Los Angeles County's Creative Plans to Boost Parks

(*Updated September 10, 2014) While a recent Los Angeles Times article looked at how the city of Los Angeles is trying to come up with out-of-the-box ways to meet its park needs, the county also is facing the same dilemma.

Los Angeles County also has limited space for parks, but the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) is making several efforts to increase available facilities for residents, according to county planner Clement Lau.

“Like its counterpart at the City of Los Angeles, DPR recognizes that it must be creative and bold in how it meets the park and recreation needs of underserved communities given budget, land, and other constraints.  Just as no single agency can do it all, no single solution will be adequate or sufficient.  Thus DPR has also been identifying, evaluating, and pursuing opportunities to create new parks and trails at unconventional locations such as utility corridors and small vacant parcels, and coordinating with partners such as utility providers, private property owners, school districts, transportation agencies, and local non-profit organizations.”

The county’s push includes drafting park plans for six unincorporated urban communities and *an action by the County Board of Supervisors to include Proposition P on the November ballot. Proposition P would continue funding for parks and other recreation facilities by establishing a $23 per year parcel tax.

“If approved, the tax would be levied for 30 years, generating an approximate total of $1.6 billion, including nearly $45 million to unincorporated areas of the County and almost $163 million to underserved communities for parks and recreational amenities.”

*This post was updated to more accurately describe the actions of the County Board of Supervisors with regard to Proposition P. The earlier use of the term "lobbying" is not an accurate description of their action to place the item on the November ballot.