Report Prepared by: Christopher Jensen, Director, Parks & Community Services
Title
SUBJECT: Consider the Adoption of the 2026-2036 Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan as Presented to Guide Park Development, Operation, Maintenance and Capital Investment Priorities and Standards
REPORT IN BRIEF
Considers adopting the City of Merced 2026-2036 Parks, Recreation, and Open Space (PROS) Master Plan and recognize the Strategic Action Plan as the City's long-term strategic framework for park maintenance, recreation operation, facility management, open space designation, partnerships, funding priorities, and capital investment.
RECOMMENDATION
City Council - Adopt a motion approving the 2026- 2036 Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan.
Body
ALTERNATIVES
1. Modify the action (specify in motion); or,
2. Refer back to staff for reconsideration of specific items; or,
3. Continue item to a future Council meeting (date and time to be specified in City Council motion).
AUTHORITY
The most recently adopted Master Plan was adopted in 2004 and incorporated in the Merced Vision 2030 General Plan, Chapter 7 which directs the City under Policy OS-3.1, Action 3.1.c to “continue to implement the City’s 2004 Parks and Open Space Master Plan and any subsequent updates.
CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
The City Council set forth a goal in 2023-2024 to develop a new Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan. In 2024 the City Council adopted a resolution to apply for and accept $150,000 in grant funds from Central Valley Opportunity Fund to develop a new Parks, Rec. and Open Space Master Plan (PROS). That grant was awarded and the plan has been in development since that time.
DISCUSSION
Background
The City of Merced's 2026-2036 Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Master Plan represents the City's first comprehensive update to its parks planning framework since adoption of the 2004 Parks and Open Space Master Plan.
Over the past two decades, Merced has experienced significant population growth, changing recreational interests, increasing demand for youth and family programming, new expectations for accessibility and inclusion, and growing pressure on aging park infrastructure. During that same period, the City's park system expanded without corresponding long-term funding structures, maintenance standards, administrative systems, and dedicated resources necessary to sustain the system at the level expected by the community.
The PROS Master Plan was developed to address these conditions and establish a comprehensive 10-year framework for the sustainable development, maintenance, operation, and delivery of parks and community services between 2026 and 2035. The Plan examines the City's existing park system, recreation programs, facilities, open spaces, financial practices, partnerships, staffing and operations, while also identifying opportunities and priorities for the future.
The Plan was prepared in partnership with consulting firm 110%, Inc. and represents a significant collaboration between City staff, community organizations, elected officials, residents, and local stakeholders.
Funding
Development of the PROS Master Plan was made possible through a $150,000 grant from the Central Valley Opportunity Fund, administered through the Central Valley Community Foundation.
This outside investment allowed the City to undertake a level of comprehensive planning and public engagement that would otherwise have been difficult to accomplish using existing departmental resources. The grant supported the development of a system-wide master plan that included:
• Community and stakeholder engagement;
• Park and facility assessments;
• Operational review;
• Recreation program analysis;
• Financial analysis and sustainability planning;
• Review of national best practices;
• Development of long-term priorities and recommendations; and
• Creation of a Strategic Action Plan to guide implementation.
The completed Plan specifically recognizes that the project was made possible through a grant from the Central Valley Opportunity Fund.
Timeline and Planning Process
The PROS Master Plan progressed through four primary phases:
Phase 1 - Project Development and System Review
The initial phase focused on understanding the current Parks & Community Services system. The project team reviewed the City's existing facilities, historical planning documents, recreation services, operational practices, partnerships, financial conditions, and long-term community trends.
The process included community engagement, historical review, operational assessment, and evaluation of national best practices. The goal was to consider not only what the community desired, but also what was sustainable and achievable.
Phase 2 - Community and Stakeholder Engagement
Community engagement was intentionally designed as a central component of the Plan rather than simply a required planning exercise.
The City and project team worked to meet residents where they live, work, and play through multiple methods of engagement. The process included:
o Staff and City Council planning sessions;
o Five community focus groups;
o A community survey;
o Five pop-up engagement opportunities throughout Merced;
o A large community open house;
o Direct engagement with community partner organizations; and
o The creation of a network of community representatives known as the Wisdom Holders.
The scale of engagement was significant:
o 500+ total engagement touchpoints;
o 1,392 comments received;
o 200+ community open house attendees;
o 100 participants representing five community focus groups;
o 124 community survey responses; and
o 15 staff and City Council participants in focused planning sessions.
Phase 3 - Analysis and Development of Priorities
Community input was combined with park assessments, operational review, financial analysis, recreation service evaluation, demographic information, and best-practice research. Five consistent themes emerged from the engagement process:
1. Parks and recreation should strengthen community connection;
2. Safety in public spaces must remain a priority;
3. Residents desire higher standards of park maintenance and cleanliness;
4. The community wants new and improved amenities, including splash pads, playgrounds, trail connections, and fitness areas; and
5. Additional funding is necessary to improve the overall level of service.
These findings were used to develop the Plan's four guiding pillars and the associated Strategic Action Plan.
Phase 4 - Final Plan and Implementation Framework
The final phase translated the community's vision and the project team's analysis into an implementation framework for 2026 through 2035.
The resulting Strategic Action Plan includes 35 recommended actions organized under four implementation pillars. The Plan is intended to serve as a living management tool, with priorities reviewed and updated as projects are completed, circumstances change, partnerships develop, and new funding becomes available.
Outcome- PROS Priorities (Pillars) and Strategic Plan
The planning process resulted in four foundational pillars that will guide implementation over the next decade.
Pillar 1 - Infrastructure & Maintenance
This pillar focuses on the physical environments that make up Merced's park and recreation system. The Plan calls for:
o improving understanding and management of existing assets
o modernizing aging amenities to retain value
o establish more systematic maintenance practices
o improving trail maintenance
o increase walking and bicycling connections to parks
o plan for the long-term development and operation of new facilities
o prioritize capital investments
The central principle of this pillar is that the City must protect and maintain its existing public investments while planning responsibly for future growth.
Pillar 2 - Community Connection
This pillar recognizes that successful parks and community services must be informed by and connected to the residents they serve.
The Plan calls for the Department to:
o Strengthen communication with residents;
o Continue building community partnerships;
o Improve coordination with recreation providers;
o Evaluate and modernize partner agreements;
Pillar 3 - Safety & Inclusion
The third pillar recognizes that public spaces must be welcoming, accessible, inclusive, and safe for all residents.
The Plan calls for:
o Sustainable Park design strategies that improve visibility and usability;
o Increased security measures where appropriate;
o Improved perceptions of safety through visible presence by staff in parks and coordinated action with law enforcement;
o Collaboration with regional partners to address the impacts of homelessness and behavioral health needs on public spaces
Pillar 4 - Resources & Stewardship
The fourth pillar focuses on the people, policies, systems, partnerships, and financial resources required to sustain the parks and recreation system.
The Plan calls for the City to:
o Update its financial sustainability strategy;
o Conduct routine cost-of-service analyses;
o Identify sustainable funding models for major facilities;
o Evaluate the long-term governance and financial future of Applegate Park Zoo;
o Modernize development impact fee practices and policies;
o Pursue grants and other funding for unfunded park projects;
o Establish clear standards for future parkland dedication and City acceptance;
o Strengthen staff training and professional development;
o Improve the use of management and technology systems; and
o Increase interdepartmental collaboration.
The Plan makes clear that successful implementation will require disciplined decision-making and alignment between the services the City provides and the resources necessary to operate and maintain them.
The 35 actions contained within the Strategic Action Plan are distributed across the four pillars and are intended to move the Plan from community vision to measurable implementation.
The Plan recognizes that Merced's park system has grown without corresponding long-term funding structures and therefore places a strong emphasis on sustaining and protecting current assets before creating new long-term obligations.
The PROS Plan should therefore be viewed as a roadmap rather than a promise that every identified project will be constructed immediately. Its purpose is to ensure that when funding becomes available, City investments are guided by documented need, community input, long-term operating considerations, and a unified citywide vision.
Prioritized Future Capital Investments
1. Continued Development of Merced Regional Sports Complex
a. The Merced Regional Sports Complex represents one of the City's most significant long-term recreation investments. Future phases may include additional regional sports facilities, complementary recreation amenities, expanded infrastructure, and evaluation of a future indoor multi-generational recreation facility. The Plan calls for the City to carefully balance community access, regional use, revenue generation, maintenance, operations, and long-term financial sustainability as the complex continues to develop.
2. Renovate McNamara Park
3. Relocate Boys and Girls Club of Merced County to Alfarata Park and utilize McCombs Youth Center for City Recreational programming
4. Complete Bellevue Ranch Park development (Yoshida, Ogletree, First Responder Park (M Circle))
5. Complete Fahrens Park with regional park assets
6. Expand Parking Capacity at Applegate Park
7. Upgrade Bear Creek Trail
8. South Merced Bike Trail connecting Campus Parkway through Mission Avenue expansion
9. Renovate Nannini Youth Sports Complex
10. Continue revitalization of Merced Applegate Zoo
The resulting PROS Plan is ambitious, but it is also grounded in the realities facing the City. It recognizes that Merced must improve maintenance of what it already owns, strengthen public safety and inclusion, deepen community partnerships, modernize its operating practices, and develop sustainable funding strategies before the full potential of the park system can be realized.
Most importantly, the PROS Master Plan establishes a clear call to action: parks, recreation, and open space should be treated as essential quality-of-life infrastructure. As funding becomes available, the Plan will position the City to make strategic investments in its existing parks while advancing major projects.
Adoption of the PROS Master Plan does not mark the end of the planning process. It marks the beginning of a decade of implementation-guided by community voice, strengthened through partnership, measured through accountability, and built around a shared commitment to “Play on Purpose.”
Councils adoption of the plan will provide City staff and departments the guidance necessary to direct yearly goals and objectives, restructure operations and organization of duties as necessary, and prioritize future investments and partnerships to ensure alignment with the PROS Plan.
IMPACT ON CITY RESOURCES
No budget appropriation is required.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Parks Recreation Open Space Master Plan
2. Supplement A- Engagement Report
3. Supplement B- Park Inventory
4. Supplement C- Park Maps
5. Supplement D- Recreation Report
6. Supplement E- Financial Analysis
7. Supplement F- Strategic Action Plan