Goal 1
Battle Creek offers a wide variety of indoor and outdoor recreation, cultural and
environmental education opportunities in proximity to all residents of the City.
Objectives
Battle Creek offers a wide variety of indoor and outdoor recreation, cultural and
environmental education opportunities in proximity to all residents of the City.
Maintain existing neighborhood parks and develop more neighborhood/community parks
within new residential neighborhoods as growth occurs.
Continue to partner with the
school districts to meet community recreation and cultural needs.
Provide a balance
of both passive and active recreation uses.
Continue to improve and market our community's
regional and cultural attractions.
Base recreation planning/programming decisions on
regularly updated evaluations of residents' needs and preferences.
Promote environmental
education opportunities along the Linear Parkway and other park areas.
Encourage private
sector involvement in development/maintenance of local open space and recreational
opportunities.
Promote local efforts to coordinate the wide range of recreational/cultural
activities, facilities and attractions.
Policies
A minimum of every five years the City
will evaluate the extent to which City residents' recreational needs are being met.
Every five years, the City will prepare an updated, Michigan Department of Natural
Resources-approved Parks and Recreation Master Plan.
The City will coordinate planning
efforts with neighboring governments in a regional effort to provide better services to
residents.
The City will work cooperatively with the Chamber of Commerce, Visitor and
Convention Bureau and other civic organizations, attractions and festivals to maximize
tourist opportunities.
The City will work cooperatively with local school districts to
provide, wherever possible, recreation facilities, programs and open space at school
sites.
The City will coordinate park, river, and open space cleanup efforts targeting
neighborhood participation in order to maximize involvement, education and environmental
protection opportunities.
The City will encourage citizen and private sector participation
in the provision of open space and recreation opportunities during review of zoning,
special use and new business development policy.
Goal 2
Battle Creek's Linear Park system links recreational facilities and natural resource
protection areas to create a distinctive open space and conservation resource for its
residents.
Objectives
Enhance the community's image, quality of life and environmental awareness by
increasing the visibility, accessibility and use of its natural areas.
Link the great variety of passive and active recreational opportunities available
to local residents into one community-wide network.
Expand the Linear Park using both on-street and off-street connections to create a
linked open-space network.
Foster the inclusion of the Linear Park within a regional
transportation network, including linkage with open space in neighboring jurisdictions.
Incorporate expansion of the greenway system in new development as well as existing
neighborhoods as these opportunities occur.
Policies
The City will adopt incentives within the zoning ordinance to encourage private sector
provision of open space and recreation areas, neighborhood parks and Linear Park expansions
during new development or redevelopment projects.
The City will pursue the inclusion of sensitive environments, such as wetlands, flood plains
and woodlands, into a network of linked, open space through targeted acquisition, donations
and development designs that protect these areas.
The City will improve access to existing and future recreational facilities through the
pursuit of an expanded, linked open space and trail system by locating new recreation lands
close to existing and future primary population and job.
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