The El Paso County Parks Master Plan (Master Plan) is a guiding document that works with other County plans to strategize and provide outdoor recreation opportunities such as parks and trails, long-term protection of open space, and historic and cultural resources interpretation. The Master Plan is an element of the County’s comprehensive plan (statutory master plan) used by the Community Services Department, Development Services (Planning) Department, Park Advisory Board, Planning Commission, and the Board of County Commissioners to ensure that new development proposals conform and contribute to a cohesive system of parks, trails, and open space.
The Master Plan update process was designed to comprehensively address the needs of parks, trails, open space, and recreation and cultural services throughout El Paso County in a strategic way. The Master Plan endeavors to provide a sustainable approach to resource allocation over the next five to ten years. The process reaffirms essential goals and objectives of the previous Master Plan, while incorporating needed changes and new ideas based on input by stakeholders and analysis of data. The Master Plan will guide the County’s efforts to continue to provide a high quality of parks, recreation, and natural, historical, and cultural interpretation services that are valued by citizens.
Utilizing the 2013 plan, existing County planning documents, and the accomplishments to date as a starting point, the project team guided the development of a public input process, which included online engagement opportunities and an online survey. It has been imperative, particularly amid the COVID-19 pandemic, that meaningful community participation in the preparation of the Plan occur and that substantial opportunities for citizen participation in the planning process have been provided. The goal of each was to validate elements that exist within the plan and make updates where appropriate. This planning effort includes a comparative analysis of four (4) comparable counties in Colorado to provide benchmarking comparisons. The comparative analysis includes data on acreage relative to population, cost relative to population, and funding mechanisms to acquire and care for these lands. In general, this update process resulted in similar conclusions to the 2013 process, determining that the criteria and much of the plan are still in line with community wants and needs.