ProGov21 Policy Library

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2021

Level City or Town, County

State(s) All States

Source Safe Routes to School National Partnership

Policy Areas Environment & Natural Resources, Public Spaces, Transportation & Mobility

This guide provides a framework to increase safe and equitable access to parks and green spaces. It focuses on access to parks via active transportation as well as ensuring a high-quality, safe experience within the park itself. The guide includes recommendations to help local decisionmakers...

The Case for Parks and Affordable Housing Joint Development

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2018

Level City or Town, County

State(s) California

Source Los Angeles Regional Open Space and Affordable Housing Collaborative

Policy Areas Community Development, Economic Justice, Health, Public Spaces

This guide outlines how coordinating affordable housing development with park expansions can help municipal park agencies serve low-income households without raising concerns about gentrification and displacement. It recommends targeting these coordinated projects in transit-rich...

The Power of Parks to Promote Health

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2023

Level City or Town, County

State(s) All States

Source The Trust for Public Land

Policy Areas Community Development, Health, Public Spaces

Parks and natural spaces promote mental, physical, and environmental wellbeing, and many parks departments are leveraging parks and recreational resources to improve health outcomes. This report outlines the benefits of preserving access to parks and green spaces and provides policy...

The Excellent City Park System: What Makes it Great and How to Get There

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2013

Level City or Town, County

State(s) All States

Source The Trust for Public Land

Policy Areas Community Development, Economic Justice, Public Spaces

This report outlines best practices for effective park development and recommends that cities take inventory of their land assets, prioritize park safety and equity, and regularly engage with the public. It also highlights case studies that have implemented successful park development...

Complete Parks Playbook

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2018

Level City or Town, County

State(s) All States, Pennsylvania, Texas

Source ChangeLab Solutions

Policy Areas Education, Environment & Natural Resources, Health, Public Spaces

Parks enhance communities by promoting physical, mental, and social health. This guide outlines the 'complete parks approach', which helps local governments promote parks improvements by engaging communities who have historically been overlooked during parks planning discussions,...

11th Street Bridge Park Equitable Development Plan

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2018

Level City or Town

State(s) District of Columbia

Source Building Bridges Across the River

Policy Areas Community Development, Economic Justice, Housing, Public Spaces

The 11th Street Bridge Park will expand pedestrian mobility, incorporate educational resources, and provide a public venue for arts and cultural programming. This equitable development plan outlines the project's community engagement emphasis and highlights its strategies for developing...

Green pattern book: using vacant land to create greener neighborhoods in Baltimore

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2015

Level City or Town

State(s) Maryland

Source United States Department of Agriculture

Policy Areas Community Development, Economic Justice, Environment & Natural Resources

This guide outlines best practices for converting vacant land into publicly accessible green spaces and parks. It specifically highlights eight "green patterns" or strategies for holding and converting vacant land including establishing temporary green spaces in plots reserved for...

Economic Benefits of Parks

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2011

Level City or Town, County, State

State(s) All States, Pennsylvania

Source We Conserve PA

Policy Areas Community Development, Economic Justice, Environment & Natural Resources, Public Spaces

This guide examines economic impact studies of public parks, and finds parks provide many economic benefits to their surrounding communities, including increased property values, increased tax revenues, decreased medical costs due to recreational opportunities, and decreased stormwater...

The Benefits of Parks: Why America Needs more City Parks and Open Space

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2006

Level City or Town, County

State(s) All States

Source The Trust for Public Land

Policy Areas Economic Justice, Environment & Natural Resources, Public Spaces

City parks and open space improve our physical and psychological health, strengthen our communities, and make our cities attractive places to live and work. This report examines studies on the economic, environmental, health, and social benefits of city parks and finds that many cities...

Sinking Treasure: A Look at the Milwaukee County Parks’ Troubled Finances and Potential Solutions

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2021

Level County

State(s) Wisconsin

Source Wisconsin Policy Forum

Policy Areas Finance & Procurement, Public Spaces

Over the past thirty years, Milwaukee County Parks has struggled to stay on top of repairs and upkeep, citing the decrease in funding caused by their dependence on falling property tax levy allocations. In response to these challenges, this report explores peer park systems across...

How Much Value does the City of Philadelphia Receive from its Park and Recreation System?

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2008

Level City or Town

State(s) Pennsylvania

Source The Trust for Public Land

Policy Areas Community Development, Economic Justice, Environment & Natural Resources, Finance & Procurement, Public Spaces

Philadelphia's park system has provided hundreds of millions of dollars in value, primarily through increased property tax revenues from properties in proximity to public parks and increased sales tax revenues from tourism. This study examines the economic benefits associated with...

Recreation Roadmap

Type Roadmap

Year 2021

Level City or Town, County

State(s) All States

Source ProGov21

Policy Areas Community Development, Environment & Natural Resources, Health, Public Spaces

Recreational spaces improve community and individual health, increase home values, and preserve green spaces. However, access to recreational spaces is limited, particularly for low-income communities and communities of color. ProGov21's Recreation Roadmap outlines funding, access,...

Greening Without Gentrification: Learning from Parks-Related Anti-Displacement Strategies Nationwide

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2019

Level City or Town

State(s) All States

Source UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability

Policy Areas Community Development, Economic Justice, Housing, Public Spaces

When parks are built in historically marginalized areas they can contribute to 'green gentrification' as improved access to natural spaces increases property values and brings an influx of wealthier residents. This guide outlines policy strategies for greening marginalized communities...

Fair Play: Advancing Health Equity through Shared Use

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2015

Level County

State(s) All States

Source ChangeLab Solutions

Policy Areas Environment & Natural Resources, Community Development, Public Spaces, Health

Over the past several years, shared use has emerged as a promising strategy for creating opportunities for physical activity, particularly in places where recreational space is scarce. Too many cities and towns lack the resources residents need to be active, and finding safe, accessible,...

Why Adopt an Obesity Prevention Resolution?

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2010

Level County

State(s) All States

Source ChangeLab Solutions

Policy Areas Health, Children & Families, Democracy & Governance, Food, Public Spaces

Passing a local resolution is one way for communities to promote obesity prevention policies. This report outlines NPLAN's model obesity prevention resolution, explaining how it works and the specific policies it promotes. It focuses on ten areas of improvement: (1) the built environment,...

Lincoln, Nebraska: Leveraging the Power of the Purse to Advance Health Equity

Type Fact Sheet or Infographic

Year 2016

Level City or Town

State(s) All States

Source National League of Cities

Policy Areas Health, Children & Families, Democracy & Governance, Food, Economic Justice, Civil Rights, Community Development, Public Spaces, Transportation & Mobility

The city of Lincoln is home to 133 miles of trails and more than 125 parks and green spaces on over 6,000 acres of public land. Lincoln's trail system consistently ranks among the best in the country. Numerous partnerships exist throughout the community to promote and encourage active...

Elizabeth City Parks and Recreation Department Comprehensive Master Plan

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2016

Level City or Town, County

State(s) North Carolina

Source Elizabeth City/Pasquotank County Parks and Recreation Department

Policy Areas Community Development, Democracy & Governance, Public Spaces

Elizabeth City and Pasquotank County consolidated their parks departments which reduced costs but maintained quality facilities and services. This report provides an overview of how major changes that followed the merger helped improve community access to sports complexes, and recommends...

Minneapolis 20-Year Neighborhood Park Plan 2022 Annual Report

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2016

Level City or Town

State(s) Minnesota

Source City of Minneapolis

Policy Areas Civil Rights, Community Development, Economic Justice, Public Spaces

Minneapolis' 20-Year Neighborhood Park Plan provides funding for the restoration, repair, and replacement of deteriorating park assets, and directs capital investments toward historically underserved communities. This report provides an overview of rehabilitation projects and outlines...

Lessons from PHX: Embracing Lean Urbanism

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2021

Level City or Town

State(s) All States, Arizona

Source The Project For Lean Urbanism

Policy Areas Democracy & Governance, Community Development, Public Spaces

The City of Phoenix has become a model of Lean Governing, demonstrating the benefits of community revitalization when a municipality enables and encourages the work of creative entrepreneurs, small developers, neighborhood leaders, and community organizations. Along the way, it has...

Park Impact Fees 101

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2015

Level City or Town, County

State(s) Washington

Source Clark County

Policy Areas Community Development, Economic Justice, Finance & Procurement, Public Spaces

Park Impact Fees (PIFs) are fees levied on the construction of new residential housing to provide an ongoing source of revenue for park and recreational space development. This guide outlines best practices for implementing PIFs and highlights how Clark County and Vancouver have developed...

Air Quality Effects of Urban Trees and Parks

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2010

Level City or Town

State(s) All States

Source National Recreation and Park Association

Policy Areas Economic Justice, Environment & Natural Resources, Public Spaces

This report finds that urban parks reduce air temperatures, air pollution, ultraviolet radiation, and atmospheric carbon dioxide. It recommends preserving and increasing urban tree cover, planting long-lived trees, reducing fossil fuel use in maintaining natural urban spaces, and...

Green Infrastructure in Parks: A Guide to Collaboration, Funding, and Community Engagement

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2017

Level City or Town, County

State(s) All States

Source U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Policy Areas Environment & Natural Resources, Finance & Procurement, Public Spaces

This guide promotes partnerships between parks agencies and stormwater agencies that prioritize green infrastructure development in parks. It examines the environmental, economic, and social benefits of green infrastructure, identifies optimal installation locations, outlines funding...

Green Space: An Underestimated Tool to Create More Equal Cities

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2020

Level City or Town

State(s) All States

Source World Resources Institute

Policy Areas Civil Rights, Economic Justice, Environment & Natural Resources, Public Spaces

Improving access to urban green spaces can promote equity in health, safety, and climate resilience. This report outlines how access to quality green spaces like public parks and athletic fields is often linked to wealth and examines how local governments can improve green space equity...

Portland Parks Local Option Levy

Type Fact Sheet or Infographic

Year 2020

Level City or Town

State(s) Oregon

Source Portland Parks & Recreation Department

Policy Areas Democracy & Governance, Economic Justice, Finance & Procurement, Health, Public Spaces

The Parks Local Option Levy was a tax initiative passed in Portland that will direct millions toward supporting parks, nature, and clean water. This guide outlines how the parks levy will promote equitable access to recreational programming, support park maintenance and preservation...

2020 Baltimore Resolution 20-27 Prohibiting the Privatization of Baltimore's Underground Conduit System

Type Ordinance or Resolution

Year 2020

Level City or Town

State(s) Maryland

Source Baltimore City Council

Policy Areas Public Safety

This resolution prohibits the City from selling, transferring, or franchising access to the City's water supply system, sewer system, and underground conduit system for cables wires and other facilities. Under this resolution, the city retains its authority to grant franchises or...

ProGov21 Policy Library

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