City of South Burlington, Vermont

CRO Planning & Design is currently working the City of South Burlington to develop two integrated Master Plans: one for Parks and Recreation and a second for Natural Areas/Open Spaces. The South Burlington Parks Master Plan and Open Space Master Plan seek to holistically assess the City’s current parklands, recreation amenities, and open spaces through a comprehensive planning process that expands recreational access, equity, sustainability, human & habitat connectivity, and environmental quality. The plans will summarize the existing parks and open spaces in the City of South Burlington and their associated amenities and natural resources. The plans use GIS mapping to create a Gap Analysis for where parks and open spaces could be added to the existing inventory for more equitable and fair access to these spaces for all residents. These master plans will include opportunities for future land acquisition and land management best practices for natural resource protection, including invasive species management.

Project Outcomes

• Identification of existing Parks and Open Spaces with defining characteristics including ownership, access, amenities, and key natural resources;
• A robust public engagement process to ensure local support of future projects that result from the Master Plans
• A map of current Parks and Open Spaces to identify where gaps may exist throughout the City
• An assessment of future Parks and/or Open Spaces, with prioritization of key parcels
• Review of South Burlington’s recreation programs, events, and facilities, including the need for and feasibility of indoor recreation
• Development of a clear and consistent implementation roadmap to help the City expand recreational access, equity, sustainability, human & habitat connectivity, and environmental quality.