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5 31. <br />;~ Chapter 7: Parks and Recreation EIement <br />Chapter 7. Parks and Recreation Element <br />7.1. PURPOSE <br />The Parks and Recreation Element provides guidance and direction regarding <br />recreation facility and park planning efforts in Orange County. The goals and <br />objectives identified within this Element serve as the foundation for establishing <br />future parks and recreation policies and action strategies undertaken by Orange <br />County, its advisory boards, and staff. The specific process for developing a <br />recreation and park implementation strategy is outlined in Section 1.4: <br />Administration and Implementation Guidelines. <br />7.2. OVERVIEW <br />BACKGROUND <br />Orange County offers numerous natural and constructed recreational <br />-` opportunities throughout the County, including state parks, local parks, and trails <br />and greenways. The County and its towns have worked over the last several <br />decades to cooperate on recreational facility and park planning efforts to deliver <br />coordinated recreational services to the County's citizens. The County's last <br />comprehensive park plan was adopted in 1988. Several of the municipalities have <br />updated their park plans more recently. An updated, comprehensive, and <br />countywide parks and recreation strategy is needed. <br />PARK AND RECREATION PLANNING IN ORANGE COUNTY <br />Orange County. and the Towns of Hillsborough, Chapel Hill and Carrboro have <br />made parks and recreational facilities an important priority among local and <br />County government services. This is exhibited by the strong interest and effort to <br />plan for recreational amenities in the County. Table 7-1 shows the park planning <br />efforts that have occurred in the Orange County. <br />TA6LE 7-l. PARKS AND RECREATION PLANNING IN ORANGE COUNTY <br /> Acreage of <br />Jurisdiction Adopted Year Current Other Related Plans <br /> park Plan? Adopted Parks <br />Carrboro Yes 2006 80 acres <br />Chapel Hill Yes 2002 255 acres 2006 Greenways Master <br /> Plan <br />Hillsborou h Yes 2007 28 acres <br /> Master Plan for Lake <br />Mebane No 141 acres Michael Park <br /> Lands Legacy Plan, Joint <br />Orange County Yes 1988 359 acres Master Recreation and <br /> Parks Re ort <br />Each of the recreation and park master plans that has been developed in Orange <br />County have included an assessment of existing facilities, an identification of park <br />and facilities needs, and a recommended strategy for funding projects, acquiring <br />land, and working collaboratively with other jurisdictions, sometimes including the <br />school districts, to do joint planning for recreational facilities. <br />Ora.vt.~-erCo-uvtity Co-n~v'el~~.ev-~i~vert"'tavv Page 7-1 <br />