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Acres of Parkland per 1,000 Population Your Agency All Agencies Population Density per Sq Mile Over 2,500 Lower Quartile 5.1 3.9 Median 11.7 10.4 7.9 Upper Quartile 18.2 14.5 2021 Agency Performance Report 5 0.0 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0 10.0 12.0 14.0 Your Agency All Agencies Population Density per Sq Mile Over 2,500Acres per 1,000 PopulationThe “acres of parkland per 1,000 population” metric is the most common technique for determining whether a community has “enough” parkland. It is also known as a community’s “acreage level of service (LOS).” There is no standard acreage LOS in the United States, and LOS can vary widely due to a community’s history, culture, demographics, density, development patterns, and other factors. For example the acreage LOS of communities within the Park Metrics (formerly PRORAGIS) database ranges from less than 2 acres per 1,000 citizens to over 100 acres per 1,000 citizens. An often-asked question is “what should be counted in an acreage LOS?”Unfortunately there is no standard answer. Some communities include public golf courses and beaches, while others include publicly accessible lakes and wetlands. Some cities and counties also include public parkland owned by other agencies, such as state parks and national forests. Some communities also count private recreation areas, owned and managed by homeowners associations, because these areas help meet residents’ local recreation needs. Since the primary purpose of acreage LOS is to determine a community’s need for parkland, it is recommended that communities only count developable, publicly accessible parkland within their jurisdiction. Open space lands that are undevelopable, such as privately owned open spaces, private golf courses, or private beaches; or open space lands that are permanently protected such as wetlands, water bodies, or protected conservation lands, cannot be used in calculations to determine how much open space is needed for future community needs for facilities such as parks, playgrounds, athletic fields, or community recreation centers. Privately owned parkland is not open to the public, and could be sold or redeveloped. Public parkland owned by another jurisdiction (such as state or county-owned land within a municipality) should be counted only for the population served by that jurisdiction. Acreage LOS should be used in conjunction with other needs assessment techniques to gauge a community’s need for additional parkland. For example a community may conclude that it is not necessary to acquire additional parkland after comparing its acreage LOS to other communities. However other needs assessment techniques such as surveys, focus group meetings, and population projections may indicate that residents’ needs are not being met, and additional parkland may be required. Do you have enough parkland? 45 of 63