anchor Description
The Energized Public Spaces Functional Master Plan (EPS Plan) is a countywide plan to provide public spaces within walking distance in the county's most densely populated areas. With rising populations in mixed use and higher density residential neighborhoods, parks and open space serve as "outdoor living rooms" that play a critical role in promoting livable and healthy communities, social interaction, and equity for residents of all ages and incomes. The EPS methodology provides data driven analysis that measures and prioritizes the park amenities needed to support contemplative, active recreation, and social gathering activities. The EPS Plan identifies multiple strategies to fill identified public space deficits with park activation programs, alternative providers, public-private partnerships, repurposing and improving access to existing public parkland, and acquisition of new parkland. This PDF provides the funding to acquire parkland to fill needs identified in the EPS Study Area using State of Maryland Program Open Space grants. Acquisitions will be prioritized based on multiple factors, including providing service to lower income and racially diverse areas, addressing the largest public space deficits, seizing on opportunity acquisitions, and locations of highest population growth and associated park needs. Sites within the EPS Study Area that are identified for park acquisition in other sector, master or functional plans also may be acquired with this PDF. The County Council encourages the Commission to seek supplemental appropriations if approved CIP funding is insufficient.
anchorCost Change
The overall project remains million, with additional expenditures in due to increased efforts to manage the high acquisition costs in urban areas.
anchor Justification
Designing Public Spaces - Energized Public Spaces Design Guidelines, Energized Public Spaces Functional Master Plan, Park, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan, Vision Strategic Plan for Parks and Recreation, Legacy Open Space Functional Master Plan,
anchorFiscal Note
transfer of of State Aid from Acquisition: Local Parks for the Willett Branch Greenway bond bill. In added State Aid for a bond bill for the Willett Branch Greenway. In added million of Program Open Space funding. transfer M-NCPPC Bonds from Legacy Open Space. Shift of M-NCPPC Bonds from Legacy Open Space to Legacy Urban Space to support POS-funded acquisitions in Legacy Urban Space and the addition of and has been shifted in Program Open Space from to the Beyond years due to reduced POS funding to maintain the total project cost at Contingent upon future availability of POS funding.
anchorDisclosures
Expenditures will continue indefinitely.
M-NCPPC asserts that this project conforms to the requirement of relevant local plans, as required by the Maryland Economic Growth, Resource Protection and Planning Act.
anchorCoordination
Park Acquisitions ALARF: M-NCPPC Bethesda Park Impact Payment Mid-County Park Benefit Payments Legacy Open Space Urban Parks Elements State of Maryland.