Manatee County on road to improving parks program

"Exciting time" is how Manatee County's director of Parks and Natural Resources described a new initiative. Charlie Hunsicker could not have been more exact in his view of the county's move to establish a master plan for parks, recreation and open spaces, frankly years overdue.

This month, the county received proposals from five organizations for professional planning and services for a blueprint for the up to the next decade. This is the "first modern effort in the last 20 years," Hunsicker told the Herald, an idea to dedicate some $23 million over those 10 years to parks.

Finally, Manatee County government is embarking on an ambitious "comprehensive plan for open space and greenways that effectively connect and link roadways, parks, culture, shopping and business districts," according to the conclusion of a 2013 Urban Land Institute study. It's time.

Our high quality of life depends on the green space that parks, trails, lakes and every other environmental assets yield. The county's request for proposals for master plans cites this very idea, stating "that communities that continuously rank in the top 'best places to live' have invested significantly in parks and recreational assets."

A good investment

Sarasota County invests in tourism via a dedicated sales tax -- that visitors pay as well as residents. Snowbirds contribute to their economy in this way. Manatee County is preparing to institute a home-building impact fee for parks but that is only for new houses, not older ones. Plus, those impact fees cannot be spent on operational costs and maintenance of new facilities.

We've already been at a competitive disadvantage with our neighboring counties for years, and we should come up with a plan that at the very least puts us on a level field with them.

Manatee County has a plan to increase impact fees for parks, and this is essential. According to the county's impact fee study, conducted by Tischler-Bise, new development will cost $23.2 million in parks over the next decade. That's allowing for Manatee County to compete with neighboring counties in offering quality recreational services, Hunsicker told the Herald.

Upgrades, though, continue at county parks -- especially at key assets. Fort Hamer Park is the one that holds the greatest potential. Manatee is investing wisely with a turn-around loop, security lights, restrooms, sidewalks, ADA accessible parking, and stormwater improvements. Fort Hamer Park had been a lightly regarded piece of property until rowing became a centerpiece tourist attraction, and this Manatee River park took center stage in a national collegiate movement for training. Now, after the county invested $825,000 in 2011, the park has become a magnet in wintertime for many of the nation's top teams. Fort Hamer is now in line for more than $1 million in improvements, a project set to start in January.

Exciting time, indeed. Just in the coming year, impact fees are expected to pump almost $1.9 million into parks. The county needs that infusion.

This story was originally published December 22, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Manatee County on road to improving parks program ."