Village Board Vote Looms On Open Space Master Plan

The on Monday learned about the for parks and recreation programs throughout Lake Zurich.  

Norris Design, the firm hired to evaluate the community’s current and future needs, presented an action plan trustees will consider at their Sept. 6 meeting.

Among the recommendations were to improve facilities by creating access between parks via pedestrian and bike paths, in addition to increasing recreational programming.

Through focus groups, public meetings and a community survey 304 residents participated in, it was determined that residents would like to see additional special events such as art fairs, an OctoberFest celebration and beach concerts.

Other recommendations were to expand programs offered by adding facilities and staff, but the funds to do so have become an issue in recent years.

“We have diminishing financial resources when it comes to our parks. The last several years, the focus has been on financing, because we now have diminishing returns,” said Village Administrator Bob Vitas. “The village is built out, and funds for the parks initially came from developers through planned use developments."

Norris Design also recommended identifying parks that could be subject to disposal as surplus property because they are not being used.

Parks that were singled out as "underutilized" and where a land valuation analysis was suggested were , , , and .

“Norris Design provided a recommendation of what could be seen as surplus property, and if any parks were to be sold, that money could be used to maintain other parks and used for future maintenance,” said Mike Perkins, parks and recreation director.

In regards to future funding sources, Norris Design identified a number of options, including creating a park district that would be a separate taxing body.

On the survey, more than 40 percent of people who weighed in said they would be willing to invest more money in parks and recreation in the village.

“The broader question is whether we move toward the formation of a park district. Without that, we will be in competition between providing recreation with paving our roads and ensuring police and fire services,” said Trustee Jonathan Sprawka.

Demographic information from a survey conducted by an outsourced firm provided various statistics. For example, 56 percent of residents have a bachelor's degree or higher, and the median income among residents is just more than $103,000. Eighty-four percent of respondents said they use parks throughout the village.

“I thought the survey was lacking on a couple key points — it doesn’t clarify if there is a teenager using the parks who will soon be going off to college, or if a family has a newborn baby who will be using the parks in a couple of years,” said Trustee Jeff Halen.

“Also, if 304 people responded to the survey and there are 34 parks, it breaks down to about 10 people per park that are weighing in on what they want,” Halen said.

Norris Design has been working with the Parks and Recreation Department and Advisory Board for the last eight months to help form recommendations for the . Their evaluation included a needs assessment, demographic analysis, community survey, site analysis of all the parks and a detailed look at the amenities offered.

But any and all recommendations brought forth by the firm will be used only as a loose framework from which to work.

“If the board approves this plan, it will be used as a tool for policy choices and budgeting in the future; it is nothing more than a set of guidelines,” Vitas said.

Since Lake Zurich is 100 acres deficient in the size of community parks, Norris Design also suggested adding a larger park to try to gain back that acreage.

“The parks board has spent a long time looking at the information gathered. If (the document) sits and languishes, it will become a stale document,” said Parks Board Chairwoman Dawn Brazier.