HomeMy WebLinkAbout576-OBN
DATE: June 15, 1998
TO: Planning Commission and City Council
FROM: Stephen C. Richardson, Planning Director
SUBJECT: Request for readoption of the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Element of the
Comprehensive Plan
FILE: 576 - OB
STAFF REPORT
Readoption of the Parks, Recreation, & Open Space Plan Element is being requested at this time,
rather than at the normal end of or beginning of the year, in order to permit us to submit an approved
plan and grant application to Texas Parks and Wildlife for the Fall grant funding cycle. The current
plan had to be modified somewhat in order to be consistent with TP&W plan approval standards.
Having an approved plan on file with TP&W gives us an advantage over grant applicants who do not
have an approved plan on file. Such plan has to be on file prior to a grant application.
The new plan is mostly a re -organization of the format and content of the current plan, however,
some additional information has been included, particularly in the appendices, section, which helps
explain the planning and analysis process. The major differences between the current plan and
the proposed plan are as follows:
The Five Year Plan is no longer represented by an inset map on the plan, instead, a listing
of priorities in the text and on the map now represent the Five Year Plan;
Objectives for achieving the goals of the plan are now listed under the headings of short-term
``priorities" (1-5 years) and intermediate -term objectives (6-10 years), All objectives under
the intermediate term objectives are listed by the type of project it represents, i.e. construction
of "x7 number of facilities of a specific type, with no reference to a specific location. This
is also generally true of the short-term priorities. However, specific reference is made to an
Activity Center for south Beaumont and to continued development of the Municipal Athletic
Complex;
Corrections have been made to the plan to reflect changes which have occurred since the May
1997 adoption of the current plan. Examples include the deletion from the plan of facilities
removed from the park system as a result of the recent election and the up -dating of the CIP
elements listed in the text; and
A time line for short and intermediate term objects (see Figure 1) has been added to the text.
Also a Figure A-2 was added to the appendices section to identify existing service coverage
and service coverage deficiencies for community parks.
Exhibits are attached,
0
An Element ent of The Comprehensive Plan
of the City of Beaumont, Texas
69,
An Element of The Comprehensive Plan
of the City of Beaumont, Texas
Prepared by the Planning Division of the
Department ofPublic Works, City of Beaumont.
Prepared for the City Planning Commission and
the Parks and Recreation Department.
1998
Beaumont City Council
The Honorable Mayor David W. Moore
Councilwoman At -Large Becky Ames
Councilman At -Large Andrew Cokinos
Councilwoman Lulu Smith, Ward I
Councilman Guy Goodson, Ward 2
Councilman John Davis, Ward 3
Councilwoman Bobbie Patterson, Ward 4
Beaumont City Planning Commission
Laurie Leister, Chairman
Marva Provo, Vice -Chairman
Sally Bundy
Bessie Chisum
Greg Dykeman
Dale Hallmark
Dohn LaBiche
William Lucas
Cleveland Nisby
Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee
Gary Celli
George Chute
Ron Clark
Myra Clay
Clifton Guillory
Robert Harris
Walter "Buddy" Hebert
Lula Henry
Adrian Hudspeth
Bruce James
Nell Phillips
Eddie Senigar
Brett Vickers
Gethral Williams
BE IT RESOLVED BY TBE CITY COUNCIL, OF
THAT the Parks Recreation and Q pen pace Plan map , S and text, as set forth in the attached
,,.. _
Exhibit "A ", has been reviewed by the City Planning Commission and City Council as an
amendment of the currently adopted "Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Plan dement" " of the
"Comprehensive Plan" at a public hearing held thereon;
THAT the adoption of the document in Exhibit "A " will replace the current Parks, Recreation, and
Open Space Plan; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Plan as shown in Exhibit
"A " be and is hereby adopted;
1998.
PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL of the City of Beaumont this day of June,
Mayor
Purpose / Intent
The Parks and Open Space Plan is the official and complete statement of public goals, objectives, policies, and
recommendations endorsed by the Beaumont City Council concerning the future development and redevelopment of
the City's parks and recreational facilities and open space resources over the next twenty to thirty years. Itisneeded
in order to insure objectivity, consistency, and equality in meeting the parks, recreational, and open space needs and desires of
all the residents of Beaumont. The Plan makes it possible to document and justify decision making actions in accordance with
predetermined and agreed upon goals, objectives, and policies. Development and adoption of this Plan clearly places the
responsibility for setting the City's parks, recreation, and open space goals, objectives, and policies with the elected officials of
the City.
The Parks and Open Space Plan is adopted by the City Council in order to make it clear to the community that the Plan does, in
fact, represent the official views and policies of the City Council. However, the adoption of this Plan does not mean that its goals,
objectives, policies, and proposals are static or end -state. As conditions change and new issues and information come to the
forefront, the City Council may have to amend this Plan in order to meet those changing conditions. Also, with experience, some
policies and proposals may prove to be unworkable or unrealistic and need to be revised or deleted from the Plan. Therefore,
to insure that the Plan is kept up-to-date and reflects the intentions of the City Council, this Plan is to be publicly reviewed and
re -adopted by the City Council even y two years. When necessary, there may even be a need for a more fi-equent re -adoption.
This Parks and Open Space Plan Is an official element of the City's Comprehensive Plan.
Overview of the Planning Area
Over the past ten years or so there has been a migration of population to out lying or suburban communities. However, this
migration appears to be stabilizing or perhaps reversing. Where new development and population growth is occurring within
the City it is generally to the west, while the eastern half of the City has been experiencing a decline in population and little new
development. Current and future City neighborhood redevelopment efforts may be successful in stopping and in reversing out
migration in the eastern parts of the City. For a detailed description of demographic data, see Appendix B: Demographics.
The Planning Process
While most of the "physical planning" for the park system is achieved by the City Planning staff of the Department of Public
Works, the planning and provision of park and recreation "services and activities" is accomplished by the Director of Parks and
Recreation and the director's administrative stag The City Planning staff is responsible for coordinating the comprehensive park
planning process and producing reports documenting the planning and policies formulations process, However, a considerable
amount of technical assistance is provided to the Planning staff by the Parks and Recreation Department. The City's fourteen
member Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee also provides guidance to the Parks and Recreation staff and the City Planning
staff in planning for park facilities and recreational services. The following discussion explains how the process of developing
this plan was planned, guided and executed.
Preliminary Stage (mid-1995 to mid-1996)
The primary participants In the early stages of development of this plan were the City Planning and the Parks
and Recreation office staff. At this stage, staff members prepared draft outlines of the plan text and map,
created inventory forms and began inventorying existing conditions, created survey forms and, in general, got
the plan development process started. The Planning staff also began preliminary needs assessment activities.
(See Appendix D for form examples.)
In this early stage of production, the City Planning staff began to formulate evaluations regarding the physical nature of
the park system. This occurred through several field inspections throughout the park system in order to inventory park
facilities and also to obtain firsthand information regarding various issues such as maintenance and park usage. Needs
assessment activities were generally begun immediately following the inventory and analysis of the park system
inventory. Planning for this Parks and Open Space Plan utilized three forms of needs assessment methodologies;
standard -based, resource -based, and demand -based,
Standard -Based Needs Assessment
The National Recreation and Park Association has set standards regarding the size of a parVs service area as well as the
appropriate acreage and number of facilities needed for the given size of a community. A comparison between current
National Recreation and Park Association Standards (See Table C I in Appendix C) and the number, size, and condition
of existing facilities can indicate whether or not a park adequately serves its given service area (See Figure A- I and A-2
in Appendix A). Facilities or parks not meeting current standards indicate areas where new facilities should be provided
or existing facilities be improved (See Table I on page 10).
Acreage standards are intended to be used as general guidelines for analyzing existing park resources and for planning
future improvements and are not to, be used as rigid formulas for determining park land needs. In no case should
standards be used as the sole justification for acquiring additional park land. The specific needs of individual
neighborhoods, the availability of funding for park system development at any given time, and factors such as the needs
of additional maintenance personnel and operating expenses that would be generated by the new acquisition should be
carefully evaluated when considering ncxv additions to the City's park land inventory.
Resource -Based Needs Assessment
If the City of Beaumont is to purchase more land to meet future park needs, the cost can be substantial. Inmany cases,
suitable public land needed to meet many of the Beaumont parks deficiencies already exists. By utilizing resource based
methods of needs assessment, existing resources are allocated to meet appropriate parks and recreation needs, The
Parks and Open Space Plan considers the use of existing resources such as undeveloped park land, easements, or
floodplain property as potential resources for meeting future park and recreation needs. Abandoned school sites are an
example of existing resources which have a great potential for providing park services, especially to inner-city
communities. Also, there are a significant amount of vacant properties in the eastern portion of the City which are
another resource for the redevelopment of inner-city communities.
Demand -Based Needs Assessment
Those recreational services, or facilities showing a high demand by the constituency should ideally be provided for in the
plan. Demand for park and recreation services was evident through direct requests from the public. These requests
are sometimes conveyed directly to the planning and parks staff or through the Parks Committee and City Council
members, Demand for recreational services and facilities were also determined from park and recreation staff
observation of citizen participation levels,
Intermediate Stage (mid-1996 to December 1996)
After the initial development stage, participation was expanded to include input from the Parks and Recreation
Advisory Committee, the Planning Commission, various Neighborhood Associations, other governmental
officials and interested citizens. Several drafts of the plan were produced during this period reflecting the
interaction with these various groups.
Neighborhood Planning P[Marn
The Neighborhood Planning Program of the Planning Division of the Department of Public Works is now a major
component of the planning office's work effort. Furthermore, the parks, recreation, and open space planning components
of neighborhood plans contribute to the development of this Parks and Open Space Plan. Public participation in the
19
development of neighborhood plans is extensive and involves grass roots, local participation. Since all neighborhood
plans go through a public hearing process prior to official adoption by the City Council, city wide citizen participation
also occurs. Considering all of the citizen participation techniques available, it was decided that the neighborhood
planning process would become the cornerstone of all future neighborhood oriented parks, recreation, and open space
planning and implementation activities,
City Planning staff attended neighborhood association meetings throughout this intermediate stage of plan development,
Park and recreation related issues brought forth from these meetings provided valuable information during the
development of the plan.
Although a city wide parks and recreation citizen survey was not administered during the production of this plan, citizen
surveys were completed on the neighborhood level, For example, the West Oakland/ Pear Orchard Neighborhood
Citizen Survey, the College Street Corridor Area Citizen Survey and the Old Town Neighborhood Resident
Survey are all recent surveys which have provided valuable public input regarding the parks serving those
neighborhoods. Future planning at the neighborhood level should ideally utilize the citizen survey, thus providing more
data regarding public opinions of the parks in the Beaumont system (See Appendix D for survey example).
Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee
The Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee (PRAC) regularly meets with the Director and staff of the Parks and
Recreation Department to discuss park planning and recreational needs and to, identify goals, objectives, and priorities.
The PRAC is responsible on an ongoing basis for advising the City Council and City Manager on these matters,
Therefore the City considers PRAC workshops and public meetings and hearings as the primary citizen involvement
forum for setting priorities and selecting projects. The 1997 Parks and Open Space Plan was presented for discussion
and approval during a December 1996 PRAC workshop,
Final Stage (December 1996 to May 1997)
In the later stages of development of the 1997 plan, the City Council, the Planning Commission and the general
public became officially involved through the public hearing process.
City Council
The City Council and Planning Commission are both involved to the extent that either body may hold public hearings
to solicit public input for the planning efforts. Typically, the Planning Commission will hold public meetings during
the intermediate planning stages and a joint City Council I Planning Commission meeting would occur in the later stages
of plan development. Official approval of the Parks and Open Space Plan follows receipt of recommendations from the
Planning Commission and public City Council deliberation and approval of those recommendations. The Planning
Commission held a workshop in December 1996 to discuss the plan. A public hearing was held during a joint City
Council and Planning Commission Meeting on February 3, 1997 to discuss the final draft of the plan. The resulting
document was adopted by City Council on May 13, 1997.
Execution Stage (May 1997 to present)
Tice final draft of the current Parks and Open Space Plan was placed into effect on May 13,1997. Itwill be
implemented as planned if this update to that document is not adopted.
Revision Stage (February to June 1998)
This plan was revised in early 1998 and presented in public forum in It was adopted on
by
Goals and objectives are considered the cornerstone of any effective planning process. Among other things, goals and objectives
are needed to: (1) provide direction to the planning studies; (2) to identify specific areas of concern to be researched and
evaluated in the planning process; (3) to provide a mechanism for reflecting public input; and (4) to provide benclimark�s for
monitoring and evaluating the success of implementation actions.
A distinction must, however, be made between goals and objectives. For the purposes of this Plan, a goal is defined as a "general
expression" of a desired outcome, while an objective is defined as a "specific end" to be achieved through some form of action
taken to achieve a goal. Generally, the more goals which are accomplished by the implementation of any single objective, the
higher the priority would be for that particular objective. The actual process of formulating the goals and objectives moves from
the general to the specific, first, general goals are formulated; then, after base data is collected and analyzed, the goals and
objectives are refined, made more specific and adjusted to be more applicable to the issues and needs that were identified during
the preliminary research and analysis phase of the planning process. Finally, in the advanced stages of the planning process,
policies are formulated which are intended to provide a means of implementing specific goals and objectives.
During the early preparation stage, draft goals and objectives were formulated by the planning staff using goals and objectives
from a 1972 Planning Department parks study, from the 1980 "Parks and Open Space Plan", as amended, and from the "1991
Recovery Action Plan" (the City's parks and recreation rehabilitation plan for meeting UPARR grant recipient qualifications).
After the data gathering, preliminary mapping, and analysis phases of the planning process were completed, the assumptions
underlying the preliminary goals and objectives were re-evaluated and the goals and objectives were revised as needed. After
refinement of the draft goals and objectives, a set of development and implementation policies were prepared by the planning staff
using the above listed documents as source material. The intention of those efforts were to provide a policy framework to guide
the future development and continued conservation of Beaumont's parks, recreational, and open space resources.
The following goals, objectives and policies were recommended for City Council adoption by the Parks and Recreation Advisory
Committee and the Planning Commission in late 1996 and early 1997 after a thorough review and with revisions of the Planning
staffs draft efforts. The short and intermediate term objectives listed below are new objectives proposed to be added to the plan.
GOALS - General
To insure an equitable distribution of recreational opportunities among all of Beaumont's neighborhoods.
To provide a full range of park facilities, including neighborhood, community, urban, regional, -and special parks.
To provide every neighborhood with a neighborhood park and every cluster of neighborhoods, commonly known as a
community, with a community park.
To improve Beaumont's aesthetic appearance and thereby enhance the quality of life of its citizens by encouraging the
development of green belts, the development and use of " environmentally sensitive" park planning principles, and
adequately supporting park beautification and maintenance efforts.
To preserve environmentally and aesthetically significant natural resource areas, with special emphasis given to water
bodies, wetlands, and flood plains.
To createjogging trails, hiking paths, nature trails, and bike paths in a manner that supports development of a linear park
system linking centers of urban and recreational activities with residential areas.
Provide the public with more water -oriented recreational opportunities, particularly along the Neches River and
Hillebrandt Bayou.
Insure the provision of a system of balanced recreational facilities and services that also meets the special needs of the
City's elderly, physically challenged, and economically dis-advantaged population.
Develop and implement a planned and scheduled maintenance system for• the parks, recreational, and open space system.
Utilize existing park land resources at maximum efficiency.
Cooperate with other governmental units/agencies and private entities such as BISD or other school districts, the YMCA,
YWCA, Lamar University, state and federal agencies, and other recreational providers in increasing available open
space areas and recreational opportunities for the general public.
Identify and aggressively pursue additional sources of park and recreational program funding.
OBJECTIVES - General
To acquire land for new park sites in advance of the development of future residential areas.
Wherever possible, acquire land to upgrade existing parks which do not meet acreage standards.
Identify and utilize potential open space corridors along area waterways , drainage ditches, and irrigation canals, as linear
parks and conservation areas.
Capitalize upon the urban design and beautification value of natural areas within the city.
Continue development of Riverfront Park and explore possibilities of other recreational usage and conservation efforts
along the Neches River and Hillebrandt Bayou corridors.
Use maintenance personnel and equipment as efficiently as possible.
Develop and implement a city-wide tree planting and maintenance program for public properties as a long term effort
for creating and maintaining an urban forest for improving the environmental and aesthetic quality of life of the
community.
OBJECTIVES - Intermediate -Term (6 to 10 years)
Acquire sites and/or develop master site plans at a minimum rate of one per year.
Open two new neighborhood parks.
Develop at least one new community park.
Complete at least one element of any unfinished phase of an existing park- per year.
Do at least one complete or partial park renovation / rehabilitation project per year.
Dismantle and re -➢ovate at least one existing park, site having either a service area or a locational deficiency or both.
Jointly develop or initiate joint operations for two parks with BISD or other such agency.
OBJECTIVES - Specific Short -Term Priorities (1 to 5 years)
Develop at least one "new" community park.
Jointly develop or initiate joint operations of one park with BISD or other such agency.
Re -locate at least one park- having service, area or locational deficiencies.
Continue development of at least one project that involves an unfinished phase of an existing park beginning with
Municipal Athletic Complex.
Do at least one renovation /rehabilitation project.
Create one or, if funds become available, possibly two "new" neighborhood parks.
Develop an Activity Center for south Beaumont.
k,
POLICY STATEMENTS
Implementation of this Plan will be based on the following policies:
Parks should be located and developed in accordance with the functional classification and standards system established
in this Plan.
Specific park improvements shall be based on an approved overall master development / re -development plan created
specifically for each park.
The City will emphasize neighborhood parks as the central element of the City's park system and will use its
Neighborhood Planning Process to ensure that local neighborhood organizations, residents, and users of neighborhood
parks shall be involved in all decisions regarding neighborhood park development / redevelopment efforts.
Special facilities for the physically impaired shall be provided through out the park system.
Public involvement of residents, business interests, neighborhood organizations, and park users are considered a
principle element in the City's ongoing parks, recreation, and open space planning and development process.
Where appropriate, parks and open space areas shall be planned for possible use as a buffer between conflicting or
incompatible land uses. Landscaped buffers shall, where feasible, be provided between residential and commercial or
industrial uses and between single-family and multi -family residential developments.
Cooperation and joint utilization between school and special purpose district facilities and City facilities shall be
encouraged in the planning and provision of parks and recreational facilities and open space areas.
Whenever possible, parks shall be tied together and linked through a series of open space, multi -purpose green belt
corridors.
Recreational and pedestrian / bicycle paths shall, where appropriate, be designed and developed in conjunction with
drainage corridors and other water bodies in order to create a linear parks network,
In appropriate situations, cluster and planned unit developments shall be encouraged in order to provide or preserve
natural areas and open spaces.
The private donation of land to the City for parks, recreational, and open space usage is encouraged; however such land
will not be accepted for dedication unless the site and its location is useable and in accordance with the provisions of the
Comprehensive Plan.
The Pine Island Bayou flood plain area should remain "'primarily" as undeveloped open space, however, some limited
recreational functions may be approved where deemed uniquely appropriate.
"Recycling" of abandoned school sites and other public sites or facilities for recreational purposes will be encouraged.
State and federal funding assistance, private sector grants, and material and labor donations shall be pursued in order
to increase the City's capabilities to acquire, develop, and maintain the parks system.
Although the city is committed to providing quality and up to date recreational facilities and equipment to all areas of
the City, the provision of park and recreational services to those who have none generally takes priority over the
replacement of already existing facilities.
6
DEFICIENCIES IN PARK FACILITIES AND OPEN SPACE AREAS
Deficiencies evident in the existing parks system were determined based on the initial inventory and analysis of the parks system
conducted in the preliminary phase of the planning process. The existing conditions of the park system were then compared to
standards (See Appendix C) to identify service area, locational, site size, and facility deficiencies, Table I on page 10 identifies
these deficiencies for all parks in the Beaumont parks system.
Service Area Problems
When talking about the service area of a park, reference is being made to the specific area being served within a given distance
of that park. For example, a neighborhood park is generally stated to specialty serve those citizens living within a half mile radius
of the park, thus the park has a service area of a half mile radius of its site. Beaumont's park service area standards, by applicable
park classification, are provided on the fold -out map accompanying this document and in Appendix C. A "service area
deficiency" occurs when an area is not served by any park or when a barrier prohibits or severely restricts citizen's access to a
park. Another type of service area problem occurs when parks are too close to one another and therefore have overlapping service
areas. This overlapping of service areas results in a redundancy in the provision of services in the overlapped areas. Such
inefficient use of resources needs to be corrected as soon and as best is possible. See Figures A- I and A-2 in Appendix A for
service area coverage in Beaumont.
Service area problems can be corrected by the following types of action:
* by the provision of new parks-,
* by the re -location of an existing park;
* by correcting access problems which limit citizens use of a park; or
* by the re-classification of a park to place it in another service area classification.
Actions taken to correct the problem of service area overlapping may, in many cases, also correct for the lack of facilities in an
are& By moving a park whose service area overlaps the service area of another park, the re -location can result in the extension
of park and recreational opportunities to areas not previously served.
Briefly, the City's current situation regarding service area problems may be summarized as follows:
On the western side of the City the problem is a lack of neighborhood and community parks while on the eastern
side of the City the problem is both the lack of parks in some areas and a significant degree of service area
overlapping in others. For the short-term, development of new parks should be emphasized on the west side of the
city while die re -location and rehabilitation of existing parks should be the emphasis in the eastern, portions of the City
(See Figures A- I and A-2 in Appendix A),
Locational Problems
A park may have one or more of a wide range of locational problems which may limit the quality, safety, and enjoyment of the
park. These locational problems include limited accessibility, poor environmental factors such as excessive noise, pollution, or
poor natural resources, and poor safety factors such as nearness to traffic, power lines, and other hazards. Such problems are
difficult to correct once a park has been developed; furthermore, the scat -city of land for park development often creates a necessity
to choose between a park with locational problems or no park- at all. Short of re -locating parks, various planning actions and site
design improvements can be implemented to overcome some of the ill effects of locational problems-, for example, fencing or
screening can be utilized to reduce safety, noise, and aesthetic problems. The removal of overhead power lines is another example.
According to established City standards, neighborhood parks should be located near the center of a neighborhood, preferably on
a local street or, if necessary, on a collector street and ideally next to an elementary school. Unfortunately, several existing
Beaumont neighborhood parks am located on the periphery of their neighborhood; a location which does not allow them
to serve their neighborhoods as effectively as desired.
W
Site Size and Configuration Deficiencies
Park sites need to conform to site size standards as closely as possible in order to effectively serve the population within the service
area, to meet park open space standards, and also to allow for any possible future expansion of facilities within the park. For
Beaumont, one of the most common park site deficiencies, particularly for neighborhood parks, is that of substandard
acreage. This is due, in large part, to the fact that most of the older, intercity parks were acquired and developed before the
current standards were adopted. To correct a park acreage deficiency, the following five possible courses of action might be
taken,
1) Acquisition of additional adjacent land to increase total park acreage.
2) Acquisition of a standard size replacement site within the service area of the: substandard park.
3) Make design and facility improvements to maximize the recreational utility of the substandard site.
4) Provision of additional special parks within the substandard parks' service area.
5) Utilization of alternate sites for recreation, such as school grounds.
Ideally, the first two actions would be the preferred method of correcting site size deficiencies; however, due to the realities of
financing and land availability, the last three approaches are apt to be more workable, especially in fully developed areas where
vacant land is prohibitively expensive or simply non-existent.
Deficiencies in Facilities and Recreational Opportunities
Overall, the Beaumont parks system provides for a ivide variety of facilities for organized sports and active types of
recreation. However, the system has less opportunities for the more passive types of recreational activities which
individuals can clobythemselves. Also, some of the newer recreational activities which are gaining popularity are not provided
for. Specific areas of deficiency include the following:
Aquatics Center: The city, and the region for that matter, lacks a quality, state-of-the-art aquatics center. Such a center
needs to consist of a diving well , a wading pool, a main pool marked with swimming lanes, and the necessary support
facilities, such as dressing rooms and offices. The facility should be designed to draw from and benefit the whole metro
region .
Roller Blade Arena: Participants in this increasingly popular recreational activity currently use city or private streets,
sidewalks, and parking facilities. Such facilities are sometimes potentially dangerous when used for roller blading
because of the condition of the facilities or the other activities, occurring there. Conflicts between roller bladers and
other citizens and damage to property can also result. The provision of a safe, specially designed facility for this type
of recreational activity should be considered. Such a facility would likely draw participants from outside the city and
therefore would be appropriate only for a regional or special park,
Playgrounds: Some parks have playground equipment which are not up to the present safety standards of the recreation
industry or are antiquated and have served far past their useful lives. An example would be playground equipment in
need of substantial upgrading in order to remove the unacceptable safety conditions associated with the materials used
or design of the facility. Such facilities should be replaced as soon as possible. There are also many playgrounds which
-are far too spread out to manage or maintain effectively, while others are poorly located on the park site. This can make
accessibility difficult and can also preclude effective parental and public observation or supervision. Playgrounds should
be reconfigured with equipment in play scope arrangements that groups the equipment in a more unified manner.
Swimming Pools: A third city swirnmirig pool has been considered for many years but never built. The southwest part
of the city has usually been and still is considered as a potential site, however a west side site might also be considered,
Recreational Fishing: Although there are numerous bodies of water in the vicinity of Beaumont, there are no established
recreational land based fishing facilities or programs offered by the City, Many area water bodies and waterways are
ideally suited for the development of recreational fishing, including fEllebrandt Bayou and the LNVA canals. (See picture
next page.)
Deficiencies in the Open Space Network
Based on a park's classification, this Plan establishes minimum desirable percentages of a park's total land area that should be set
aside for undeveloped natural or developed and landscaped open space areas. The percentage of total park acreage so reserved
may however depend upon the uniqueness of a park's location or resources. Desired percentages of open space by type of park
are provided in the legend of the fold -out map and in Table C- I of Appendix C.
Generally, open space is thought of as undeveloped or vacant land, i.c,, land not used for urban purposes such as buildings or
structures. In the context of this Plan, open space is that and more. Actually, the term open space should be considered as
including any land, water, and air space that is perceived as a void or seam between and which acts to completely or partially
physically separate urban uses or human activities.
Open space areas can be of varying configurations and sizes. They can be single parcels or a linear configuration of parcels;
connected or not connected. A long narrow parcel or a string of parcels is often referred to as an open space corridor. Such
corridors can serve multiple functions including visual and sound buffering between incompatible land uses, providing reduced
flood hazards by maintaining the undeveloped and unobstructed character of natural drainage ways, and providing recreational
opportunities that are adaptable to or require a linear site configuration. It is important to note: that recreation is often a secondary
consideration to the environmental conservation and buffering functions of open space corridors. Because of their configuration,
recreation facilities in thew corridors are commonly nature or pedestrian trails and bicycle paths. When possible, corridors with
bike and pedestrian trails should be used to link parks to, other parks, schools, or residential areas thus forming a linear park system
or open space network.
There are resources in Beaumont which could be utilized for the development of a linear park system which would
provide increased open space and recreational opportunities within the city. The banks of natural streams or man-made
canals are excellent locations for open space corridors. Utility rights of way, wooded areas, and drainage ways may also provide
greenbelt corridor sites for linking the open space areas into a continuous network. However, usage of pipeline and power line
rights of way should be carefully evaluated for safety considerations. City parks and private recreational open space areas such
as golf courses and driving ranges forma major component of the network. Other open space is added in the form of the grounds
of institutions such as universities, public schools and hospitals, and open space associated with high rise structures, office parks
and industrial parks. Private open space areas required in cluster housing projects and planned unit developments should be
worked into the open space network. Rear yards of residential lots backing on arterial streets can also contribute to the net effect
as evidenced by the green belt effect that has occurred along portions of Phelan Boulevard in west Beaumont. Open space areas
such as the one below can provide recreational opportunities such as land or pier based fishing.
Hillebrandt Bayou near the entrance to Tyrrell Park.
M
Table 1: Deficiencies in the Existing Parks System
Park Name
(Classification}
Service
Area
Problem
Locafional
Problem
Site Size
Deficiency
Facility
Deficiency
Remarks
Alice Keith (C)
Yes
Yes
Athletic Complex (U)
Babe Zaliarias (U)
Yes
Caldwood (N)
Yes
Yes
Yes
Carroll Street 2D
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Relocation
Central (U)
Yes
Yes
Yes
Chaison (N)
Yes
Yes
Yes
Collier's Ferry (S)
Combest (N)
Yes
Yes
Yes
Cottonwood (N)
Yes
Yes
Delia Harrington (S,)
Fair Park (S)
Leased to 12rivate group
Fletcher (N)
Yes
Relocate or expand
Forest
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Gilbert (N)
Yes
Guseman (N)
Yes
Yes
Halbou!y JLD
Ida Reed
Yes
Yes
Yes
Jacobs Street (N)
Yes
Yes
Klein (C)
Lefler (C),
Liberia (N)
Yes
Yes
Mailia (C)
Yes
McLean (N)
Yes
Yes
Pine Street (N)
Yes
Yes
Pi kin (N)
Yes
Yes
Yes
Partial relocation
Riverfront (S)
Expansion
Roberts (N)
Yes
Yes
Rogers (C)
Sprott (C)
Yes
yffe
Weiss (S)
is S Wuthering IL
Not served by any park or a barrier prohibits or restricts access to park.
Accessability limited, poor environmental factors such as excessive noise, air/water pollution, or safety hazards.
Below acreage standards or site configuration restricts use of park.
Includes both facilities and recreational equipment.
Note: Haynes, Hebert, and Oakland/Maple Park were removed from the parks inventory in 1997.
U1
Ing-mg glz
00 1-01111111 1.111 4.0 ]M..
Current Rehabilitation Needs
Rehabilitation of existing parks and recreational facilities and the adaptive re -use of commercial and industrial structures and sites
or any other facilities for recreational uses are important because they can significantly contribute to the City's urban and intercity
neighborhood rehabilitation effects. City funds spent in a coordinated manner for housing and recreational rehabilitation can have
a greater beneficial impact on a neighborhood than if these activities were carried out separately and without any consideration
,of the positive and negative impacts such activities might have on the other. Also rehabilitation, by its very nature of involving
older facilities, generally affects lower income populations-, populations which also are often composed of minority and elderly
persons. Therefore, rehabilitation of neighborhoods usually involves improved recreational services / facilities for those
populations least likely to be able to afford or have access to such services /facilities.
The advisability of remodeling, rehabilitating, or developing new facilities varies with geographic location, age and size of the
existing facility, and its extent of deterioration. Development of new parks in older fully developed neighborhoods is generally
not feasible due to the lack of appropriate vacant sites. Exceptions are the "adaptive reuse" potential of unused public and
commercial or industrial facilities. A promising approach to improving recreational opportunities in older, densely developed
areas involve the rehabilitation of old, unused school sites and facilities for parks and recreational use. Current potential vacant
school sites include: Edwards, Giles, Old Beaumont High, Tyrrell Park, Dick Dowling, and Chariton -Pollard High.
Potential Parks and Open Space Rehabilitation Projects
Rehabilitation of an existing park may encompass the replacement of obsolete or severely deteriorated equipment, structural
rehabilitation of activity buildings and shelters, upgrading of dirt and hard -surface play areas, repair of damaged sidewalks and
pool aprons, replacement of deteriorated, substandard swimming and wading pools, and landscaping of park and building grounds.
The following parks and open spaccareas are potential locations for intermediate term rehabilitation projects.
Alice Keith Park: Rehabilitation of the park grounds and some facilities are needed at this site.
McLean Park: This park might be re -designed as a more passive recreational facility in order to reflect the recently
expressed desires of the neighborhood. The current recreational equipment could be moved to another site in the area.
Riverfront Park I, M Damage to Riverfront Park has resulted in a need of a variety of rehabilitation efforts.
Tyrrell Park: The recreation center, golf course clubhouse, and parking lot all need renovating and updating.
Potential "Adaptive Re -Use" Projects.
The following parks and open space areas are potential locations for intermediate term adaptive re -use projects.
Edwards Elementary School Site: This potential neighborhood park site, located on the west side of Detroit street
between Fillmore and Wilson streets, is approximately 10 acres in size. Access to and public visibility of the site is
excellent as public streets fi-ont all sides of the site. The site has been on the parks plan for many years.
Tyrrell Park School Site: This vacant building and its adjacent large acreage playground is accessible from two streets
and is located in a neighborhood composed of large lot residential uses. As this residential area develops over time, the
need for a neighborhood park- will increase. The nearby Tyrrell Park is a regional park and therefore does not serve the
area very well as a neighborhood facility. Although not ideally located within the neighborhood, this site maybe useful
for a neighborhood park or as a swap for land in a more appropriate location.
New Park and Park Expansion Needs
That area of the city which is generally north of Delaware Street and cast of Eastex Freeway is deficient in parks and recreational
facilities and in open space areas. Currently, there is a minimum need of one neighborhood park for the area, however, two would
be better. A new park will be needed to replace a previously leased but now closed site known as Haynes Park. The following
areas are potential locations for intermediate term new or expansion projects.
Bigner Road: A location along or in the vicinity of Bigner Road north of East Lucas and south of Bennett Road would
provide a good replacement site for Haynes Neighborhood Park.
Site Near Magnolia Gardens Housing, Project: There are several potential park sites near Gill Street and Magnolia
Gardens Housing Project which might be used for the development of a new neighborhood park. A site with frontage
on Magnolia -would be desirable because of the greater public visibility and improved accessibly that could be provided
by such a site.
Barrett / Savery Road Area
Piney Point Lane / Shenvood Street Area
Plant Rd. Area East of Helbig
For the central city area, i.e., within IH-10 and Cardinal Drive (Loop 25 1) there is a significant need for re -locating existing parks
but a lesser need for developing new parks. The following areas are potential locations for intermediate term new or expansion
projects.
Bingman School: Approximately one-half of this school site, located on the comer of Florida and S. Kenneth, is
underutilized and could be jointly used by the City and B.I.S.D. for recreational purposes. Although the site is somewhat
small, this proposal solves the problem of having to acquire expensive developed land.
Dick Dowling Area: This area, which has, lost a significant portion of its population and residential structures, is a
potential residential re -development area that, if developed, would contribute significantly to the economic
redevelopment of downtown Beaumont. Development of a park as the centerpiece of that re -development effort should
be considered. The park should be designed to serve the specific needs of the re -development efforts and as a re-
placement for Weiss Park which, with the adoption of this Plan, would be re-classified as a special park.
Dolores Street Site: Using the undeveloped right-of-way of Dolores Street between Fannett Road and Washington
Boulevard plus the acquisition of some scattered lots adjacent to that R/W would permit the City to provide a linear park
serving the area west of Fourth Street between Cardinal Drive and Washington Street. This would permit bike and
pedestrian access to the Price Elementary school and between the two large apartment complexes of Washington Homes
and Virginia Manor.
Fourth Street Acres Site: The area between Washington and Blanchette west of Fourth Street needs a neighborhood
park to serve its current needs. Ideally, the site would be as centrally located as possible.
Riverfront Park III: Continued expansion and development of the downtown river front is desirable. The City should
continue the northward expansion of Riverfront Park and provide for the development of additional access points to the
park and signs identifying it.
Sprott Park; Additional land near and adjacent to this park might be acquired and additional facilities built to permit
this site to better meet community park standards.
St. Anthony's Church Area: St. Anthony's Church is an important element of Bcaumontls past and future and should
be given a more prominent visual presence in the future of downtown Beaumont. Vacant and dilapidated properties
in the vicinity of the church could be used to create an open space or special use park with the church as the focal point
of the parkas seen from nearby streets. This proposal could provide downtown with a significant new "People Place"
that would not only improve the looks of downtown, but contribute to the economic re -development of the area.
12
For the westem side of Beaumont, i.e., west of Eastex Freeway and II- 10, the City's parks and recreational facilities are fairly new
with little or no rehabilitation work needed. What is needed are more parks and recreational facilities, particularly in the form
of neighborhood facilities. The following areas are potential locations for inte►mediate term new or expansion projects,
Dishman / Delaware Connector Road Area (Neighborhood Park)
Folsom Between Major and Dowlen Roads (Community Park)
Northwest Beaumont (Voth) Area (Neighborhood Park)
Borcley Heights (Old Voth Rd. / Hurly Rd.) Area (Neighborhood Park)
Paricdale Mall-Dowlen Rd. / Hwy. 105 Area (Neighborhood Park-)
The Meadows Retention Basin (Community or Neighborhood Park)
Train Rd./ West of City Limits (Community Park,)
23rd and Cartwright St. Area (Neighborhood Park)
Wooten Rd. / Shady Lu. Area (Neighborhood Park)
Walden Rd. I Major Dr. Area / Dishman Elementary Area (Community Park)
Re -location / Re-classification Needs
Charlton -Pollard Sites: Two parks in the Charlton -Pollard area need to be re -located. First, the current Carroll
Street Park needs to be re -located to a site more in the center of the neighborhood, preferably west of Irving Street in
the vicinity of Grant Street. Second, that portion of Piain Park- located Nvest of Pennsylvania Avenue is poorly used
and should be re -located to a mare accessible site within the neighborhood. Preferably, the site should be located west
of Park Street and south of Langbam Street.
FletcherParIc Fletcher Park either needs to be moved to anew location adjacent to or as apart of Fletcher Elementary
School or the present site expanded or closed. If moved near Fletcher School, the project should be developed as a
neighborhood park and as a joint venture between BISD and the City as BISD expands and remodels the school.
Mild Town Are w Because Ida Reed Park does not serve the neighborhood very well in its current location, it could be
re -located to a site more accessible to the residents of the area. With the site bordering IH-10, it could be sold for
commercial / office use and the proceeds used to relocate the park at another location. If McLean Park is redesigned
and redeveloped to emphasize passive recreational activities as indicated in a recent neighborhood survey, a new
neighborhood or community park providing the more active recreational activities might be developed near Smart Street,
possibly in conjunction with the existing recreational facilities of Central High School. Consideration of this option
should only occur in conjunction with the development and adoption of a neighborhood plan for the area,
Weiss Park: This park is no longer needed as a neighborhood park because the residential population has moved from
the area. Because the park is in such a prominent location, consideration should be given to the possibility of re-
designing and re -developing the park as a special park possibly reflecting a commemorative theme based on the
monument located at the center of the site or some other historical aspect of Beaumont's past.
13
Open Space Needs
This Plan encourages the development of a linear parks system to provide for increased open space within the City. Not only
would a city wide linear park system make a significant amount of park and recreation space accessible, it could also improve
pedestrian access to the central business district, schools, commercial areas, and places of employment. Such a system could
provide benefits far beyond recreation. It could serve as a catalyst for neighborhood revitalization and sustainable growth. The
following is a discussion of areas in Beaumont which could possibly further contribute to the formation of a linear park system.
Significant Natural Resource Areas: Significant natural resource areas, as defined in the context of this Plan are areas which
preserve wildlife and plant habitats, wetlands, natural wooded areas, watercourses or other bodies of water, drainage ways and
watersheds, and water recharge areas. The flood plains of the Neches River and Pine Island and Hillebrandt Bayous should be
recognized as significant natural resources which could provide the basis for an extended parks and open space system.
Protection of these areas from further encroachment would not only provide valuable land for addition to the parks system, but
also may reduce the need for future flood -control or drainage improvements,
Hillebrandt Bayou is a large watercourse located in the southern portion of Beaumont's ETJ which provides habitat for significant
amounts of wildlife as well as attractive vistas of the area. The recreational potential of this watercourse has yet to be: exploited.
Crossings of Hillebrandt Bayou at Humble Road and Hillebrandt Road are already beginning to experience a minimal amount
of recreational use such as boating and fishing activities without the existence of developed piers, boat ramps, picnic areas, or
parking spaces. These two areas could become a major provider of water -oriented recreational activities in the region. The
numerous acres of wetlands associated with Hillebrandt Bayou may warrant a conservation easement in the future in order to
protect those natural resources and wildlife.
Drainage ways and Irrigation Canals: Beaumont is criss-crossed with major drainage ways and irrigation Canals. Thesc open
space corridors provide opportunities for linear park or "greenbell": development, which can include hike and bike paths, jogging
paths, landscaped passive recreation areas, or can serve simply as visually interesting buffers between land uses. Full exploitation
of these existing open -space corridors will require cooperation between the City, Drainage District No. 6 and the Lower Neches
Valley River Authority. Any use of these corridors should be designed in such away to minimize safety hazards to potential users
and should not interfere with the primary functions of the drainage and irrigation facilities. Furthermore, the general lack of parks
in the west side of town further emphasizes the importance of keeping canals and drainage ditches in mind when choosing the
location of new parks. These canals could possibly accommodate water -oriented recreational activities such as un-motorized
boating, rowing, or canoeing.
Transportation and UtiliV R.O.W.'s and Easements: Transportation and utility rights -of -way and easements can serve as
pedestrian and bikeway corridors between residential areas and commercial areas, park and recreational facilities, and natural
resource areas. They also provide valuable green or open space areas for people living and working in urbanized areas since road
rights -of -way often contain landscaped green spaces, especially along thoroughfares like Phelan Boulevard. Larger open spaces
exist among the IH - 10 and Eastex Freeway rights -of -way. M.L.K. Parkway has also provided a great deal of new landscaped
open space for the older intercity area of Beaumont.
Beaumont also has a significant amount of railroad rights -of -way which cover every area of town and have a great potential for
connecting residential, commercial, recreational and open space areas. Perhaps abandoned railroad rights -of -way could be
utilized as connector trails in the east side of the city where canals and drainage ditches are scarce. Close cooperation with the
railroad companies would be required to accomplish this.
Retention Ponds: Located west of Dowlen Road and surrounding the unimproved Folsom Road right-of-way is a new water
retention basin which is under construction and will, when completed, provide a significant amount of permanent open green
space. This area could however be adapted to a recreational use and is a prime location for a future community park. In fact,
a portion of this area is being developed as a golf course. Another benefit to this site are the many drainage ways in the immediate
vicinity which could accommodate connector trails. Another retention facility which has recently been completed is the Meadows
facility south of Dishman Road. This facility has been developed with soccer fields but still has sufficient land to provide for a
neighborhood or community park.
1E,
Table 2: Method of Deeds Assessment Used for the Identification of Potential Projects
Shard and Intermediate Term Potential
Projects
Standard
Based
Resource
Based
Demand
Based
Alice Keith Renovations
x
x
Amelia Neighborhood Park
x
x
x
Athletic Complex Improvements
x
x
Bigner Road Park
x
Bingman School Site
Boreley Heights Area Park
x
x
x
Carroll Street Park Relocation
x
x
Collier's Ferry Park Continued Dev,
x
Dolores Street Park
x
x
x
Edwards School Site Park
x
x
Fletcher Park Relocation
x
x
x
Fourth Street Acres Site
x
Gill St./Magnolia Gardens Area Park
x
Ida Reed. Park Relocation
x
Lefler Park Expansion
x
McLean Park Redevelopment
x
Parks Maintenance Facility
x
Pipkin Park Relocation
x
River&ont Park Expansion & Renovation
x
x
South End Activity Center
x
x
Sprott Park Expansion
x
x
Tyrrell Park Renovations
x
Walden Rd.✓Major Dr. Community Park
x
x
Weiss Park Redevelopment
Wooten Rd./Shady Ln. Area Park
x
x
15
This plan contains a Five -Year "Action Plan" composed of "prioritized objectives" which are intended to provide guidance in preparation
of the City's Five -Year Capital Improvements Plan (CIP). Those prioritized objectives may, however, change over time because of funds
availability, work scheduling or coordination problems, development delays and other unforeseen difficulties. The City's "Capital
Improvements "Program" implements those specific short-term "projects" which the City has determined, through the public hearing
process, that it has the resources and public support to, implement during the five years covered by the CIP. The list of specific, non -
prioritized projects identified below as "potential short and intermediate term projects" are generally intended to be the source of projects
to be: included in future annual updates to the CIP. Any specific listed project can be used to implement a specifically listed and prioritized
objective of the Five -Year Plan.
CURRENT 1999 -2003 CIP PARKS SYSTEM PROJECTS - City of Beaumont
1999 Projects -Design / Construction Phase
Estimated Cost
Alice Keith Pool Replacement
$ 1,340,000
Amelia Neighborhood Park
$ 150,000
Neches River Hike and Bike Trail
$ 600,000'
Parks Maintenance Facility
$ 390,000
POTENTIAL SHORT-TERM (1-5 years) AND INTERMEDIATE-T'ERM (4 -10 years) PROJECTS
(Non -Prioritized)
Estimated Cost
Athletic, Complex (3 lighted softball fields)
1,350,000
Bigner Road Park *
N/A
Bingman School Site (Development)
N/A
Borcley Heights Area Park *
N/A
Carroll Street Park (Relocation)
N/A
Collier's Ferry Park
N/A
Dolores Street Park
N/A
Edwards School Site Park
N/A
Fletcher Park (Relocation)"
N/A
Fourth Street Acres Site*
N/A
Gill St./Magnolia Gardens Area Park
N/A
Ida Reed Park (Relocation)
N/A
Lefler Park (basketball ct. & parking lot)
110,000
Estimated Cost
McLean Park (Re -development)
N/A
Pipkin Park (Relocation)
N/A
Riverfront Park Phase 3*
N/A
Rivet -front Park (Renovations)
N/A
South End Activity Center
2,000,000
Sprott Park Expansion *
. N/A
The Meadows Soccer Complex (parking lot)
250,000
Tyrrell Park Golf Course Parking Lot
150,000
Tyrrell Park (Renovations)
N/A
Walden Road (Disliman)Community Park
** N/A
Weiss Park, (Re -development)
N/A
Wooten Rd./ Shady Ln. Area Park
N/A
----------------------------------
Note: Projects shown with an estimated cost are considered as having reached the project planning phase.
* Acquisition ** Acquisition and Development *** Continued Development
I.Funded as a transportation project. Total project cost estimated at S3,000,000.
WE
00
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INVENTORY
Figure A - 1 NEIGHBORHOOD PARK SERVICE AREA COVERAGES
NORTH
Legend
neighborhood park
1/2 mile radius
other park
112 mile radius,
se'rvice area
deficiency
............ zowvo�
--- ... . ...........
�g
M
0 &--" a ' LM I
. . . . . . . . . . . ::
Note: Deficiencies are not present in areas which are typically undevelopable, highly
industrialized, or highly developed such as business or commercial districts.
Some deficiencies, especially those located in the undeveloped areas to the west and
north, need to be met only when they begin to develop.
Prepared by the Planing Division, City of Beaumont, Texas 1998
Figure A - 2 COMMUNITY PARK SERVICE AREA COVERAGES
NORTH
6-
4
Legend
Existing
Coverage
Coverage
Deficiency
Ar
4
Note: Areas without deficiencies have been determined to be served by another facility
or to not need such a facility.
Prepared by the Planing Division, City ofBeaurnont, Texas 1998
a • 4
Figure B
Table B-1
POPULATION CHANGE BY CENSUS TRACT: 1980 TO 1990
Tract
1980 Pop.
I 1990 Pgp--.
Pop. Change
% Chan
1.01 (Pt.)
2778
3833
1055
38.0
1.02
1776
1897
121
6.8
1.03 (pt.)
3007
2612
-395
-13.1
2
4017
4288
271
6.7
3.01 (pt.)
2947
5966
3019
102.4
3.02
3.03
3737
10264
4570
833
12�29
22.3
12.0
3.04
6911
6420
-491
-7.1
3.05
7451
N/A
N/A
3.06
4042
N/A
N/A
4
4303
4264
-39
-0.9
5
2713
2558
-155
-5.7
6
729�9
6372
-927
-12.7
7
4422
3455
-96,7
-21.9
8 (pt.)
1305
912
-393
-30.1
9
2542
2276
-266
_10.5
10 (Pt.)
24912
1497
-995
-39.9
11
3586
3425
-161
-4,5
12
2538
2150
-388
-15.3
13.01
6092
5419
-673
-11.0
13.02 (pt.)
1967
3116
1149
58.4
13.03 (pt.)
1708
2267
559
32.7
14
1123
617
-506
-45.1
15
1029
642
-387
-37.6
16 (pt.)
345
911
566
-164.1
17
3177
2171
-1006
-31.7
18 (Pt.)
2346
1449
-897
-38.2
19
3747
3064
-683
-18.2
20
2746
2464
-282
-10.3
21
4920
4125
-795
-16.2
22 (pt.)
3842
3108
-734
-19.1
23
6031
5124
-907
-15.0
24
3119
2995
-124
-4.0
25 (pt.)
3431
3592
161
4.7
26 (pt.)
5807
5125
-682
-11.7
112 (pt.)
0
73
73
N/A
114 (pt.)
35
73
38
108.6
MTOTALS
118102
114323
-R79
-3.2
*For the 1990 Census, Tract 3.03 was split into Tracts 3,05 and 3.06. The indicated change reflected in the 1990 Census is for
Tracts 3.05 and 3.06 combined,
** These tracts did not exist for the 1980 Census.
Source: US, Bureau of Census
10000
8000
6000
4000
2000
0
140000
120000
100000
80000
60000
40000
20000
0
Figure B-2
Population Trends 1920 to 1990 Plus Projections to 2020
1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 * 2000 * 2010 0 2020
ED Beaumont Population
*Projections: Year 2000 2010 2020
pop. 122109 129545 137434
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Census * Projections from the 1995 Water Quality Management Plan,
South East Texas Regional Planning Commission
Figure B-3
1990 Population by Age Group and Sex
0 to 4 5 to 9 I0IoI4 151o19 20to24 25to34 35to44 45to54 55to64 65to74 75&over
M Female E Male
Source: U.S. Bureau of Census
Figure B-4
1990 Ethnic/ Racial Characteristics
Mite Black
Hispanic Other
Source: U.S. Bureau of Census
Figure B-5
Changes in Ethnic/ Racial Characterictics 1970-1990
70"/•
60%
50%
40%
30%•
20%
10%
0%
1970 1980 1990
White Black
Hispanic Other
Source: U.S. Bureau of Census
Appendix C
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Appendix C:
Neighborhood Unit Concept
One of the most widely utilized planning
principles is the neighborhood unit concept. The
neighborhood is often described as the basic
building block of urban planning. Figure C - I
illustrates the neighborhood unit concept, with
major emphasis on a centrally located combined
park and elementary school site, and collector
streets which route internal traffic to major
thoroughfares without bisecting the
neighborhood or encouraging through traffic to
enter the neighborhood.
The practice of providing each neighborhood
with a centrally located neighborhood park is
beneficial to neighborhood residents in a number
of ways: children can walk or bicycle to the park
without crossing major thoroughfares,
neighborhood residents are provided with a
scenic open space recreation area, new parks can
be specifically planned to meet the unique needs
of neighborhood residents based upon age
composition, and the park can help in providing
the neighborhood with a sense of identity.
Activity Center Concept
Thoroughfare
, Lower
Densities
0 "'N--% ,
'o 0
oHIghe
Denalm
a
Lower
70 Densities
Metric
Center
L
Thoroughfare
Figure C- I : The Neighborhood Unit Concept
0
1
0
F-
ne arrangement and location of public facilities and services to meet human needs in an efficient, economical, safe and functional
manner is one of the principal reasons for comprehensive urban planning. In order to meet these needs, people, facilities, and
services must be brought together. There are two primary mechanisms for bringing people and services together: distribution
of facilities and services throughout the urban area, and transportation of people to facilities. In other words, services and facilities
can be taken to the people, or the people can be transported to the services and facilities. Each method has its advantages;
distribution of facilities reduces the need for travel, and therefore reduces the need for the financial, environmental, and energy
costs associated with urban transportation systems. On the other hand, not all facilities can be distributed easily or economically,
especially if they must be of a certain minimum size to operate efficiently.
Obviously, neither transportation nor distribution can individually meet the people's needs for access to services and facilities; both
methods must be used to make services and facilities available equitably, efficiently and conveniently. Mobility varies according
to age, sex and income, while distribution of facilities is constrained by size, efficiency and economy, and accessibility
requirements. For this reason, cities are structured in a hierarchial arrangement wherein people must travel different distances
to reach different facilities and the facilities are characterized by having various sizes of geographic service areas, depending upon
the function of the facility.
All elements of Beaumont's Comprehensive Plan, including the Parks and Open Space: element, are based in part upon this
hierarchy of human activity centers. The activity center hierarchy serves the following purposes:
1) providing for each age, sex and income group a set of appropriate facilities;
2) determining for each set of facilities a service area,
3) establishing an activity center for each service area; and
4) facilitating the development of a hierarchy of neighborhoods, districts, communities and regions based on successively
wider interests and activities.
The following sections define and explain each of the six types of activity centers used in the formulation of all elements of the
Comprehensive Plan, It should be noted that the term "center" refers to a cluster of facilities rather than a single building,
Nelabborhood Center:
The neighborhood center is located in the approximate geographical center of a residential neighborhood. The
neighborhood is approximately I square mile in area, although the actual size depends on a combination of natural and
man-made features. In most cases, thoroughfares that are routed around the perimeter of the neighborhood form its
boundary,
The neighborhood center includes an elementary school and neighborhood park and can also include social services
facilities for the residents of the neighborhood. The center is primarily pedestrian oriented although collector streets and
bikeways do provide for automotive and bicycle accessibility.
District Centers:
District centers are located at major thoroughfare intersections at the approximate geographical center and convergence
of three to five neighborhoods. They M include and support a broad range of activities, facilities and services such as
neighborhood shopping centers, professional office facilities, recreational facilities, junior high schools, churches, branch
libraries, fire fighting facilities, and higher density residential development.
Community Centers:
Community centers are located at major thoroughfare intersections at the approximate geographical center of three to
five districts. The community center, as a development concept, is essentially the same as the distfict center concept but
expanded and refined in function, size and service capability. It may include community shopping centers, satellite health
clinics, high schools, churches, office complexes, community recreational facilities, and higher density residential
developments.
Regional Centers:
Regional centers are located at interchanges of major circumferential and radial freeways or expressways near the
approximate geographical center of each region. They may include hospitals, branch libraries, governmental agencies,
major office complexes, regional shopping centers, and higher density residential development,
Metronolitan Centers:
Metropolitan centers may include a downtown retail trade, financial institutions, high-rise offices and residential facilities,
hotels, major convention and tourist facilities, cultural centers, recreational facilities, entertainment facilities, and major
governmental offices.
The five types of centers that have been reviewed will not necessarily have all of the preceding facilities, but would differ
in character and composition in accordance with the various unique needs of each particular service area,
Multi -Purpose. Corridors:
Multi -purpose corridors are located along freeways and expressways and can include highway oriented commercial
facilities, wholesale and warehousing operations, restricted light industry, business offices, hotels and motels, and higher
density residential uses.
Application of the Activity Center Concept to the Park and Open Space System:
Table C- I describes the hierarchical arrangement of urban parks and lists standards for each type of park. The hierarchy contains
neighborhood, community, urban , regional and special use park classifications. Neighborhood parks should be located in
neighborhood activity centers; community parks should be located in district or community activity centers; urban parks should
be located in either regional or metropolitan centers. Regional parks, because of their size and requirement for substantial scenic
natural areas, are generally not located in activity centers. Special use facilities can be located in district, community, metropolitan,
regional, or multipurpose corridor activity centers. Open space corridors could theoretically pass through any type of activity
center, and, where possible, should be utilized as connecting pedestrian and bicycle corridors between activity centers.
i �lI !IPA
IA III ,
City of Beaumont, Texas
PARKS, RECREATIONAL FACILITIES, AND OPEN SPACE SYSTEMS
INVENTORY AND EVALUATIONS REPORT
Page I. of 4
Park or Facility Name- — Date Acquired:
WORM, Me
Address:
This park/facility is classified as a
Area: square feet or acres.
Site Master Plan Prepared: — Yes No; Adopted: Yes No.
Site Master Plan needs --- — major updating; _ some updating; _ no updating.
Site Analysis:
Automobile access to site is Good; _ Fair; or _ Poor
Access to site by bus is --- _ Good; _ Fair; _; Poor; or non-existent.
Pedestrian access to site is --- — Good; _ Fair; _ Poor; or is non-existent.
Lighting is adequate --- in all areas; in some areas; I or in no area.
Vandalism is --- . I a significant problem a minor problern;3 or is not a problem.
Layout of park, as it relates to public safety, is Good; _ Satisfactory; or _ Un-Satisfactory.
Impacts of nearly land uses have a --- _ positive or _ negative impact 5 on the site?
Impacts of use of site has a --- _ positive or _ negative impact 6 on adjacent properties?
Identify areas needing lighting
2 Identify significant problem areas
3 Identify minor problem areas -
4 Problem(s) exist in the following areas --
5 Identify negative impacts __
6 Identify negative impacts --
City of Beaumont, Texas
PARKS, RECREATIONAL FACILITIES, AND OPEN SPACE SYSTEMS
INVENTORY AND EVALUATIONS REPORT
Page 2 of 4
Park or Fact` ity Na
Facilities Evaluation:
# lype
Buildings:
Description.
Creative Play Area:
Condition size t Remarld
(Number
New Good Fair 3Poor 4 00
I Describe in sq.ft. or by dimensions ( 50'x 100).
2 Write comments on back of this page and label comment with corresponding number shown in left most column.
3 Describe deficiences on back of this page and label comments using corresponding number in left most column.
4 Describe deficiences on back of this page and label comments using corresponding number in left most column,
^ .
City of Beaumont, Texas
PARKS, RECREATIONAL FACILITIES, AND OPEN SPACE SYSTEMS
'\
( )INVENTORY AND EVALUATIONS REPORT
Page 3 of 4
Park or Facility Name:
Facilities Evaluation: (Continued)
, z
�
7�� Condition ���
OthezFmcQ8ti� x� ��m Good ��lr Poor 4 nD
15
16
17
10
19
20
21
32
23
'
2
25
'
26
27 -- -- -- -- --- ---
28
29
30
31
(Continued Next Page)
^Describe in sq.ft. or bydimensions (50'x100'),
2 Write comments on back of this page and label comment with corresponding number showm in left most column.
3 Describe deficiences on back of this page and label comments using corresponding number in left most column,
� >
/
`Describe dericiences on back of this page and label comments using corresponding number in left most column,
City of Beaumont, Texas
PARKS, RECREATIONAL FACILITIES, AND OPEN SPACE SYSTEMS
INVENTORY AND EVALUATIONS REPORT
Page 4 of 4 .
Park or Facility Name:
Facilities Evaluation: (Continued)
# nve- Description Condition size
New Good Fair 3 poor4l
other Facilities (Continued)
32
33
Landscaping:
Grass
Ground Cover
Shrubs
Flowers
(annuals)
Flowers
(perennial)
Trees
Statues
Sculpture(s)
Signage:
44 Nameplate
45 Directional
46 Informational
I Describe in sq.ft. or by dimensions ( 50'x 100').
2 Write comments on back of this page and label comment with corresponding number showm in left most column.
3 Describe deficiences on back of this page and label comments using corresponding number in left most column.
4 Describe deficiences on back of this page and label comments using corresponding number in left most column.
izen-,am 2
(Number
00
City of Beaumont, Planning i7ivaean
RESIDENT SURVEY
Ttu Old Yam NdSlobmhood
/NSIRVG77ONS: Pecan auwd ale quc oau sv&ke dhurwdfh any qu arr,e upon **eh Y- have no ophum LkLw nrixu Au kft=
auwem For aN odw gw4mmu ptocc a chrrh ma* ( ) in pie apace providrd au= to or below the muwer Ow ben is
1). In thepast few)wara haryour nqobarhoW ..._
Gotten Better Gotten worse Swydd basically the sw7m
Ideno the maran(s) for)iour answer to the above quesdon.
2). In the next few years do you cynayow xd#kborhood to —
— Get Better _, Get Worse Stay about the same as it is now.
3). What do you like about living it lrna" neighborhood?
4). Wlud do you ,dbl*e about living in Jew ndghborhood?
5). How would YOU trite the folltrwitrg as tire}' 10ka yartr ndoborhood T
Ma/or minor Not A
Problem Problem Problem
AutoThefcs.................................................................
BurghtAm.....................................................................
Vandalism....... ..........................................
Violent C'rbw (Assault, Rape) ..................................,
Non -Violet Crimes (Ptastitudon, Gambling, etc.).....
Illegal Drug Peddling and Usage . .................................
Juvenile Gang Activities ................................................
Loitesing.......... ... ............. ..»,.... ... ................ ,.............
Panhandling ✓ Begging. .................................................
PersonalSafety...... ........ ..............................
Street Flooding ..............................................
Un-safe Structures ......... ....... .....»., .., , ...
Trash and fitter:..,.. »».. .»................ .. » ...
On -Street Parking.......................................................
TrafficProblem....,..»..................................................
Noise..... .... ................................................................ ......
AirPollution .. ......................................................
Incompatible Land Uses ......................................
..„....
If you have personal experience with arty of the above occurring in your neighborhood, please identify them
here and include the place of occurrence.
b). How r►nu dyou rate dw4ualiy of the fvllowirtgsrrvi= / farilrtiespmvided in arnear)"w is*hborhmdP
Voy Vvy Not
Good Crowd Okay Poor Poor AvaU&k
a). Child Care Facilities . ,,...I ....................._._...... —
b). Senior Day Care FarcilRies.................................—
c). Elderly Ransportation Services ................................ — — —
d). Emergrmy., Medical Service .....................................
e), Crime Preventim Programs (Operation
ldenttfteattavt, Neighborhood Watch
Program: +etc ),»..,........ ..................................� . .
f). In Home Elderly Services ............................—
g). Trap Enforcement (speed limits, stop signs, etr—). _.._—
h). Accessibility by the Disabled......................................—
i). Fire Protection Services ............................................
D. Police Protection Services .................................—
k). Bus Service...............................................................
1). Recreational Factitties................... ..... —
m). Recreational Programs .............................................. —
n). Zoning Enforcement ..................................................
a). Other (specify) ..................... ..................... I ...................
— — — .
««'« Continued on back of this page «««
7). How wouldyou fate JIhOfAUmftVwmmm&UaIcO&*Oom I enfarmums awvma?
VVY very .Not
Good Good Okay Poor Poor Avaagbk
Garbage/ Junk RemovaL .............................................
Street Cleaning ........................ .. .... . ....
StreetPavement Conditions............ .............. .............
Availability of Sidewalks..,.., ...•... . ...............
Condition of SldewaUm ........................ .. . .... ..............
Street Lighting . . .............. ........
WaterPremm .....................
Water QU4U* .................. . .......... . ......... . ....................
Control of Stray Dogs or Cats ............ .................... .
Aesthetic Appearance of Your Street., ........
8). Mug nd#ikdjoodpubftc services orfadfitirare needed but not now poyided?
9). Now would you dacribe your urge if die foamving pmb?
Hebert Park Ida Reed Park McLean Par*
Not atale
Once a mini;,.......
Once a Week.......,
10). In order to pro Wde bumapgd rd#9whoodsomily, how woutdyufd about assess gthe fry designs
features in y— m*hbMioad
a). Closing off some streets in order to &wft accessibility to your neighborhood to two or three smeet,.
Strongly Favor _ Favor No 0 pinion _ Okay Strongly
DuW
Note. If you favor such action, please indicate in Me additional comments section following
quesdoin 24 which sown you would suggest for such action.
b). Fencbsg off your neighborhood and providing an entrance gateway to your neighborhood
SMMO Favor _ Favor _ No Op
inion
Okay _ StStronglyDUILke
Any comments?
11). Pkase W by order ofpiwity die duee opproMmiryou would Me to see corrazed in yxff ndghborhood
12). Which of your top dure problem do you fed you should have to pay some portion of the con of
13). Now do you most Oftes get to work? Auto Bus Thad Bk.KIe
MoiorcyclejMoped _; Walk Other - specify
14). At whoa generallocadon doyou work? _At Home; _Downto,%W _ Outside of Beaumotm
— Pxkdde Mall Area; _ Near St. Ekurbeth Ha7uat _ near DVan Hospital;
Wen of IH-10,, — other - Specify
15). How many em and trucks do you own?
Do you park Owm _ onww or q
16). Is parkfng a problenn? _ Yes, _ No. If ye.% where?
17). What is die load number of pesom in yaw houmhol4 ku:AtftyouPWjf.
Total persons in Household =
Number -- under 6 = : ages 6 - 18 = ages 19 -64 ages 65 and over
18). How many years have you hved at your posent adibess? _ years.
19). How long have you lived in this nei#kbDrhood?
Continued on new page
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v
OPHONAL QUESTIONS ('we would appreciate your answering as many of the following as'
you feel comfortable with).
Ses of regwnndatt ?
Female ____ Male
What is your ethnic bacAgmund ?
Anglo . Black Hupan c _ Asian
American Indian ® Other
What is yv' rn� "atus?
Single Married Lrvmrat Separated
Widowed `-
What ns your hoieu level of educa6m?
_,,,,,,,, Elementary School (grades 1-6) _ High School (grades 9.12) Some"ege
Secondary School (grades 7.9) _ Business or Trade School , College
_ Other (Specify) Graduate
What it ytoetr Occupation?
Pisa fessionallManagenal Retail Salts Homemaker
— Skilled Trade/Craft office wmker ,Laborer
— Retail Sales Other (Specify) Ummplayed
What v )WW 4"Wimate Awtf Jbmlly income?
_ Less than $5,000 — $14WO to $141,999 $25,000 to $49,09
J _ $5,001 to $9,999 $15,000 to $24,999 _ _ More than $5a000
Do you mm or neat )anti rs daw?
is your raidan a single-family home �; a duplex a house converted to aparmrenrs
an apartment building : a Public Rowing Project
or other (specify)
••" THANK YOU •�•
PLEASE MAIL TO: Dept of Public WorU Planning 1ivisiotS,P 0 box 3827, Beaumont, TX 77704 or hand
deliver to 801 Main Stree4 Rooter 210. 7ha nk you.
OR HAND DELIVER TO City Half 801 Main Street, Room 210 between 8 to 5 Monday - Friday or to
McFaddin.Ward House Visitors Center, 10 to 4 Tuesday-Sattadgy or 1-4 Sunday.
Thank you.