Parks & Recreation Plans and Reports

Did you know that Lake Oswego Parks & Recreation is updating the park, recreation, and natural areas system plan? Click here to learn more and get involved in the Parks Plan 2040 project!

Lake Oswego Parks & Recreation plans for the future by undertaking long-range planning projects. These planning projects assess current and future needs using population data, growth projections, regional and national benchmarks, level of service standards, planning-level cost estimating, and most importantly: community feedback.

There are several types of planning documents. Click on the links below to view plans in each category.

• System Plans: System plans take a comprehensive look at how off of a district's parks, recreation facilities, natural areas, and programs work together to serve community members. The planning process typically includes analysis of population data and trends, an inventory of existing assets, an assessment of current conditions and future needs on a citywide scale, and development of an implementation plan that aligns capital project investments with community needs. Park and recreation system plans are intended to provide guidance over operations and investments over the long term, usually a period of 10-20 years.

• Master Plans: Park master plans address the development or improvement of new and existing parks. Master plans typically address the vision and intended use of the park, balancing issues such as providing desired recreation opportunities with sensitive lands and resource protection. Master plans typically address the character of the park and the surrounding area, the scale and intensity of proposed uses, a site plan and existing site conditions inventory, and analysis of environmental impacts and resource protection strategies, and planning-level cost estimates for planned improvements.

• Site Plans: Site plans are site-specific drawings depicting planned improvements to a new or existing site. Site plans typically include elements such as protected sensitive lands, the location of parking and access facilities, amenities such as restrooms and play areas, and grassy open areas. Site plans are common elements of park master plans but can also be prepared as standalone documents.

• Feasibility Studies & Reports: Feasibility studies help parks and recreation departments determine whether new major facilities or programs are needed, and if they are financially or operationally possible given current conditions. Studies may assess legal feasibility, site feasibility, design feasibility, financial feasibility, and administrative or operational feasibility. Feasibility studies help park planners make educated decisions about whether and to move forward with a concept.

• Restoration and Habitat Management Plans: Restoration management plans are site-specific documents that provide guidance on the restoration and ongoing management of natural areas. These plans help guide staff in restoring natural areas to improve their function and benefit the native plans, wildlife, and fish that inhabit them.