a vision of encouraging healthy life styles and celebrating the community’s growing and developing history. Section FOUR: Recreation Program Needs Assessment Recreation Facility Recommendations Audie Murphy Ranch Sports Park offers several types of sports ﬁ elds and courts, as well as play and picnic areas, and a skatepark. Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 97 Section FIVE: Recreation Facility Recommendations 5.1 Overall Concept Continued parks and recreation facility planning and development will be needed to satisfy current and future needs. It is intended that the City pursue satisfaction of recreation facility needs using the following key strategies and improvements: •Fiscal Related Implications •Park Facility Development Implications •Recreation, Health, and Fitness Implications •Sustainability, Environmental and Park Operations Implications •Public Participation and Relations 5.2 Park and Recreation Key Strategies The following section outlines key strategies for implementation of various programs and facilities that will assist the City in improving its park and recreation elements to meet the current and future needs of the community. Fiscal Related Implications •The City of Menifee should move ahead with the formation of CFD 2015-2 and the corresponding special taxes. The new CFD will include the provisions for annexation of additional subdivisions in future years, and provides the City with a steady funding source for maintenance and operation of new park facilities. •The City should consider developing a 1% to 2% budget for an art program as part of future capital development. This percentage of funds could be “pooled” to fund the design and development of public art components of future park development. Currently many public agencies state-wide and nationally successfully operate such a program. •Menifee should conduct and report to governing bodies economic proﬁ le reports of major tournaments held at city facilities. •The City should work towards developing joint use agreements with each of the school districts within the city limits to improve and expand use of indoor and outdoor school and city facilities and to potentially reduce duplication of services. Park Facility Development Implications •Evaluate options to partner with a private ﬁ tness businesses such as 24-Hour Fitness or other aquatic/ﬁ tness program providers to expand swimming programs for city residents with the development of an additional swimming facility. This could include: •City funding and operation of aquatic facility. •Joint funding of project to construct a new aquatic facility. Section FIVE: Recreation Facility Recommendations Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan98 •One-time contribution towards the private development of an aquatic facility in exchange for guaranteed public use. •Evaluate options to partner with one of the school districts serving Menifee to pursue funding for the development of an additional aquatic facility. •Work with Riverside County and other public agencies to explore further opportunities for opening of waterways/drainage areas for trail use. In many cases, these routes would best be served as a paved surface. •Work with Riverside County and the State of California to develop a trail along Salt Creek. •Develop a Community Garden program to provide opportunities for City residents to participate in the program. Some underutilized areas of park, or undeveloped park sites, could be potential sites for a Community Garden. •Explore opportunities for the development of at least one additional Dog Park utilizing existing parkland that is underutilized and would not result in the displacement of a current recreational use. A future Dog Park location could be at several potential park locations underneath power lines. •Examine the opportunities, potential locations, funds required, costs per parcel, and steps necessary to develop a home location for teens, either as a stand-alone center or in conjunction with development of a Community Center. •Consider expanding the City’s role in teen programs offering an array of programs that might include social recreation, tutoring, mentoring, and non-sports activities. •Development of additional pickleball courts within the City. Recreation, Health, and Fitness Implications •Institution of a “Yellow Swing Program” within neighborhood and community parks, expanding services provided to those with disabilities. The Yellow Swing is a swing seat designed to help meet the American Disabilities Act guidelines for playground equipment in public applications. •Expand the role of the YAC and involvement from Department staff so that they advise the City Council on all matters affecting the youth of Menifee. Examples of additional programs or activities could include joint meetings with YAC from adjoining cities and hosting a Youth Town Hall with the City Council. •The Menifee Arts Council should work to develop an Art in the Park Program where the City through their park system fosters the creation and installation of temporary public art in parks. The works could be displayed in parks and trafﬁ c islands and be temporary installations deﬁ ned by an exhibition period of three months to one year. Section FIVE: Recreation Facility Recommendations Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 99 •The Community Services Department should coordinate with members of the Menifee Arts Council to explore partnership opportunities in the delivery of recreational programming dedicated to the arts. •In conjunction with Riverside County, school districts, Boys and Girls Club, and private providers of after-school programs evaluate the need for additional programming located at school sites. Grants are available from the Department of Education to fund after-school programming. •Menifee Community Services Department should develop and receive City Council approval of an Inclusion policy that is committed to following the guidelines set forth by Title VI and the ADA to ensure that all programs, activities, and services, when viewed in their entirety, are readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities. •The Community Services Department should provide opportunities for qualiﬁ ed individuals with disabilities to participate in inclusive programs as well as programs speciﬁ cally designed for persons with disabilities. •Coordinate with Riverside County Transit agency to explore options for subsidized transportation to future programming for those with special needs. •Work with Riverside County and other public agencies to determine the needs of older adults in Menifee and initiate planning to meet the needs identiﬁ ed in programming and service needs for older adults. •The City of Menifee should develop a Senior Strategic Plan to guide future programs, services and stafﬁ ng levels, and established goals in four planning areas: •Facility needs •Programs and services •Outreach to seniors •Communication with a larger community •Interaction at the Center Kay Ceniceros Senior Center Sustainability, Environmental and Park Operations Implications •The City should develop a lifecycle maintenance plan for buildings and park amenities. This should be built into daily operations, yearly capital improvement plans, and budgetary requests to maximize the value and useful life of these assets. •The initial capital cost (including directly associated costs, such as fees and installation) and the asset replacement value. •The expected total life (in years) before full replacement will become necessary. If this ﬁ gure cannot be conﬁ dently assessed, the design life of the facility as a whole can be used. •The estimated annual maintenance and operating cost of the park building. •Estimated timing and costs of major repairs, overhauls or refurbishments, scheduled on an annual basis. Section FIVE: Recreation Facility Recommendations Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan100 •The City should develop a soil management plan which includes regular soil testing in order to avoid issues with plant die-back and sparse or soggy turf conditions. This will help towards meeting the State of California’s goal to reduce per capita use 25 percent, from the current 192 gallons per capita daily (GPCD) to 144 GPCD. The plan should include at a minimum: •Soil type and texture •Inﬁ ltration rate •pH •Soluble salts and sodium •Identiﬁ cation of limiting soil characteristics •Planned soil management actions to remediate limiting soil characteristics •Develop an implementation plan to complete upgrade of the City’s parks, sports ﬁ eld lighting, and streets to energy efﬁ cient LEDs. Compared to the current standard high-pressure sodium lights currently in parks, which last six years, LEDs not only reduce energy consumption but can last up to 20 years before needing replacement, potentially producing up to an 80 percent savings on maintenance. New York’s Central Park achieved a 62% savings in energy use after replacement with LED’s. Additionally, both the Federal government and California offer incentives and rebates that can reduce the project costs by up to 40%. Estimated annual utility savings can result in project payback in 3 to 11 years. •Evaluate additional opportunities to “naturalize” many existing facilities, especially those built near and around creeks and other drainages. This could include the elimination of turf in areas of little public use and expansion of riparian and natural areas. •If the City moves further in the direction of synthetic ﬁ elds, they should establish policies appropriate for the installation and management of synthetic playing ﬁ elds including: •Synthetic ﬁ elds should be installed only at facilities which also have lights for night-time play. •Synthetic ﬁ elds should be budgeted as a ﬁ xed asset and fully depreciated over the life of the “carpet.” •A policy that states synthetic ﬁ elds will be open for play except under extreme weather conditions. •Development of a Maintenance Manual detailing park maintenance and operation tasks on a daily, weekly, monthly, etc. basis. The Maintenance Manual should include existing speciﬁ cations as well as: •Clear written maintenance objectives and frequency of care for each amenity is needed based on the desired outcomes for a quality visitor experience in maintaining the parks for aesthetics, safety, recreation and sustainability including: •Landscape bed design, planting and maintenance standards •Landscape turf and right of way mowing and maintenance standards Section FIVE: Recreation Facility Recommendations Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 101 •Tree and shrub planting and maintenance standard •Equipment maintenance and replacement standard •Chemical application standard •Formalized and scheduled park facility inspections including playgrounds, specialized facilities such as skate parks, high use visitor areas and buildings •Design standards for the development of park features such as sports ﬁ elds, trails and buildings •Preventative maintenance plan developed for all park locations •Establish an Estimated Annual Water Use (EAWU) for various hydrozones such as turf, sports ﬁ elds and shrub beds and corresponding 25% reduction in water use for each zone •Develop a process of evaluation and reﬁ nement to measure park maintenance success through established performance standards. Examples of what this should include are: •Established park maintenance standards and frequency rates and tracking over several years •Establish and track the cost per acre for each park and park type and tracking over several years •Establish a minimum of training hours per year per employee with reevaluation of success of training and new requirements due to legislative changes •Equipment replacement schedules are met and funded to the replacement outcomes desired •Establish cost per trail mile maintained for future budgetary use. Best practices for maintenance costs range in the $1,200 +/- per mile. This ﬁ gure will be impacted by trail length, distance, and use •Development of a formalized Sustainable Performance System with responsibility for the program handled by a dedicated Conservation Coordinator. The performance system should include at a minimum: •Native Plant Policy--ecoregion •Track Utilities—Partnership with utilities •Recycling Program •Green Waste Composting •Demonstration Gardens •Use of Alternative Energy Sources •Integrated Pest Management Program reﬂ ective of consistently changing needs of an urban park system •Habitat Development beyond mitigation sites •Community Gardens Section FIVE: Recreation Facility Recommendations Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan102 •Public Education and Outreach •Stormwater retention •Human health, well-being and community values Public Participation and Relations •Development of a Volunteer Park Adoption/maintenance program such that it includes training for the volunteers as Park Stewards. The program could include regular ﬁ x up/clean-up days and enlist the help of community organizations such as scouts, park users, sports clubs, etc. to assist with the maintenance and enhancement of various elements of the park system. Currently, the City does not have a volunteer park program. Develop a training and volunteer program of Play Stewards who would receive training and instruction on the aspects of play and recreation. Play Stewards would then coordinate with city staff on the delivery of recreation programming for youth and teens. •Complete a comprehensive marketing plan that gives consideration and identiﬁ es potential promotional strategies for each of the following: •Networking - go where your market is; •Direct marketing - sales letters, brochures, ﬂ yers; •Advertising - print media, directories; •Training programs - to increase awareness; •Write articles, give advice, become known as an expert; •Direct/personal selling; •Publicity/press releases; •Trade shows, health/wellness fairs and similar events; •Web site. •Develop a Social Media marketing plan that includes web site improvements and increased online visibility based on establishing a brand for the City through a variety of social media sites including: •Facebook; •Twitter; •Blogs; •Events sites; •Video sites. 5.3 Sustainable Management Plan The City of Menifee currently has a very active program towards the development of sustainable practices within the park system. The City is encouraged to further develop a strategy that fully engages stakeholders in the process of identifying and implementing sustainability improvements within existing parks and in the development of new park facilities. An initial phase for the City would include conducting assessments, identifying opportunities and establishing objectives, benchmarks, or Section FIVE: Recreation Facility Recommendations Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 103 targets for speciﬁ c activities. In the appendix of this report there is a section entitled Sustainable Management Plan which includes the full report including proposed goals and objectives for the City of Menifee. Efforts to develop and implement sustainable principles in the planning, design, construction and operation of park facilities within the City will have immediate results in best practices, costs savings, public perception, and leadership within the community. Sustainability has become an overarching concept through which we understand the rational and reasonable consumption of resources. Sustainability is generally regarded through three lenses: economy, society and environment. Advocates of sustainability emphasize the importance of establishing linkages among these three dimensions to fully implement sustainable practices. This past spring and related to California’s severe drought, Governor Jerry Brown issued an Executive Order which immediately imposed restrictions to achieve a 25% reduction in potable urban water usage. Key components of the Executive Order as they pertain to Park and Recreation agencies include: •A 25% reduction in potable urban water usage through February 2016 as compared to the amount used in 2013. •Agencies with higher per capita usage will be required to achieve a proportionally greater reduction than those with low use. •The Department of Water Resources will lead a statewide initiative to replace 50 million square feet of lawns and ornamental turf with drought tolerant landscapes. •A requirement that commercial, industrial, and institutional properties immediately implement water efﬁ ciency measures to reduce potable water use by 25%. •A prohibition of ornamental turf on public street medians with potable water. •An update to the State Model Water Efﬁ cient Landscape Ordinance that will increase water efﬁ ciency standards for new and existing landscapes through more efﬁ cient irrigation systems, greywater usage, onsite storm water capture, and by limiting the portion of landscapes that can be covered in turf. Sustainability within the operations of parks and recreation is important for a number of reasons, including the current drought, limited resources, costs savings but frankly it is the nature of the business. Parks and recreation departments Nationwide fortify the social, economic, and environmental landscapes within the local communities. Sustainability could provide the vehicle for addressing many of the City’s most pressing challenges, such as better aligning the design and construction of parks with their long-term maintenance, stormwater retention, water quality, and the economic values of sustainability that provide operational savings, thus providing additional funding for long-term capital. Section FIVE: Recreation Facility Recommendations Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan104 The following is a potential list of sustainable practices which the City of Menifee could include within the Sustainable Management System for parks and recreation. These include: Use of Native Plants—The City currently has no formalized policy in place, although staff clearly makes efforts with the utilization of Mediterranean adaptable species. Developers currently have to conform to the Riverside County 859 Ordinance outlining california friendly planting selections. A formalized policy should be developed identifying acceptable species based on the ecoregion and requiring plantings of a minimum of 80% of these identiﬁ ed natives in any new or renovated project. The approach of the policy could be based on plants endemic to the Mojave Desert climate of California, identifying beneﬁ ts to other native species, and mandate that 80% of new planting must be classiﬁ ed as Native. Another approach would be to develop a drought tolerant plant policy that adopts an appropriate plant material list by drought tolerant level (low, medium, high) and require that 100% meet medium level and 90% high levels. Naturalize Parks—The City should undertake an effort to inventory and establish areas where parks could be naturalized by the removal of unused turf and other non-native plantings and replaced with natives. This will help achieve reductions in water use. Community Gardens—The City has no program in place, although there are a few locations within the park system for the development of “unused spaces” as community gardens. Community Gardens could be a key component of future neighborhood parks. Recycling of Park Waste—There was limited evidence of standard recycling containers within the parks for public use. Green Waste/Composting—The City should expand the program for the composting of green waste resulting from park maintenance. Demonstration Gardens—The City should develop a demonstration gardens with identiﬁ ed native plantings which would be appropriate for homeowner landscaping, such as those found growing in the Mojave Desert area. Storm Water Retention/Bioswales—Use of bioswales should become standard within the park system especially adjacent to hardscapes such as road and parking lots but utilizing native plantings. Several examples were found within the park system including Audie Murphy Sports Park. Use of Impervious Surfaces—The City should standardize the use of decomposed granite in trail development in place of concrete or asphalt. Concrete or asphalt should be utilized only where heavy use mandates the use of these products. Section FIVE: Recreation Facility Recommendations Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 105 Use of Alternative Energy Sources— Alternative energy refers to energy sources that have fewer undesired consequences. Alternative energy sources are renewable and are often result is utility savings and have lower carbon emissions, compared to conventional energy sources. Common uses within public park systems include solar, and wind. The City should explore options to develop alternate energy such as the utilization of solar to power irrigation controls. Utility Reduction Program—Staff should expand the tracking of utility consumption to each park unit by month. Habitat Development—There are a number of park sites that could be excellent candidates for habitat enhancement projects. Future development of the Salt Creek Trail is an ideal candidate for habitat enhancement. Public Education of Sustainable Practices-- The City should evaluate the opportunity to work with students from local high schools and colleges to support and deliver public education of sustainable practices at City parks. Recommendations The City of Menifee should work to develop a Sustainable Management Performance System. This system will outline and assist with prioritization of sustainable practices in construction, operations and/or maintenance activities. The system should outline tracking procedures that will report both successes and shortcomings in reaching established goals. The development of a sustainable performance system by the Department will help to present a strategy to engage stakeholders in the process of identifying and implementing sustainability improvements in operations. Further, development and use of a sustainable performance system will provide the Department with important data necessary to communicate the success of their sustainability efforts. The City of Menifee is encouraged to conduct assessments, identify opportunities and establish objectives or targets for speciﬁ c activities. The Department has already initiated some sustainability practices to improve operations and the Department is encouraged to monitor performance of a sustainability initiative and communicate progress to staff and elected ofﬁ cials. Over time these measures will help the City to institute cultural changes and continual improvement relative to sustainability objectives and goals. In the development of the Sustainability Management System, it is important to look beyond the traditional environmental components and to consider and integrate concepts of economics and social responsibility. Section FIVE: Recreation Facility Recommendations Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan106 Short-term Recommendations •Recognize and document sustainability efforts already in use and/or recently developed. •Establish a “Park Green Team” to fully promote sustainability throughout the City. •Develop an implementation plan to upgrade the City’s park and sports ﬁ eld lighting to energy efﬁ cient LEDs. Compared to the current standard high-pressure sodium lights currently in parks, which last six years, LEDs not only reduce energy consumption but can last up to 20 years before needing replacement, potentially producing up to an 80 percent savings on maintenance. New York’s Central Park achieved a 62% savings in energy use after replacement with LED’s. Additionally, both the Federal government and California offer incentives and rebates that can reduce the project costs by up to 40%. Estimated annual utility savings can result in project payback in 3 to 11 years. •Move to install BigBelly solar compactors to include recycling program for pilot parks. •Analyze feasibility and implement solar energy sources in park designs for exterior lighting, parking lots, restrooms, etc. •Implement small-scale renewable energy demonstration projects and/or solar lighting projects. •Reduce resource consumption. Set benchmark reduction levels and monitor progress. •Develop a native plant policy that requires 80% native (ecoregion) in all new and remodeled landscaping. •Develop a master plan for a pilot ornamental “demonstration landscape” project as a tool to educate the public on how to landscape using native and low water-use plants. •Develop a program to shred fallen leaves using mulching blades on mowers with the material moved to shrub beds as compost material. •Continue to expand use of other “green” techniques in on-going maintenance, operations, and capital improvement projects and practices, including stormwater management, plant materials, recycled materials, and energy efﬁ cient materials. •Identify locally available materials and sustainable products. •Seek grant funding to enhance or restore natural habitat in existing parks. Develop a plan for a habitat restoration pilot project within the park system. Many grant programs are available through the State of California Department of Natural Resources. •Continue to research and incorporate sustainable green techniques and materials into capital improvement projects and/or operations and maintenance practices. Use research and experience to develop additional sustainable standard details and speciﬁ cations. Section FIVE: Recreation Facility Recommendations Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 107 •Identiﬁ cation of low-use areas of parks that are currently planted in turf. These sites if isolated within the irrigation system could be shut-down or watered once a week to maintain park trees. •Adopt and utilize a checklist outlining optimal sustainable design strategies for sustainable parks as found in the Appendix. Long-term Recommendations •Work with other municipal and regional jurisdictions including the County of Riverside to improve shared ecological systems, using watershed protection principles and regional projects such as trails and greenways as a basis for cooperation. •Manage and maintain future City-owned urban natural areas, to facilitate public access and promote ecological values. •While the City currently tracks all park and street trees, it should move forward with the development and implementation of an urban tree and forest management and development plan on a City-wide basis. When completed, the urban forestry management plan should lay out for the City its urban forestry-related operations, policies, programs, and ﬁ nancial implications. The plan will serve as a management tool for the City to efﬁ ciently and cost-effectively maintain and enhance its urban forest resource and establish priorities towards a sustainable urban forestry program. •Develop a green waste/composting benchmark and evaluate the potential of contracting out this work. •Consider implementation of larger renewable energy demonstration projects. Plan and budget for one medium to large scale renewable energy installation at an existing City facility. Evaluate best available technology and conditions for the speciﬁ c park chosen. Track potential funding opportunities. •Develop a vehicle right sizing program expanding the use of hybrid and/or electric vehicles and equipment. •Reduce emissions from landscape maintenance equipment either by the purchase of equipment with the highest standards and/or modiﬁ ed and reduced maintenance practices. •Develop a master plan for a pilot food production “community garden” project as a tool to educate the public on how to garden and grow their own food. Identify areas of unused park land available for use as community gardens. •Develop sustainable park design guidelines for new construction projects. Guidelines should be comprehensive, sustainable and maintainable. Consideration should be given to ground water recharge, alternative energy sources, composting or low-ﬂ ow restrooms, low water-use landscaping, and use of recycled materials. Guidelines should include a “checklist” as a part of the design plan review process for new construction projects. •The City should develop an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program to focus on opportunities to reduce use of pesticides, identify alternatives to pesticide use, and continually investigate new products or solutions. •Evaluate additional opportunities to utilize recycled water for landscape irrigation. Section FIVE: Recreation Facility Recommendations Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan108 5.4 Dedication of Land for Park and Recreation Purposes As Menifee is growing rapidly it is imperative to ensure that all new developments provide active and passive park facilities and programs that will satisfy the basic leisure time needs of the City’s residents and enhance the quality of life in Menifee. Therefore the following objective shall serve as a benchmark to guide new development within the City: Provide local park facilities and recreation areas that are appropriate for the individual neighborhoods and communities in which they are located and that reﬂ ect the needs and interests of the population they serve. The City shall recommend whether to require land dedication, require payment of a fee in-lieu thereof, or a combination of both, by consideration of the following: •Recreational element of the City’s General Plan and the City’s Trails, Parks, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan; and •Topography, geology, access and location of land within the subdivision available for dedication; and •Size and shape of the subdivision and land available for dedication; and •Provide at least 5 acres of improved public park land per 1000 residents (each site should contain a minimum of 5 usable acres in order to be considered); and •Acquire, plan, develop, and staff facilities to make possible a wide variety of passive, active and organized recreation activities and opportunities to enrich the lives of the residents; and •Provide policies and standards which will enable the City to provide the local parks needed identiﬁ ed by the demand needs in the 2016 Trails, Parks, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan; and •Accept for development as public parkland only land that meets the standards recommended for development by the Park Development Design Guidelines, Park Design Landscape and Tree Preservation Ordinance, Landscape Standards; and •Ensure that existing and future recreation facilities are consistent with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act; and •Within a particular recreation site the size, location and design of various functions and facilities should be ﬂ exible, so as to adjust to population changes and to new program demands; and •Provide adequate parking at each location when possible to minimize parking problems on residential streets; and •Create recreational opportunities for residents through use of the trail networks; and •Parkland dedicated to the city by developers of property shall meet or exceed the development standards established by the city; and •Acquire and/or preserve diverse open spaces and provide for the advantageous use of these areas for recreation purposes and visual enhancement; and •Preserve the historical, scenic, and cultural heritage sties of the community and its environs. Section FIVE: Recreation Facility Recommendations Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 109 5.5 Opportunity Sites / Acquisition Plan Throughout the Master Planning process numerous sites have been evaluated for the potential to provide recreational opportunities in the community. Some sites are as yet to be designed vacant parcels, and some are currently utilized for other purposes but may become available for recreational sites in the future. Additional opportunities exist with the development of Joint Use Agreements and Partnerships. TrailsThe City currently does not have any fully established/contiguous completed trail networks as outlined by the General Plan C4 (Figure 2.7-1). It is strongly recommended the city begin developing its trail networks. Figure 5.5-1 illustrates the proposed trail recommendations that should be developed with the following priorities illustrated in Figure 5.5-2: •Priority 1: Enforce trail standards and guidelines for current developer projects •Priority 2: Northern Edison Trail Corridor Development •Priority 3: Develop trail connections between parks in identiﬁ ed areas (east and west of 215) •Priority 3: Develop cross town connections (215 crossings) Future Partnerships / Joint Use sitesDue to the limited availability of facilities and the demand from various sports organizations the City should pursue partnership agreements that outline speciﬁ c details of the community’s recreation abilities within the following agencies. •Santa Rosa Academy—City currently has a Joint-Use Agreement for the use of sports ﬁ elds. Expand to include future ﬁ elds and gymnasium. •Mt. San Jacinto College—No JPA in place. •Perris Union High School District—No JPA in place. •Menifee Union School District—No JPA in place. •Romoland School District—No JPA in place. The City should also look to partner with new school constructions to implement sports facilities in support of new joint use agreements. Potential Sites / Recommendations are Illustrated in Figure 5.5-2 Mt. San Jacinto College Potential Joint Use Improvements Section FIVE: Recreation Facility Recommendations Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan110 TRAILS Regional Trail - Class I (Includes C4 Subregional Route - Off-Road Bike Trail Class 1, C4 Community Off-Road Bike Trail, and Landscape Standards Regional Trail) Regional Bike Lane - Class II (Includes C4 Subregional - On-Street Bike Lane Class II) Community Bike Lane - Class II (Includes C4 Community On-Street NEV/Bike Lanes Class II, and Community On-Street Bike Lane, Class II) Community Bike Lane - Class III (Includes C4 Class III Bike Routes) Community Trail - Hiking, Biking & Equestrian (Includes C4 Community Hiking/Biking Trail Opportunity LEGEND City Parks City Facilities City Parks in Progress VWRPD Parks VWRPD Facilities VWRPD Parks in Progress PARKS & FACILITIESTRAIL OPPORTUNITIES Public Utility Corridor Figure 5.5-1: Trail Recommendations Section FIVE: Recreation Facility Recommendations Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 111 PROPOSED TRAILS Regional Trail - Class I (Includes C4 Subregional Route - Off-Road Bike Trail Class 1, C4 Community Off-Road Bike Trail, and Landscape Standards Regional Trail) Regional Bike Lane - Class II (Includes C4 Subregional - On-Street Bike Lane Class II) Community Bike Lane - Class II (Includes C4 Community On-Street NEV/Bike Lanes Class II, and Community On-Street Bike Lane, Class II) Community Bike Lane - Class III (Includes C4 Class III Bike Routes) Community Trail - Hiking, Biking & Equestrian (Includes C4 Community Hiking/Biking Trail Opportunity LEGEND City Parks City Facilities City Parks in Progress VWRPD Parks VWRPD Facilities VWRPD Parks in Progress PARKS & FACILITIESTRAIL OPPORTUNITIES Public Utility Corridor Figure 5.5-2: Trail Recommendation Priorities Section FIVE: Recreation Facility Recommendations Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan112 Figure 5.5-3: Mt. San Jacinto College Potential Joint Use Improvements Potential Joint -Use improvements Include: •Soccer / Football Stadium •Relocated Softball Field •Practice Field •Parking Support Section FIVE: Recreation Facility Recommendations Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 113 Privately Owned PropertyIn addition to the above opportunities there are also parcels within the City currently owned by private parties. These parcels could also provide much needed space to meet the demand for recreation facilities. •APN 339072013, Faith Lutheran Church – 28200 Portsmouth Drive, Menifee CA 92586. Church is interested in converting vacant portion of parcel into a public neighborhood park. Parcel is located at 28200 Portsmouth Drive, APN 339072013, behind church and adjacent to parking lot. •LDS (Bradley RD) - No TPA. Explore for use of gymnasium. •Quail Valley HOA – 11.85 acre park with access off Canyon Heights Drive, APN 3512000003. This property was previously developed by the HOA and offered to the city at no cost. City declined due to the need for improvements and concerns over on-going maintenance costs. Further the parcel is a linear piece that is mostly behind house leading to potential security issues. •Open Agricultural land – 12.62 acre area immediately south of Perris High School, APN 331300007. This Property lies along the northern Edison Trail recommendation and could serve as a staging area for trail access and equestrian facilities. Potential Improvements Include: •New Gym / Community Building •Parking Support Figure 5.5-4: LDS Potential Gym Partnership Section FIVE: Recreation Facility Recommendations Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan114 •Riverside County Flood Control – APN 459020069. In April 2015 the Parks, Recreation and Trails Commission discussed process of accepting and developing this 35.68 acre property into a regional sports complex. In order for the City to consider this parcel, located outside the city limits, the County would need to convey the land to the City, an application for annexation would need to be submitted to and approved by LAFCO, and signiﬁ cant funding would need to be secured to design and construct the facility. City staff estimates that the land value for this parcel is approximately $5 million with anticipated design, engineering, and construction costs at $18 million. Figure 5.5-5: Riverside County Flood Control Opportunity Potential Improvements Include: •Soccer / Multi Use Fields •Baseball Fields / Concessions and Restrooms •Parking Support Section FIVE: Recreation Facility Recommendations Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 115 Future City SitesCurrently the City of Menifee has 21 new parks that will be developed within approved subdivisions. Seventeen of those parks will be dedicated to the City while four will be dedicated to Valley-Wide. Figure 5.5-6 shows those proposed facilities and acreages. With these future sites the City is on track for full fulling much of the demand for recreation facilities. The Amenitiety totals meet the 2015 Demand and carry the city well into meeting the 2035 demand. These facilities are developer designed parks and could change due to economic climate conditions. It is recommended the city pursue multiple opportunities presented in this report and not rely solely on developer park implementation. In February 2015, City acquired a 2.18 acre parcel in the Quail Valley of Menifee. The parcel was originally purchased by Riverside County with Community Development Block Grant funds with the purpose that it be used to house a multi-purpose community center providing a number of recreational services. Figure 5.5-6: Future City Sites Amenities Section FIVE: Recreation Facility Recommendations Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan116 Figure 5.5-7: Evans Park Recommendation Option A Potential Improvements Include: •Aquatics (Possible partnership with adjacent school facility) •Basketball •Ballﬁ elds / Soccer Overlay •Tot lots •Parking Support Section FIVE: Recreation Facility Recommendations Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 117 Figure 5.5-8: Evans Park Recommendation Option B Potential Improvements Include: •Aquatics (Possible partnership with adjacent school facility) •Basketball •Ballﬁ elds / Soccer Overlay •Soccer Fields •Skate Park •Tot lots •Tennis •Parking Support Section FIVE: Recreation Facility Recommendations Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan118 Audie Murphy Ranch Sports Park •Reseed soccer ﬁ eld with Bermuda/rye grass mix •Remove shrub bed area inside Skate Park. Replace with large rocks to prohibit access •Add barbecues to picnic shelters and make available for reservation •Evaluate options to redesign skate park entry moving viewing areas outside the facility Spirit Park •None E. L. Peterson •Schedule parking lot for repaving and lining •Schedule replacement of cracking and lifted concrete panels with similar material •All paved parking areas and park roads should be inspected on a regular basis to detect cracks in their surfaces. Cracks should be sealed as early as practical to minimize moisture damage and halt surface deterioration, thus minimizing damage as well as maintenance, repair, and replacement costs •Immediately repair damaged areas by either cold crack ﬁ ll, hot rubberized crack ﬁ ll, or cold asphalt patch •Renovate picnic shelters including replacement of rotted wood, lifted concrete panels, and painting •Cage backﬂ ow devices •Replace nets on ½ basketball courts •Repair broken fencing •Continue to monitor site for gophers and treat as needed •Prune trees to remove deadwood and improve structure •Repair or replace failing components of play equipment •Evaluate opportunity to relocate dog park from the northern side of the park near neighborhoods, to the eastern side along Murrieta Road 5.6 Summary of Recommendations at Existing Parks Figure 5.6-1 identiﬁ es potential maintenance and or capital projects at existing parks operated by the City of Menifee. No costs are identiﬁ ed with each project as that will be discussed in the following section of the Master Plan. Figure 5.6-1: Recommended Projects for Existing Parks Section FIVE: Recreation Facility Recommendations Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 119 Kay Ceniceros Senior Center •Develop plans for the renovation or expansion of the Senior Center considering the following opportunities/needs: •Expansion/renovation of the existing building footprint incorporating one or both adjacent buildings •Development of a location for a Senior Center of sufﬁ cient size to provide space for core services in the following areas: •Nutritional services •Respite services •Transportation services •Handy worker services •Supportive services •Lifelong learning, exercise, and recreation •Immediately repair damaged areas by either cold crack ﬁ ll, hot rubberized crack ﬁ ll, or cold asphalt patch La Ladera Park •Replace failing playground safety surface •Work with future development to expand parkland to the east creating a community neighborhood size park with expanded parking opportunities for existing park programs. Lazy Park and Recreation Center •Schedule parking lot for repaving and lining •All paved parking areas and park roads should be inspected on a regular basis to detect cracks in their surfaces. Cracks should be sealed as early as practical to minimize moisture damage and halt surface deterioration, thus minimizing damage as well as maintenance, repair, and replacement costs •Immediately repair damaged areas by either cold crack ﬁ ll, hot rubberized crack ﬁ ll, or cold asphalt patch •For short-term, replace rotted wood, rain gutter, and repaint on Lazy Creek Recreation Center •Treat turf for broadleafs •Remove small turf area between walkway and playground and replace with concrete and bench •Structurally prune trees and remove deadwood •Correct exposed wires on light standards •Remove or repaint shufﬂ eboard court •Add barbecue to empty pedestal Section FIVE: Recreation Facility Recommendations Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan120 Lyle Marsh Park •Cage backﬂ ow devices •Improve type and number of park amenities such as benches, bike racks, drinking fountains, recycling containers, and trash cans •Treat turf for gophers and broadleafs as needed •Paint picnic shelters •Develop Joint Use agreement with adjacent school for shared facilities. Possible amenities may include: •Extend Parking from school into city park and allow joint use of parking facilities; •Develop new universal tot lot on south east corner of school district land and allow joint use. Nova Park •Check irrigation system to correct overspray issue •Tree wells to be kept weed free and free of tree suckers •Mulch should be applied around all tree wells Rancho Ramona Park •Repair shade structure •Ramp from playground safety surface to concrete to remove lip Section FIVE: Recreation Facility Recommendations SECTION TITLE Funding and Implementation Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan122 A conceptual improvement plan for Lyle Marsh Park. Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 123 Section SIX: Funding and Implementation The cornerstone of the success of the Parks, Trails, Open Space, and Recreation Master Plan is Menifee’s ability to secure stable funding for the development and operation of parks, recreation facilities, and programs. Two major cost centers require funding in order to implement the Master Plan. One is capital costs which includes: potential acquisition and development of new required park lands and facilities. The second major cost center is to develop long-term sustainable resources for operations and maintenance of existing and new facilities. With difﬁ cult ﬁ nancial constraints and diminishing resources, it will be challenging to ﬁ nd the resources needed to build or renovate parks and facilities as well as maintain existing parks and infrastructure. Another vexing task will be sustaining the affordability of recreation fee supported classes to meet needs and demands for residents. This section of the Master Plan provides information on funding options for park development, maintenance, and operations to assist Menifee in preparing for Master Plan implementation. It discusses current funding mechanisms and identiﬁ es future possibilities. Further, this section identiﬁ es key resources to meet future goals and strategic direction, and guides city staff in accomplishing the vision and goals of the Master Plan. Meeting these challenges will require equal amounts of vision, resourcefulness, partnership, and hard work. 6.1 Funding Sources for Parks and Recreation The following listing of funding sources have been categorized according to the appropriate application of the funding they provide—Capital Funding, Operation and Maintenance or a combination of both. These explanations of funding options are provided to give deﬁ nition to alternative funding programs which the City may elect to employ. These sources will be evaluated and applicable sources will be matched to the speciﬁ c projects which are recommended in this Master Plan. A complete list of funding sources can be found in the Appendix. Capital Funding Programs Non-Proﬁ t Foundation - such as a 501(c) (3). This would provide a vehicle for a capital fund drive and a means to build community support. There should be well deﬁ ned facilities and speciﬁ c costs to be funded. The foundation acts as a conduit for receiving private donations from entities that might otherwise be reluctant to donate to a City. In addition, the donor can receive tax beneﬁ ts. The City can use the foundation to solicit private foundations, corporations and other businesses, local organizations and individuals (gifts, bequests, trust funds, etc.). The foundation also provides an organization that can partner with other non-proﬁ ts (such as churches, service clubs and organizations) as well as private companies to jointly develop park and recreation facilities. Section SIX: Funding and Implementation Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan124 Grants - (County, State and Federal agencies). While these sources have been declining in recent years, they do provide funding to many projects. Many require matching funds from the City which can be a barrier. Such funds, however, could come from sources such as a Non-Proﬁ t Foundation. There is usually strong competition for such grants and the City needs to compete aggressively. Some examples of such funding are: •The California Department of Parks and Recreation administers grants which have been established by State propositions or are provided for by other State programs such as the Habitat Conservation Fund Grant Program under the California Wildlife Protection Act of 1990 and/or the Recreational Trails Program. •Caltrans provides for on- or off-street bike trails and some foot trails through such funding mechanisms as ISTEA Transportation Enhancement Activities and Bicycle Lane Account Funds. •Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding is available to support public service programs and capital improvement projects in eligible low to moderate income neighborhoods. In the past, Menifee has used CDBG funds to enhance the Kay Ceniceros Senior Center, right-of-way improvements, ADA accessibility, and other community service functions. These funds are also used for some limited program funding. •The California Department of Resources manages many grant programs, through several departments such as the Department of Conservation, Wildlife Conservation Board, State Coastal Conservancy and others, that can be used for open space acquisition, habitat restoration, trails, etc. Much of the funding comes from State Bond Act Propositions 50 and 84. •Foundation Grants – There are some private foundations and non-proﬁ ts that support park and recreation developments and programs. These entities can be solicited for donations to support speciﬁ c projects which meet their criteria. Quimby Act - The Quimby Act is a widely used source of funding which enables local government to exact dedication of land or in-lieu fees from new residential development to maintain a minimum ratio of park land to population. This applies only to residential subdivisions and does not address additional park demands created through the construction of new units (subdividing a lot) on existing lots or to condominium conversions. The City of Menifee recently updated the Quimby ordinance. Under the current ordinance as a condition of approval of any tentative map or parcel map, the City requires a dedication of land and/or improvements/amenities, or payment of a fee in-lieu, or a combination of both. Determination is at the option of the City and the calculation is based on ﬁ ve (5) acres of parkland per 1,000 residents. As the city is divided into four quadrants, fees varying from $510 for a single family dwelling unit to a high of $7,908. Section SIX: Funding and Implementation Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 125 Development Impact Fees: Development Impact Fees (AB 1600 fees) on development is another option for local agencies. The fees or exactions are based on the premise that new development generates new demand for park and recreation facilities. The fees only apply to new development and may only be assessed for new capital cost related to the development. A deﬁ ned nexus or beneﬁ t/beneﬁ ciary relationship must be established. The fees are paid by the developer to offset costs for the infrastructure caused by new development. The fees are not limited to the cost of land and can be assessed for improvements. Some cities have used this fee mechanism to assess a capital equipment fee to acquire the equipment needed to maintain the new parks. The fees are often used in combination with development agreements. The advantages of impact fees, sometimes called mitigation fees, are that they can be assessed for non-subdivision land uses. Fees can be assessed under the premise that tourists, employers, and employees all beneﬁ t from and use community parks. This allows for assessment of commercial and industrial development. Once the nexus is established that proves the need for additional facilities because of new development, a fee program can be implemented. The fee cannot be assessed to subsidize existing shortfalls or beneﬁ t existing residents. The City of Menifee upon incorporation retained existing Riverside County adopted fee schedules until they could calculate locally relevant fees compared to the County’s broadly calculated fee schedule. At the time of this report, Menifee is currently reviewing a draft Development Impact Fee Calculation and Nexus Report which outlines proposed fees speciﬁ c to city for residential and non-residential development. Figure 6.1-1 displays the currently proposed fees. Figure 6.1-1: Proposed Development Impact Fees For the current ﬁ scal year the City of Menifee collected $87,738 in developer impact fees for trails and $156,330 for parks. Development Agreements (DA’s) are another mechanism through which park and recreation improvements can be acquired or provided. As part of an agreement specifying the type and density of development that will be allowed, the City can negotiate conditions and considerations in return for concessions. These types of incentive programs can also be used in the provision of parks and other open spaces in commercial areas. One such program would allow extra ﬂ oor space in exchange for public recreation facilities such as a plaza, a mini-park or an amphitheater. Another example of such public space in commercial development would be expansion of the Senior Center to include a ﬁ tness area. Section SIX: Funding and Implementation Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan126 Bonds - Most bond issues require a two-thirds vote of the electorate and are therefore used with great preparation, research and care to predict voting outcome. Some of the most common forms of these bonds are as follows: •General Obligation Bonds - These bonds are issued subject to a two-thirds majority vote of the electorate and pledge the full faith and support of the borrower. G.O bonds would be paid out of the City’s General Fund. Only cities with excess General Fund capacity are able to use G.O. bonds for park facility development today. Another method of implementing park and recreation facility development by use of a type of G.O. bond is by gaining voter approval for an additional property tax assessment to pay for the debt of park bonds. The issuer is authorized by the vote of a two-thirds majority of the electorate to levy an ad valorem tax on all taxable property within its jurisdiction at whatever rate is required to service the debt. Because of the high level of security, these bonds command the lowest interest rate. This type of ﬁ nancing requires strong community support and involves much time and effort to study community attitudes and promote acceptance in order to be successful •Revenue Bonds - These bonds are secured by a pledge of revenues from a tax or non-tax source such as assessments or fees. Because the revenue from a particular facility is the only security, these bonds usually carry a higher interest rate than general obligation bonds. The direct issuance of revenue bonds without the formation of a funding district, as described in more detail below, may not be feasible for park and recreation purposes due to limited income streams from these types of activities. However, revenue bonds have been used to partially fund such development as an aquatic facility where a feasibility study veriﬁ ed the revenue generating capability of the development Certiﬁ cates of Participation - This is a form of lease purchase agreement that does not constitute indebtedness under the State constitutional debt limit and does not require voter approval. In a typical case, a local government entity decides to acquire a new or renovated public facility. This facility is purchased or constructed by a vendor corporation and the local government signs a lease agreement with the corporation to use the facility. An underwriting ﬁ rm then buys the lease obligation from the vendor corporation and divides it into small units called “C.O.P.’s”. Each C.O.P. represents a share of the lease payment revenue stream. The underwriter then places the C.O.P. issue with a bank which, in turn, sells the certiﬁ cates to individual investors. The local government makes the lease payments to the bank which makes payments to the certiﬁ cate holders. At the end of the lease period, title to the facility passes to the local government entity at nominal cost. Interest paid the certiﬁ cate holders is tax exempt. Fund-Raising Events - (concerts, rafﬂ es, etc.) While these are not a major source of funds, such events could contribute to an overall effort toward capital funding for a speciﬁ c facility. Funds raised from such events could be channeled through a non-proﬁ t foundation as described above. Section SIX: Funding and Implementation Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 127 Sources of Operation and Maintenance Funds User Fees - Such fees provide some contribution toward maintenance, but are not sufﬁ cient to provide any capital funds. It is strongly recommended that the City examine the current fee structure and make adjustments so that the fees collected are in line with the costs of maintenance and operation of the facilities and/or programs for which the fees are levied. Some of the sources of such fees include: •Participation fees for classes and special programs. •Field Rental Fees for the use, maintenance and lighting costs associated with using a sports ﬁ eld. •Family Rental Fees for meetings, parties and special events. •Charges for play, such as for tennis court reservations and/or golf green fees. •Group picnic shelter use charges. •Charges for the use of park sites for special events such as arts & crafts fairs, tournaments, antique shows, auto shows, weddings, concerts, carnivals, Christmas tree sales, etc. •Joint-Use with non-proﬁ t organizations is also included in this category, where sports teams would renovate ﬁ elds and/or provide ﬁ eld maintenance (labor or costs) in exchange for guaranteed use of the ﬁ eld during the season. Corporate Sponsorship of Events - This is most popular for sports teams and other various activities, and should be actively pursued. Adopt-a-Park Programs - This type of program could generate funds or volunteers to provide maintenance for City parks or facilities. Volunteer Labor - Useful for certain programming and/or maintenance tasks, however does not constitute a large portion of funding needs. Sources for Both Capital and Operation and Maintenance Funding Sales Tax Increase – The cornerstone of the state and local revenue system in virtually every region of the country, the sales tax is the second largest source of income for state and local governments and typically the most popular tax among voters. Sales taxes are either general or speciﬁ c in form. General sales taxes are levied on the sale of goods or services at the retail level. Speciﬁ c or selective sales taxes are imposed on speciﬁ c items such as alcohol, tobacco and gasoline and sometimes earmarked for speciﬁ c projects. As an example the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District is funded through ¼ cent sales tax and the City of Pico Rivera passed a 1 percent increase to implement their Parks, Trails, Open Space and Recreation Master Plan. Section SIX: Funding and Implementation Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan128 Special District Assessments - These include Beneﬁ t Assessment Districts (under state law AB1600), Landscape and Lighting Act Districts, and Mello-Roos Districts. A special assessment or levy is placed on a property to ﬁ nance improvements and/or maintenance that speciﬁ cally beneﬁ t that property. The legislation requires a vote of the residents in order to form such districts or in order to change the level of assessment. The City currently receives revenue from a variety of Community Service Areas (CSA) and Community Facilities Districts (CFD). Figure 6.1-2 shows the revenue realized from the CSA’s and CFD’s for Fiscal Year 2014/2015 and projected for 2015/16. Figure 6.1-2: CFD / CSA Revenue On April 15, 2015, the City Council of the City of Menifee adopted a Resolution of Intention to form Community Facilities District 2015-2. It is estimated, upon full completion of the development, there will be an annual collection of special tax revenues of approximately $293,823 to be used to pay for maintenance costs within the development. This amount includes $75,150 speciﬁ cally for parks. In early 2015, the City Council approved the formation of CFD 2015-2 and the special taxes to allow for annexation of additional property in future years as development continues to expand in the City. The annexed property will be subject to the same special tax formula that was initially included in CFD No. 2015-2 at the time of its formation. As each annexation is proposed, an analysis is to be prepared to determine the annual cost for providing services. Based on this analysis, the property to be annexed will be assigned to the appropriate Maximum Special Tax rate for the Tax Zone when annexed. The initial Maximum Special Tax rate for single family residential property is proposed to be $819. Further, On March 1 of each year, every residential lot for which a building permit has been issued, within the boundaries of the CFD, will be subject to the special taxes for the ensuing Fiscal Year. If the anticipated costs of maintaining the facilities in any given Fiscal Year, prior to build-out of the project, exceeds the special tax revenues available from parcels for which building permits have been issued, then the special tax may also be applied to property within recorded ﬁ nal subdivision maps, as well as other undeveloped property within the boundaries of the CFD. Section SIX: Funding and Implementation Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 129 Taxes - Some examples of taxes used by other cities to pay for park and recreation include Transient Occupancy Tax, Real Estate Transfer Tax and Admissions Tax. A portion of such tax revenue could be dedicated for speciﬁ c park and recreation uses, either to provide funding for a bond issue or to cover deﬁ ned maintenance and operating costs. Concessions - By contracting with a concessionaire to build and/or operate a facility, the City can generate income which could cover the capital costs and maintenance of the facility. Examples of such concession-operated facilities include: baseball or softball diamonds, equestrian facilities, handball courts, tennis courts, miniature golf, roller hockey facilities and food and beverage concessions. In most cases, the City provides a site for the facility and either the City or the concessionaire funds the construction of the facility. The lease terms are determined accordingly. User Group Contributions – Sports groups sometimes have an interest in constructing and maintaining ﬁ elds for their use if the City would provide a nominal lease of land for a reasonable time span so that they can capture the value of the improvements. This relieves the City of the associated costs; however, it precludes the use of the ﬁ elds by other user groups unless that is made a condition of the lease. Often leagues are willing to help support and maintain ﬁ elds they reserve. Joint-Use Agreements with School Districts – Joint-Use Agreements with local School Districts can provide for reciprocal use of facilities by both parties. They deﬁ ne responsibilities for capital improvements and maintenance of the facilities. Problems sometimes arise when expanding school sports programs create inequalities in the amount of time the City has access to the facilities. Agreements need to be deﬁ nitive and speciﬁ c as to allowed usage. Sale or Lease of Surplus Lands - The sale or lease of land or other capital facilities for which the City has no further use can sometimes be a major source of revenue. One-time receipts from the sale of land can be used for the acquisition of new park lands, recreation facilities, or the development of new community service facilities. Revenues from long-term leases can be used to provide maintenance or underwrite programs. Surplus parcels also may provide opportunities for trading land elsewhere in the City with other agencies that own land more suitable for park purposes. 6.2 Potential Funding Sources by Facility Type A summary of the various funding sources for the most appropriate project type is presented in Figure 6.2-1. The City should look at developing new sources beyond those currently in use. Funding needs can be satisﬁ ed for each improvement through a variety of potential sources as indicated on Figure 6.2-1. The speciﬁ c funding source to be considered will depend partly on the timing of the development and the funding sources which may be available or which are more easily pursued at that time. For major improvements which include such facilities as community centers, tennis complexes, gymnasiums, senior centers, teen centers, ball ﬁ eld complexes, etc., the use of a fund raising effort to be conducted on behalf of Section SIX: Funding and Implementation Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan130 a City’s non-proﬁ t foundation could be beneﬁ cial. Sponsorships/ naming rights for major corporate or other private donors can be offered. In some cases, the use of a professional fund raising ﬁ rm should be considered once a facility or project for which the funding will be used is identiﬁ ed. Other sources of funding for such projects could include public/private partnerships, partnerships with private sector through website advertising, user group contributions, joint use with the School District and public or private grants. Use of bonds, sales tax increase, or special districts require a vote by the residents and have been used successfully in some California communities. The City of Pico Rivera recently passed a sales tax increase to implement their Park and Recreation Master Plan. The speciﬁ c facilities and improvements to be paid for need to be identiﬁ ed and a public relations effort is required to enlist the support of the electorate. The greater the demand and recognition of the need by the public, the greater will be the chance of success.Figure 6.2-1: Funding Sources by Project Type Section SIX: Funding and Implementation Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 131 6.3 Current Operating and Capital Project Budget Current Budget and Stafﬁ ngIn planning for future budget and stafﬁ ng needs, the Community Services Department should look closely at organizational structure and determine the most efﬁ cient and cost effective management structure. As the Department absorbs former Valley-Wide work and expands and develops new recreational programming, additional needs and costs will be identiﬁ ed. Figure 6.3-1 displays the proposed organizational chart for the Community Services Department for Fiscal Year 15/16. Under this organizational format, the Department will be broken into three divisions, Recreation, Administration, and Maintenance. The Recreation Division will add a total of six new staff, a Supervisor, two Coordinators to manage Lazy Creek Recreation Center and Kay Ceniceros Senior Center, an Assistant Coordinator over special events, and two full time equivalent in part-time hours. The Maintenance Division will include a Supervisor and two Park Landscape Maintenance Specialist. Key to the Maintenance Division is the plan to contract out the day-to-day maintenance of the parks and landscaped areas. The Administration division will add one Ofﬁ ce Worker. For the current ﬁ scal year, the Department’s budget includes $1,049,293 in salaries and $1,444,295 in operating expenditures. When park maintenance is broken out of the budget by removing general overhead, recreation, and landscape maintenance, the indirect proposed costs for maintaining 49.32 acres of parkland is approximately $14,403 per acre of parkland. The National Recreation and Park Administration (NRPA) 2015 Field Report identiﬁ ed the operating expenditures per acre of park land for agencies with fewer than 250 acres, ranges from $6,054 to $16,523 per acre. This data represented expenditures for 2013 and 2014 and did not include an evaluation of the level of park maintenance. Capital Project BudgetCurrently, funding for capital improvements, renovations, and additions to park and recreation facilities in the City of Menifee comes from non-General Fund sources such developer impact fees, CDBG, and grants. Recently the City approved a multi-year capital improvement program. Figure 6.3-2 shows the allocated funding for capital improvement and renovation of park facilities for the most recent three ﬁ scal years. In a quickly growing community, fees on new development (development impact fees and developer special agreements) are a major source of funding to provide mew parks and recreation facilities for the residents of Menifee. At the same time, funding from CDBG continues to decline. Section SIX: Funding and Implementation Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan132 Co m m u n i t y S e r v i c e s Di r e c t o r R. L e n n o x Co m m u n i t y S e r v i c e s Co o r d i n a t o r E. T o n e y Pa r k / L a n d s c a p e Ma i n t . S p e c i a l i s t D. B r o o k s x Ce n t e r R e n t a l s x KC S e n i o r N u t r i t i o n — F S A x KC M e a l s o n W h e e l s — F S A x Se n i o r C o m m u n i t y G a r d e n x Tri p s a n d T o u r s x SA C C l e r k x Bre a k f a s t w i t h S a n t a x En r i c h m e n t & F i t n e s s Pro g r a m s x De p a r t m e n t B u d g e t x Ac t i v e N e t A d m i n i s t r a t i o n x Ac c o u n t s R e c e i v a b l e x Ac c o u n t s P a y a b l e x Ag r e e m e n t s / C o n t r a c t s x PR T C C l e r k x De p a r t m e n t W e b M a s t e r x Gra n t s A d m i n i s t r a t i o n x Pre s c h o o l P r o g r a m x Su m m e r C a m p x Af t e r s c h o o l P r o g r a m x YA C C l e r k x Fa m i l y D a y C a m p O u t x Mo v i e s i n t h e P a r k x In d e p e n d e n c e C e l e b r a t i o n x Bir t h d a y G a l a x Me n i f e e B e t t e r T o g e t h e r x Sp r i n g F e s t x Me m o r i a l D a y x Ch r i s t m a s T r e e L i g h t i n g x Ve t e r a n s D a y x Fa l l F e s t i v a l x Mu s i c a n d A r t s F e s t i v a l x Sp o r t s F i e l d A l l o c a t i o n s x Sh e l t e r R e n t a l s x Co n t r a c t C l a s s e s Ci t y o f M e n i f e e Co m m u n i t y S e r v i c e s D e p a r t m e n t Or g a n i z a t i o n a l C h a r t UP D A T E D : 1 2 / 1 / 2 0 1 5 Ka y C e n i c e r o s In t e r g e n e r a t i o n a l Ce n t e r La z y C r e e k Re c C e n t e r Sp e c i a l E v e n t s / Fa c i l i t i e s Co m m u n i t y S e r v i c e s Co o r d i n a t o r K. H e r n a n d e z Of f i c e W o r k e r E. A g u i l a r Ad m i n A n a l y s t Va c a n t Pa r k / L a n d s c a p e Ma i n t . Su p e r i n t e n d e n t Va c a n t FT E P O S I T I O N 1 C S D i r e c t o r 1 O f f i c e W o r k e r 1 A d m i n A n a l y s t 3 A d m i n i s t r a t i o n S u b t o t a l 1 C S S u p e r v i s o r 3 C S C o o r d i n a t o r x X , x x x P T C S I n s t r u c t o r H o u r s x X , x x x P T C S L e a d e r H o u r s 4 R e c r e a t i o n S u b t o t a l 1 P a r k / L a n d s c a p e S u p e r i n t e n d e n t 1 P a r k / L a n d s c a p e S u p e r v i s o r 3 P a r k / L a n d s c a p e M a i n t . S p e c i a l i s t x P T M a i n t A t t e n d a n t H o u r s 5 M a i n t e n a n c e S u b t o t a l 12 T o t a l F T E Co m m u n i t y S e r v i c e s Co o r d i n a t o r A. J e m m o t - W i l l s o n Pa r k / L a n d s c a p e Ma i n t . Su p e r v i s o r M. C o o p e r 9 P a r k s CF D , C S A , L L M D Me d i a n a n d R O W s Tr a i l s Op e n S p a c e Fa c i l i t y M a i n t : 2 R e c C e n t e r s 1 H Q O f f i c e 1 C o m m u n i t y A n n e x x Lan d s c a p e a n d P a r k P l a n Ch e c k / R e v i e w x Ma s t e r P l a n C o m p l i a n c e x Pa r k D e v e l o p m e n t a n d Ma i n t e n a n c e S t a n d a r d s x Pa r k Co n s t r u c t i o n I n s p e c t i o n x Ma i n t e n a n c e C o n t r a c t s Ad m i n i s t r a t i o n x CIP P r o j e c t s M a n a g e m e n t x Pa r k M a i n t e n a n c e I n s p e c t i o n x RO W / M e d i a n M a i n t e n a n c e In s p e c t i o n x Re s t r o o m a n d S i t e A m e n i t i e s Re p a i r x Pla y g r o u n d E q u i p m e n t In s p e c t i o n a n d R e p a i r x Sp e c i a l P a r k a n d L a n d s c a p e Im p r o v e m e n t P r o j e c t s x Em e r g e n c y M a i n t e n a n c e C a l l Ou t x Co m m u n i t y B e a u t i f i c a t i o n Ev e n t s x Bu i l d i n g a n d E q u i p m e n t Re p a i r x Gra f f i t i A b a t e m e n t ( P W Pa r t n e r s h i p ) x Ir r i g a t i o n I n s p e c t i o n / R e p a i r x Tu r f R e n o v a t i o n x Re p l a n t i n g x Sp e c i a l E v e n t A p p l i c a t i o n s x Cu s t o m e r S e r v i c e x Ad m i n / C l e r i c a l S u p p o r t x Ov e r - t h e - C o u n t e r R e g i s t r a - tio n s a n d R e s e r v a t i o n s Re c r e a t i o n Ad m i n i s t r a t i o n Ma i n t e n a n c e CS S u p e r v i s o r J. H e n d r i x Pa r k / L a n d s c a p e Ma i n t . S p e c i a l i s t B. H o w e l l La n d s c a p e M a i n t . Co n t r a c t s x Mo w a n d B l o w x We e d A b a t e m e n t x Pe s t C o n t r o l x Re s t r o o m J a n i t o r i a l x Tra s h p i c k u p x Tre e a n d S h r u b T r i m m i n g x Pa r k s , R e c r e a t i o n , a n d T r a i l s C o m m i s s i o n x Ag r e e m e n t s / C o n t r a c t s x CIP / M a s t e r P l a n n i n g x Co u n c i l S t a f f R e p o r t s x De p a r t m e n t B u d g e t x La n d s c a p e a n d P a r k P l a n C h e c k / R e v i e w x Yo u t h A d v i s o r y C o m m i t t e e x Se n i o r A d v i s o r y C o m m i t t e e x DA ’ s / C o n d i t i o n i n g P a r k s a n d T r a i l s x Qu i m b y , M i t i g a t i o n , D I F (+ x x x x H r s P T C S L d r ) (+ x x x x H r s P T C S L d r ) (+ x x x x H r s P T C S L d r ) Pa r k / L a n d s c a p e Ma i n t . S p e c i a l i s t K. R o d g e r (+ x x x x H r s P T M a i n t A t t d ) Fi g u r e 6 . 3 - 1 : P r o p o s e d O r g a n i z a t i o n a l C h a r t f o r C o m m u n i t y S e r v i c e s D e p a r t m e n t Section SIX: Funding and Implementation Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 133 Moving forward, DIF fees will continue to be a major source of capital revenue for the City of Menifee. At the start of the 2015/16 Fiscal Year budget undesignated fund balances for the various DIF accounts were as follows: • Park DIF (area16) $ 12,596.82• Trails DIF (area 16) $ 7,059.72• Park DIF (area 17) $ 820,936.67• Trails DIF (area 17) $ 635,659.70• Quimby/Mitigation $ 494,616.35 Figure 6.3-2: Parks Capital Funding Future Operation and Maintenance CostsIn early 2015 the City of Menifee proceeded with the formation of CFD 2015-2 and the special taxes, the new CFD includes the provisions for annexation of additional subdivisions in future years, and provides the City with a steady funding source for maintenance and operation of new park facilities. The City’s current standard is 5 acres of parkland per 1,000 population. Menifee’s household size has remained fairly stable at 2.96 per house. The City’s General Plan, as of 2015, shows household size for single family residence slightly higher at 3.164. Based on the numbers for just single family residence, the City would be required to add ﬁ ve acres of parkland with the construction of 316.05 houses. For the CFD 2015-2, the fee is recommended at $819 and is projected to collect $293,823 annually, of which $75,150 would go towards new park operation and maintenance. This represent 25.57% of the $819 or $209.41. Based on 316.05 new houses multiplied by the share of the CFD fee ($209.41) brings in $66,185 dollars for every 1,000 in new population. Divided by the ﬁ ve acre standards results in $13,237 available to maintain an acre of parkland within the new CFD. Utilization of the citywide household size ﬁ gure of 2.96 would result in $14,149 to maintain an acre of parkland. Annexation of future subdivisions into the CFD will result in the recalculation of the fee based upon costs to provide permitted services. Both calculations are within the range found by NRPA in the 2015 Field Report. Section SIX: Funding and Implementation Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan134 6.4 Proposed Capital Costs for Existing Facilities Figure 6.4-1 identiﬁ es recommended projects by park sites for the City of Menifee and identiﬁ es potential funding sources which could be utilized to fund each of these projects. Project estimates are general in nature and developed to show a potential costs and/or range of costs. Costs should be considered as approximations of individual facilities listed only. Actual costs will depend on design, size of facility, additional support facilities, utilities, infrastructure, environmental conditions, as well as site speciﬁ c conditions which require additional study and have not been evaluated in the Master Plan. Based on these general project estimates, the City of Menifee is faced with unfunded general park projects and renovations $2,265,000 and another $1,410,000 in park speciﬁ c renovations and upgrades. Figure 6.4-1: Recommended Projects for Existing Facilities Section SIX: Funding and Implementation Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 135 Section SIX: Funding and Implementation Menifee • Parks, Trails, Openspace & Recreation Master Plan136 6.5 Six-Year Capital Plan Development of a multi-year Capital Budget is integral to sound ﬁ nancial planning, debt management, and reserve development. This Master Plan identiﬁ es development of master planned facilities, capital replacement, and capital outlay requirement over a six-year period to assist with planned cash and debt management. Figure 6.5-1 displays the recommended six year needs for the City of Menifee, including renovation of existing facilities, redesign/modiﬁ cation of existing, potential acquisition site costs, and development of these new sites. It should be noted that existing resources are limited and will not be able to fully fund the recommendations within this plan. Therefore, this Master Plan makes the recommendation that the City seek a new voter approved funding source for the 2018/19 Fiscal Year. The City should look at developing new sources beyond those currently in use. Funding needs can be satisﬁ ed for each improvement through a variety of potential sources as indicated on Figure 6.5-1. The speciﬁ c funding source to be considered will depend partly on the timing of the development and the funding sources which may be available or which are more easily pursued at that time. For major improvements which include such facilities as community centers, tennis complexes, gymnasiums, ball ﬁ eld complexes, etc., the use of a fund raising effort to be conducted on behalf of a City’s non-proﬁ t foundation could be beneﬁ cial. Sponsorships/ naming rights for major corporate or other private donors can be offered. In some cases, the use of a professional fund raising ﬁ rm should be considered once a facility or project for which the funding will be used is identiﬁ ed. Other sources of funding for such projects could include public/private partnerships, partnerships with private sector through website advertising, user group contributions, joint use with the School District and public or private grants. Use of bonds, sales tax increase, or special districts require a vote by the residents and have been used successfully in many California communities. The City of Pico Rivera recently passed a sales tax increase to implement their Park and Recreation Master Plan. The speciﬁ c facilities and improvements to be paid for need are identiﬁ ed within this Master Plan and a public relations effort is required to enlist the support of the electorate. The greater the demand and recognition of the need by the public, the greater will be the chance of success. Section SIX: Funding and Implementation Menifee • Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan 137 Figure 6.5-1: Six-Year Capital Requirements Section SIX: Funding and Implementation