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32 <br />staff Kathryn Spatz and Bill Webster represented the Town at the Joint Master Recreation <br />and Parks Work Group meetings. <br />On May 26, 1999, the work group completed work on the Joint ll~aster Recreation and <br />Parks Plan YYork Group Report. The report is intended to serve as a possible blueprint for <br />the direction of future joint parks and recreation efforts in the County. The report includes <br />an inventory of existing parks and recreation facilities and lands and offers <br />recommendations to continue joint planning for the area's leisure needs. <br />On September 11, 1999, the Council accepted and referred the report to the Greenways and <br />Parks and Recreation Commissions and the Manager for comment. <br />DISCUSSION <br />We believe convening the Joint Master Recreation and Parks Work Group and the <br />completion of the accompanying report are positive steps in County-wide cooperation on <br />leisure issues. We agree with the report's central message that the best hope for a strong <br />parks and recreation program lies in partnerships, be it inter jurisdictional or otherwise. In <br />addition, the completed inventory of existing facilities and parklands is an important <br />component of the document, which can be updated annually. <br />Key Areas and Opportunities for Cooperation: The report identifies 9 key areas for possible <br />future cooperative efforts: <br />1. Permanent joint land use planning <br />2. Inter jurisdictional efforts to standardize parks and recreation requirements <br />3. Joint siting, design, ar~d management of school and park sites across <br />jurisdictions ~` <br />4. PubliclPrivate partners~iips <br />5. Coordinated land identification, acquisition, and banking <br />6. Open facilities policy <br />7. Payment-in-lieu changes <br />8. Address existing needs <br />9. Recommendations for use of current funds and future funding needs <br />For each of the issues identified, the report includes recommendations for addressing <br />concerns. <br />1. Permanent Joint Land Use Planning <br />The Work Group identified a need for a permanent joint Parks and Resource Lands <br />Council. The report contains a resolution asking the local governments to create the <br />Parks and Resource Lands Council. The report lists possible areas of responsibility <br />for the proposed Lands Council, including the development of unified parks and <br />recreation standards; working closely with the Schools and Land Use Council to <br />jointly site, design, and manage schools- and parks; exploring the possibility of <br />