(2.5) 2035 LQ General Plan - Chapter II (11.19.13) - PARKS, RECREATION AND TRAILS
PARKS,
RECREATION
AND
TRAILS
II-‐183
PARKS,
RECREATION
AND
TRAILS
PURPOSE
Public
parks,
recreational
programs,
and
sports
facilities
are
vital
components
of
a
healthy
and
successful
community.
The
City
of
La
Quinta
recognizes
the
connection
between
public
health
and
the
built
environment,
understanding
that
access
to
enjoyable
and
well-‐
maintained
public
parks
and
recreational
opportunities
are
vital
to
the
health
and
well-‐being
of
its
citizens.
The
Parks
and
Recreation
Element
provides
descriptions
of
existing
parks
and
recreational
facilities,
identifies
the
current
and
projected
demand
for
parks
as
the
City
and
its
Sphere
of
Influence
grow,
and
establishes
the
goals,
policies
and
programs
which
allow
the
City
to
continue
to
provide
a
full
range
of
recreational
amenities
and
services
to
its
residents
and
businesses.
Government
Code
Sections
65103(c)
and
65302(a)
both
address
the
need
to
include
parks
and
recreational
facilities
in
the
General
Plan.
The
former
requires
that
all
cities
annually
review
capital
improvement
needs
for
consistency
with
the
General
Plan.
The
latter
requires
that
the
General
Plan
discuss
the
location
and
distribution
of
parks
and
recreational
facilities,
and
whether
such
facilities
are
adequate.
Government
Code
Sections
66477
and
66479
enable
local
governments
to
require
park
site
dedications,
or
fees
in
lieu
of
dedication,
as
conditions
of
tract
or
parcel
map
approval.
Recreational
land
uses
are
included
in
the
description
of
land
use
elements
in
Section
65302(a).
Trail
designations
are
also
required
as
part
of
Section
5076
of
the
Public
Resources
Code.
PARKS,
RECREATION
AND
TRAILS
II-‐184
BACKGROUND
Public
Parks
and
Recreational
Facilities
The
City
of
La
Quinta
currently
operates
11
city
parks,
the
Civic
Center
Campus,
and
three
nature
preserve
areas.
All
city
parks,
with
the
exception
of
the
Civic
Center
Campus,
provide
a
children’s
playground
facility.
La
Quinta’s
three
nature
preserves
are
also
available
for
public
recreation,
as
they
all
contain
trails
for
hiking
and
bicycling.
There
are
also
a
number
of
public
pocket
parks
located
within
existing
subdivisions.
Two
regional
parks
located
within
the
City
of
La
Quinta
are
managed
by
other
agencies.
The
6.5
acre
La
Quinta
Community
Park,
located
in
the
Village,
is
managed
by
the
Desert
Recreational
District,
and
the
845
acre
Lake
Cahuilla
Regional
Park,
located
in
the
southwestern
portion
of
the
City,
is
managed
by
the
Riverside
County
Parks
Department.
Lake
Cahuilla
Regional
Park
charges
a
user
fee
for
day
visitors,
fishing,
and
overnight
camping.
The
City
of
La
Quinta
also
works
in
conjunction
with
the
Desert
Sands
Unified
School
District
to
share
the
use
of
recreational
facilities
on
school
grounds.
Two
examples
of
this
are
the
Sports
Complex
at
the
La
Quinta
Middle
School
and
the
soccer
fields
located
at
Colonel
Mitchell
Paige
Middle
School.
La
Quinta
is
also
home
to
one
public
and
22
privately
owned
and
operated
golf
courses,
seven
of
which
are
open
and
available
for
public
use.
The
City’s
SilverRock
Golf
Course
consists
of
18
holes
over
525
acres
of
land.
Both
public
and
private
golf
courses
are
included
with
the
land
use
calculation
for
Recreational
Open
Space.
La
Quinta’s
designated
recreational
open
space
totals
approximately
5,259
acres
PARKS,
RECREATION
AND
TRAILS
II-‐185
Exhibit
II-‐13
La
Quinta’s
Parks
and
Recreational
Areas
PARKS,
RECREATION
AND
TRAILS
II-‐186
PAGE
NUMBER
SPACER
-‐
PULL
FROM
DOC
PARKS,
RECREATION
AND
TRAILS
II-‐187
In
addition
to
its
parks
and
nature
preserves,
the
City
of
La
Quinta
maintains
a
number
of
public
recreational
facilities
for
its
residents:
The
Fritz
Burns
Pool,
located
at
78-‐107
Avenue
52,
is
an
outdoor
swimming
facility
consisting
of
a
20
by
11
meter
pool
and
a
9
by
5
meter
children’s
pool.
The
facility
has
locker
rooms
and
features
a
misting
system,
a
sun
deck,
and
lifeguards.
Swimming
lessons,
aqua
aerobics,
and
public
swim
hours
are
offered
every
summer
by
the
local
YMCA.
The
La
Quinta
Sports
Complex,
at
78-‐900
Avenue
50,
is
a
joint-‐use
athletic
facility
managed
and
operated
in
conjunction
with
the
Desert
Sands
Unified
School
District.
The
facility
contains
six
baseball
fields,
restrooms,
and
a
snack
bar.
The
La
Quinta
Community
Center,
at
77-‐865
Avenida
Montezuma,
is
a
6,000
square
foot
facility
jointly
operated
with
the
Desert
Recreation
District.
Located
within
the
La
Quinta
Community
Park,
the
facility
contains
a
fitness
center
and
provides
youth
and
preschool
programs
for
La
Quinta
residents.
Colonel
Paige
Middle
School
Fields,
at
43-‐495
Palm
Royale
Drive,
is
a
joint
use
athletic
facility
managed
and
operated
in
conjunction
with
the
Desert
Sands
Unified
School
District.
This
facility
contains
five
smaller
multi-‐use
fields
for
soccer,
sports
lighting
and
restrooms.
The
Boys
and
Girls
Club
of
La
Quinta,
at
49-‐995
Park
Ave,
contains
a
gymnasium
and
activities
room.
The
City
of
La
Quinta
utilizes
the
shared
facility
for
fitness
classes
such
as
Pilates,
yoga,
and
other
wellness
related
activities
for
all
age
groups.
The
La
Quinta
Museum
is
located
at
77-‐885
Avenida
Montezuma.
It
provides
historic
and
cultural
exhibits
and
collections
relating
to
the
history
of
the
City
and
region.
This
facility
is
also
used
for
education,
special
events
and
smaller
entertainment
events.
The
La
Quinta
Senior
Center,
located
at
78-‐450
Avenida
La
Fonda,
offers
a
wide
range
of
recreational
services
to
adults.
The
facility
includes
a
multi-‐purpose
room
with
stage,
kitchen,
hospitality
area,
computer
lab,
arts
and
crafts
room,
lounge,
and
an
outdoor
putting
green.
PARKS,
RECREATION
AND
TRAILS
II-‐188
The
SilverRock
Golf
Course,
located
at
the
southwest
corner
of
Jefferson
Street
and
Avenue
52,
currently
(2010)
offers
18
holes
of
public
play,
and
is
a
host
course
for
numerous
golf
tournaments.
SilverRock
offers
instruction,
reduced-‐cost
play
for
residents,
and
clubhouse
facilities
containing
a
restaurant
and
pro
shop
(please
also
see
the
Economic
Development
Element).
La
Quinta’s
recreational
activities
and
events
are
organized
and
promoted
by
the
Community
Services
Department,
providing
the
public
with
opportunities
that
include
organized
sports,
classes,
excursions,
and
special
events.
The
department
also
oversees
the
City’s
numerous
parks
and
rental
facilities,
the
SilverRock
Resort,
the
Senior
Center,
the
Fitness
Center,
the
La
Quinta
Library,
and
the
La
Quinta
Museum.
Parks
Planning
and
Implementation
Tools
La
Quinta’s
Community
Services
Master
Plan
serves
as
an
important
tool
for
short
to
mid-‐term
parks
and
recreation
planning
and
decision
making.
The
five-‐year
plan
monitors
and
surveys
public
needs
and
current
service
levels,
and
in
turn
provides
service
recommendations
for
implementation.
The
plan
conducts
a
community
needs
survey,
details
an
inventory
of
existing
services
and
facilities,
and
presents
a
comparison
to
standardized
state
and
national
benchmarks.
Healthy
Eating
Active
Living
Campaign
On
February
16,
2010,
the
La
Quinta
City
Council
passed
Resolution
2010-‐013,
declaring
a
commitment
to
improve
and
encourage
community
health
and
wellness
through
the
Healthy
Eating
Active
Living
campaign
sponsored
by
the
California
Center
for
Public
Health
Advocacy.
This
commitment
includes
the
promotion
of
policies
to
help
shape
the
built
environment
so
that
it
encourages
walking,
biking,
hiking
and
other
forms
of
physical
activity
and
provides
pedestrian
connectivity
between
parks,
schools,
retail
businesses
and
residential
areas.
This
initiative
also
includes
supporting
access
to
health
and
fitness
facilities
such
as
the
La
Quinta
Fitness
Center,
promoting
healthy
eating
through
farmers
markets
and
community
gardening,
and
encouraging
higher
nutrition
standards
at
public
concessions.
Trails
and
Connectivity
In
La
Quinta,
trails
are
valued
as
both
a
recreational
amenity
and
as
a
mode
of
transportation.
In
a
survey
of
residents
conducted
for
the
2007
Community
Services
Master
Plan,
recreational
trails
were
identified
as
being
among
the
highest-‐ranked
amenities
desired
by
the
PARKS,
RECREATION
AND
TRAILS
II-‐189
public.7
The
City’s
multi-‐use
path
network,
public
sidewalks,
and
bicycle
routes
serve
as
an
important
link
between
City
parks
and
residential
areas.
While
these
linkages
have
been
provided
in
various
parts
of
the
community,
their
design
and
construction
has
been
inconsistent,
disjointed,
and
unconnected.
In
future
development,
emphasis
should
be
given
to
providing
complete
and
consistent
linkages
between
residential
and
recreational
areas.
Current
Facilities
Residents
of
the
City
of
La
Quinta
currently
have
access
to
72
acres
of
parks,
146.75
acres
of
nature
preserves
containing
recreational
parkland
areas,
845
acres
of
regional
parks,
a
525
acre
municipal
golf
course,
the
nearby
Santa
Rosa
and
San
Jacinto
National
Monument,
numerous
pocket
parks,
golf
courses,
and
other
public
and
private
recreational
facilities.
La
Quinta’s
total
designated
recreational
open
space
is
approximately
5,259
acres.
These
lands
consist
of
both
public
and
private
recreational
areas,
and
include
playgrounds,
golf
courses,
pocket
parks,
trails,
fitness
centers,
and
similar
recreational
facilities.
Many
recreational
areas
which
serve
a
dual
purpose
of
recreational
use
and
habitat
preservation,
such
as
the
Fred
Wolff
Bear
Creek
Nature
Preserve
and
the
Cove
Oasis
Trailhead,
are
also
located
within
the
natural
open
space
land
use
designation.
The
City
of
La
Quinta
strives
to
provide
an
adequate
and
comprehensive
system
of
parks
and
recreational
facilities
to
serve
all
residents.
While
the
Quimby
Act
sets
a
minimum
threshold
of
3.0
acres
of
parkland
per
1,000
residents,
the
City
of
La
Quinta
has
a
policy
of
providing
a
minimum
of
5.0
acres
per
1,000
residents.
The
City
of
La
Quinta
exceeds
its
level
of
service,
at
5.8
acres
of
parkland
per
1,000
residents
for
a
2010
population
of
37,467
residents
(California
Department
of
Finance).
7
2007
Community
Service
Master
Plan,
P.95
PARKS,
RECREATION
AND
TRAILS
II-‐190
Table
II-‐18
Quimby
Act
Parkland
in
La
Quinta
Park Acreage
Adams
Park 3.5
Civic
Center
Campus 17.5
Desert
Pride
Park 1
Eisenhower
Park 0.5
Fritz
Burns
Park 12
La
Quinta
Park 18
Monticello
Park 4
Saguaro
Park 0.75
Season's
Park 5
Velasco
Park 0.25
Pioneer
Park 3
Bear
Creek
Trail 4.75
La
Quinta
Community
Park 6.5
Cove
Oasis
Trailhead 114
Fred
Wolff
Bear
Creek
Nature
Preserve 28
Total
Quimby
Parkland
Acreage 218.75
Quimby
Act
Parkland
in
La
Quinta
Future
Buildout
Needs
The
General
Plan
land
use
scenario
is
anticipated
to
result
in
a
total
build-‐out
population
of
about
134,352
in
the
City
and
its
Sphere
of
Influence.
This
population
growth
will
increase
the
demand
for
parks
and
recreation
facilities.
Quimby
Act
standards
can
be
used
to
determine
the
number
of
neighborhood
and
community
park
acres
needed
to
adequately
serve
the
build-‐out
population.
The
Quimby
Act
allows
local
governments
to
exact
from
developers
of
residential
subdivisions,
through
the
dedication
of
parkland
or
in-‐lieu
fees,
or
both.
The
City
of
La
Quinta’s
established
minimum
standard
of
parkland
is
5.0
acres
per
1,000
population.
When
this
standard
is
applied
to
the
estimated
General
Plan
build-‐out
population,
a
total
of
403
acres
of
neighborhood
and
community
parks
will
be
required
to
adequately
serve
the
City
(239.9
acres)
and
its
Sphere
of
Influence
(163.1
acres).
PLANNING
FOR
THE
FUTURE
The
continued
growth
of
the
City
will
require
the
expansion
of
recreational
facilities
to
serve
the
City’s
expanding
population.
It
is
important
that
the
City
plan
for
this
future
need,
to
assure
that
the
City’s
services
are
adequate
at
all
times
to
serve
its
population,
its
visitors
and
its
businesses.
This
will
include
a
need
to
build
new
City
PARKS,
RECREATION
AND
TRAILS
II-‐191
parks
and
provide
additional
staff.
The
City’s
Community
Services
Master
Plan
will
play
a
key
role
in
planning
for
future
facilities.
By
regularly
updating
the
Community
Services
Master
Plan,
the
City
will
have
an
opportunity
to
consider
growing
demand
for
services
well
in
advance
of
need,
to
assure
timely
construction
and
expansion
of
facilities.
GOALS,
POLICIES
AND
PROGRAMS
GOAL
PR-‐1
A
comprehensive
system
of
parks,
and
recreation
facilities
and
services
that
meet
the
active
and
passive
needs
of
all
residents
and
visitors.
v Policy
PR-‐1.1
Expand
or
modify
community
services
to
meet
the
health,
well-‐being,
and
recreational
needs
of
the
community.
v Policy
PR-‐1.2
Continue
to
provide
a
minimum
standard
of
5
acres
of
parkland
for
every
1,000
residents.
Program
PR-‐1.2.a:
Annually
review
parks
and
recreational
facilities
as
part
of
the
City’s
long-‐range
planning.
Program
PR-‐1.2.b:
Identify
those
areas
where
residents
live
more
than
one-‐half
mile
from
a
public
or
private
park,
nature
preserve,
or
other
recreational
area
and
identify
acquirable
parcels
of
land
that
could
be
developed
into
parks
within
underserved
areas.
v Policy
PR-‐1.3
Identify
all
viable
financing
mechanisms
for
the
funding
of
construction,
maintenance,
and
operation
of
parks
and
recreational
facilities.
v Policy
PR-‐1.4
The
design
and
construction
of
parks
and
recreational
facilities
shall
comply
with
all
the
development
standards
that
apply
to
privately
constructed
facilities.
PARKS,
RECREATION
AND
TRAILS
II-‐192
v Policy
PR-‐1.5
Coordinate
with
partner
agencies
and
neighboring
communities
to
expand
recreational
opportunities
and
access
to
recreational
facilities.
Program
PR-‐1.5.a:
Continue
to
work
with
adjacent
cities
and
the
County
of
Riverside
on
the
Regional
Bicycle
Trails
Master
Plan
and
future
regional
sports
facilities.
Program
PR-‐1.5.b:
Continue
to
explore
the
potential
for
the
joint
use
of
recreational
facilities
with
the
Desert
Sands
and
Coachella
Valley
Unified
School
Districts,
neighboring
cities,
and
the
Desert
Recreation
District.
Program
PR-‐1.5.c:
Continue
to
work
with
adjacent
cities
and
the
Coachella
Valley
Water
District
to
utilize
the
Whitewater
Channel
as
an
intercity
trail
opportunity.
v Policy
PR-‐1.6
Encourage
patterns
of
development
that
promote
safe
pedestrian
and
bicycle
access
to
schools,
public
parks,
and
recreational
areas.
v Policy
PR-‐1.7
Identify
opportunities
to
integrate
public
health
concerns
into
parks
and
trails
planning.
v Policy
PR-‐1.8
Promote
a
healthy
and
active
lifestyle
for
all
residents.
Program
PR-‐1.8.a:
Strive
to
provide
residents
with
affordable
access
to
fitness
facilities
such
as
the
public
pool,
fitness
center,
and
golf
course.
Program
PR-‐1.8.b:
Promote
the
consumption
of
healthy
foods
by
encouraging
healthful
foods
to
be
sold
at
concessions
in
all
public
buildings
and
parks.
Program
PR-‐1.8.c:
Promote
and
improve
public
access
to
farmers
markets
and
grocery
stores
that
sell
fresh
produce
and
healthy
foods.
PARKS,
RECREATION
AND
TRAILS
II-‐193
RELATED
GOALS
GOAL
OS-‐1:
Preservation,
conservation
and
management
of
the
City’s
open
space
lands
and
scenic
resources
for
enhanced
recreational,
environmental
and
economic
purposes.