Pleasanton Parks and Recreation Master Plan

1-9 Pleasanton Parks and Recreation Master Plan Section One ‐ Introduction 2014 Pleasanton General Plan 2005‐2025 Each City in California is required by State law to adopt a comprehensive, long‐term General Plan for its own 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. The Pleasanton Parks and Recreation Master Plan is a planning tool that provides a coordinated program of recreational facility development and management carrying out the goals and policies of the General Plan. The primary park and recreation goal, from which numerous General Plan objectives and policies are derived, is to: “Provide sufficient public facilities and community programs to efficiently serve existing and future development while preserving and enhancing the quality of life for existing and future residents.” The current adopted version of the Pleasanton General Plan was created in 2005 and adopted in 2009. Pedestrian, Bicycle, and Trails Master Plans In 1993, the City published a Comprehensive Trails Master Plan that describes and maps many miles of multi‐use trails within the City. The plan was updated in April 2002 to revise priorities on six trail segments and designate a trails ad‐hoc committee as a permanent subcommittee of the Parks and Recreation Commission. On the map, trails are shown in relation to existing park and recreation facilities and schools. In 2010, the City Council approved a comprehensive Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan, which focused on trails that connect regional transportation opportunities to recreation networks. Pleasanton Youth Master Plan In 2010, the City of Pleasanton collaborated with the Pleasanton Unified School District to work with the Youth Master Plan Implementation Committee to create a Youth Master Plan, an update to the original 2001 Youth Master Plan. The plan provided an analysis of existing conditions and direction for more specific and targeted youth services. Findings included the following statistics and quotes:  Academics are the biggest cause of stress for high school students (82%), and the future is second highest cause of stress (54%)  Feeling that lack of transportation keeps youth from doing what they want to do (48%)  Children and youth experience limited opportunities for play. Many youth believe “there is nothing to do” in Pleasanton outside of programmed sports and activities. The community has limited gathering spaces for youth, whether they are publicly or privately owned. Specific Plans According to the City’s Land Use Element, Specific Plans have been widely utilized in Pleasanton to establish development parameters for large land areas. Specific plans may include open space and/or recreation elements that will play a recreation role in the City.