Utah Division of Parks and Recreation Board and Public Meeting Logan, Utah July 17, 2000

1. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectInstitute for Outdoor Recreation and TourismUtah State University Utah Division of Parks and Recreation Board and Public Meeting Logan, Utah July 17, 2000

2. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectTonight’s Presentation • Purpose of the Project • Three Phase Process • Project Results and Findings • Major Themes and Recommendations

3. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectProject Purpose • Identify open space needs, priorities, and initiatives for each Planning District in Utah. • Focus on issues related to: • outdoor recreation • amenity values • ecological services

4. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectProject Purpose • Seek input from key stakeholders: • land management and planning professionals • state and local officials • community leaders and residents • Identify action strategies for addressing open space needs.

5. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectThree Phase Process • Phase 1: • Phase 2: • Phase 3: Utah’s Great Outdoors Conference Statewide Key Informant Mail Survey Public Meetings--Presentations of Findings and Opportunities for Stakeholder Input

6. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectUtah’s Great Outdoors Conference • Participants responded to these two questions: • What are the most pressing outdoor recreation and open space needs in your region of the state for the next 20 years? • What are the most pressing outdoor recreation and open space problems or needs for specific towns and communities in your region?

7. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectStatewide Key Informant Survey • To further validate and prioritize outdoor recreation and open space needs for each Planning District that were identified at the Conference. • To obtain stakeholder attitudes toward 25 open space protection tools.

8. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectPublic Meetings • Present prioritized listing of outdoor recreation and open space needs for each Planning District. • Seek out stakeholder comments on these findings. • Ask participants to identify existing and potential projects addressing outdoor recreation and open space needs.

9. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectResults of Public Meetings • Over 300 specific outdoor recreation and open space projects identified for the seven Planning Districts in Utah. • A broader picture of the social and political context in which open space planning must occur.

10. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectMajor Themes & Recommendations • Two broad types of open space needs: • Specific Purpose Projects • • individual trails• water projects • • visitor centers • heritage sites • • parks • General Concerns • • funding • education • • partnerships • planning needs

11. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectMajor Themes & Recommendations • Addressing these two broad types of open space needs will require different approaches: • State and federal agencies need to work directly on General Concerns. • Specific Purpose Projects will require local initiatives and local, state, federal, and private stakeholder collaboration.

12. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectMajor Themes & Recommendations • There are two different orientations toward open space values. • Some major differences exist between stakeholders in urban/suburban and rural planning districts regarding the purpose and value of open space.

13. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectMajor Themes & Recommendations • Stakeholders in rural areas feel the key values of open space are for outdoor recreation and tourism use. • To help meet local economic development needs • To retain public access for outdoor recreation • To retain traditions of multiple use of natural resources on public lands

14. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectMajor Themes & Recommendations • Urban/Suburban stakeholders emphasize protection of open space for non-use or intrinsic values, along with recreational and access needs. • For community aesthetics and amenities • For controlling growth and development • For providing ecological services -wildlife habitat -wetlands protection -water quality

15. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectMajor Themes & Recommendations • Key challenge to successful, long-term statewide planning and funding efforts... …providing opportunities to enhance both the use and environmental protection roles of open space simultaneously.

16. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectMajor Themes & Recommendations • Linking these two orientations is possible. • Will require an explicit and balanced effort to bring these together. • Especially important to encourage support and collaboration with rural areas of the state.

17. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectMajor Themes & Recommendations • Open space linear corridors and water-related resources are critical. • Linear corridors mentioned most often: -trails and paths -bikeways -OHV routes • Corridors implied by projects mentioned for: -parkways -riparian corridors -riverways -wildlife corridors -canyon protection & access -corridors linking communities & towns

18. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectMajor Themes & Recommendations • Water-related projects are considered important throughout the state. • In rural areas, focus in on providing or improving reservoir and river recreation. • In urban/suburban areas, wildlife habitat, wetlands protection, and water quality are of equal or greater importance.

19. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectMajor Themes & Recommendations • To enhance long-term benefits from statewide coordination and funding will require Specific Purpose Projects to be designed to simultaneously meet recreational development and use goals along with resource protection goals.

20. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectMajor Themes & Recommendations • Funding, funding, funding… • Stakeholders throughout the Planning Districts view funding as a key role for state agencies. • Not simply providing funds, but also providing technical advice and coordination for identifying and acquiring funds.

21. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectMajor Themes & Recommendations • Key concerns related to funding: • for maintenance and improvement of existing but dated facilities • long-term, consistent sources of funds • increasing awareness of funding opportunities • prioritizing project needs with funding opportunities • technical assistance with grant proposals

22. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectMajor Themes & Recommendations • Provide a larger portion of funds to rural Planning Districts. • Distributing funds on per capita basis is problematic. • Many urban/suburban residents travel to rural areas of the state for recreation. • Puts a higher level of pressure on rural resources and infrastructure.

23. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectMajor Themes & Recommendations • Long-term and consistent sources of funding important for rural areas. • Long-term resource protection and amenity/ecological service values are statewide concerns. • Funding should be used to encourage planning districts to help protect these broader social values.

24. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectMajor Themes & Recommendations • Local Control--State Coordination In general, stakeholders see great value in statewide coordination of open space planning and funding efforts, but at the same time want to retain local control.

25. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectMajor Themes & Recommendations • Focus on projects that meet local needs. • Large pool of existing and potential open space projects in all planning regions. • Priorities can be identified by local stakeholders. • Local needs should be a starting point for statewide planning and funding priorities.

26. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectMajor Themes & Recommendations • Funding criteria should recognize both use and non-use values of open space. • Funding should help meet local needs as well as broader state level needs. • Open space planning and funding must be a joint effort between local and state agencies and stakeholders.

27. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectMajor Themes & Recommendations • Provide a logical, consistent, and open process for prioritizing projects. • Clear and explicit criteria, application guidelines, and technical assistance are needed so local communities and district level planners have an equal opportunity for success.

28. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectMajor Themes & Recommendations • Planning and funding criteria for a project might include evidence that it: • Meets both local and state level needs; • Has local community support; • Is part of larger scale planning efforts;

29. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectMajor Themes & Recommendations • Planning and funding criteria for a project might include evidence that it: • Meets objectives related to amenity and ecological service values... even if the project focuses on use; • Is part of a collaboration or partnership; • Has an educational component.

30. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectMajor Themes & Recommendations • Develop project criteria collaboratively with local officials and stakeholders. • State agencies (DP&R / DWR) could draft application requirements. • Sent out for review and evaluation by potential stakeholders (AOGs / IORT). • Develop final criteria and procedures combining both content and process elements--most fair and acceptable for all.

31. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectMajor Themes & Recommendations • Implement formal collaborative planning and decision processes. • Designate a statewide recreational lands and open space committee or task force. • To make final process and content decisions on project proposals. • To recommend and approve funding and planning criteria.

32. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectMajor Themes & Recommendations • Provide state coordination and technical assistance in the more General Concerns of: • planning • collaborative partnerships • public involvement • education • research

33. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectMajor Themes & Recommendations • Open space protection tools should focus on easements, but also be tailored to local concerns and circumstances. • Generally, local control and private owner initiatives are preferred. • Need for careful evaluation of these tools. • Controversies may require creativity and flexibility in identifying acceptable tools.

34. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectInstitute for Outdoor Recreation and TourismUtah State University In cooperation with Utah Division of Parks and Recreation Department of Natural Resources Principle Investigators: Dr. Dale Blahna, Dr. Steve Burr Mr. Michael Butkus, Ms. Judy Kurtzman

35. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectExamples of Identified Needs and Specific Projects • Bear River Planning District Preserve lands we have... • Cache Valley plan to minimize development along roadways • Wetlands protection project for Brigham City and Box Elder County • Develop a plan to protect open space around Bear Lake.

36. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectExamples of Identified Needs and Specific Projects • Wasatch Front Planning District Protect and improve riverways... • Develop riparian parkways along area streams and rivers. • Weber River Greenway/Parkway • Wildlife viewing/study areas along Jordan River--Murray, West Jordan, Bluffdale

37. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectExamples of Identified Needs and Specific Projects • Mountainland Planning District Preserve good open space in and around towns for use as parks... • Purchase of 80 acres from state for Adventure Park in Highland. • Acquisition and development of Zone 1 park in Lindon. • Develop new community park next to Charleston town building.

38. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectExamples of Identified Needs and Specific Projects • Uintah Basin Planning District Develop an area wide plan for development, management, and protection... • Strengthen partnerships (cities, counties, state, federal, tribal). • Develop inventory of resources and plan to protect the most critical places. • Identify and prioritize recreation needs and wants for each town.

39. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectExamples of Identified Needs and Specific Projects • Central Planning District Develop outdoor recreation opportunities to help support local economic development... • Expand whitewater use in Marysvale Canyon on Sevier River with private operator. • Continue to develop and open beaches at Yuba Lake. • Develop an interpretive effort at ghost towns and gold mining sites on Tushar Mountain.

40. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectExamples of Identified Needs and Specific Projects • Southwest Planning District Better cooperation and communication to plan and execute recreation programs for the future... • Towns and cities adjacent to federally managed areas need to acquire conservation easements. • Kanab needs grants for funding trail development for all-terrain vehicle users and hikers. • Recreation and state park potential for Kolob, Sand Hollow, and Gunlock Reservoirs.

41. Utah’s Great Outdoors Open Space ProjectExamples of Identified Needs and Specific Projects • Southeast Planning District Address the need to obtain land and funding for parks and recreation facilities... • Plan to transfer federally managed land to state ownership to maximize potential. • Develop a plan for more equitable distribution of sales and room taxes to rural areas. • Develop incentives for private businesses to help preserve open space areas.