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Parks and Open Space Plan Update
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Parks Division staff, along with the Long Range Planning Subcommittee, began the process of updating the Parks Division’s Park and Open Space Plan (POSP) in July 2023. The Madison Parks Division’s 2018-2023 Park and Open Space plan expired at the end of 2023. As such staff requested and were granted a “Grant Eligibility Extension for Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan” from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to ensure compliance with DNR Chapter NR 50 and NR 51 and maintain grant eligibility.
The 2025-2030 POSP serves as the Parks Division’s five-year strategic plan. The POSP was developed under the guidance and oversight of the Parks Long Range Planning Subcommittee over the past 24 months. The POSP will be adopted as a supplement to the City of Madison Comprehensive Plan and is required for participation in state and federal grant programs. An analysis of park land inventory was completed, and the POSP incorporates public feedback received, analyzes park use and trends in recreation, and takes into account overall City, County and State planning efforts to determine park and recreation needs for the community.
The 2025-2030 POSP provides a roadmap for addressing the many challenges faced by the park system. The recommended strategies and actions build on those from the 2018-2023 POSP and incorporate feedback, trends, and data gathered throughout this planning process. The recommended strategies of the plan are aligned with the 7 elements of a great city as identified in the Comprehensive Plan. 2025-2030 POSP recommended strategies call for Madison Parks to:
• Increase connectivity between parks to enhance access.
• Reduce parkland deficiencies and respond to increasing residential density.
• Create welcoming and inclusive park spaces and programming.
• Foster meaningful connections with groups and organizations that advance the vision of the Parks Division.
• Improve public access to lakes and waterways.
• Protect and celebrate the community’s cultural richness.
• Protect and enhance natural resources.
• Improve the park system’s capacity to adapt to environmental challenges.
• Develop new parks and amenities in a fiscally sustainable manner.
• Secure sufficient resources to sustain service levels across the growing and changing park system.
• Pursue regional solutions to regional issues.
• Promote the physical and social health of the diverse community.
Once Approved by the Long Range Planning Subcommittee and Board of Park Commissioners, the 2025-2030 Park and Open Space Plan will be referred to the Common Council as a separate legislative file to be adopted as a supplement to the City’s Comprehensive Plan to be used as a guide in making land use, development and investment decisions related to Madison's park and open spaces.
The Parks Division will monitor the implementation status of recommendations included in the plan and work to update the plan within 5 years.