REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
SUBMITTED TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
SUBMITTED BY: Travis Hopkins, City Manager
VIA: Ashley Wysocki, Director of Community & Library Services
PREPARED BY: Chris Cole, Community & Library Services Manager
Subject:
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Approve the City of Huntington Beach 2025 Parks and Recreation Master Plan Update
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Statement of Issue:
As part of the Fiscal Year 2021/22 budget, City Council directed staff to complete a Parks and Recreation Master Plan. The firm RJM Design Group, Inc. has prepared a comprehensive Parks and Recreation Master plan for the City’s parks and facilities, which is presented for Council review and approval.
Financial Impact:
Adoption of the Plan does not authorize immediate expenditures. Implementation will occur through future budget processes and capital project approvals. Funding strategies include Park Impact Fees, developer contributions, grants, and public-private partnerships.
Recommended Action:
recommendation
Adopt the 2025 Parks and Recreation Master Plan Update as the City’s strategic planning roadmap for parks, recreation, and open space planning with the direction to have the Plan reviewed by the Community & Library Services Commission every five years.
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Alternative Action(s):
Do not approve the recommended action and direct staff accordingly.
Analysis:
The City of Huntington Beach Parks and Recreation Master Plan (Plan) Update (2025) serves as the City’s guide and implementation tool for the next 10-15 years of park, facility, and program development within the City’s boundaries. This update builds upon the foundation of the 2016 Master Plan and integrates the community engagement, facility inventories, and demographic analyses conducted in 2021 and 2024.
The updated plan reflects extensive community participation, including:
• Over 3,000 community interactions through surveys, workshops, and interviews
• A statistically valid multimodal community survey representing all neighborhoods
• Input from 21 sports organizations, community stakeholders, and advisory commissions
The plan identifies top program priorities such as affordable and inclusive programming, senior and fitness opportunities, beach-based activities, and top facility priorities including pickleball courts, trail connectivity, open space preservation, playground renovations, and aquatic facilities.
The 2025 Master Plan emphasizes the following key goals and strategies:
• Equitable Access: Ensure all residents have access to high-quality parks and recreation services within a 10-minute walk
• Sustainability and Stewardship: Enhance the City’s open space network, native habitats, and tree canopy
• Active Living and Wellness: Expand facilities and programs promoting fitness and health across generations
• Community Partnerships: Strengthen joint-use agreements with schools and partnerships with nonprofits and private operators
• Fiscal Responsibility: Prioritize capital investments through a phased, data-driven approach aligned with community demand and available funding
In alignment with the General Plan (2017) and Environmental Resources and Conservation Element, the 2025 Master Plan provides a coordinated framework for land use, recreation, and mobility planning. It also complements related efforts such as the Huntington Beach Mobility Implementation Plan (HB in Motion) and the City’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP).
The Plan builds on previous planning efforts and provides an up-to-date understanding of the current and future recreation and program needs, as well as and opportunities for parks and other open space and undeveloped areas within the City. While the Plan is intended to be flexible as the City responds to changes in needs and City priorities, it will serve as a tool in developing the annual CIP list.
PUBLIC OUTREACH
The development of the Plan Update involved:
• Three virtual community workshops (2021)
• Seventeen stakeholder interviews
• A statistically valid citywide survey (400 households)
• Project website and online feedback portal with over 3,000 views
• Updated sports organization survey (2024)
The Community & Library Services Commission reviewed and recommended approval of the 2025 Master Plan Update at its August 13, 2025, meeting. Staff is therefore recommending City Council accept the recommendation of the Community & Library Services Commission and approve the Plan as presented.
Environmental Status:
Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5), administrative activities of governments that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment do not constitute a project.
Strategic Plan Goal:
Non Applicable - Administrative Item
Attachment(s):
1. 2025 Parks and Recreation Master Plan Update (Final Draft)
2. Parks and Recreation Master Plan Update PowerPoint