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Public Facilities Action Plan
"All Americans deserve clean air, pure water, land that is safe
to live on, and food that is safe to eat. Although we have made significant
progress, some communities continue to bear a disproportionate burden
of pollution. Much remains to be done to achieve environmental protection
for every American. Environmental justice will continue to require creativity
and innovation and the development of stronger partnerships with those
affected by environmental decisions."
Carol Browner, Former Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency
Public Schools
Parks and Recreation
Libraries
Police
Fire and Rescue
Water and Sewerage Service
Goals and Objectives
Goal
Provide adequate public facilities--including schools, parks, libraries, recreation, police, fire and rescue, water and sewerage--within the community in a timely manner and with attention given to the needs of specific user groups. Click here for Public Facilities Action Plan Indicators and Linkages
Objectives
- Determine current and future needs in response to economic development and population change.
- Plan appropriately sized facilities and services to meet current and future demand.
- Coordinate plans of the public and private sectors and set priorities for the acquisition of land and the development of public facilities, so as to minimize public costs.
- Support development by maintaining and/or improving the provision of public facilities and services.
- Provide services equally throughout the community.
- Assure the orderly and efficient utilization of land in accordance with approved plans by guiding development so that capabilities of existing and programmed public facilities are not exceeded.
- Provide capital funding for the renovation or replacement of existing public facilities as they deteriorate over time.
Public Schools
Goals and Objectives
Goals
- Provide appropriate facilities to meet the general and specialized educational needs of the residents of the community.
- Identify suitable school sites in the community so that the sites can be reserved and acquired before development for other uses occurs.
- Develop school properties for multiple use (e.g., for park and recreational purposes) to the maximum extent possible.
Objectives
- Site schools to ensure safe and convenient access for students.
- Locate schools so they are accessible by the entire community.
- Locate school sites on land which is minimally affected by objectionable noise, odors, and other environmental nuisances.
Recommendations for Action Planning
- Consider future enrollments and demand for new or renovated elementary schools, middle schools and high schools.
- Encourage reuse or renovation of existing buildings.
- Provide consistency with future plans and considerations of the community's school district.
- Coordinate between school board and local government officials.
Parks and Recreation
Goals and Objectives
Goals
- Protect and conserve natural resources and public open space.
- Provide parks, recreational facilities and programs to community residents based on needs and interests.
- Develop facilities that are functional, safe and sensitive to the surrounding environment.
Objectives
- Establish priorities for acquisition and development within the community based on need, interests, and availability of resources.
Recommendations for Action Planning
- Provide neighborhood and community parks and recreational facilities based on population growth and demand.
- Provide recreation programs to meet community demand.
- Develop hiker/biker trails.
- Develop greenways for pedestrian trails to compliment community facilities and neighborhoods.
- Investigate funding resources for facility development.
- Site neighborhood and community parks within easy access by intended users.
Libraries
Goals and Objectives
Goals
- Develop collections of materials that support and are of interest to residents, employees and users of the community.
- Maintain or develop modern library facilities including Internet access.
Objectives
- Locate libraries convenient to pedestrians and transit facilities.
- Design libraries with adequate parking.
Recommendations for Action Planning
- Develop library facilities to meet population projections.
- Locate in areas of public activity.
- Construction of additions to libraries should be staged to address existing deficiencies and meet the needs of population growth.
Police
Goals and Objectives
Goals
- Protect all citizens and their property and create an environment where people feel safe.
- Increase automotive and pedestrian safety and reduce property damage, injury and loss of life.
- Encourage citizen participation in police planning and facilities development activities.
Objectives
- Improve crime prevention and apprehension techniques in a manner which is appropriate to the community.
- Provide police protection services equally throughout the community.
- Locate police stations and police proximate to their service areas.
Recommendations for Action Planning
Maintain police staffing and facilities with state and national standards for future growth.
Fire and Rescue
Goals and Objectives
Goals
- Provide an adequate level of physical safety and personal well-being for all residents, employees and other user groups within the community.
- Prevent the loss of life and property as a result of fire.
- Provide emergency medical care at both basic and advanced levels to all persons within the community.
- Provide efficient and modern fire and rescue stations.
Objectives
- Achieve satisfactory response time.
- Maintain adequate levels of equipment.
Recommendations for Action Planning
- Make recommendations on the number and location of fire, rescue and emergency medical facilities.
- Provide equipment to meet current and future needs.
- Determine personnel needs to meet future requirements.
- Locate fire and rescue stations in their service areas near intersections of arterial and/or collector highways, with minimal adverse effects on nearby residential areas.
Water and Sewerage Service
Goals and Objectives
Goals
- Provide for the orderly expansion of water supply and sewerage systems within the community to meet the needs of existing and planned development while taking into consideration the impacts of cost, public health, surrounding land use, and environmental impacts.
- Renovate and improve water supply and sewerage systems in existing areas of the community.
Objectives
- Comply with all applicable state laws and regulations on water and sewerage planning.
- Meet the intent that full consideration is given to issues of orderly expansion keyed to comprehensive land use plans, public health, capital programming and water supply/water quality management.
- Upgrade and renovate existing systems
- Assure that water and/or sewer services are extended systematically in concert with the availability of other public facilities and in accordance with planning recommendations in the community.
Recommendations for Action Planning
- Provide adequate capacity to serve projected needs.
- Review user fee structures on a regular basis.
- Identify options for future service.
- Develop cooperative arrangements with other communities.
- Consider land use proposals in developing a long-term strategy for providing sufficient treatment capacity.
- Determine needs for on-lot disposal.
- Prepare and adhere to your community's sewage facilities plans and water quality management plans.
- Review alternative collection and treatment alternatives to meet the needs of the community.
- Review alternative and productive uses of wastewater effluent and sludge.
- Organize on-lot management districts where applicable.
Click here for Public Facilities Action Plan Indicators and Linkages